ANEXO 3
BIBLIOTECA ALFONSO BORRERO CABAL, S.J.
DESCRIPCIÓN DE LA TESIS DOCTORAL O DEL TRABAJO DE GRADO FORMULARIO
TÍTULO COMPLETO DE LA TESIS DOCTORAL O TRABAJO DE GRADO
TV or not TV: The Use of Comedy Series and the Importance of Non-standard Language in EFL Classrooms
SUBTÍTULO, SI LO TIENE
AUTOR O AUTORES
Apellidos Completos Nombres Completos
Cabrales Duarte Gina Paola
Rojas Díaz Paula Nataly
DIRECTOR (ES) TESIS DOCTORAL O DEL TRABAJO DE GRADO
Apellidos Completos Nombres Completos
Montaña Rivera Emma Cristina
FACULTAD
Comunicación y Lenguaje
PROGRAMA ACADÉMICO
Tipo de programa ( seleccione con “x” )
Pregrado Especialización Maestría Doctorado
X
Nombre del programa académico
Licenciatura en Lenguas Modernas
Nombres y apellidos del director del programa académico
Carolina Jaramillo Correa
TRABAJO PARA OPTAR AL TÍTULO DE: Licenciado en Lenguas Modernas
PREMIO O DISTINCIÓN (En caso de ser LAUREADAS o tener una mención especial):
CIUDAD AÑO DE PRESENTACIÓN DE LA
TESIS O DEL TRABAJO DE GRADO
NÚMERO DE PÁGINAS
Bogotá 2013 70
TIPO DE ILUSTRACIONES ( seleccione con “x” )
Dibujos Pinturas Tablas, gráficos y diagramas Planos Mapas Fotografías Partituras
X
SOFTWARE REQUERIDO O ESPECIALIZADO PARA LA LECTURA DEL DOCUMENTO Nota: En caso de que el software (programa especializado requerido) no se encuentre licenciado por la Universidad a través de la Biblioteca (previa consulta al estudiante), el texto de la Tesis o Trabajo de Grado quedará solamente en formato PDF.
MATERIAL ACOMPAÑANTE
TIPO DURACIÓN (minutos) CANTIDAD FORMATO
CD DVD Otro ¿Cuál?
Vídeo Audio Multimedia Producción electrónica Otro Cuál?
DESCRIPTORES O PALABRAS CLAVE EN ESPAÑOL E INGLÉS
Son los términos que definen los temas que identifican el contenido. (En caso de duda para designar estos descriptores, se recomienda consultar con la Sección de Desarrollo de Colecciones de la Biblioteca Alfonso Borrero Cabal S.J en el correo biblioteca@javeriana.edu.co, donde se les orientará).
ESPAÑOL INGLÉS
Inglés no estándar Non-standard English
Jerga Slang
Expresiones idiomáticas Idioms
Humor Humor
Enseñanza comunicativa de la lengua Communicative Language Teaching
Material auténtico Authentic material
RESUMEN DEL CONTENIDO EN ESPAÑOL E INGLÉS (Máximo 250 palabras - 1530 caracteres)
The absence of Non-standard language and humor in the last four levels of English offered by the Modern Languages program at PUJ led the authors of this research to contemplate the design of activities to teach slang, idioms and proverbs through the use of audiovisual, humorous authentic material. The result of the project is a series of sixteen communicative activities based on four episodes of two different American comedy series that exemplify the use of Non-standard English; their purpose, to facilitate the learning of slang, idioms and proverbs characteristic of contemporary English.
1 TV OR NOT TV: THE USE OF COMEDY SERIES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
NON-STANDARD LANGUAGE IN EFL CLASSROOMS
GINA CABRALES
PAULA ROJAS
AVDISOR
EMMA CRISTINA MONTAÑA RIVERA
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA
FACULTAD DE COMUNICACION Y LENGUAJE
LICENCIATURA EN LENGUAS MODERNAS
BOGOTÁ
2 ABSTRACT
Most language courses neglect slang and idioms and choose to focus solely on the standard form of a language. However indispensable it is to know this form, in everyday interactions with native speakers Non-standard language plays a critical role in FL learning. Once students are outside the classroom and are faced with real communicative situations, they encounter a world of language that differs greatly from the one taught in class. Similarly, humor is often disregarded as a valuable teaching tool in EFL classrooms. The absence of these two elements in the last four levels of English offered by the Modern Languages program at PUJ led the authors of this research to contemplate the design of activities to teach slang, idioms and proverbs through the use of audiovisual, humorous authentic material. The result of the project is a series of sixteen communicative activities based on four episodes of two different American comedy series that exemplify the use of Non-standard English; their purpose, to facilitate the learning of slang, idioms and proverbs characteristic of contemporary English.
RESUMEN
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de dieciséis actividades comunicativas basadas en cuatro episodios de dos comedias estadounidenses que ejemplifican el uso del registro no estandarizado del inglés; su propósito es facilitar al aprendizaje de jerga, expresiones idiomáticas y refranes propios del inglés actual.
4 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. PROBLEM STATEMENT……….6
2. JUSTIFICATION………...11
2.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF IDIOMS, SLANG AND PROVERBS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING………....12
2.2 THE BENEFITS OF USING HUMOR IN PEDAGOGY………...….13
2.3 THE ADVANTAGES OF COMEDY SERIES……….…13
2.4 REVIEW OF LITERATURE………...……...16
3. OBJECTIVES………...……….19
3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE………...….19
3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES………...…...19
4. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK………...…...20
4.1 MATERIAL DESIGN FOR L2 TEACHING………..21
4.2 AUTHENTIC MATERIALS……….23
4.3 NON-STANDARD ENGLISH………....25
4.4 HUMOR IN PEDAGOGY………...28
4.5 COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING………30
5. METHODOLOGY………..33
5.1 IDENTIFICATION OF NEED OR PROBLEM………...……....34
5.2 EXPLORATION OF NEED OR PROBLEM………....…37
5.3 CONTEXTUAL REALIZATION OF NEW MATERIALS……….…...38
5.4 PEDAGOGICAL REALIZATION OF MATERIALS………...…….40
5.5 PHYSICAL PRODUCTION OF MATERIALS……….41
6. PRODUCT OF THE RESEARCH………...46
6.1 THE ACTIVITIES……….47
7. FINAL REFLECTION………62
8. CONCLUSION………...……64
REFERENCES
5 INTRODUCTION
Second or foreign language (L2) instruction more often than not relies on textbooks, drills, formula dialogues and rote grammar rules, becoming monotonous and potentially stressful for the L2 student. The authors know this for a fact from personal experience throughout the length of their formal education and their time as student teachers. In addition, educators tend not to stray from the standard form of the language and thus teach their students to master a formal register exclusively because having an outline to which material designers and teachers can adhere makes instruction more systematical and practical. This results in speakers who are fluent in their writing and speaking skills inside the classroom, but when addressed by natives in real communicative situations, are commonly lacking in both comprehension and production. The reason for this is that the language taught in formal education and the one spoken outside the classroom often differ greatly. It is imperative that the non-standard or informal form of a language not be disregarded in L2 classrooms but that, on the contrary, sufficient time be devoted to the study of its features and intricacies.
6 1. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Every language has different registers that vary according to the geographical location, social class, educational background and age of the groups and speech communities that use that language for social interaction. In order to differentiate the register that is acceptable in formal interactions from the one used on a day-to-day basis, linguists have coined the terms ‗standard‘ and ‗non-standard' language, both being recognized as fundamental linguistic components. Because the English language is used so widely, speakers of other languages are exposed to intercultural situations that require them to comprehend not only Standard English (SE)—the variety of English that is generally acknowledged as the model for the speech and writing of educated speakers (―Standard English,‖ 2012)—but also informal and colloquial language or Non-standard English—any dialect of English other than Standard English (―Non-standard English,‖ 2012)—in order to communicate effectively.
Standard English—that is, the accepted norm in English-speaking countries—is without question the form of the language which any EFL learner should master; but it is by no means the only one, seeing as it is the non-standard form that will enable learners to communicate naturally with their equals in all kinds of social situations. Professor on language and linguistics David Crystal (1994) says that ―although SE is widely understood, it is not widely produced. Only a minority of people within a country actually use it when they talk‖ (p. 24). Conversely, well-known American ESL material designer David Burke (1998) affirms that there is ―absolutely no way a nonnative speaker of English could fully understand an American movie, TV show, news broadcast, or even a typical conversation without help because our language is loaded with Non-standard English, i.e., slang and idioms‖ (p. 20).
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English language television shows are based on real-life contexts and situations in which Standard English is rarely used. Modern Family, the comedy show on which some of the activities are based, for example, is about the lives of three different families in the United States and how they all cope with day-to-day issues. Given the nature of the context, the dialogues usually feature plenty of slang, idioms and to a lesser degree, proverbs—unless they are dealing with a very specific situation, seldom do the characters use academic lingo or Standard English. The same occurs in movies and daily life conversations. With respect to news broadcasts and political debates, among others, however, it is a little more complex because they usually feature group-specific argot. On the other hand, in the English classes taken by the authors of this research paper at PUJ, the emphasis was usually given to structural aspects of the language such as grammar, and Non-standard English was often neglected.
According to Hayton (n.d.), most language courses neglect slang and idioms and choose to focus solely on formal language; however, even though it is indispensable to know this particular form, in everyday interactions with native speakers, slang and idioms play a critical role. As Crystal (as cited in Gilmore, 2007) puts it, the language present in textbooks is ―far away from that real, informal kind of English which is used very much more than any other during a normal speaking lifetime‖ (pp. 98-99). Once students leave the classroom and are faced with a real communicative situation, they will encounter a world of language that will differ greatly from that of their textbooks to a considerable degree. A well-rounded ESL course should then cover both the formal and informal aspects of the language, bridging ―the gap between classroom knowledge and a student‘s capacity to participate in real world events‖ (Wilkins, as cited in Guariento & Morley, 2001, p. 347).
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learners, gave rise to the idea that humor might come in handy to achieve a higher level of engagement in EFL classes. The authors usually watched comedies as a means of relaxation and of learning new vocabulary without the pressure of a deadline. Moreover, the humor factor made situations more memorable and accordingly, helped the authors to retain new vocabulary. In truth, aside from the potential vocabulary learning tool that comedies can be, what makes this leisure activity so relaxing and common is that one always enjoys a good laugh. Conversely, given the importance of vocabulary for EFL learners, it is desirable to have a tool that facilitates the learning of Non-standard English, augments the level of retention and engages the students‘ attention.
In order to support their observation and to clearly identify an existing problem, the authors interviewed some teachers (see Appendix IX) and conducted a questionnaire among a group of students of the Modern Languages program (see Appendix II). The authors chose to target the last four levels of English—that is Low Intermediate (B2), Intermediate (B2), High Intermediate (C1) and Low Advanced (C1)—because, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), students of those levels are expected to have a solid knowledge of the language that transcends sentences made with a limited repertoire of tenses or a limited amount of vocabulary, as would be the case of the first three levels. Although in order to address the topic of idioms, slang and proverbs students need not have full understanding of the language and its constituents, it is evident that if students have not yet mastered all the grammatical tenses, it would be nearly impossible to expose them to the exceptions of the language—such as those present in non-standard linguistic features—and guarantee their understanding. By having mastered virtually all the grammatical tenses and possessing a miscellaneous vocabulary, last four level students will be much quicker at identifying the exceptions and the metaphorical elements contained in non-standard language and arrive at full comprehension.
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following data: three teachers stressed explicitly the importance of teaching idioms, slang and proverbs to students, arguing that communication effectiveness in real-life situations depends largely on the mastery of those three components. Of these three teachers, one provided a detailed description of the activities and assessment methods used to address the topic, while the other two claimed to have addressed it fortuitously, that is, subjecting it to factors such as students‘ interest or course program restrictions. Three of the five remaining teachers dismissed idioms, slang and proverbs as irrelevant to language instruction and therefore, said to have addressed them rather rarely or virtually never. Although the two remaining teachers did not acknowledge the importance of idioms, slang and proverbs explicitly, they testified to the use of activities to teach them during a particular section of their classes or on a specific day of the semester. The teachers‘ mixed answers bear out a distinct polarization as to the alleged importance of non-standard language; this attests to the fact that not all students are being instructed on that essential language component due to their teachers‘ beliefs.
With respect to humor, most teachers claimed to have used it in the form of jokes that arose spontaneously rather than as a teaching tool. One teacher, however, claimed to have prepared an activity with a sitcom (situation comedy) once while another stated that because humor was not her strongest point, she had rejected it out of hand. These answers demonstrate that humor is not planned or intended to be a central part of their lessons. Humor, however, could be used as a means to diversify or improve class methodology, to foster memory or to motivate students in the learning of EFL (The advantages of using humor in the classroom will be addressed at length in the Conceptual Framework of the document).
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commonly used proverbs. Only 30% of the students responded affirmatively when asked if any of the mandatory English courses they have taken have in fact used comedy series. This 30% went on to clarify that this kind of audiovisual, humorous authentic material has been used maybe once or twice in their lessons and not in any way as a recurring teaching tool throughout a whole course. Moreover, they acknowledge that the use of this type of material is not an objective of their lessons.
As a final point, the questionnaire indicated that 88% of the students watch this type of series for entertainment while only 12% watch them for educational purposes; this establishes that, given the popularity of this kind of show among students, comedy series can potentially be used as a teaching tool in class. Furthermore, comedy series are a form of authentic material, that is to say, they are resources in the target language which could be used for language learning and teaching although not originally designed for this purpose.
11 2. JUSTIFICATION
During their pedagogical training as Modern Languages students, the authors have been constantly encouraged to innovate in the field of L2 teaching. For that reason, the authors have chosen to carry out this research on the use of authentic material to design a set of activities that reflect the aforementioned purpose. It is imperative to highlight that this project does not follow the traditional research procedure— even though a study was carried out in order to state the problem—since the authors‘project‘s aim is to design a set of teaching materials and to share with the reader the rationale behind such a development. As the authors will be designing material for L2 teaching, the present project will portray a material design methodology as opposed to a research methodology. This statement will be further explained in the Methodology section of this paper.
The emphasis on the use of authentic materials in language teaching is one of the research guidelines established by the School of Communication and Language at PUJ. Under the name of Innovative Production Practices, it brings together research and creative innovation, so long as these can be applied in the classroom. This project wishes to be a modest contribution to this line of research, more specifically, to the Language Department‘s second guideline which seeks to conduct research on the relationship between languages and education, which, by extension, deals with the concepts of bilingualism, material design and the acquisition of culture through education. This research paper tries to bring together EFL learning and the use of innovative materials.
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The contribution of the present research to the field of study in question is then the teaching of Non-standard English through humor, in the form of comedy series.
The authors have thought of three main reasons that justify and support the work they have done:
2.1 The importance of idioms, slang and proverbs in language learning
Non-standard English encompasses all kinds of words and phrases necessary to communicate successfully in the real English-speaking world. Slang, for example, is a clear mark of socialization, and understanding it and using it adeptly is a requirement of acceptance within a particular linguistic group (Hayton, n.d., para. 5). Idioms, similarly, form an essential part of the vocabulary of English and do not constitute a separate part of the language, one which one can choose to either use or to omit (Seidl & McMordie, 1988, p. 11).
It is not difficult to notice that English, just as any other language, is very rich in idiomatic expressions, slang and proverbs, a fact that reflects much of the idiosyncrasy of the English-speakers‘ culture. Oftentimes, native speakers use these linguistic elements unconsciously, as they lie at the heart of the language and appear to be inevitable. Not until one embarks upon the acquisition of a new language does one realize how indispensable these three items are to guarantee successful communication in all sorts of situations.
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studying them will provide learners with new ways of expressing ideas more naturally and an improved ability to grasp day-to-day speech.
2.2 The benefits of using humor in pedagogy
According to Minchew (2001), many educators have praised the value of humor and fun in the classroom in that it motivates students by creating a relaxed atmosphere, contributes to comprehension and makes the process of learning enjoyable and less burdensome (Ruggieri, 1999). ―Brain research shows that threat and high stress seriously impede learning‖ (Tamblyn, 2003, p. 36); therefore, Dulay, Burt and Krashen (as cited in Tomlinson, 1998) believe that, ―the less anxious the learner, the better language acquisition proceeds‖ and that ―similarly, relaxed and comfortable students apparently can learn more in shorter periods of time‖ (p. 8). Tamblyn (2003) then tells us that ―recent studies suggest that, just as high stress short-circuits the brain, laughter short-circuits stress‖ (p. 84).
However, little has been studied on the subject of humor as a resource for teaching a second language. According to Martin (as cited in Narváez and Solís, 2009), humor is arguably one of the best tools to reduce levels of anxiety and stress in L2 students (p. 208). Furthermore, they claim that humor allows teachers to tap into their students‘ needs and that it contributes to a transition from rigidity to mental flexibility. Additionally, they mention that the field of empirical research on the subject of humor is still limited and express their desire for L2 teachers to start expanding on it (p. 212). The authors strongly agree with Martin‘s views because, in their experience, all kinds of comedy series were responsible for broadening their lexicon at their own pace, in a fun and stress-free way.
2.3 The advantages of comedy series
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for them to improve their level of fluency and learn the wide variety of idioms, slang and proverbs that the authors currently possess. Very early on, they made a choice to expand their English knowledge autonomously through the use of resources such as comedy series, which they believe have given them the means necessary to communicate successfully, portraying a wide range of idiomatic expressions. On the other hand, because of their fast pace, quick comebacks and witty humor, these types of series train the ear in the target language and can enrich the learners‘ vocabulary with everyday language required to function in the real world.
The reason why the authors have selected humor in the form of comedies instead of other manifestations is that the former feature real-life situations such as parties, arguments between parents and children, dates, etc., that, albeit humorous, students will find easy to relate to. Likewise, given the purpose of comedies, which, in essence, is to generate laughter on the part of the viewer by means of unexpected outcomes, unusual associations and misunderstandings, the accurate meaning of idioms, slang and proverbs is at times distorted to create a humorous effect, hence, demanding knowledge from the student in order to grasp the situation. The authors have decided to use American comedy series in particular due to the fact that they are much more acquainted with them than with those of other English speaking countries and because, regardless of the origin of the comedy series, they authors want to emphasize the adaptability of this particular type of material. Conversely, according to the results of the questionnaire conducted among the students of the last four English courses offered by the program, and those who have completed all the mandatory English courses, comedy series have rarely been employed as a teaching tool.
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Tomlinson (1998) believes that language learning can be implicit—when the learners are not necessarily aware of when and what they are learning—and says that, ―it is arguable that much language learning consists of subconscious development of generalizations about how the language is used and of skills which apply these generalizations to acts of communication‖ (p. 4). In addition, due to the fast pace and short length of each comedic situation, the students are faced with the necessity to develop a certain mental quickness—which is obtained through a deeper knowledge of the language and the culture at hand—that will allow them to follow the general storyline and train of thought of an episode.
A number of psychologists and educators in the field of L2 teaching have also recognized the value of using humor in the classroom in view of the fact that it relaxes learners, attracts their attention and enhances their memory. For instance, EFL material designer Katherine Bilsborough praises the use of humor in the form of comedy series as a tool for English Language Teaching (ELT) and sustains that by using these teachers are ensuring that their learners get used to ―real English, spoken by real English speakers, in realistic situations‖ (2011, p. 4).
Bilsborough also values the visual element comedy series provide stating that ―being able to see gestures and facial expressions helps students grasp the meaning of the words spoken and also any underlying insinuations‖ (para. 4). Given that we are dealing with colloquial words and phrases which may have grammatically incorrect structures and therefore unclear meanings—like slang and idioms often do—it is important that the learners have the opportunity to draw and deduce meanings from some form of visual aid. One of the benefits of using humor and comedy series is, as mentioned before, their potential to teach non-standard language while entertaining the learners, thus boosting their memory for all the new vocabulary.
2.4 Review of Literature
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non-standard language and dealing specifically with how these terms can bond with the humor of comedy series to teach idioms, slang and proverbs. With this purpose in mind, the authors have turned to books and studies that share their interests to some degree, whether in the design of materials, the use of humor in the classroom or the importance of idiomatic expressions to communicate naturally in any language. Firstly, the authors will address a former comedian‘s reasons for making comedy a key ingredient in each one of her lessons.
Laugh and Learn: 95 Ways to Use Humor for More Effective Teaching and
Training, by teacher and comedian Doni Tamblyn, was written in 2003 after her experience as an instructor coordinator for a San Francisco traffic violator school. She took it upon herself to use humor in all of her lessons and determine the impact it had on lowering her students‘ levels of stress, increasing participation and accelerating learning. Tamblyn draws on the theory of Brain-Compatible Learning (BCL) which postulates that in order to learn, learners‘ brains need to be convinced that the information they are receiving will keep them alive. Then, she goes on to explain how humor is beneficial in delivering BCL. Most importantly, the book is based in its entirety on the Von Restorff Effect, which claims that one of the ways to memorize great amounts of information is by making it humorous, because humorous information increases emotional stimulation and attention in the brain. The major contribution that this book brings to pedagogy is that it clarifies the concept of humor, advocates the use of humor in virtually every classroom setting and provides a practical guide to start using humor for educational purposes.
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communicative approach and relies on the works of Tomlinson. Yanes states that there is not target language.
Although the previously cited work is built around the use of authentic material for language instruction, which is one of the main features of the present research, it is also the authors‘ desire to give prominence to the advantages of using humor in L2 pedagogy. Therefore, among the multiple studies that have been written on the use of humor in the classroom, Laughter and Learning: The Role of Humor in Teaching by St. Louis University teacher Eduardo Jáuregui Narváez and Universidad Complutense de Madrid teacher Jesús Damián Fernández Solís (2009) provides an in-depth account of the various advantages that the use of humor can bring to our capacity as teachers. To begin with, the authors deal with the concepts of humor and sense of humor, the way laughter is viewed by children as an emotional reward that motivates them, and with how humor and playing should be major constituents of every single teaching methodology. Furthermore, they address a number of investigations whose results have proved that humor boosts energy, hope, interest in repetitive tasks, and lowers the levels of anxiety, rage and sadness. Most of the research conducted on this topic has arrived at the conclusion that humor has positive implications so long as teachers know how to use it. Finally, the authors conclude by highlighting how little the topic of humor in the classroom has been explored. The major contribution of this article to pedagogy is that it provides a comprehensive overview as to the advantages of using humor in the classroom and draws on a wide variety of studies that are relevant to the field in question.
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communicative competence of eleven Electronic Engineering students—between the ages of sixteen and eighteen—through the correct use of idioms. The results of the problem diagnosis showed that students did not comprehend or identify idioms and would often resort to literal translations when they encountered them. After the diagnosis, four workshops were designed to help students to properly use idioms, improve their communicative skills and increase their vocabulary. During the implementation of the workshops, the teacher would provide contextual information with examples and answered every question regarding meaning, pronunciation and appropriateness. The findings showed that students grew aware of the importance and ubiquity of idioms in the English language, increased their vocabulary, improved their communicative skills, understood conversations more easily, practiced the newly acquired knowledge with their classmates and expressed their ideas in a new way.
19 3. OBJECTIVES
3.1 General Objective
In view of the fact that the needs analysis showed that last-four-English-level students from the Modern Languages program at PUJ would like to learn Non-standard English through comedy series, the general purpose of this research is to design a series of activities based on audiovisual, humorous authentic material to get students acquainted with idioms, slang and proverbs.
3.2 Specific Objectives
In order to reach the general goal of the research, three specific purposes must be met:
To select a number of episodes of American comedy series that exemplify the use of Non-standard English while drawing the students‘ attention to its relevance in daily interaction.
To analyze the idioms, slang and proverbs used in the selected episodes in terms of their pertinence to the students‘ context.
20 4. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
This research is based on the communicative approach of language teaching due to the fact that the main goal of understanding the words and sentences that native English speakers constantly employ in their speech is for the students to be capable of using the language successfully in real communicative situations. Watching the chosen episodes and carrying out the follow-up activities can help students understand how to properly interact with natives in everyday-life conditions in a natural manner. Making use of slang, idioms and proverbs in speech is essential to achieve successful communication with an English speaker or, for that matter, a speaker of any other language.
Many researchers in the field of L2 teaching and learning such as Burke, Hayton and Crystal have praised the decision to turn non-standard language into an essential subject inside the classroom. Others such as Tamblyn, Minchew and Narváez and Solís have praised the use of humor to make students feel more relaxed and at ease with the sometimes stressful atmosphere a learning environment can create, not to mention the pressure that new and difficult topics bring into the picture. The purpose of this work is to provide EFL students in the Modern Languages program at PUJ with a more in-depth understanding of the importance of Non-standard English for daily interaction by designing communicative activities to teach them the slang, idioms and proverbs with which users of the English language should be acquainted. Comedy series will be used to fulfill this purpose because of the rich amount of cultural references found in the dialogues, situations and humor.
21 4.1 Material design for L2 teaching
Brown and Mishan (as cited in Harwood, 2010, p. 3) define materials as the texts presented to the learners—whether in paper, audio or visual form—and the exercises and activities built around said texts. Tomlinson (2003), on the other hand, defines materials as anything which can be used to facilitate the learning of a language. Additionally, Gilmore (2007) says that the goal of classroom materials should be to ―produce learners who are able to communicate effectively in the target language of a particular speech community, that is to say, learners who are communicatively competent‖ (p. 98). On the other hand, Tomlinson (1998) presents an array of characteristics that he believes L2 teaching materials should possess; the activities that derive from this research study abide by each of these, starting with real use of the target language as opposed to structured dialogues.
Tomlinson (1998) states that ―materials should not rely too much on controlled practice” (p. 21) but instead should ―provide the learners with opportunities to use the target language to achieve communicative purposes‖ (p. 14). He argues that for the past few decades dialogue practice has been a favorite in many methodologies, even though there is not any significant research to support why, and he claims that most textbooks include more opportunities for controlled practice—such as dialogue repetition—than for language use. ―Most researchers seem to agree that learners should be given opportunities to use language for communication rather than just to practice it in situations controlled by the teacher and the materials‖ (p. 14).
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of proficient users doing the same thing‖ (p. 101). This is a strong reason why comedy series have been chosen, as a type of material where proficient speakers make use of the language in casual conversation and realistic situations of everyday life.
Another one of Tomlinson‘s (1998) beliefs on the development of L2 materials is that ―materials should achieve impact‖ (p. 7), meaning they should attract the learners‘ attention and get them interested. To achieve this he suggests aiming for novelty and variety, which means leaving aside the monotonous topics and activities on which textbooks are so keen. Gray (as cited in Harwood, 2010) mentions how most textbooks start to look very much alike because writers and publishers play safe and stick to the same topics (p. 11). In order to achieve impact and innovation, the authors of the present research study have chosen to use comedies as a teaching tool seeing as it has not been used for the most part by current and former teachers in each of the mandatory English courses of the Modern Languages program. Comedies series have proven to engage learners‘ interest and by doing so they lower their levels of stress, increase their participation and make them learn more rapidly (Tamblyn, 2003); additionally, humor motivates learners by keeping them entertained. This is why the authors consider that the use of comedy series is of utmost importance in the EFL class.
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competence‖ (p. 103). Another advantage that audio-visual materials provide is that they give the learner the opportunity to make use of nonverbal elements to reach an understanding of the message more easily and rapidly. This study uses comedy series as a type of audiovisual authentic material that, when used as a teaching tool, ensures that students grasp new vocabulary more rapidly due to facial and body expressions linked to these utterances that show mockery, sarcasm, sorrow, excitement and all kinds of different emotions.
4.2 Authentic materials
Many experts in the field of L2 teaching agree that traditional textbooks present learners with an imprecise version of the target language and thus fail to fulfill their communicative needs outside the classroom. Shrum and Glisan (as cited in Hwang, 2005) affirm, ―Unfortunately, many language textbooks contain poorly motivated and illogically sequenced texts and dialogues that do not reflect real-world language or situations‖ (p. 6), furthermore, Mindt (as cited in Hwang, 2005) states that ―there is obviously a kind of school of English which does not seem to exist outside the foreign language classroom. As a result, learners who leave their school surroundings very often find it hard to adapt to the English used by native speakers‖ (p. 7). Accordingly, Yule (as cited in Gilmore, 2007) insists that there ―continues to be a substantial mismatch between what tends to be presented to learners as classroom experiences of the target language and the actual use of that language as discourse outside the classroom‖ (p. 102).
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Henry Sweet (as cited in Gilmore, 2007) is regarded as one of the first linguists to make use of authentic texts and to speak of their advantages over artificial kinds of material:
The great advantage of natural, idiomatic texts over artificial ‗methods‘ or ‗series‘ is that they do justice to every feature of the language… The artificial systems, on the other hand, tend to cause incessant repetition of certain grammatical constructions, certain elements of the vocabulary, certain combinations of words to the almost total exclusion of others which are equally, perhaps even more, essential. (p. 97)
As Sweet states, authentic texts do not rely on rules, structures or repetition, but depict the language as it is really used by native speakers on everyday situations. The authors have already mentioned how authentic materials have been proven to motivate learners in that they make them feel like they are in touch with the ‗real‘ language as it is used by the people who speak it (Guariento & Morley, 2001, p. 347). Other advantages of using this kind of material are:
The same piece of material can be used under different circumstances if the task is different; textbooks often do not include incidental or improper English; language change is reflected in the materials so that students and teachers can keep abreast of such changes; they contain a wide variety of language styles not easily found in conventional teaching materials; they are likely to contain topics of interest to learners, especially if students are given the chance to have a say about the topics or kinds of authentic materials to be used in class (Martinez, 2002, Advantages).
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once the students become more familiarized with the material they will start picking up the language native speakers use on a regular basis in an almost subconscious manner and will realize how to use it on their own in real discourse. The authors agree with Dr. Hwang in that it is time to ―change our course of direction away from fragmented English education to a cornucopia of realistic, ready-to-use language that is profuse in current popular authentic materials‖ (p. 11).
4.3 Non-standard English
In order to better understand the definition of Non-standard English, it is fitting to address the definition of Standard English first. According to Chambers (as cited in Taatvitsainen, Melchers and Pahta, 1995) ―[Standard English] is both the usage and the ideal of good or educated users‖ while Non-standard English is ―a deviation from the standardized norm of the language‖ (p. 1). The previous definitions are by no means antagonistic because educated speakers also use idioms, slang and proverbs which, according to the definition used in the present research study, are considered Non-standard English.
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As previously noted, the English language is rather flexible and it contains more than 1,000,000 words (Ambrose, 2008, p. 180). It is constantly undergoing changes, simplifications and alteration as one can observe straightforwardly in online resources such as the Urban Dictionary, which posts new words, new abbreviations and different ways of expressing one‘s ideas, every other day, if not every day. Given the aforementioned flexibility and wide range of vocabulary, it is very frequent that English speakers find multiple ways to express their ideas depending on the setting and the recipient (Footé, 2010, pp. 6-7)—ways that defy syntax rules and might not require a literal interpretation if one is to understand and reply coherently—. As Footé (2010) puts it, ―using idioms, clichés, proverbs and slang words and expressions, alleviates the insistence of the speaker to conform to a regimented linguistic standard, removes the linguistic strait jacket and gives allowance for communication‖ (pp. 6-7).
In view of the fact that for the last two decades English instruction has been largely focused on the acquisition of the communicative competence, Non-standard English becomes central to a comprehensive deployment of such skill. Consequently, idioms, slang and proverbs cannot and should not be conceived as an appendage of the language, given how ubiquitous and habitual they are. Rarely do English native speakers detect the occurrence of these three components in their daily routines because that is how natural and spontaneous these features are in quotidian verbal communication. As an example, if one sets out to watch TV series intently with the purpose of identifying the occurrence of Non-standard English, one will realize that, no matter what the context is, idioms, slang and proverbs will spring to life many a time. From this illustration it follows that Non-standard English must be included in EFL curricula as a fundamental tool for informal and natural communication, given that it might prove beneficial and advantageous for speakers in day-to-day situations.
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websites and literature, all of them, although in different words and with slight nuances, arrive at very similar conclusions. Nevertheless, the authors have selected the most all-encompassing definitions, given the importance of proper delineation. Clouse (as cited in Footé, 2010, p. 7) puts forward the following:
- Slang: ―Slang expressions are very informal usages unsuitable for most writing. Slang can originate with one group of people, say musicians and artists, and spread to the larger population. Slang often originates with young people and makes for colorful, vital speech.‖
- Idiom: ―An idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from the meaning of its individual words.‖
- Proverb:―A short, popular saying expressing an obvious truth.‖
ESL materials writer David Burke (1998) defines slang as non-standard vocabulary of a certain culture or subculture, and says that while idioms are typically phrases, slang expressions tend to be words. He also says that slang terms may or may not have different literal meanings and that they may just be invented words. Burke divides slang into a family tree, placing universal slang at the top, which are words that are used by everyone. Below universal slang he places subcategories of slang that are used by specific groups: from teenagers to racial or economic groups. According to him, the most effective way to teach Non-standard English is by using natural dialogues that include slang and idioms, and based on the context of each phrase, the teacher should give students the opportunity to guess their meaning. Then, teachers should present a variety of reinforcement activities to make their meanings stick.
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expressions are so common that they become memorized. They then act as prefabricated language units that can be used as wholes, rather than being composed through vocabulary + syntax‖ (p. 101). The author goes forth saying that using idioms accurately sets apart fluent speakers of a certain language and that their knowledge is fundamental for pragmatic competence.
On the other hand, Schmitt (2000) states that proverbs display shared cultural wisdom, and unlike idioms, they often have equivalents across languages (p. 100). Because proverbs are usually linked to common situations in a culture, it is important to understand the meaning behind them and the speaker‘s purpose for uttering the expression at a certain time. The ability to communicate using slang, idioms and proverbs correctly—depending on the context—not only permits greater fluency in speech production, but because of familiarity and relevancy, it may aid the listener as well. Dedicating a whole chapter to these multiword units in his book Vocabulary in language teaching, Schmitt agrees that it is imperative that Non-standard English not be neglected in the English classroom.
4.4 Humor in pedagogy
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In her article about humor and children‘s development, Liebertz (2005) says that laughter generates confidence, lowers our guard, and that if you are able to laugh at something, you can overcome it (pg. 28). She believes that it is a mistake that education often leaves humor aside, because according to her, students learn better if teachers present lessons in a fun manner. As she points out, laughing is healthy, it makes us feel free and relaxed, thus making whatever task comes our way much more painless and enjoyable (p. 29). Laughter also seems to have an influence on our memory: in 2007, Nielson, psychologist and professor at Marquette University in Wisconsin, conducted an experiment to prove just that. She read a list of thirty words to a group of people and later played a funny video to only half of them. A week later the subjects that were shown the video remembered twice as many words as the subjects that were not (p. 28). The previous results bear out that new information, when connected with humor as an explanatory resource, will ultimately engrave contents in our memory in a much deeper way. It seems safe to say that humor and education should no longer be alienated from each other.
Anxiety is one of the feelings that can severely interfere with language learning and production. Horwitz and Cope (as cited in Golchi and Jamali, 2011) define foreign language anxiety as ―a distinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning process‖ (p. 185). In point of fact, anxiety has come to be accepted as a central barrier to language learning, being frequently manifested in oral production and as a drawback of language learners‘ achievements, ―indirectly through worry and self-doubt and directly by reducing participation and creating overt avoidance of the language‖ (Horwitz and Cope, as cited in Golchi and Jamali, 2011, p.186). A good sense of humor can alleviate some of the tension and anxiety that students experience and can also encourage them to finish their tasks on a timely manner (Horwitz and Cope, as cited in Golchi and Jamali, 2011, p.186).
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better respiration and circulation, lower pulse and blood pressure, exercise of the chest muscles, greater oxygenation of blood, and the release of endorphins into the bloodstream (Horwitz and Cope, as cited in Golchi and Jamali, 2011, p. 178). Moreover, research has shown that students that have teachers who use humor in their classes tend to learn more and become more motivated and interested in learning (Horwitz and Cope, as cited in Golchi and Jamali, 2011, p. 178). Pollio and Humphreys (as cited in Garner, 2006) discovered that the link that develops from the interaction between the teacher and the students is of utmost importance for effective learning and that humor plays a major role in the development of a positive learning environment and in the enhancing of such link (p. 178). Not only do students grow more motivated by the use of humor but it also encourages them to participate more and the exchange of ideas and opinions becomes much more relaxed.
Indubitably, the advantages of using humor in L2 instruction are many. Nevertheless, one must be cautious that the humor one uses is appropriate and content-specific; otherwise, its inherent benefits would be put to ill-use and students might not take either the instructor or the language seriously. For instance, constant joke-telling that is content-unrelated might cause disorder, loss of respect and, similarly, mocking students for their mistakes might result in the lessening of confidence and hostility among the students.
4.5 Communicative Language Teaching
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importance of Non-standard English for effective communication while engaging students in communicative tasks that require the proper use and understanding of this particular language component. Finocchiaro and Brumfit (as cited in Richards & Rodgers, 1986) claim that ―language learning is learning to communicate‖ and that ―contextualization isa basic premise‖ (p. 67). Context bears great relevance, if not the greatest, to the comprehension and correct usage of Non-standard English, as it is an aspect that circumscribes the scope of interaction and serves specific purposes.
As far as language theory is concerned, CLT has a rather diverse theoretical foundation. Richards and Rodgers present us with the following characteristics of the communicative view of language:
1. Language is a system for the expression of meaning.
2. The primary function of language is for interaction and communication. 3. The structure of language reflects its functional and communicative uses. 4. The primary units of language are not merely its grammatical and structural features, but categories of functional and communicative meaning as exemplified in discourse. (1986, p. 71)
Very frequently Non-standard English contravenes traditional grammatical and semantic structures that might at times prove confusing to those who are not well acquainted with these unique attributes of every language. If grammar is assumed to be the most important feature of a language, then language could not be held as a tool for the expression of meaning but as a mere set of rules that would otherwise limit its communicative functions. Only through interaction and communication will the learner acquire sufficient insight into the appropriateness of different registers and guarantee successful communication.
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Widdowson (1978), a model of language in which language is viewed ―as a set of formal elements to be manifested and apprehended by means of linguistic skills outside a real communicative context and without a communicative purpose‖ is ―remote form the learner‘s own experience and it is no wonder that he has difficulties in acquiring it‖ (p. 74). The activities feature different exercises per skill, such as arriving at the meaning of a certain idiom by listening carefully to the clues provided by the actors and the context, writing definitions in Standard English in lieu of non-standard terms and using newly acquired Non-standard English items to orally exchange ideas with their classmates. In other words, although speaking might seem the most important skill, all the exercises per different skill have an intrinsic communicative value and a real-life basis.
33 5. METHODOLOGY
Methodological Approach to Materials Design
As mentioned earlier, the present research study deviates from the traditional research methodology given its nature and scope. Instead, the approach is that of a material design methodology, in view of the fact that teaching material is the final and most important outcome of the research process. The process of materials writing that was followed in order to design the communicative activities based on four comedy episodes is that of Tomlinson (2011). This author‘s framework for materials writing provides a clear and systematic approach to material design that seemed appropriate for the purposes of this project.
Tomlinson presents a flow-diagram which consists of seven stages that he considers appropriate for the design of innovative materials:
IDENTIFICATION by teacher or learner(s) of a need to fulfill or a problem to solve by the creation of materials.
EXPLORATION of the area of need/problem in terms of what language, what meanings, what functions, what skills, etc.?
CONTEXTUAL REALIZATION of the proposed new materials by the finding of suitable ideas, contexts or texts which to work.
PEDAGOGICAL REALIZATION of materials by the finding of appropriate exercises and activities.
PHYSICAL PRODUCTION of materials.
STUDENT USE of material.
EVALUATION of materials against agreed objectives. (pp. 112-113)
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apply the material in class and assess its use and effectiveness would entail a whole new research study, one with a different methodology.
Tomlinson recognizes that the human mind does not work in a linear fashion to solve problems and in this particular case material design is a dynamic process that can set off optional pathways and feedback loops. Nonetheless, for the sake of a more systematic and simpler way of understanding the stages involved in the process of material design, a succession has been favored.
5.1 Identification of need or problem
During the identification stage, two instruments for data collection were used in order to identify the problem. The tools used to collect the data were interviews (see Appendix IX) and a questionnaire (see Appendix II). The sample selected to be interviewed and to answer the questionnaire was composed of two groups: students and teachers. The former, to which the questionnaire was administered, were a group of 42 adult learners (male/female) from the Modern Languages program at PUJ who were taking one of the last four levels of English (Low Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Low Advanced) at the time when the problem was identified. Each level is comprised of two or three groups; two groups were selected per level in order to make up the sample of students. The latter—the interviewees—were the educators in charge of these levels. Two teachers per level were addressed, for a total of 8 teachers interviewed.
The interviews related to the use of Non-standard English and humor in class. Each interview was recorded and later transcribed in order to be analyzed.
The questions asked were the following:
1. How much time do you devote to the study of Non-standard English in your lessons?
2. What kind of activities do you do to teach this linguistic component?
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The questionnaire, on the other hand, was administered to a randomly-selected cross-section of 30% of the students from each group. The sample‘s percentage was estimated based on the information found in Metodología de la investigación by Sampieri (1991), according to which, a cross section should constitute 30% of the whole population. The questionnaire dealt with the use of comedy series as a teaching tool in class, and with the time devoted to the study of idioms, slang and proverbs. To gain a clear insight of the problem at hand, it included:
a) five yes/no questions regarding the study of Non-standard English in class, as well as the use of humor as a teaching tool.
b) two closed-ended questions concerning the frequency of study of Non-standard English and the use of humor as a teaching tool.
c) one closed-ended question about students‘ reasons for watching comedy series in their spare time.
d) one follow-up question relating to the importance of Non-standard English for successful communication.
Additionally, the questionnaire presented students with a list of twenty-eight (28) samples of words and expressions of Non-standard English, which they had to provide meanings for. These samples were chosen based on their occurrence in comedy shows that the authors watch. A copy of the questionnaire is attached (see Appendix B), as are the transcripts of the eight (8) interviews conducted (see Appendix D). The teachers agreed to be recorded and for their answers to be featured in the present research study.
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questionnaire. This may lead us to think that the amount of time the interviewed teachers claim to devote to the study of said items may be insufficient, or perhaps that the activities they use to teach them are not effective enough. After answering the questionnaire, some students commented that they were certain of having heard most of the slang and idioms found on the list on television but were unable to comprehend the general storyline or train of thought of a particular scene in a certain movie or episode.
The answers to the questionnaire also established that 93% of the students acknowledge the importance of Non-standard English for successful communication, and that 95% of them wish their lessons gave more emphasis to the study of idioms, slang and proverbs since students are aware of the fact that their lack of knowledge of such items will ultimately affect their linguistic comprehension and production, as shown by their follow-up answers for question 3. When asked to give reasons why non-standard language is essential for EFL learners, students provided strong arguments that corroborate their awareness of how vital this language component is to communicate naturally in any given context. One student commented that these linguistic features are important ―because [they] help you speak in ‗real English‘, not classroom English‖ (―Non -standard English,‖ 2012); another student‘s answer was, ―because [they] allow you to express your ideas in a natural way.‖(―Non-standard English,‖ 2012).
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questionnaire and the interviews was that humor had been virtually neglected as a teaching tool by most of the teachers in the Modern Languages program. This claim is supported by their answers: The Low Intermediate level teachers said that humor was either not used at all or not used intentionally as a teaching but rather as something that arose spontaneously. Also, Upper Intermediate and Low Advanced levels teachers coincided in the way they use humor in class, which is only as impromptu jokes.
Although the stage previous to the material design resembles that of a traditional research study, the mere divulging of the results obtained by means of the data-collection procedure would not be useful unless such results were analyzed and a creative solution to the problem identified was catered for. Thus, the results served the purpose of providing strong and sound grounding upon which the idea of designing a set of teaching materials was based.
5.2 Exploration of need or problem
Once the data were gathered and analyzed, and the problem established, the authors moved on to the second step in their material design methodology—the exploration stage. In this stage, it was made clear that there was a larger problem at hand which stemmed from the students‘ lack of knowledge of idioms, slang and proverbs: their ability to communicate naturally and effectively in the target language. Furthermore, during this stage, several sources were reviewed in order to support the need of addressing Non-standard English in L2 pedagogy, to fully comprehend how slang, idioms and proverbs differ between one another, as well as to recognize the advantages of using humor in pedagogy. This second stage in the material design methodology is further described in the Conceptual Framework of this paper.
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considered it inappropriate to suggest a class or activities solely devoted to teaching swearwords, no matter how common they may be in situations where Non-standard English is spoken. Humor, on the other hand, comes in multiple forms; however, the authors decided to use American comedy series given that they are not lengthy and can be easily used during a regular academic session. Also, the authors are very much acquainted with this type of comedy and so had the grounds to know which series would mostly exemplify the use of American Non-standard English.
5.3 Contextual realization of new materials
With regard to the contextual realization stage, personal experience of the authors of the present research study played a significant role in the sense that the learning of Non-standard English by the two authors of this paper was greatly enriched by American comedy series. All throughout high school and college, the authors enjoyed watching a number of classic and contemporary comedy series during their leisure time. Not only did the authors of this research study watch the comedy shows intently and learn from that which was presented to them in the form of dialogues and multifarious scenes but they were also rather interested and inquisitive as to the meaning of new words and made constant use of the newly learned expressions. They would often look up the new words, slang and idiomatic expressions in the dictionary or online forums in order to understand how to properly use them.
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the slang they use, the idioms that serve as tokens full of meaning and the proverbs they utter at particular moments in life.
As previously mentioned, the interviews and questionnaire showed that humor in the form of comedy series was not being employed at all as a teaching tool in any of the groups that were taken as sample for the study at the time the information was gathered; hence, all of the advantages of using this type of humorous authentic material were being overlooked. Therefore, a decision was made concerning the authentic material that could be used as input containing both non-standard language and humor: comedy series. Numerous episodes of different American comedy series were analyzed in terms of linguistic content, meaning the constant use of American Non-standard English in their dialogues, and a conclusion was reached that this type of series was a valuable resource from which activities to teach features such as idioms, slang and proverbs could derive. Two episodes were chosen from the American comedy series Modern Family and two episodes from the American comedy series The Big Bang Theory. The reason for choosing them was the recurrent use of non-standard expressions that are frequently and currently used in the English language. The episodes chosen are the following: ‗The Rhinitis Revelation‘ (Season 5, Episode 6) and ‗The Tangible Affection Proof‘ (Season 6, Episode 16) from The Big Bang Theory and ‗Halloween‘ (Season 2, Episode 6) and ‗Party Crasher‘ (Season 4, Episode 12) from Modern Family. Once the episodes were chosen, transcripts of each of them were made by the authors in order to identify the slang terms, idiomatic expressions and proverbs contained therein.
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of exclamation or surprise, pet words or phrases, or ad-lib remarks. All of them can be used at numerous points during a dialogue; they might not alter its meaning but are unquestionably essential for overall comprehension.
5.4 Pedagogical realization of new materials
In the course of the pedagogical realization stage, it was established that the approach that served the authors‘ purpose would be the communicative approach, due to the fact that activities designed to teach idioms, slang and proverbs would ultimately result in the improvement of the students‘ communication skills, given that Non-standard English is essential for everyday interaction. Moreover, by being communicative, the activities would ensure that students would not rely on memorization but on a thorough understanding and contextualization of the new slang words and idiomatic expressions to be learnt. The material should require, among other exercises, that the students to create new dialogues and converse with one another using the new vocabulary for meaningful communicative purposes.
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Besides brainstorming, the authors went over the characteristics of the CLT approach and of communicative activities (stated in the Conceptual Framework of this paper) and examined various language learning workbooks, such as Aula Internacional, Headway and Cutting Edge that featured communicative activities, as well as Non-standard English books such as In The Know, Idioms and Phrases and Slangman to get a general idea of structure and format of the activities. These books also motivated the authors to contemplate new ways of reworking the activities, introduce innovative elements and amalgamate them to produce new ones.
5.5 Physical production of materials
The activities designed during the physical production stage derive from the transcripts of the episodes of the comedy series chosen that exemplify the incidence of Non-standard English by a recurrent use of slang, idioms and proverbs. Thus, as a first step of this stage, the authors of this research study made the transcripts of each of the selected episodes since these were not found on the Internet (see the transcripts of ‗The Rhinitis Revelation‘, ‗The Tangible Affection Proof‘, ‗Halloween‘ and ‗Party Crasher‘ in Appendix A).
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With the purpose of being as precise as possible, the authors of the present research study decided to approach native English speakers and ask their opinions on the accuracy of the lists. Two English teachers from PUJ—both of whom were part of the sample of educators who were interviewed during the identification stage—analyzed the four lists of non-standard language from the episodes, suggested some omissions, changes and supported their modifications to the lists. It is imperative to mention that each teacher made a different judgment and suggested different alterations to the lists. In the end, feedback from both teachers was integrated, but most importantly, all of the linguistic features that remained on the lists finally fitted into the definitions mentioned above.
General list of Non-standard English language items
Slang Idioms Proverbs
Smart mouth What‘s up Q and A Bitchiness Abs
Coldcock Smarty-pants Blew it
Cranky Check it out Cool
Call dibs Bite me Screw them Thingy Blow off
Freaks me out Check it Tools Douches Guns Let‘s roll Booze Coconuts
You are in for a treat Going out for a bite Hooked on
Creep yourself out Put you over my knee Kick a man when he‘s
down
Getting back out there Don‘t beat yourself up At a crossroads Go a little overboard You‘re on deck Burning up Trying to pull Drunk as a skunk Two peas in a pod To Heimlich someone Be more into it
A lot on my plate Busting my tail White-knuckling it To pull an all-nighter Take a bite out of
something
A cat can have kittens in the oven but that don‘t make ‗em biscuits
There‘s a lock for every key
Dog eat dog world Blessings in disguise Like father, like son /
