This is an all-ers English podcast, episode 21-81.
You can rely upon us for English grammar.
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Welcome to the All-Ears English Podcast,
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Are you feeling stuck with your English?
We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent
by focusing on connection, not perfection
with your American host, Aubrey Carter.
The Isles Wiz and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer.
Coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA.
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Looking for a formal or elevated alternative
to the preposition on?
Try the word upon.
Today, find out how it changes the meaning
when you insert...
I rely upon.
You could say the research was, you know,
we relied upon research for this survey.
You could also just say we relied on research for this survey.
And the meaning is the same, but it's just a little more formal.
Yeah, I agree with you.
It's pretty interchangeable.
When you want to elevate things a little bit more,
we stick in a pawn, right?
Exactly.
Or based on versus based upon.
The research was based upon two surveys.
That sounds very natural to me because it's sort of academic.
We're talking about a research paper
where we're maybe speaking more formally
depending on the situation.
But if it's just two friends talking,
you'd probably say based on.
That's actually interesting.
I was flying back from California late Sunday night
and we were watching the Devil Wears product.
Always on the airlines, I love it.
Yes.
At the beginning of the movie,
it's based upon the novel by XYZ.
There's so many movies that are based upon novels.
But my point is they always say, usually they say
based upon the novel by not based on.
Yes.
Right.
When we're writing, we usually are just a little bit more formal.
If we're in an academic setting,
maybe in a business meeting or interview,
we might be a little more formal.
But if you said to me,
oh, the book I'm reading is, or this movie was based on.
You'd probably say based on.
That's right, because it's more conversational.
That's a good differentiator right there.
So the credits of a movie before or after the movie,
you're going to see based upon.
But if you and I are chatting,
how did you see that movie?
Did you know it's based on this book?
Exactly.
And they mean the same thing, both correct.
Whenever we're writing or in a formal situation,
we might opt for a pun,
just to uplevel our English,
be a little bit more formal.
Well, it's good for our listeners to have options, guys.
You want, this is what brings you to 99% fluency
and connection is to know the difference
and to have options.
That's what we're doing today.
Exactly.
And there are actually four different ways
we use a pun in English.
This what we've been talking about is the first way,
where it just means the same as on,
but it's a little bit more formal.
This is sort of abstract the way we've been talking about
so far based on rely upon, based upon.
But it can be more literal.
You could say, you know, he set the flowers upon the table.
And if you're reading a poem or seeing something written,
it might be this way, but it's a little weird.
If that's your personality, then go with it.
But I don't know.
True.
But I think there is a little bit of a risk,
a risk to break the connection a little bit.
If it feels just a little bit awkward
like you're sort of making the situation more formal,
that's not always the best way to build connection.
We want to feel comfortable in our conversations.
So this is one of the key points about a pun.
You want to understand how it's used,
but you don't want to throw it into conversation all the time
because you are making it more formal.
100%.
That's why connection matter.
That's it.
That's the connection piece right there.
Right, Aubrey?
Yes, absolutely.
OK.
Number three, what is the third way?
Stories.
Yeah.
For sure.
I feel like every kid's story starts this way.
Exactly.
Are you stupid?
Probably not anymore.
But historically, the old classics start this way.
One's a part of time.
And there was a girl.
Yes.
And I was curious when that started.
How long this has been used in books?
It's been since 1380.
Oh, you researched it.
According to Oxford English Dictionary.
That stories have begun with once upon a time.
So interesting.
That is really interesting.
And I feel like maybe not as much now, storytellers would also start original stories that way.
Once upon a time, you know, we're telling a story to your kids.
Your kids ever asked you to tell them stories?
You ever had to come up with something, Aubrey, off the cost?
Yes.
I do that a lot, right?
When they want to go to bed and then tell me a story.
And so I make something up.
But often I get them to participate.
I'll have them tell me a story or I will start it and have them continue.
Is you're sharing all kinds of details information about her life during a funeral service.
And I said, I based it upon her writing.
So again, this first meaning where I could say, I based it on her writing.
But I'm being just a little bit more formal by saying based upon.
Yeah.
And it's kind of elevating the event a little more than work you've done.
It's just sending gestures that this thing matters a little more.
Exactly.
I love that.
It's amazing how just by saying upon instead of on, there's that little bit of implied respect
and import, right?
We're saying this mattered.
This was serious.
This is what we get into it here on all, there's English.
Aubrey, we like to get into the nitty gritty.
There's little tiny things that change the connection, change the meaning.
The last thing I said here was, I'm glad I could be here.
Immediately upon arrival, I ran into someone.
Yeah.
And another scenario where I could imagine them using a pawn would be on an airline
when the stewardess announces upon landing your baggage will be in gate 12, right?
It's something like that.
Yes, absolutely.
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