This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 447.
You think these idioms are tricky? Fair enough. welcome to the business english podcast from all ears english get the english skills you need to achieve your dreams in global business for a presentation a meeting or your office party this is real business english with your favorite american hosts lindsay and aubrey coming to you from arizona and colorado usa Are you stuck using textbook English in real conversations?
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Hey there, Aubrey. What's shakin'? I'm great.
How are you, Lindsay? Good. Aubrey, when you were a kid, did you ever say, no fair?
Like when something didn't feel fair, some kid was trying to cheat at a game or something?
Absolutely. Kids say that all the time. My kids still say that, right?
No fair. No fair. If someone's cheating or if just in general, if something doesn't feel fair, someone else got a snack when they didn't or who knows.
That's one of the phrases that has lasted across the generations, right?
Absolutely. Faded out with Gen X or something.
Interesting. Aubrey, what should our listeners do before we get deeper into this episode?
Yeah, this is going to be a really good one.
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Love it. So fair. What are we talking about with the word fair today and where did this idea come from?
Yeah. So a student in our Q&A, this is for students in our courses who are able to ask questions about English, about what they're learning.
They asked about these words they've heard in English where someone just responds with the word fair, fair.
And then they've also heard fair enough, fair point.
So they wanted to know, you know, what are the different nuances?
What's implied here? What does this mean?
So it was an interesting conversation. And I immediately was like, this is going to be really great. on the business english podcast i'm surprised we haven't covered this yet on either show because it is very trendy right now um and it has been for like the last five years i think when someone says oh fair right meaning what you've said is valid I agree, or at least maybe not I agree, but I accept it.
I hear you. Fair. Yeah, I hear you. It's interesting.
It's a quick way to do it. And it's really such a great connection skill to validate what someone else has said, right?
Because if you don't say anything, they can feel like you either disagree or don't value what they said.
And that would be worst case scenario. Yeah, there are certain personalities, certain people that I know that just don't respond as much.
They don't support the speaker quite as much.
And those people are kind of awkward to talk to, in my opinion.
No, you're right. I agree with that opinion.
Yeah, it's okay. It's just how they are.
And I think to myself, I need to be more confident, right?
But still, it is nice to show that you're listening and that you're hearing and that, you know, what they're saying is at least landing in some way.
Yes. And when it comes to connection, you will have options in the people you spend time with.
So you often will just naturally gravitate to the people who are validating you, who are making you feel like your ideas and your point is valid, whether they agree or not.
So it's important to do that. All right.
So the first one is fair enough. So we talked about, I'm not sure, are we going to get in later to just saying fair?
Yeah, we are going to get into that. Okay.
That's our last one. So we'll first share fair enough.
Yes. And then we have a couple others because fair is the trendiest, newest one that we'll get into right before the role play.
Right. This one, fair enough, has been around forever.
Right. I remember hearing this when I was a kid.
So it just means, you know, I agree. That's reasonable.
Right. She felt we had waited long enough.
So I said, fair enough. Let's go. Like, OK, I agree.
That's understandable. yep very durable phrase over many decades it's a safe one go for it this is a great one yes this connects you with people right yeah let's do a little mini role play because often this is a response to what someone else has said right all right are you coming to happy hour later uh probably not i've got to work late ah fair enough we'll miss you hopefully you can make it next time Yeah, so what a great connection skill to let someone know you understand, you're okay with it, you'll miss them, but fair enough, we understand.
Yeah, it's a bit of a bargaining phrase.
Like I accept what you've said, it's too bad, but it's true, it's okay, right?
Yeah, and it is interesting. This is such a social skill to say the right thing in this kind of moment.
Why make them feel worse about it, right?
You can definitely let them know you'll miss them, but there are so many things you could say that would make them feel either judged Or I don't know, like that they're not prioritizing your friendship enough, maybe.
Right. So we do have to be careful what we say in those moments.
That's a point. That's a good point. This phrase gives people a little bit of independence, a bit of, you know, gives them the benefit of the doubt.
Right. Exactly. Love that. And then we have fair point.
Very similar, right? It means I agree and often is used when you're having an argument, a discussion to mean good point, right?
So that you're acknowledging a little more that you don't disagree.
You think they have made a valid argument.
Yeah. For some reason, I like saying fair point better than good point when I'm in a bit of a debate.
I do too, actually. I wonder why. It's interesting.
I feel like they mean the same. Yeah, yeah.
Maybe it's giving a little too much credit when you say good point.
Fair point. It's interesting to think about.
They do have a slightly different meaning, right?
Fair point, it's like, okay, I'll take it, but I don't necessarily agree.
Whereas good point definitely means I agree with you.
Yeah. And we don't always, we don't always agree.
Right. It means you're moving towards convincing me, right?
You've made your argument, right? You've won kind of.
Exactly. So we're a little more, we don't give that out as easily.
Good point. Yeah, we don't. Not in a debate for sure.
Okay. Role play here. All right. I'll start us.
I have a goal to drink more water, but all I've been drinking today is coffee.
Coffee doesn't count. Fair point. I need to go drink some water.
And I could say good point there because I agree 100%.
Yeah, that's not really a debate. That's just kind of, you know, you're looking for advice from a friend maybe.
But if it's more, if you are having a debate and it's something you don't necessarily agree with, right?
The other person might share some evidence or research or something that they've looked up and that makes sense.
You might say, fair point. Right. So you're acknowledging like, OK, you've made a good point.
You've showed me some interesting evidence, but maybe you still don't 100 percent agree.
You can still say fair point without acknowledging that you are of the same opinion.
Exactly. You're not giving everything away.
OK, so we've talked about fair point. We've talked about fair enough.
Now let's get to the trendy new flashy word.
Yes. So often we'll just say fair. And this really is fair enough, fair point shortened.
And it is a trendy response that has gotten more and more popular.
Sometimes we use it humorously, right? If someone, whatever someone's saying and you're just like, fair.
You know, you're kind of just saying like, okay, I don't disagree.
I'm fine with it, whatever. It kind of has a, depending on the context, some different nuanced meanings.
I do think that we should be careful. I know people that have overused this in the past and it gets really annoying.
If that's what people say all the time. Fair.
Yeah. Like if someone tells me that I'm saying it too much and it's annoying, then that's probably what I'd be like, okay, fair, fair.
That's funny. Uh-oh, Aubrey. I know, right?
I don't think I say it that much, but now I'll have to start paying attention.
Maybe I do. Maybe I say it a lot. All right, here's an example.
Here we go. A little role play. I'll start us.
Are you coming to poker night Friday? I don't think so.
My social battery is completely drained.
Already? It's only Wednesday. I know, but I went out with friends Monday, and yesterday was that team building workshop, and then I went to a birthday dinner last night.
Okay, fair. Well, you'll be missed. Robust social calendar.
Nice. Yes. I know. Well done. Already exhausted by Wednesday.
Wow. Good. So where did you say fair here?
So you said fair at the very end. You're accepting what I've said.
Okay. You've made a point. I hear you. Okay.
Right. And I think I will use this most often when like in this role play, I did push back a little bit, right?
You're saying you can't go. And I'm like, already?
It's Wednesday. Sometimes I'll do this to make sure they know that I really do want them to come.
I'm not trying to be judgmental or trying to pressure, but I also want them to know that I'm not just asking because I feel like I have to.
So if someone turns me down, I might do this and push back just a little bit.
But then if they give me another reason or they're insisting, then I'll be like, okay, fair.
No, it's a good point because if you invite someone to play poker and they say, I can't make it, you're like, okay, moving on.
It's kind of makes it sound like you don't really care if they come.
Imagine you're like, okay, I'll invite Brad instead.
It's fine. You don't even mind that they're not going.
That doesn't feel good. Exactly. I love it.
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All right, Aubrey, we are just full of role plays today.
I love it. I know our listeners know that this is a great way to learn.
Absolutely. We'll use all of these phrases in one role play.
Lindsay and I are at a bookstore in this role play.
Oh, man. Do bookstores even exist anymore?
The little ones do, like the locally owned ones do.
But I don't know if there are Barnes and Noble anymore.
Small town ones. The big ones to buy new books, at least here in the States, most of them have gone out of business and people are buying books on, I don't know, Amazon.
I use the library mostly, but I do love a secondhand bookstore.
I use a bookstore. Oh, me too. So good. Here we go.
You always head straight to the sci-fi section.
Don't you ever get tired of that stuff? Nope.
I read to experience something very different from reality and sci-fi is perfect for that.
Fair point. You might enjoy something different though if you give it a chance.
I did once remember you recommended The Light Between Oceans and I read it.
And did you love it? I wouldn't say that, but I didn't hate it.
Fair enough. Hey, they have a coffee shop here.
Want to grab a coffee? Sure. But you're buying.
I paid last time. Nice. Fair. I didn't see that last fair.
So fair, right? Yes. Nice. Very typical conversation here.
Absolutely. Between friends. Right. So you said fair point after I was telling you why I wanted to see sci-fi.
Right. You're kind of like, why do you like sci-fi?
And I give you my reason why. And you probably wouldn't say good point here because you still don't like sci-fi.
I'm getting the impression you don't love it.
That's fine. Right. But I've made a decent point about why I read it.
So you say, OK, fair point. Yeah, it's kind of like agree to disagree, right?
I'm not going to agree with you, but we're going to disagree and that's fine.
Yeah, not my favorite, but you made a fair point about yes, exactly.
And then you said and I said, Oh, and did you love it this other genre and you said I wouldn't say that but I didn't hate it.
And then I said, fair enough. So it's kind of like that's all I can get.
So I'll take that. Exactly right. This happens a lot.
If you recommend something, someone doesn't love it.
And then you're like, OK, fair enough. I thought it was great, but that's fair.
I'm not I can't convince you. Right. We all see the world differently, which is why people are interesting. which is really interesting too.
This is really important for connection because I've had this happen where I've recommended something and then the person hated it and was so awkward about letting me know that.
So this is interesting to think about when we're recommending or if we don't like something, that could really hurt connection if we are really harsh about it because they loved it, right?
It's interesting. Yes. Fair point, Aubrey.
Love it. Very good. And then you ended with just fair.
So, I'm saying, okay, you're buying. I paid last time.
You're like, fair. So, you're just kind of saying like, yep, that's true.
I'm good with it. And that's kind of the same thing as saying, okay, right?
Yeah, true. And that's a good point because it's true.
These trendy new phrases, if you say them over and over and over constantly, it can get annoying.
Yeah, don't be that person. Don't be that person.
Switch it up. Throw it in there sometimes to kind of modernize your English to really connect.
Aubrey, where's another episode we could go right now to continue listening?
Yes. If you missed episode 444 right here on Business English, scroll up.
It was how did you find this episode with a very common mistake people use or people make when they're asked, how did you find that?
Wow. You don't want to miss it. Oh my gosh.
I feel like this summer we're getting to some really important building blocks of English, common mistakes, things we've heard years and years and years teaching in ESL that we're busting these mistakes to make sure our listeners connect every time.
Absolutely. Awesome. Yes, that was a great episode.
And this is what a good episode for connection, right?
Yes. You want to acknowledge that someone else's point or opinion is valid.
That is a great way to connect and build bonds.
Absolutely. 100% use it. Don't be a broken record with it, but use it for that connection.
That's it. Good stuff. Aubrey, I'll talk to you soon.
Awesome. See you next time. Take care. Bye.
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