This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2572.
How to tease someone when they're not good at something in English.
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Is there someone you know well who's not doing a great job at something?
If the connection and the moment is right, you can get a little spicy.
Today, get two fun ways to do this in English.
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Hello there, Michelle.
How's it going today?
Hi, I'm doing well, Lindsay.
How are you?
Good.
Glad to be here on the mic with you.
So where should we start today?
Lindsay, what is something that you are not good at?
Oh my gosh.
I would have to list things for days, Michelle.
I'm not good at fixing anything.
I'm not good at assembling anything.
I don't know how to cook.
There's so many things.
Where do I even start?
Oh, Lindsay, but you have so many positive qualities.
Thank you.
Yes, nobody can be good at everything.
Yeah, for me, it's sports for sure.
I was sharing just a few episodes ago that I'm not athletic.
I mean, you're always talking about skiing and this and that.
I like to watch some sports.
I like to watch basketball, but I'm not talented in any physical sports sense.
Um, I'm also not good at fixing things or putting together things.
I'm not good at being organized in my house.
Um yeah, I uh yeah yeah, we could listen for a while, but uh, but we have a lot of.
There are a lot of good things about us too, Lindsay.
I think I mean it's okay, over your lifetime you get to figure out what you do well and then hopefully amplify that somehow in your career and Right.
Or just like the StrengthsFinder.
StrengthsFinder.
Get better at the things that you know you're good at and then maybe pull up the bottom a little bit.
Like I could I could learn a few more dishes to cook.
I could learn how to cook chicken.
Right.
These are basic things that I should probably learn at some point.
But focusing on what we do well is, I think, a good recipe for success.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But today Lindsay, we're going to have some fun because we're going to teach a very entertaining expression that's a little spicy sounding.
Spicy.
Yes, but you may hear it from time to time.
Lindsay, what's the expression?
All right, here it is, Michelle.
It is a don't quit your day job.
And this one's been around for a long time.
Yeah, but it's still used.
And yeah, it's kind of fun.
And I agree with you.
It's a little spicy, but it's good to be spicy sometimes, right?
Yeah.
I mean, so you still hear this, right?
Sure.
Yeah, absolutely.
And you might also hear it in movies from decades ago.
Which is cool.
Right.
So what in the world does this mean?
Don't quit your day job.
Well, kind of what we just talked about.
Stick with what you're good at, because what you're doing here.
Doesn't seem to be it.
It doesn't seem to be what you're good at.
Right.
So let's say Lindsay, you are trying to put something together, or you're cooking chicken, or you're doing something.
You know, a friend might say to you, oh, don't quit your day job.
Right.
Right, your friend is saying basically, stick with what you do well right, don't write this as your full-time job.
But they don't literally mean that you're thinking about changing your job to put it to assembling desks right no um, but it's just yeah, it's just a more of a metaphorical, just like a funny remark of oh yeah let's, let's stick to.
Like, don't make this one of your main things.
Um But Lindsay, would you use this as someone you don't really know that well?
Probably not.
I would probably avoid it because like you said earlier, it's a little spicy.
It's a little playful.
It's a little teasing.
So I don't really tease people that I don't know well.
Like if I hired someone to come in and like a handyman to come in or a handywoman to come in and fix things they weren't doing a good job.
I wouldn't say that to them right, especially because that is their day job also.
So that's a good point.
That is actually so.
If it is someone's day job and you're saying don't quit your day job, you're really insulting, really not good Yeah.
So I mean, this is for someone you have a very congenial and fun relationship with, someone you joke around with.
Maybe you're sarcastic with like a good buddy, a sibling.
Like I would say it to my brother for sure.
Um, I would say it to Dan, you know, and he could say it to me, you know, it's just, it's in it's, it's with us someone, a special kind of relationship, not not the handyman who's, you know, putting things together for you.
Exactly.
Exactly.
And you know this.
And this also requires the person to be kind of right in front of you doing the thing that they're not doing.
Well, whether it's singing or sports like demonstrating for you.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, Or I guess you could be on the phone and say oh, I tried to help my friend assemble their new dresser and it took me five hours and all the screws were wrong.
You could say, oh, don't quit your day job.
Right.
Yep.
But usually it's like when they're right there and they're just failing miserably.
Right.
Right.
Exactly.
So let's do a tiny role play.
OK.
OK.
Oh, sorry for my terrible singing.
Yeah.
Lindsay, don't quit your day job.
I know.
I know.
Hey Lindsay, watch me shoot some hoops.
Okay.
Now I'm going to miss every shot.
Oh, Michelle, don't quit your day job.
You're right.
Well, at least you were trying.
I mean, that's how you get better at things is by doing them.
Right.
I mean, you know, and you're a fan of basketball, so it's okay.
It's okay.
Right.
Exactly.
I, okay.
Lindsay, here's a question for you.
If you are not good at something.
Yeah.
Like, uh, some sort of thing that all your friends are doing.
Do you try and avoid it or do you have like a lighthearted spirit where you can just do it and still have fun?
Ooh, it depends on the thing.
Definitely.
If I'm, if I have to do it by myself, like I have to go out and practice and gain the skill I'd probably I might.
If there's no benefit to getting better at it, I probably wouldn't do it.
But then if I'm doing it with friends, then maybe that's more of a social thing.
Right.
So I would stick with it.
Yeah.
And I guess it depends how much of a push it is.
Like, so for me, the first thing that comes to mind is bowling.
I am known for my terrible bowling.
I am known for, I swing, I swing my arm in a weird way.
I can't, I can't do it straight.
There's something in my anatomy.
It doesn't allow me to, I look ridiculous, but I really enjoy it.
And it doesn't matter to me whether I'm good at it.
I just have, I'm, I'm along for the ride.
I'm having fun.
It's fine.
It's a social sport.
Exactly.
But if it were like, Oh, go run a marathon.
Yeah.
Oh, and I know I don't that's a solo thing too, right?
That would require a lot of solo.
So it's really about like, yeah, what are you doing when you're doing the sport?
Are you gonna have to do this by yourself?
And is there really a benefit or not?
Right?
Right.
Yes, exactly.
So, uh, and again, guys, not about a real job.
Um, so that you should quit.
Yeah.
That was a bad example.
My example of the handyman coming over.
That was a bad example.
It'd be more like your friend comes over and tries to help you fix your stove or something.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
And then they like start a fire in your house or something.
I don't want that.
Oh gosh.
Good expression.
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All right, michelle.
So i mean obviously we could say other things if we want to be teasing people a little bit.
Be a little spicy.
Um, this one i love.
What is this one Yeah?
So this is the one other that we're going to teach.
So this is Don't Call Us, We'll Call You.
I love this one.
Oh, my God.
I love this.
I wonder if this comes from a movie, like if it's actually originally a famous quote or something.
But originally, what does it mean?
I mean, what does it come back to, Michelle?
Well, to me, it's so like, I'm not sure if it originally comes from like the theater world or...
Um, I'm not sure exactly, but it it, it's like the idea actually more of some sort of like audition or job interview um, where you know you, you've done something and then you know sometimes you might think Oh, should I, when should I follow up?
Right.
So if someone says, don't call us, we'll call you.
Um, it, I mean like nobody's actually going to really say this in a job interview.
No one says it to you, but.
It's in the narrative.
It's in the movies.
It basically means like we're not going to hire you.
Right.
Yeah.
Like, yeah, you did not perform well.
Yeah.
You shouldn't follow us because.
Well, sure.
It's like, yeah, well, we'll reach out to you if we're interested.
But it's saying we're not interested.
Yeah, exactly.
And so any kind of as you said, Michelle, we're trying out for something sports team.
But I think of it most in the job interview world.
Yeah.
Interviewing for a job.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You're trying for something.
The decision maker says, don't check with us.
We'll let you know.
They're saying they're not going to call.
Although in the movies nowadays you probably wouldn't say it directly to someone that you're not going to hire.
But in the movies you probably will see that.
You know you'll see that because new movies tend to be a little exaggerated and more shameless, I guess.
I don't know.
You'll see someone say that to a candidate in an I don't know what movie, but I'm sure you could find a movie.
Well, but what's interesting is that I think it kind of morphed into more just a similar idea to don't quit your day job.
Exactly.
It's, So let's just do the little role play here.
Yeah, this is interesting.
So now we're not talking about in this example, job interviews anymore.
We're taking that meaning and you said morphing it into something new.
So do you like my new fashionable outfit?
Don't call us, we'll call you interesting, right?
So i love, i love this.
This is so creative.
I've actually never heard it to be referred to in that context before.
Um like giving opinions, but it makes total sense to me and i like how we're doing it, so it works.
Yeah yeah, and again, this is insulting, Right.
So, like I mean you, you're not if if, if Lindsay comes to me and she's actually like really excited about some new outfit she put together, but the way that she said it Oh, so do you let you know it's, it's probably she came in with a funny hat on and she's just trying to make you laugh.
Right.
You really good point.
Yeah.
You need to know the vibe.
Well, it's really about the relationship between you and the other person.
Like your brother, you're always teasing with him, right?
Dan or something.
Yeah.
There are certain people we can tease and then others, and then how much do they attack?
Like if they've just found their wedding dress and they're so excited.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
This makes me think of, I should say this later after we talk more, but, um, I'm thinking of it now.
So my uncle used to say um, if somebody was singing and they weren't good, he'd say or my dad says it too.
Like, um, can you sing far, far away?
Because it's like, it's like, that's like the song.
Like, you know, you're trying to make it sound like a song title, but you're saying, can you move?
Oh yeah.
Or, or the other one, my uncle used to say was, can you sing by the window and I'll help you out.
So it's like oh my gosh, because guys the joke there is saying like oh, it's sounding like can you sing by the window like a, like a song title and i'll help you out is like i'll sing it with you, i'll help you.
But what they're really saying is saying next to the window and i'll help push you out the window.
Oh no yeah, it's funny, sounds like a dad joke, right?
It sounds like yes exactly, it's good stuff.
So really creative here.
What's the next example?
Um, the next one is okay.
I didn't make any shots on my soccer team today.
Not my talent.
Huh?
Don't call us.
We'll call you.
Yeah.
So this, this seems kind of mean almost.
This is mean, right?
Um, yeah.
Yeah.
Like I'm being I'm really bad at soccer and no shots.
I made no goals.
I'm really feeling bad.
I probably wouldn't say it here.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
However, if they're more like self-deprecating, like yeah, like oh, it's not my talent, you know like for me.
Yeah, I would welcome it.
Like, but yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's like, I know that that's not me.
Like it's yeah, it's those things that you have already for many years known that it's not your strength.
So you totally have a very good sense of humor about it, you know.
So there's a few things we need here.
We need to know context about the person.
Like how many times have they tried this thing?
How do they feel about the importance of gaining mastery in this skill?
We need to know the tone that they've delivered this in and we need to know our relationship with them right.
So if you pass the test on those three things, you could say these things, right?
You could say this, okay?
But not otherwise.
Exactly.
So yeah, do not use this as someone is genuine about trying something new and do not use it with someone you don't have a joking relationship.
But you can also use don't quit your day job about yourself.
Like you could say.
Like, let's say Lindsay, you're trying to cook your chicken dish and you take a bite of it and you're like.
You could say, I won't quit my day job.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And that's, that's always.
We always recommend that making fun of yourself first as a safe way to try out a phrase.
Right.
Yeah.
No one's going to get upset when you're making fun of yourself.
Right.
And that's fine.
Right.
Maybe that becomes your sense of humor a little bit.
Yes, exactly.
All right.
Let's do a role play.
So here we are in the car and we're back to singing.
And I'm being kind of loud and funny with my singing.
So I might just be like, yeah, right.
I can't sing an actual song, but OK.
All right.
Love the singing, Michelle.
I could be a professional, don't you think?
Don't quit your day job.
I guess you're right.
One more song to try.
No, no.
Don't call us.
We'll call you fine fine nice yeah, and this is very creative that use of don't call us, we'll call you.
But our listeners want to be creative with the language right, so I love it.
Yeah, love it, yeah.
So here you are singing you're being kind of annoying right, a little loud and maybe not as good of a singer as you think you are right in this context, in this role play, and you say oh, I could be a professional, don't you think?
And we're, you know, on a really joking, joking terms here.
Right.
Yeah.
And I entered into it like just, you know, I'm joking.
Oh, don't you think, you know, like I'm saying.
So you said, don't quit your day job.
Yeah, exactly.
So basically I'm saying, no, you could not make it as a professional singer.
Right.
And then another response, you said, I guess you're right.
One more song to try.
So you're saying, should I try one more song?
And I said, no, no, no, don't call us.
We'll call you.
So that's, and that's the more rare use of that, but it makes total sense and it's creative.
So we recommend it.
Why not?
Yeah, play with it.
Like we said um guys, check out episode 25 64, which was human or person.
What's the difference?
Yeah, we've been doing a lot of these, this or that yeah yeah yeah, i think it really helps to clarify some things for our listeners right, but in the moment, we have to choose the word.
We want human, do we want person, do we want make or do or take or make, Right?
We need to make the right choice.
All right.
Good stuff.
So, Michelle, what's the takeaway today?
This is a you know, these are very specific.
These these are not things that you're going to hear every day.
You know, if you don't feel comfortable with these right now. listen for them.
It's fine.
Um, you know, these are very um specific sense of humors, like humorous words that you may or may not end up using, but um you should know what they mean.
You might hear them in the movies and you know, try them out with someone you feel comfortable with, like just joking around or, like Lindsay said, try it out about yourself.
Oh, if you, if you do something, you know, it's not good.
You're fine with teasing yourself.
Eh, i won't quit my day job.
Yeah, really good stuff guys, if you love our style, we bring everything back to connection.
We show you how to use english to connect.
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Michelle, how many times we publish per week?
Oh, my gosh, we have five.
Five episodes a week.
Five episodes a week.
That's something we could really get into, right?
A lot of our listeners have made All Ears English a habit, and that's where we see the real listening improvement.
So guys, make that your plan for the year and hit follow.
All right?
Good.
All right, Lindsay.
Well, thanks for talking about this with me.
And yeah.
We will call you Lindsay.
All right.
Good.
Good to know.
Talk soon.
Bye.
Bye.
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