American English Podcast

Shana Thompson
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Aug 16, 2023 • 29min

150 - Review: Season 3

In this episode, the host reflects on the past 50 episodes of Season 3, discussing popular episodes and improvements in audio quality. They delve into the influence of Starbucks on American culture, explore various aspects of culture including speech experiments and Rosa Parks, provide a recap of Season 3 and preview Season 4, and discuss the benefits of using podcasts for language learning.
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14 snips
Jul 31, 2023 • 26min

149 - 5-Minute English: Injuries and Getting Hurt

Today you'll hear a short story our recent trip to Brazil, during which I ended up going to the hospital and getting stitches. Throughout this story you'll hear 20+ words related to injuries and getting hurt. Although I hope you don't get hurt anytime soon, I hope this lesson prepares you to talk about the times when you did in English.We all have a getting hurt story, whether it's our own or someone else's. Give this a listen and see if you can use what you learned to tell your story! You will hear the audio twice.*****THIS IS AN ADVANCED ENGLISH EPISODE! Don't stress out of you don't understand everything. If you want to understand everything be sure to sign up to Premium Content!How to Get Premium Content for this episode:  Season 3: By purchasing Season 3, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.  You'll also get the full 5-Minute English Course - Part 2, which contains 12 in-depth lessons to boost your vocabulary! This lesson is part of that course. Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s, quizzes + more) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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9 snips
Jul 19, 2023 • 42min

148 - Language Learning with Ben Whately (Co-founder of Memrise)

Today we have a special guest named Ben Whatley. Maybe you know him! He's the Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Memrise, one of the most celebrated language apps there is. Ben received his master's in experimental psychology from Oxford University and has since been working with language acquisition. In fact, he's a pioneer in the field; Ben helped create the first AI language partner using GPT3 technology. It's called the MemBot. If you're interested in trying it out, you can do so here:Try out Memrise + THE FIRST AI Language Partner, the MemBot.In any case, today I had the pleasure of tapping into his knowledge with the goal of finding out how we can learn better. In our chat, Ben and I talk about common misconceptions in language, learning, the genius of mnemonic devices and how to acquire new vocabulary effectively.Other Links: Steven Krashen: Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jul 7, 2023 • 31min

147.2 - 10 Words a Day: German Words in English (11-20)

This is part two of a very special story about my dear friend, Nina, who is from Germany. In the story of our friendship, which I'll wrap up in the this episode, you'll learn 10+ German loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language.American English has many German words; how do we pronounce them?  Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a German word is common in American English, naturally, there's an expected way to pronounce it, even if it's not how it is pronounced normally in German. The goal of this episode is to teach you how we pronounce the common ones and what to do when you come across uncommon loanwords. Here is a sample of some of the words in today's episode.  kitschy beer garden schnitzel bratwurst  sauerkraut strudel rucksack schmear  lox  delicatessen schlep  Other words mentioned: Bauhaus architecture, hefeweizen, liverwurst, wiener and some Yiddish terms such as schmuck and schmooze.Note: German loanwords in English follow English rules! While nouns are capitalized in German, in English, they are lowercase UNLESS they are proper nouns like Volkswagen OR if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler. Diacritical marks, such as the umlaut, are optional! *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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4 snips
Jun 29, 2023 • 30min

147 - 10 Words a Day: German Words in English (1-10)

It's story time! Welcome to a true story about my friend, Nina, who is from Berlin, Germany. In the story of our friendship you'll learn 10+ German loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language.American English has many German words; how do we pronounce them?  Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a German word is common in American English, naturally, there's an expected way to pronounce it, even if it's not how it is pronounced normally in German. The goal of this episode is to teach you how we pronounce the common ones and what to do when you come across uncommon loanwords. Here is a sample of some of the words in today's episode.  doppelgänger wanderlust schadenfreude Volkswagen kindergarten Rottweiler gesundheit! fest  angst or angsty waltz über kaput Note: German loanwords in English follow English rules! While nouns are capitalized in German, in English, they are lowercase UNLESS they are proper nouns like Volkswagen OR if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler. Diacritical marks, such as the umlaut, are optional! *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  *****Support the showSupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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10 snips
Jun 15, 2023 • 30min

146.2 - The Incredible Flight of "Lawn Chair" Larry (Larry Walters)

In today's episode, you’ll hear the incredible story of a man named Larry Walters, or "Lawn Chair" Larry, who bought over 40 weather balloons, attached them to a lawn chair in his backyard and flew 16,000 feet up in the air.The story is weird and funny, and it gives way to a larger discussion about “Cluster Ballooning.” I’ll explain challenging words and phrases as I go along!In Part 1 of this episode, you'll learn all about the common English expression "up in the air." You'll learn the expression's origin, how to use it in a multitude of situations and you'll do pronunciation exercises with it. Big shoutout to Guilherme Krause and Christian for supporting the podcast this month, I really appreciate it!*****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  American English Accent Course *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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13 snips
Jun 7, 2023 • 17min

146 - Expression: Up in the Air

In today's episode, you'll learn all about the common English expression "up in the air." You'll learn the expression's origin, how to use it in a multitude of situations and you'll do pronunciation exercises with it. The second part of this episode, is all about Larry "Lawnchair," a man who gave birth to cluster ballooning as an activity. Stay tuned, that episode will be posted shortly.Big shoutout to Guilherme Krause for supporting the podcast this month, I really appreciate it!*****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  American English Accent Course *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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5 snips
May 22, 2023 • 48min

145 - Discover Maine with Brent Watson

The for this episode was recorded on March 22, so keep that in mind when listening to our discussion about the weather and daylight hours.***ABOUT***Maine is the easternmost and northernmost state in the contiguous United States, and it’s known for its expansive forests, breathtaking coastlines, and its unique New England culture.Today, we're going to talk to Brent (Speak English with This Guy), who is a middle school English teacher from Maine. You'll hear from a local all about the food culture, lifestyle and accent of Mainers (or Maniacs!), as well as a crazy story about moose. Hear why our only one-syllable state is such a wonderful place all while getting to know a local.  ***OUR GUEST***If you want to hear Brent more often, why not check out his podcast? It's called: Speak English with This Guy! ***PREMIUM CONTENT***  Season 3: By purchasing Season 3, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.  You'll also get the full 5-Minute English Course - Part 2, which contains 12 in-depth lessons to boost your vocabulary! This lesson is part of that course. Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s, quizzes + more) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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4 snips
May 5, 2023 • 29min

144.2 - The Kentucky Derby

At the beginning of May every year, horse racing season begins. In the U.S., it starts off with The Kentucky Derby, a horse race that is often referred to as “the most exciting two minutes of sports.” 🐎 Since 1875, eager spectators have been pouring into Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to watch the ca. 20 racers make their way to the finish line.  Just given how long the event has been around, you can probably imagine how many traditions there are at the event. In today’s episode, you’ll learn about those traditions and the culture and history that makes the event what it is today.Would you want to visit? Disclaimer: This episode discusses drugs, alcohol and gambling, and therefore it’s listed as explicit! Be sure to sign up to Season 3 or All Premium Content if you want the English learning material that goes along with this episode. *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  American English Accent Course *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 1, 2023 • 14min

144 - Expression: To Jump the Gun

In this episode, you'll learn how to use the common English expression "To Jump the Gun." Be sure to stay tuned until part 2 to learn all about the Kentucky Derby, "the most exciting two minutes of sports."*****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  American English Accent Course *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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