#897 What's Up Fellas? Put Your Foot Down, Forward-facing Pushchairs

Show 897 Tuesday 25 November
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.
Today we’re studying another scene from Enemy of the State.
In this scene, the main character, who is called Robert, is hiding in the very back of his nanny’s car. And his son and his son’s friend are sitting in the back seat. And he wants to talk to his son, but he doesn’t want anyone to see him because he’s being followed.

So when he starts talking, and his son and his son’s friend turn around to look at him, he says: No, no, turn around, sit down. Face forward!

The first thing Robert says is: What’s up fellas?
Fella is an informal way of referring to a man.
So fellas is a group of males.

In NZ, this is usually fullas with a u and it’s not just for males, it can be a group of any kind of person.

For example: What are you fullas up to?

Robert’s son Eric hasn’t seen him for a while and he asks his dad: Where did you go?
And Robert answers: Oh, they been keeping me really busy on this case. They're trying to work me to death out there.

They been is an informal way of saying they have been. This is for native speakers only, I don’t recommend trying to speak like that because it will probably sound wrong.

To death is an idiom which means extremely or very.
You can be bored to death, scared to death, sick to death.

By about February I’ll probably be sick to death of winter and I’ll be really looking forward to spring.

STICK NEWS

Kia Ora in Stick News today life may not be such a box of fluffy ducks for children who ride in forward-facing push chairs.

Pushchairs, or strollers are popular vehicles for babies and young children. But new research from the UK has found that some kinds of pushchairs may be harmful for babies. The study found that parents using face-to-face pushchairs were more likely to talk to their children, and those children were less likely to exhibit signs of stress. The psychologist who led the research said the data suggests that for many babies today, life in a buggy is emotionally impoverished and possibly stressful. "Stressed babies grow into anxious adults,” she said.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 25th of November.
Kia Ora.

Word of the Day

Today’s word is foot.

There are many idioms using the word foot or feet.
be rushed off your feet get a foot in the door start off on the wrong foot keep your feet on the ground have one foot in the grave put your feet up put your foot it in

And an idiom used in today’s conversation: put your foot down.

to be very strict in opposing what sb wishes to do

Eric asks his Dad about the fight that his parents had.
He says: Who won the fight?
And Robert says: This is your Dad, Eric. You know when I put my foot down, that's it.
He’s trying to say, of course he won, because he’s the one that has the most power in the relationship – which is actually not true.

conversations with sarah
#559 What's up fellas?

Step 1: Repeat Eric’s lines.
Step 2: Read Eric’s lines and talk to Robert.

* On the DVD I have, this scene is: Chapter 18 (1:17:55)

Robert What's up fellas?

Eric Dad?

Robert No, no, turn around, sit down. Face forward!

Eric But Dad!

Robert What did I say Eric? You guys both pick a spot on those seats. We're going to play a game. You pick a spot and look right at it. You can't let anyone know I'm back here, OK? How you been, E? I missed you man.

Eric I missed you too Dad. Where did you go?

Robert Oh, they been keeping me really busy on this case. They're trying to work me to death out there.

Eric Are you and mum getting a divorce?

Robert Face forward. What are you talking about? No, we're not getting a divorce! So we, we had a little fight. Sometimes married couples have fights. And that's nothing for you to worry about.

Eric Who won the fight?

Robert This is your Dad, Eric. You know when I put my foot down, that's it.

Eric My mum won.

links

today's news
today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: City Flight
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

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* Thanks to Joon for pointing out the mistake in this script.