clichés, pragmatics and how we use language to connect us beyond the actual words used

What is the purpose of language? Do words carry meaning? Is language communication?

These are questions Michael Rosen looks at in his excellent weekly programme on BBC Radio 4 - and this week, it's: Word of Mouth - It's not what you say, it's how you say it - BBC Sounds

Michael Rosen on the linguistic comfort food of clichés, pragmatics and how we use language to connect us beyond the actual words used. Derek Bousfield explains how words do more than carry meaning: context governs what we say and how it’s understood. Dr Bousfield is Reader in Pragmatics and Communication and Co-Director of The Manchester Centre for Research in Linguistics and co-author of Talking in Clichés: The Use of Stock Phrases in Discourse and Communication.

They look at Pragmatics - how we say things beyond what they literally mean - for example "How are you?" is not asking about your health/problems: Jay Doubleyou: pragmatics: it ain't what you say it's the way that you say it

Language is not literal! Especially in conversation, which is guided by culture and context.

Language is non-direct - for example: "Why don't we have a coffee some time?" is not making a specific arrangement to meet. Another example: "We'll see how it goes" means I don't agree with you but I don't want to talk about it any more. 

The British love understatement or litotes - which are codes to build rapport.

There is the world of clichés - and comedians such as Peter Kay enjoy playing with them. We use them all the time to connect people -  and that "we are all on the same page", to use a cliché.

We live by metaphors: Metaphors We Live By - Wikipedia [metaphor is a tool that enables people to use what they know about their direct physical and social experiences to understand more abstract things like work, time, mental activity and feelings.] and Metaphors We Live By: George Lakoff and Mark Johnson - YouTube [Lakoff and Johnson argue that metaphors aren’t just poetry, but a fundamental part of our brain conceptual system. That is, they’re central to the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.]

A favourite example from Prof Bousfield is 'literally': Urban Dictionary: literally

And a favourite from Michael is 'the bottom line': BOTTOM LINE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary and What does ‘bottom-line’ mean here? : r/EnglishLearning

The word 'cliché' comes from French: Cliché - Wikipedia

To finish this look at the programme, here's Derek Bousfield's book: Talking in Clichés: The Use of Stock Phrases in Discourse and Communication: Amazon.co.uk: Bullo, Stella: 9781108458139: Books

For decades, social perspectives, and even academic studies of language, have considered clichés as a hackneyed, tired, lazy, unthinking and uninspiring form of communication. Authored by two established scholars in the fields of Systemic-Functional Linguistics and Discourse Studies and Pragmatics, this cutting-edge book comprehensively explores the perception and use of clichés in language from these complementary perspectives. It draws data from a variety of both written and spoken sources, to re-interrogate and re-imagine the nature, role and usage of clichés, identifying the innovative and creative ways in which the concepts are utilised in communication, interaction, and in self-presentation. 

Observing a rich, complex layering of usage, the authors deconstruct the many and varied ways in which clichés operate and are interdependently constructed; from the role they play in discourse in general, to their functions as argumentative strategies, as constructs of social cognition, as politeness strategies, and finally as markers of identity.

And here's a look or two at clichés:

What is a cliché? Check out this list of examples.

SUPER IMPORTANT EXPRESSIONS | Clichés in Spoken English - YouTube

See also:

Jay Doubleyou: pragmatics

Jay Doubleyou: juergen habermas: communicative rationality and deliberative democracy

Jay Doubleyou: ambiguity is everywhere in englsh

Jay Doubleyou: behaviourism >>> krashen... pinker... skinner... chomsky

Jay Doubleyou: small talk, phatic communication and the games people play

Jay Doubleyou: english is not transparent

Jay Doubleyou: writing with register: a lesson in using different levels of 'politeness'

Jay Doubleyou: what is 'politeness' and how can we teach it?

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embracing digital creativity in the esl/esol/tefl classroom

We can worry about replacing teachers with AI - or we can 'embrace' the technology:

How teachers say they're embracing AI in the classroom - ABC News

AI in the Adult Classroom: how to embrace personalised learning without losing control

The latest E L Gazette looks at how we might do this:

Firstly, then: What’s the real issue? AI or the task itself?:

In this exclusive interview, Fabio Cerpelloni sits down with Sophia Mavridi, a digital learning consultant, teacher educator, and senior lecturer specialising in educational technology, to discuss the role of AI in language education. Drawing on her research and classroom experience, Sophia highlights the importance of critical engagement with AI tools, the need to educate teachers – not just students – about technology, and the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating AI meaningfully into teaching and learning.

And then: Using digital tools to spark conversation in the EFL world:

Creativity fuelled by digital technology is transforming how EFL students learn, adapt, and connect with new languages and cultures. Henry Huang, an EFL teacher and digital humanities researcher, explains why.

Creativity in the classroom goes beyond artistic expression. It also plays a vital role in helping students develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and adaptability which is especially important for learners navigating new languages and cultural settings. Task-based learning (TBL) and project-based learning (PBL), which emphasise real-world tasks and collaborative learning, naturally support creative thinking. While these approaches may be well-established in some education systems, others are still working to meaningfully integrate them within the constraints of traditional structures and exam-oriented priorities.

In countries where high-stakes exams strongly influence teaching, education often focuses more on test preparation than on creativity or communication. Since speaking skills are not always prioritised in national exams, traditional methods like rote memorisation and grammar translation tend to persist. Though creativity is widely acknowledged as the pinnacle of the learning process (as seen in Bloom’s Taxonomy), integrating it meaningfully into English education remains a work in progress in many classrooms.

In education systems where digital tools are increasingly present, technology plays a growing role in shaping the EFL learning experience. It opens up new ways to engage learners in multimodal, interactive tasks that foster both language development and creativity. Whether it’s students designing visual projects, collaborating on video assignments, or reinforcing vocabulary with gamified apps, technology can support a richer learning experience than traditional methods often allow.

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algospeak: how social media influences the way we talk

As google AI tells us, in an easy definition of algorithms:

In simple terms, an algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions for completing a task or solving a problem. These instructions are ordered and precise, like a recipe for baking a cake or the steps to making a peanut butter sandwich, and are used by computers and humans to achieve a specific outcome from a given input

Or, when it comes to algorithm: meaning in computer:

Sorting data: An algorithm can define the steps to sort a list of numbers in ascending order.

Finding a path: An algorithm can determine the shortest route on a map by calculating and comparing various paths.

Social media feeds: Algorithms in social media platforms analyze user data to recommend content, though these often involve heuristics (rules of thumb) rather than strictly correct solutions, as noted in Wikipedia.

What about algorithms and language?

Dale Shaw writes for the New World weekly magazine and has written a review of the new book  Algospeak, the language of the machine:

We invented algorithms to sort our words. Now the algorithms are teaching us how to speak

There is one meaning of this word Algospeak - Wikipedia:

In social media, algospeak is a self-censorship phenomenon in which users adopt coded expressions to evade automated content moderation.[1][2] It is used to discuss topics deemed sensitive to moderation algorithms while avoiding penalties such as shadow banning, downranking, or de-monetization of content

But it's also Algospeak (book) - Wikipedia:

Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language is a 2025 non-fiction book by linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, known online as Etymology Nerd. It explores various linguistic phenomena on the internet, including algospeak, internet slang, and linguistic innovations driven by social media algorithms.[1][2][3]

The book primarily argues that the internet and social media are driving many of recent linguistic innovations, and even crossing over to the offline world.[4] The book covers how social media algorithms—the system that determines which content will be shown to the user—drive content creators to optimize their expression for greater reach.[1] Aleksic argues for an expanded definition of algospeak to encapsulate this new way of social media-influenced expression, going beyond its original definition of the use of coded expressions to evade automated content moderation.[1]

Here are a couple of book reviews (registration needed!

In ‘Algospeak,’ Adam Aleksic, a.k.a. Etymology Nerd, writes about the ways social media is changing language - The Washington Post

Two Savvy New Books Offer Hope For the Terminally Online - The New York Times

And here's a good list of more:

All Book Marks reviews for Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic Book Marks

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musical rhythm and learning a language

What's the relationship between music and language?

Jay Doubleyou: it ain't what you say, it's the way that you say it: intonation and functional language

In a piec on tuning the brain to language in he latest E L Gazette, Gill Ragsdale looks at how "research reveals that musical rhythms matching a language’s natural beat can significantly enhance how the brain processes speech, strengthening the case for rhythm-based teaching":

Musical rhythm may boost the processing of speech in the brain—but only when the rhythm matches the language, according to new research from the Basque Center on Cognition, San Sebastian, Spain, by Laura Fernández-Merino and colleagues.

The positive impact of musical training on language learning and proficiency is well-documented but the neural processes underpinning this effect remain mysterious. Both language and music are human universals found in every culture around the world and this study focussed on something shared by both: rhythm.

Here's the original research: Human Brain Mapping | Neuroimaging Journal | Wiley Online Library

These ideas have been around for a long time, whether in the mainstream media: Feel the beat: how rhythm shapes the way we use and understand language | Languages | The Guardian

Or in the industry: How Musical Rhythm Can Aid with Learning | The Science of Sound for Kid's - Holiday and Term-Time

Here's a view from a psychologist: The Relationship between Music and Language

And to finish, here are a cuople of TED Talks: 

Music as a Language: Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland - YouTube

Interplay Of Music, Language, And Emotion In The Brain | Julia Howe | TEDxLickWilmerdingHS - YouTube

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learning english through british classical music

We can of course work on our English though pop music:

Jay Doubleyou: pop videos for learning english

Jay Doubleyou: the music of west africa

Jay Doubleyou: using songs in the esl/esol/tefl classroom

But what about learning English through classical music?

It doesn't seem to be a good choice:

Why is England called the land without music? - Quora

But there are some great British composers who wrote and continue to write in English.

Here's an overview:

Jay Doubleyou: british music

It includes these genres:

Jay Doubleyou: folk music

Jay Doubleyou: new versions of traditional christmas carols

How about this - not British but much in English [try from 23 mins]

Between the Ears - The Thousand Voices of Cathy Berberian - BBC Sounds 

And how about this!

A Ticket to Ride - YouTube

Or the original if you prefer:

The Beatles - Ticket To Ride - YouTube

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present perfect in conversation

The present perfect is a problematic tense for students to use - so perhaps we need to make it feel a little more natural.

Here are a couple of lists to start us off:

Present Perfect Conversation Questions (100+ questions)

Present Perfect Conversation Questions

Then there is the full conversation. Let's have one about travel:

Dialogues in the Present Perfect tense: Travelling – Along Came English

Of course it's "grammar", but we can also see it as learning fixed phrases:

7 Present Perfect Phrases You Can Use In Conversation – Get into English

We can talk about specific things, such as:

on the albatross or the ant

But what's the perfect tense all about?!

English Tenses and Aspects 5 - The Retrospective Aspect - UsingEnglish.com

Perfect (grammar) - Wikipedia

Here's a little more:

Jay Doubleyou: the present perfect with goldilocks and the three bears

    Special Education - Goldilocks and The Three Bears - YouTube

    Goldilocks and the Three Bears - YouTube

Jay Doubleyou: present perfect for experiences

Jay Doubleyou: the use of tenses in the news

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language distance

In many ways, we can see why English is so different from other languages. It's a mixture of other languages and its grammar has been greatly simplified

It can be very interesting to compare English with, say, Chinese. Do you see any similarities with your langauge? Language differences: English - Chinese

From an English-speakers perspective, there are 'difficult' languages. How do these compare with yours Most Difficult Language To Learn

... And there are the 'easy' languages: Easiest Foreign Languages To Learn - Business Insider

This is what we can 'language distance' - and there is a useful guide from Gill Ragsdale on how language distance shapes fluency in the E L Gazette:

The ‘language distance’ between English and a language learner’s first language affects reading fluency, but not comprehension according to a study by Victor Kuperman at McMaster University, Canada. Gill Ragsdale reports.

Clearly it is easier for someone to learn a language that is more like their native language than one that is more distant: learning English is generally easier for Italian than for Japanese speakers. What is less clear is which processes in language learning are affected and how to quantify those effects.

Kuperman set out to clarify the effect of language distance on reading fluency and comprehension. Past studies have given mixed results, possibly because the focus has been on comprehension, which is relatively easy to measure.

Data for this study was taken from the Multilingual Eye-movement Corpus. This database has measures of reading fluency and comprehension from 1,105 students and staff from 24 universities having 18 distinct first languages.

For more, see: How does language distance affect reading fluency and comprehension in English as second language? by Victor Kuperman.

And: Linguistic distance - Wikipedia

Plus the discussions on Language distance in Europe : r/languagelearning

Working Groups | Townsend Center for the Humanities

Worldwide map or data for linguistic distance? - Linguistics Stack Exchange

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readability in the esl/esol/tefl classroom

When it comes to how easy/difficult a text is to read, we call that readability - and according to Wikipedia:

In natural language, the readability of text depends on its content (the complexity of its vocabulary and syntax) and its presentation (such as typographic aspects that affect legibility, like font size, line height, character spacing, and line length).

Higher readability in a text eases reading effort and speed for the general population of readers. For those who do not have high reading comprehension, readability is necessary for understanding and applying a given text. Techniques to simplify readability are essential to communicate a set of information to the intended audience.

There are websites devoted to this: What is readability? – Readable

And there are ways to test the readability of your website: Readability Test - WebFX Or any text: Free Readability Checker App | Check readability score of your text

But what about in the esl/esol/tefl classroom?

We can adapt authentic material for the language classroom: Adapting texts for use in the English language classroom – Nathan Hall

We can go a little deeper and get an overall difficulty score for our English content: Text Inspector: Analyse the Difficulty Level of English Texts

We can consider the students who have to work with the texts:  seminar-1-empathy-and-readability-2016.pdf

We can work on texts with a view to a particular test: Adapting Authentic Materials to Teach Listening and Reading IELTS Tests

And we can make use of ready-made texts which are made readable: Free Online Reading and Listening Resources for ESL Learners | Literacy Minnesota

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the huge variety of films in english

This evening at the BBC Proms ["the world's greatest classical music festival"], the music of the "classic period" of Hollywood is being celebrated - including that of what has been voted the best film ever [Vertigo] and certainly the most iconic horror-thriller [Psycho] by composer Bernard Herman: BBC Radio 3 - BBC Proms, 2025, Classic Thriller Soundtracks

Vertigo - official 60th anniversary trailer - YouTube

Psycho Official Trailer 1960 HD - YouTube [or the full trailer: Psycho (1960) Theatrical Trailer - Alfred Hitchcock Movie - YouTube]

Psycho is part of the film genre film noir

Top 10 Film Noirs - YouTube

There are many different kinds of film out there: what's your favourite film genre?

And, yes, it can be difficult to put a film into one compartment: Fight Club: how many film genres in one film?

Especially those 'big films': blockbusters don't have to be stupid

If we really want to improve our English language, perhaps we need to go for quality: Shakespeare

Four Versions of the Witches from Macbeth - YouTube

But there is more than American and British film when it comes to the English language:

Australia: Picnic at Hanging Rock is just as unsettling and relevant 50 years on - ABC News

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK - 4K Restoration Trailer - YouTube 

Nigeria: the English-speaking world: West Africa and Jay Doubleyou: Nigeria making an impact on America

MAID OF LOVE TRAILER - (Showing 5TH of September by 6:00 pm WAT) NIGERIAN MOVIES 2025 - YouTube [plus subtitles!]

India: English-language Indian films - Wikipedia

Gandhi (1982) Trailer - YouTube and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - Trailer - YouTube and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) Movie Trailer HD - YouTube

Finally, yes we can improve our English through film! how to learn english from movies

But be careful with those subtitles! how watching films can help your english

Here are some personal recommendations: 20 Great Films That Will LEVEL UP Your English — Podcast for Learners - YouTube and My 5 Favorite Movies for English Fluency - YouTube and 10 Great MOVIES To Learn English - YouTube

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focussed listening for business english

How can we improve our listening skills for Business English?

Here's a good overview of the best business English listening strategies & exercises, including this list:

To help you improve your business English listening skills, we’ve compiled some practical tips and strategies that you can incorporate into your daily routine.

1. Practice active listening

Active listening involves hearing what is being said and paying attention to the speaker’s body language, tone of voice, and context. To practice active listening, engage with the speaker by asking clarifying questions, summarizing their main points, and providing feedback. You must also avoid distractions. No checking your phone or daydreaming! Focus on the conversation at hand.

2. Take plenty of notes

Another effective way to improve your business English listening skills is by practicing note-taking techniques. You can enhance your comprehension and retention of the information by jotting down key ideas, main points, and unfamiliar words. Some note-taking techniques include mind mapping and creating a database of useful phrases.

3. Record virtual meetings

Much like note-taking, recording virtual meetings is a great way of practicing your listening skills. You’ll have the video to refer back to if you miss something, and you can also relisten to the recording to pick up phrases your colleagues or clients use. You can also combine recordings with transcription software like Otter or Descript. This allows you to listen to the recording whilst reading along.

4. Attend English networking events

Networking events in English allow you to connect with like-minded professionals while gaining exposure to different accents and language styles. There are plenty of events worldwide, giving you a chance to practice and build your confidence outside of the office where the pressure’s off.

5. Listen to podcasts and YouTube videos

Try online resources, such as YouTube channels and podcasts, to supplement your learning. There’s plenty of content that focuses on business English, offering you an engaging way to practice your listening. More advanced learners might enjoy TED Talks, whilst beginners can find practice lessons like the one below...

When you build your listening routine, it’s important to ensure you’re listening to authentic materials. That way, you’ll be able to understand different accents and vocabulary used in a business context.
 Again, search for suitable content for your field. Entrepreneurs might enjoy the Diary of a CEO podcast, while the Dear HBR podcast is perfect for HR staff. If you’re a streaming junkie, shows like Succession and The Office can also provide light-hearted business English practice.

VIDEOS AND PODCASTS:

The British Council has some good lessons in B2 listening at LearnEnglish [as well as other levels]

And BBC Learning English - Business English is full of good quality courses and exercises.

Lectures from experienced business people can be found on the business pages of TED Talks.

And there are some fantastic YouTube videos - for example, Listening Practice to Improve Your Business English in 80 Minutes, where we hear lots of business phrases at normal and slower speeds.

But for authentic listening, you need to search for specific material, for example VAT and Financial Services and Sales Tax Vs. VAT. How they both work!

The question is how to listen, as there are many ways of listening - but using subtitles and slowing down the speed are very good ways to help focus on the language.

SHADOWING:

All the above audio material can be used to practice the shadowing technique - which is all about careful, focussed listening and which can be done on your own.

It's become much more mainstream recently - and many online tutors are giving tips on how to get the shadowing technique right

DICTATION:

Exactly the same audio material can be made use of at home - through practical dictation, with online texts and audio

And here's an extra place to go: Breaking News English Lessons at different levels and speeds to help you also with Business English Lessons.

USING AI BOTS:

Finally, we can do lots of practising your english speaking with chatgpt - and set things up to ask for all sorts of listening and conversation sessions.

Have fun!

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