This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2169, Pearls of English Wisdom.
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Today we answer a listener question about the meaning of the phrase diamond in the rough.
Learn what it means and how you can use idioms about rocks and gems to share your ideas and advice in English.
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Hey there, Rachelle.
What's shaking?
Hey, Lindsay.
I'm good.
How are you?
Fantastic.
You have a question today to start off the episode?
I do.
I do.
The question is do you like jewelry or do you wear any sort of wedding engagement ring or other jewelry?
Yeah, I do wear an engagement and a wedding ring, but it's not a typical wedding ring.
I'm not a big jewelry person, and I don't like raised diamonds.
I don't like that look.
It's just not my style.
So I have two bands.
And so I think when it comes to jewelry, we have to find our style, right?
What about you?
Do you like jewelry?
What kind of jewelry do you like?
I mean, i do wear an engagement ring and on a wedding ring and there it is kind of a typical diamond look.
Um, but i'm not.
I like jewelry, but i don't want to spend a lot of money on it.
Um no, we i have been in situations where dan has purchased.
Uh, i remember once he got me a watch and when i found out how much it was, i made him return it to me.
Oh, poor guy.
Oh my gosh.
I'm a lot of fun.
Yeah.
But I just can't, I would just so much rather spend money on the experiences.
Oh yeah.
I agree with that.
And the jewelry.
I, you know, I do, I did for my wedding where my grandmother's engagement ring or wedding ring.
So those, I think jewelry can be special in that way when it's passed down.
And then the, yeah, then the, thing that really bothers me is I love earrings.
I do like earrings, not expensive ones necessarily, but I'm allergic now.
I developed an earring allergy.
Oh, interesting.
I've never heard of that.
Huh.
Okay.
Sorry to hear that, Michelle.
That's not good.
I know there is a trend here in my world.
A lot of people are quite outdoorsy and athletic.
Almost everyone in my extended family.
They do have the wedding bands, but they actually swap it in for a silicone ring.
I don't know if you've seen those.
Women and men.
So super common here in my world of active outdoorsy people.
Yeah, definitely.
So guys, we're about to get into a question, but we want to let you know we've been doing these really fun key polls on Spotify.
So definitely, at the end, we are going to share a poll for you and we would like you to answer the question, to interact with us.
And in a future episode, we will read the results.
Yeah.
We love to hear from you guys.
We want to know your personalities, your thoughts, your opinions on life.
Let's come together as a community and putting your vote in on all of our polls on Spotify.
That is the way to do that.
Make your voice heard.
Michelle, we have a question.
Should I read it?
Sure.
Go for it right?
Hi, michelle and lindsay, i hope this email finds you well.
I'm a listener from iran and i'm so grateful for your great podcast.
They really helped me with my english.
That's so nice, michelle.
It's so good to hear that feedback.
I love it.
I will be grateful if you talk about this idiom a diamond in the rough.
Best regards parisa.
Nice, great specific question.
We love them.
We love them.
Um so, before we get started, we want to direct you to another episode.
We have episode 2155 is now we're talking English phrases for improvement.
So listen to that one as well.
You know Michelle, when it comes to diamonds, there's a whole conversation that we could get into in another episode.
I think we may get into that a different day around ethically sourced diamonds, synthetic diamonds, natural diamonds.
There's a lot of Marginalization of people around the world sadly to harvest these diamonds, right?
But we're not getting into that quite as much today, right?
Yeah, we're gonna answer the question more directly today for our listener.
Yeah right, exactly.
So a diamond in the rough is basically a person or thing that has the potential to be really wonderful if the put some effort in right.
It basically means something's not quite there yet.
Um, some definitions mention it's somebody who's kind or good but not quite socially intelligent, or but I don't really use that definition as much.
Lindsay, when how do you hear this being used?
Yeah, it's like a hidden talent, maybe.
It's covered over by something.
We're not seeing the talent necessarily.
But then you find it and you say oh, this might be a diamond in the rough.
Literally, if you polish it up, it could be beautiful and very valuable.
When you talk about, oh, this person is could be a diamond in the rough.
Sometimes it is referred to, maybe that means unharnessed talent, potential, unbridled, unbridled talent, like wild talent that's out there ability, but it hasn't been guided in any one direction yet.
That's what I think of.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I like that.
I like that.
Okay.
I think our listeners are going to get this with some examples today.
Should we go into it?
Let's do it.
Lindsay, what's the first one?
She's a diamond in the rough when it comes to piano playing.
If she spends more time practicing, I really think she'll shine.
Like a diamond.
Like a diamond.
I think of the term of grooming someone.
Maybe we'll get into that later.
People are being groomed for certain things in certain positions.
Like a business owner, let's say.
For example, if my dad wanted my brother or I to take over his business, maybe he would have tried to groom us for his position.
Oh.
This happens in family businesses all the time.
Right.
Yeah.
And then there are other ways.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, well, you could also say something like this restaurant is a diamond in the rough.
It doesn't seem too great from the outside, but the food is almost always amazing.
Love it.
And so then, okay, so basically, do we have a sense of what this means, Michelle?
Do you think this is clear for our listeners today, a diamond in the rough?
I think we have to think about potential here.
That's what I think about.
Yeah, diamond in the rough.
I would say that's our basic definition.
I wouldn't worry too much about the other one we gave you.
But yeah, with these definitions I mean these examples, a diamond in the rough when it comes to piano playing has potential right.
Yeah.
I think of what was that show where a lot of singers were discovered?
Was it America's Got Talent or American Idol?
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I do think that sometimes people might use it in a way where they talk about maybe kind of a shining star where there's not maybe the talent around.
This person isn't so great, but the person is great.
Do you ever hear it like that as well?
No, I haven't heard it that way, but that's interesting.
That's interesting.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, but just guys, remember this idea of potential.
I think is where you know the takeaway for the meaning of this today about diamonds.
It's interesting because I remember I read a book about the market and industry and diamonds and it talked about how diamonds aren't really necessarily as any more valuable than other stones.
It's just that, because of marketing years ago, it just became this symbol of love and wealth and romance, right.
Oh, 100%.
Anything could be elevated to the level of a diamond in our minds.
And we as a society, as a world society, I guess we subscribe to it, right?
That is generally, not in every case.
I think, for my parents' engagement They had like something more affordable, like sapphires or something.
I think is what my dad proposed to my mom with right.
Very common to see that.
But I think generally people think of diamond, they think of engagement.
That's what we've held as a standard, at least in the US, let's say that.
Yeah, I think it just yeah, that's kind of the image of getting engaged, of getting married became the diamond.
But it's not necessarily that it's a better stone.
Do you have a favorite stone, Lindsay?
Do you have one that you think is the most beautiful?
I've been thinking about this a lot because my aunt was in this world.
Now, because she passed away recently.
I've been in this world all of a sudden, thrown into this world interacting, starting to learn and identify gems and stones.
Actually, I think the gem that's really beautiful I think it's actually a stone is rhodochrosite, which is a rare stone that's found in Colorado and around the world.
It's like a pinkish stone.
Rhodochrosite.
Rhodochrosite, yeah.
So getting into the technicalities of gems and stones now.
That is beautiful.
What about you?
What's your favorite, Michelle?
I think I do like sapphire.
I would say probably sapphire.
Or maybe I'm looking up pictures now.
Amethyst is pretty.
Amethyst is nice.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah.
No, I have been very steeped in this world in the last year or so, learning to identify them and understanding them.
It's really interesting.
Because it is, you're so in touch with the earth itself.
These things came from the earth and then they've been shaped, which is kind of amazing.
So we have idioms for our listeners today, Ben, right?
Yes yes, all about jewels, using jewels or gems.
So the first one is hidden gem.
Love it, love this very common very, very common.
This one, i feel like, is pretty similar to diamond in the rough, wouldn't you say?
Um, i i think of this them, as being the same thing, essentially similar similar, i feel like yeah not, this one isn't necessarily outwardly wonderful, but it's great, so in that same way, it's potential.
Yeah, they have overlapping meaning.
It's not shiny.
Yeah.
Right, right, right.
So this hotel is a hidden gem.
I don't know how more people don't know about it.
Right.
And often you want to keep the hidden gems secret.
When I think of this, I think of ski areas, because these large corporations have taken over a lot of these ski mountains and raised up the prices.
But there are still a few little hidden gems that you can go to and pay 60 for a day of skiing and have amazing snow, amazing people.
Those are true hidden gems, which I'm not going to say what they are because I don't want people to find them.
You don't want them to be overrun with people, yes.
That's right, yeah.
What about someone is a gem?
Right, to call someone a gem.
Lindsay, do you ever call someone a gem?
I did when I did, when I wrote the eulogy for my aunt when she died, because she literally this was her industry.
She owned a gem shop in California, and so I tried to do a little play on words, which wasn't really that funny, but but anyways, she was a gem, she was a true gem.
She was such a unique person and she knew so much about rocks and gems and people would come into her shop and ask her you know what does this mean?
What energy does this rock bring?
Because some people believe those things.
Right and great, if you do.
You know what does this mean?
What energy does this bring to me?
What is this?
What is the significance of this stone?
It's pretty awesome.
Yeah yeah, that's great.
Oh well, this is a nice tribute to your aunt, for sure.
Here's an example Tracy is a real gem.
She's helped me so much with my move.
Love that.
Another thing you could say is a jewel, right and Similar to Jim.
Henry is a jewel.
He is so kind.
A little less common in my vocabulary, Elise.
What about you?
I'm thinking back to something in my childhood where we were sarcastically talking about.
My dad said that I'm a real jewel in the morning.
And it was used in a sarcastic way.
Yeah, in a sarcastic way, because my dad and I in the mornings it was not a good time for us when I was getting ready for school.
Right, right.
Was he a morning person and you weren't and there was a clash there?
Is that what happened?
Well, my dad would.
I mean, he would just kind of, I would be waiting for my ride to pick me up in high school and he would be standing there and I would be doing my makeup in the mirror and he would just stand a little too close and hover and I would get away.
That's funny.
Yeah, we still joke about things like that.
All right.
I love it.
I love it.
So a jewel, a jewel.
And then the next one is a pearl of wisdom.
Hmm.
What would be a sample sentence there, Michelle?
My grandmother gave me a lot of pearls of wisdom before she died.
Right.
So we're not talking about literally giving you pearls, right?
A pearl necklace.
We're talking about little pieces of advice, which often people at that age do have.
Amazing advice, life advice, right.
Yep.
Yep. yeah oh anyway yeah but these these are all expressions that you can use pretty common um and i it sounds like we're both not huge jewelry people lindsay but uh no you never know you never know all right let's do a role play for our listeners michelle so here we're talking about new york is that right new york there is a whole uh what is that the garb or no diamond district the diamond district in new york right yes okay yeah i'm ready uh but we're not talking about that okay part of new york okay here we go um there's this amazing indian place on the upper west side that i love it's a hidden gem oh wow i have to try it yes and the owner is a jewel we've known him for years i'll have to try it next time i went to this place the other day that i liked it was a diamond in the rough i think the service needs to improve but the food is really good That sounds good.
I wonder if my place would have any pearls of wisdom for them.
Yeah.
The owner sounds like a gem.
Nice.
Love this.
It's fun.
It's really fun when you um and I think this is probably going to be the takeaway today, which we'll get into in a minute when you find a hidden gem and then you get to tell your friends about it.
It's amazing.
It's an amazing feeling actually.
Yeah.
Definitely.
And I am talking about a real place.
But you won't say what it is.
I won't say what it is because it's kind of small and I want to be able to get a seat.
Yeah, for sure.
So here you said there's this amazing Indian place in the Upper West Side that I love.
It's a hidden gem.
Love that.
Yep.
And I said, the owner is a jewel, right?
So just a really special, nice person.
And I am talking about a real person.
And then I said, I'll have to try it next time.
I went to this place the other day that I liked.
So now I'm talking about a different place and I'm saying it was a diamond in the rough.
So so it means that the service could be improved, but the food is actually the important thing and it's really good.
Right.
Yeah.
Definitely.
But you said maybe they have some advice.
And I said, I know, I mean, you said that the food is really good.
Basically, it has potential.
And I said, I wonder if my place would have any pearls of wisdom for them.
So anything that they could teach them about the service or things that could improve.
Yep.
And then I made a comment about the owner saying I'd probably be open to that.
Yeah, the owner sounds like a gem.
Yeah, right.
I love that.
Do we have a key poll for today that we'd like our listeners to go and participate in?
Yes, as promised, we have a key poll on Spotify.
If you are listening on Spotify, make sure that you click in your answer to this poll and we will share our results in the future.
So the question is, what would you rather receive as a gift?
A diamond ring, an expensive watch, or a fancy bottle of wine, like a really fancy one?
I'm super interested to see what our listeners say here.
We'll announce the results like Michelle said.
So go over and vote.
Let your voice be heard.
And Michelle, I mean, I think, for a takeaway today.
There's a few things, there's a few directions that we could take.
Our listeners could take today's episode in.
You can literally get into a conversation about the diamond industry how marketing has elevated diamonds in a weird way.
And we've all kind of all subscribed to it, right?
That's an interesting conversation connection moment.
Or you could talk about your favorite jewelry.
Or you could also talk about what, Michelle?
What's the other piece?
Discovering something.
Yeah, a place that you're recommending that other people don't know about.
These are all connection moments, right?
Every single one of these scenarios are really a way you could build a connection in English with someone in front of you guys.
So go ahead and do it.
Use this vocab, right?
Go for it.
Okay.
And remember to answer our Spotify question.
And thanks for listening today.
Amazing.
Talk soon, Michelle.
Have a good one.
Bye.
You too.
Bye.
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