This is the Business English Podcast Episode 338.
What does slap on the wrist mean in English?
Welcome to the Business English Podcast from All Ears English.
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For a presentation, a meeting, or your office party, this is real business English with your favorite American hosts, Lindsay and Michelle coming to you from New York City and Colorado, USA.
Hey, Michelle. Got a question for you today.
Okay. Yes, I'd love to hear it.
What is it, Lindsay?
Have you ever had to give someone a talking to?
Talking to? Well, definitely my son.
Probably my daughter too.
Um, yeah. Real talking to?
I don't know. What about you?
Yeah. It's really kind of the thing that happens between a parent and a child, right?
Yes. Or a parent and a teenager, maybe.
Yeah, it's kind of.
Yeah, exactly. So no, I don't have any kids.
So no, no talking. No, no talking.
All right. Well, today we are going to talk about a great business topic that is based on a listener question.
So before we get into that question, we want to remind you guys to hit the follow button, wherever you are listening to business English.
And even though we did say, you know, this is usually for parents to kids, there probably is a place for it in the business world in some contexts, right?
That's why we're bringing it up today.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
So we are answering.
Well, we're going to answer a listener question and then it's inspiring us to talk about something else.
So thank you to Jessica Scalda Ferry, 6155.
Jessica says, hello, girls.
This episode really landed.
So we did an episode about, I believe, on all his English about if something landed.
Yeah, so go check that out.
So she says, one question, do you think this example is correct?
I gave my children a talking to, but it didn't seem to have landed.
Thank you so much, Jessica, from Italy.
So thank you so much, Jessica, for that question.
That's a good question.
Yeah. So fun. We're getting lots of questions from our Italian listeners these days, this week and last week, we love that.
Thank you. We love all your questions, guys.
Send them in to support at all ears, english .com.
Okay. So it is a good question.
How should we answer Jessica's question?
So just to give you, I found that episode.
So if you want to check out episode, it's on the All Ears English podcast.
That was 2278. Will this episode land?
So yes, to answer Jessica's question, I would say you used it correctly, right, Lindsay?
Yeah. 100%, 100%. So meaning our kids don't seem to have listened.
Right? Yes, exactly.
Exactly. So great job with that.
And, but I was inspired by you using this expression, a talking to, and we'll talk about why am I using this on the Business English podcast?
But there is a reason, and I think that there's a lot to talk about with this in regards to business.
So Lindsay, what is a talking to?
Well, first of all, I just want to say how natural it sounds.
This is really, really real native natural English, a talking to.
This is not something we're going to find in a textbook.
Okay. But this really is something that natives say.
So to give someone a talking to is basically it's kind of like, I don't want to say lecture, but it's when someone's done something bad or wrong or breaking the rules and you need to set it straight and just let them know it's not okay.
Exactly. So sometimes this might have to work and happen in the workplace.
Yeah. Yeah. So it's not, it's not such a great thing if somebody gives you a talking to, but it, you know, sometimes it's necessary, but yeah, it generally means that the person did something wrong.
So for example, I gave her a talking to about her tardiness, but I didn't want to be too harsh.
Yes. So yeah. So I think this does become relevant at work because certainly if you're a manager, if you're in a leadership position, there are going to be times when you need to talk to people about things.
And if you don't, then you know, you might not be respected as a leader or people might be breaking rules.
They're not realizing they're breaking or doing things against the company that they don't realize is hurting the company.
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting.
Yeah. That's exactly why I wanted to use this for business because this, these difficult conversations happen in the business world, right?
Sometimes someone makes a mistake that it could be a really costly mistake or maybe they act in an unprofessional way.
And so we aren't teaching you how to give these talks today, but we wanted to share a little bit about what they might be called so you can look out for them.
Right. Right. So for example, if your colleague comes back to your station and says, Oh, I just got a talking to you'll know what they're talking about.
Right. Right. Right.
Exactly. So, but do you think a talking to does that sound juvenile and informal or do you think you could use it in maybe a sarcastic way in business?
Like you just mentioned, I think you could use it in a sarcastic way.
Um, and even a straightforward way, uh, it just has a connotation of it's not that you went and talked and chatted with your boss or the manager.
It's they needed to correct your behavior in some way.
Right. And so, yeah, I do actually think that this is legitimate.
It's casual. It's kind of, uh, it's not formal language, but it's useful language is what I would say.
Absolutely. Right. And so this is similar to the example you were giving.
So if somebody says my manager gave me a talking to when I accidentally called her by her first name, but she was okay after that.
So maybe it's your first day and you didn't, you thought it was a little less formal.
And then your manager said, no, that's not mine.
You know, please call me.
Yeah. Or maybe another example.
This could happen when, if there's a team meeting or a, uh, company meeting and certain employees are kind of making comments that like undermine the message that the person presenting, whether it's the leader of the company or just a department head or something that undermined things, uh, they might not be
called out on the spot, but they might get a talking to later.
And that would be important to do that, to reach out and have that conversation, especially if that person making comments is respected in the company among their colleagues that becomes really important to make sure that conversation happens.
Yeah. Yeah. These are the, these are not the not so fun parts of, of work, but it's important.
It's important to be able to talk about them.
Um, so what are some other ways you might describe this, Lindsay?
What's another expression you might use?
Uh, I'm, I'm losing that in my notes in the notes here, Michelle, where are you?
I'm a little lost. No, that's okay.
So you could say a stern warning.
So before something happens, uh, before getting a repercussion, they get kind of a stern warning.
This might be one step further than a talking to, right?
Yep. Yeah. This is a stern means very serious.
Right. So if you just say a warning, it might be different than a stern warning that it might be for this might be formal.
It might be written if you're at work.
Right. Right. So yeah.
How could you use it?
I'm going to give her a stern warning because we can't risk having our passwords leaked again.
Yeah. So the talking to is just, is more calling out behavior.
That's not okay. A stern warning is more leading towards a punishment.
Right. Yeah, right.
Right. Exactly. And at work, like I said, sometimes things are written down.
You want to keep track as of as many of those situations as possible with an employee.
So yeah. And some, some companies probably have a system where you get one warning, you get to get three or out or something like that.
Small companies don't have those, but usually bigger companies might have, especially when it comes to password security and things like that.
Yeah. That's a big one.
That's a big one. For sure.
All right. This one I really like, actually.
This one is probably the one you're going to hear the most.
A slap on the wrist.
A slap on the wrist.
Now this is interesting because it has a different connotation that it was actually a light punishment.
Right. Too light. Right.
Right. Right. Exactly.
So a slap on the wrist is usually a minor thing.
It's a little painful, but not too serious.
So it's, so well, let's give this example and we'll talk more about this.
This is a tiny little role play.
Um, I'm so sorry about this.
Do you think Rick will fighter me?
No, probably just, he'll get a slap on the wrist.
Yeah. And actually this is, this is the most interesting one of the episode because it's being used.
It is, you'll hear it.
You will hear it used in the news sometimes or in conversation, especially in politics, when a politician does something that should be really, really bad.
We've seen a lot of this happening lately, but not going to name any names.
Uh, and he just, you just can't believe it because he just gets maybe a slap on the wrist.
Maybe not even that getting away with things.
Yes. Right. Yes. Exactly.
And you might, and you might also hear this in a gender context when women in companies see that a man has maybe done the same thing she's done and he gets a slap on the wrist and she maybe gets fired.
Yes. That is a real thing.
Um, and, and yes, we're just cluing you guys into commentary.
That's probably already happening among circles.
You might hear this.
Right. Right, right.
Exactly. And sometimes when somebody, if it may be they're debating whether or not to kind of break or bend the rules a little bit.
And when they're thinking about it, they're thinking about the consequences.
They might say, Oh, do you think I could get away with this?
And they might just say, Hey, probably just get a slap on the wrist.
And so that person might say, okay, you know, I'm fine.
I'm fine with that.
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting.
So this really is, is different.
It's, it's a lot of connotation behind this and cultural context around gender and politics and rule breaking and who can break the rules and who can't.
So look out for this phrase.
I would say this is the most interesting one for sure.
On the wrist. Yes. Um, and then finally I also wanted to share reprimand.
So that's a verb, right?
So it's, it's kind of like to skull, yeah, scold.
So for example, after the second offense, I have to reprimand the staff.
Yeah. A little more traditional sense of verbally, uh, punishing them in a way, right?
Yes. Yeah. So Lindsey, you already shared your favorite.
So, uh, I, yeah, slept on the wrist.
I would say this is probably my favorite as well, although I do like talking to, it's kind of fun to say it's, it's fun sounding, even though it's about kind of a bad thing, but, um, it's a fact of life that sometimes these unpleasant conversations have to happen at work.
Um, so Lindsey, we, we have to be prepared, right?
We do. We do have to be prepared.
And actually I just thought of, sorry, it's a little out of context, but I thought of another scenario for slap on the wrist.
When we talk about white color crime versus other types of crime, when we compare white color crit, let's say tax evaders or people that just hire fancy accountants to evade taxes versus people that end up in jail for life for dealing marijuana or something.
So, so this goes into societal problems and you, so hang onto that phrase and see if you can play around with it on the wrist.
Yes, exactly. Yeah.
Good point, Lindsay.
So let's do a role play to show how this would work.
Um, so here we work together.
Um, I just gave a presentation, but there was actually a huge mistake on it.
And so I'm, I'm telling you the story I'm telling you what happened.
Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.
Here we go. Oh man.
It was really bad. It can't be that big of a deal.
I just know I'm going to get a talking to from Bernie.
I just hope I don't lose my job.
No way. He usually just gives a stern warning.
I already had a stern warning.
I've been reprimanded over this before.
This wasn't my first offense.
All right. Maybe you'll get a slap on the wrist, but nothing more.
I hope not. I love how we're talking about white color crime and you use Bernie, the name Bernie.
Oh yeah. Oh, that's true.
Good one. We're referring to Bernie made up.
Now I think he's in he actually he's, he's dead now.
Didn't he die? Didn't he pass away?
So yeah, I think he did, but he was accused of putting together a pyramid scheme back around the time of the recession, right?
2008, 2010. Yeah. So anyways, yes.
Did not plan on that.
Okay. Um, here we go.
So I'm, I'm really worried about this mistake.
And I said, I just know I'm going to get a talking to from Bernie.
So I know he's gonna talk to me about it.
And then I said, no way.
He usually just gives a stern warning.
Okay. Right. So in some ways it, it doesn't necessarily add up to some of the ways we explained it earlier, how a talking to is maybe for something smaller, but you get the idea that it's just that a formal someone talks to you about something you did wrong.
Um, totally. So, um, and then I said, I already had a stern warning.
I said, I've been reprimanded over this before.
Hmm. Yes. This wasn't my first offense.
Ooh. And then I said, all right, maybe you'll just get a slap on the wrist, but nothing more.
Right? So again, that's that very light punishment.
Uh, you're going to get away with it basically.
Right. Right. Right.
Right. Right. Yeah.
People are usually happy when it's just a slap on the rest.
Right. Right. It's yeah.
Getting away with something.
So not a real slap on the wrist, just to make it clear.
This is not actually, it's a metaphorical slap on the wrist.
Nobody's actually getting hit.
Yeah. We should make that clear.
That's what Michelle is there.
Another episode or listeners should check out while they are here on the podcast.
Yup. So speaking of mistakes episode three 28, we did nevermind how to respond to a coworker's mistake.
Hmm. So taking mistakes in a different direction here, super interesting.
Go and listen to that.
And while you're at it guys, hit the follow button.
Michelle, where should we leave our listeners today for our takeaway?
What's the takeaway?
Yeah. So it's kind of a part of life that people make mistakes or people do something wrong and then they have to get reprimanded or someone needs to give them a talking to.
And so we wanted to share these words with you so you know, you can connect with that coworker who comes back to tell you what happened.
Um, there's just so many, unfortunately times when this may happen, it's a part of life.
It's a part of business and, um, just a good, good to know these words for the business world and for regular outside of the business world for sure.
And you know, if you follow different podcasts, different journalism podcasts, you'll see words.
Like, like we said, slap on the wrist, come up, uh, when it comes to just society, what's happening in society.
Yep. Uh, so, so go deeper and have those conversations.
That's what will bring your English up to that C one level.
And that's frankly, what makes it interesting.
Absolutely. Yes. We talk about fascinating things that are happening in our world and politics in the legal world, judicial world.
Right. That's right.
That's right. All right.
Well, I'm so glad we talked about this today and thanks for, thanks for bringing this topic to our attention, um, to our listener and thanks for listening.
Sounds good, Michelle.
I'll talk to you soon.
Have a good one. Bye.
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