Well, your favorite ESL and accent reduction tutor will be full strength vaccinated on June 15th--I get my second shot on June 1st--and on June 30th I will be able to do in-person lessons again for anyone relatively local to NJ.

(I have actually traveled as far as Delaware for a client willing to pay my Amtrak fare and spend a day or two working a "crash course".)

I hope everybody is getting their shots or has gotten their shots and is enjoying the return of normal life.

Here is a simple video explaining--in general--the word order in American English:  subject-verb-object.   Be aware that this does not apply in every situation or work in every situation with every sentence.  But a lot of them it will.  

(As I say to my students: American English is a mix of so many different languages with so many differed grammatical structures and so many things stolen from other languages that we don't really have hard and fast grammatical "rules" that work every time.  We have rules of thumb--general rules that work sometimes.)

Here's the video.

In any case if  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can more easily do business in America with Americans give me a call (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID. 

I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

See ya next time!

 Well, it certainly has been a long year, hasn't it?  The world has changed in a BIG way.

But I'm still going, still teaching, in spite of everything.  Working virtually via ZOOM, WhatsApp, Skype, Google Meet--whatever you like.  And wherever you are  on Earth, if you want help with speaking, writing, and understanding American English or reducing your accent so Americans understand you better and you can do business in America, I am here to help, here to work with you.

In any case.  Just a quick lesson for today.  A couple of slang terms related to coronavirus.

1)  Covidiot:  general term used for someone who believes coronavirus is a hoax, or its no more serious than the seasonal flu, or it has a fatality rate no higher than the seasonal flu, someone who believes people are dying of all kinds of things but "they"--whoever "they" is--claim it was coronavirus that killed them as part of a conspiracy to pump up fatality numbers.  Someone who believes that coronavirus is being used by the government to "force people to give up their freedoms".

2)  The 'rona/the virus:  Short term for coronavirus.  For instance, on the commuter train, a conductor who was in a good mood might get on the PA and announce, "everybody, please wear your masks over your NOSE and MOUTH.  NOT JUST YOUR MOUTH and NOT as a chin strap.  Please also remember to social distance.  Let's keep everybody healthy and not go catching the 'rona."

There's other slang terms in general use, including a vulgar one used to describe people who take pride in refusing to wear masks...but I won't go into that here.  

In any case if  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can more easily do business in America with Americans give me a call (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID.  I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

All right?  All right.  'til next time...

Long distance and Commuter Trains in America

Let’s talk about public transportation in America. For trains, there are two types of trains used for transportation. There are longer distance trains run by the American Passenger Rail Company, a quasi-government agency known informally as Amtrak. Amtrak runs trains, for instance, between Boston and Washington DC (its most heavily traveled run. On the Boston to DC run, there are three classes of rail: The regular train, which runs slower and makes all stops, the Metroliner, which is more luxurious, runs faster than the regular train and skips some stops, and the so-called “high speed rail”--the Acela--pronounced “a sella” which gets you from New York to DC in about three and a half hours, is the most luxurious, and makes only a few stops.

 On most trains in the Northeast, there are two classes of seat: business class and coach class. On the Acela there are two classes of seat: “business class” which is somewhat luxurious and “first class” which is the most expensive (New York to DC is $450 one way) and the most luxurious with valet service, bottle service if you drink, meals, and so on. Its quite an experience, Also on most Amtrak trains in the Northeast is a “Cafe Car” where you can purchase hot food, cold beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda, juices and other sundries. Prices vary on Amtrak trains, but you can either go to a ticket office, located at any Amtrak station during station hours, purchase tickets from a “Quick TIk” machine at major stations, or go online at www.amtrak.com.

 Prices vary depending on what specials are being run at what times for what buyers. A lot of it depends on how full a given train is. Long distance Amtrak trains are similar to commuter trains in the Northeast with an important difference: long distance trains, multi day travel trains, typically have sleeping compartments. These are private compartments for one or two people with seats that fold down into beds for sleeping. The number of these on a given train tends to be limited, but speaking from personal experience--I’ve only done it once--its the most luxurious way to sleep you can imagine. The humming off the train engine and the motion of the train is *extremely* relaxing

. Now that I think of it, Long distance Amtrak trains also have checked baggage service, like an airline. One trick for getting an inexpensive sleeping compartment is to wait until you are on the train, and if the sleeping compartments are not full on that train, you can ask the conducter to sell you one. You used to have to pay cash but I’m pretty sure you can pay by card now. Be aware that this may annoy some more cantankerous conductors who might feel that you should have booked the bunk with the original ticket rather than being chintzy or cheap (their view, not mine) and trying to get one inexpensively. On the other hand, some conductors are happy to help. Depends on who you draw. That’s Amtrak.

 Commuter trains are typically run by the state you are in, and not all states have them. The systems are pretty good in the Northeast, by contrast in the South, or anywhere south of DC or west of Pennsylvania they are almost nonexistent. Commuter trains are primarily for getting people who live in the suburbs of a large city and work in the large city into and out of the large city. They are typically crowded, loud, dirty, they don’t run on time, they break down constantly for long periods of time, the conductors are sometimes surly and rude and sometimes obnoxious (with good reason--they deal with awful people all day long). They are filled with some of the strangest and sometimes most dangerous people you could imagine.

FWIW, the conductors on a New Jersey Transit train typically have no more idea what’s going on at any trouble spot than you do. New Jersey Transit regards conductors as the low people on the totem pole and they tell them almost nothing about nothing. Try to remember that the next time you are tempted to yell at or give a conductor a hard time. THAT said, some of my best friends are conductors are New Jersey Transit conductors, and you can get into some great conversations with some awesome people if you know how to approach people and who you can approach. You have to take the point of view that everybody on the train really just wants what you want: A quiet, uninterrupted ride without a lot of trouble. If you approach any potential conversation from that perspective and remember to keep convos short, interesting, and you remember to be kind, the trains can be good.

 Useful things to have on a train of any kind are: a smartphone with working service and preferably a WiFI hotspot, a set of good noise canceling headphones, a snack or three--I usually pack a sandwich or two and a drink, a sweatshirt orr zipup, and a patient disposition/ The longest I ever had to wait on a train was two and a half hours where someone had a medical emergency and was so unstable that he coouldn’t be moved, so they evacuated the car and woked on him there. Then later on that same trip someone’s GPS told them to make a left after a crossing and it was dark without streetlights ad they turned onto the railroad tracks and got stuck. That was another hour and a half wait. During both of these delays I fell asleep. Patience is a virtue and learning to sleep when there’s nothing else to do, and to wake up to full wakefulness immediately is also a useful skill for trains.

 All right? All right!

 If you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, or learning American English, or getting more confident with or improving your English, or getting your English to the point that you can have a complex conversation on a complex topic, or American business culture, or if you need interview prep, or any other English needs that you may have, give me a call at 732-807-5424 or text me at that number, or you can catch me on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID, or email me at david.berlin.esl@gmail.com.

 For information and help, check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel or my website at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training Website. For help with American idioms, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed. Or just call, text or hit me up on Skype. 'Til then, this is your friendly neighborhood ESL and accent reduction tutor SIGNING OFF!

American Corporate Culture: Individualism

America is supposed to be the land where the individual can shine, where individual initiative is rewarded, and where people can rise to the top on their own skills and acumen.

a·cu·men

noun

the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.
"business acumen"

In truth, you really have to suss out the corporate culture of the place where you in particular work.

suss out

transitive verb

To come to understand  by thinking.
"I had him sussed out the second time I met him."

Although some corporate cultures allow individuals to shine, some supervisors prefer that everything go through them and that all ideas be presented as their idea.   It depends on the style of middle management that flourishes where you work.   Although individualism IS an important cultural value in the United States, it doesn't work out in practice that its valued everywhere in every situation. 

For instance, some middle managers are what we call "micro managers."

mi·cro·man·age

verb
to control every part, however small, of (an enterprise or activity

However some managers are interested in advancement themselves and are interested in helping their subordinates achieve.   You have to get a sense of the place where you work.

Get a sense of

transitive phrasal verb
"get ideas about [something] by observation or experience."

All right?   All right.   If you are interested in American idioms, check out my American Idiom of The Day Twitter Feed.    Also take a look at my ESL and Accent Reduction YouTube Channel. If you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, check out my David Berlin's ESL/Accent Reduction Training website or call or text 732-807-5424 OR hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID.

All right?  ALL RIGHT!  CALL OR SKYPE TODAY!

Go to the LIBRARY!

Most towns in America--even the small towns--have a local public library, or have an agreement with another town to use their library.

In America, we value learning, we value intelligence--we strongly think of ourselves as a merit based society and in some ways--although not all ways--we are, perhaps more so than other places.   In America, you don't need to be the scion of a wealthy family or have aristocratic roots to rise to the top.

So America has libraries, funded with startup funds from wealthy philanthropists--the Carnegie-Mellons, the Rockefellers, the Getty family and others.   Right up until this day--many small town libraries in America use computers that came courtesy of the Gates Foundation.   Libraries are an American tradition.

However, what you may not be used to is that in America, if you live in the town and can prove you do with a driver's license or ID or some other form of proof of address--usually they will accept a utility bill for instance--then the library is generally free for you to use--you pay nothing except a tiny fee if you check out a book and return it late.

Libraries in the modern American age are kind of community centers, but they still absolutely lend books.   Some libraries have special collections--for instance, my small town library for many years had a special collection on the topic of baseball--and they lend DVDs.  Furthermore, if you don't have internet service at home, typically the library will.

If you get stuck on how to find something or you need a book not in the library's collection, ask the librarians--that's what they're there for.   Likewise if you are looking for a specific fact or statistic and don't know who to ask--and its not the sort of thing you could reliably Google--librarians are trained at library science, which involves the organization and cataloguing of human knowledge and information.  They live for those kinds of questions.

To find the library where you live, simply Google "[your town name]" and the words "public library" together without quotes and see what comes up.  To check out books and use the facilities to their fullest extent you'll need a library card but not usually to sit and read--often libraries have a selection of local and national newspapers and magazines.

(the magazines they stock are what their user base wants--as determined by empirical data, which is why not all libraries stock all the same magazines.)

All right?   For answers about libraries and other issues in American culture or corporate culture or to book me for an English as a Second Language or accent reduction lesson, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl or check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed   or check out David Berlin ESL's Accent Reduction Training website.  Okay?  Okay. 

'Til next time...

SEE YA!

American Intonation

In accent reduction, or when learning or training in a new accent, intonation refers to the rising and falling in musical pitch of the voice.   So if you've noticed, Americans speak with a rising pitch at the end of certain kinds of questions, and a falling, walking-down-the-steps intonation when we make a declarative statement.

This video explains the simple basics of American-style vocal intonation when speaking.   This is very, very important to Americans because intonation helps Americans understand what is really being said apart from simple content.

This is different from, for instance, the Chinese system of vocal intonation/pitch, in which pitch changes in a word change the *definition*, the *content* of the word.   In America, pitch changes change what is *indicated*--what is said indirectly or "said without saying".

Its also different, for instance, from the Indian/Hindi/subcontinent way of speaking--and in fact one of the greatest difficulties Americans have understanding subcontinent speakers is incorrect stresses and a completely unrecognizable (to Americans) pattern of intonation.   When I have an Indian student--whether he or she is a Malayalam speaker, a Kannada speaker, a Tamil speaker,  Gujarathi speaker or Telugu--whatever subcontinent language the person speaks natively--the very first thing I work on with them for a month or two is American style intonation because that makes the biggest change.

Anyhow.  Here is a video explaining in simple terms some parts of American intonation.

All right?  All right.  I hope you like that video, and remember, if you'd like to talk to me about lessons, about taking ESL or accent reduction lessons, if you'd like some training in making American style "small talk"--which is the seemingly unimportant (actually very important) social talk Americans make throughout the day--or American culture or corporate culture, you can give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID OR check out my David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed or my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel with plenty of instructional videos and tips and tricks to improve your American accent.

Slots are opening up for the fall!

Okay? Okay.   hit me up! Would love to hear from you!

For

This video gives a good explanation of the -er vs the -ier ending for comparative adjectives.   Essentially, the -er ending modifies an adjective and makes it more so.   If you are a Spanish speaker the -er ending is the same or equivalent of the modifier mas. 

So for instance, hot in Spanish is caliente.   To make it even more so, you say mas caliente.   Translated literally, that would be "more hot".   But a better way to do this in American English is to add the -er ending and simply say hott-er

Example usage:  "Today is hott-er than yesterday."

However!  When the adjective ends in a -y then to make it more so we DROP the -y ending and add -ier. 

Example:   This piece of jewelry is heav-ier than that one, so it costs more.

Okay?  Check out the video for some good detail and exercises.

For further information, or if you are interested in one on one,private ESL or accent reduction lessons, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or give me a buzz if you are international on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID.

Or check out my David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or subscribe to the American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed for some American idioms and examples of usage you can use in your everyday speech.  OKAY?  Okay!  Call today!