This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 1,218.
I take issue with that.
How to challenge someone when you disagree in English.
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Hey, Lindsay, how's it going?
It's going well, Michelle.
We're getting into September here.
I can't believe it.
I know, I know.
I can't believe it either.
Oh my gosh.
So, wow, at this point, you know, guys, we're recording ahead.
You'll be in LA for quite some time.
Yeah, at this point, I will have been in L.A. for a solid three weeks, if all goes as planned.
And guys, you'll be able to get more recent updates soon because again, we did record in advance in preparation for the summer.
But yeah, I should be in L.A. exploring neighborhoods and seeing if this is where I want to land.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
So, Lindsay, I mean, what made you what made you want to leave the East Coast?
Yeah, you know, I'm just a little tired of the East Coast.
I think the West Coast is much better.
I beg your pardon.
I love the East Coast.
There are so many great things here.
Well, it is true that a lot of things are on East Coast time.
Generally, I think a lot of meetings default to East Coast time, New York time.
You know what I mean?
As opposed to West Coast.
When you have a meeting with people from different corners of the US, it's always defaulted on East Coast time.
That's true.
Definitely, a lot of important things happen on the East Coast.
There's just more sunshine on the West Coast.
Yeah, that's true.
That's true.
Yeah, so I used a phrase, I beg your pardon, and we're going to get into that more in a minute.
But guys, before we get started, go ahead and hit subscribe right now on your podcast player, right?
So that you don't miss any bonus episodes.
Okay.
That's really important.
Definitely.
All right.
So Michelle, have we ever talked about this phrase?
I beg your pardon.
We have, Lindsay.
So a while back, we had a question from a listener about the phrase, I beg your pardon.
And actually, we've done a couple episodes on it.
So we did 1151 is should you use the phrase, I beg your pardon?
Hmm.
And then in 586 we touched on this in how to get what you need when you ask someone to slow down in English.
So this goes to show you this phrase is very dynamic and has a lot of different uses.
And Guys, we mentioned in the last episode, where we talked about this, that there is another way to use this phrase and we wanted to do a follow up.
So as promised, here is the I beg your pardon follow up episode.
Yeah.
For our listeners that tune in, you know, four days a week, they will have been waiting for this.
So that's good.
Good stuff, Michelle.
Yeah.
That's right.
Yeah.
So so another usage of this phrase is to show that you disagree.
Okay, this is huge.
So we can use I beg your pardon to show that we really don't agree with someone.
That's something that someone said.
And that's the way that we're going to talk about it today.
So you'll have to listen to the other episodes to get the other ways to use it.
And we're going to focus on this one today.
Yeah, I think this is common in both British and American culture.
I almost feel like it might be more common in British culture.
I'm not sure.
I mean, do you use this, Michelle, to disagree, to really emphasize that you're challenging someone?
I might use it if I'm if I'm being I don't know if I'm having a little bit of fun with it.
But I yeah, I agree.
And I think we talked about that before, about how we get the feeling it's more of a British term but it's a really good one to know and that you can.
You can use it in certain situations.
So I mean, of course, you know, I think you're going to sound a bit formal, but it's a good one to know because it can be used in certain situations.
Or also, like I said, if you're being maybe a little bit humorous, like I beg your pardon, right?
Yeah, exactly.
I agree.
I agree.
So we want you guys to be able to add this fun emphasis in your language.
So this is just one of your options.
Exactly, exactly.
So yeah, in the in the beginning of this episode, you were talking about the East Coast.
You were said Oh, that the West Coast is so much better than the East Coast.
And I said, I beg your pardon, right?
Yeah, yeah.
So that's like it's like saying like, excuse me, like how, how dare you?
In a way, you know, how dare you say that right, how dare you say that about the uh, east coast?
That's so wrong, you know.
So it's kind of like saying that that might be a good phrase to add as well, like i mean, although that sounds uh, it could be confrontational, so but just say oh, how dare you?
You, You know, these are kind of fun phrases.
I also think, now that I think about it, I think this is used in this way more often with women.
What do you think?
Like, can you imagine a guy saying this as often as a woman?
I feel like it's a more female.
Yeah, now that you say it.
I can definitely see that.
I'm trying to imagine like any guy friend I have using this phrase and I can't quite.
But, you know, who knows?
Maybe there are men who use this phrase.
You know, it's hard to just say, oh, because the men I know.
Who knows?
Yeah, of course you can use this if you're a guy, but we like to show you guys what's behind these words, right?
Gender, culture, society, personality, and give you the whole context here, guys.
So we're giving it to you today.
So let's do a quick example.
What do you think?
Sure, here we go.
Lindsay, chocolate is gross.
I beg your pardon.
I think you're the only one here that feels that way.
Honestly, Michelle, I can't believe you just said that.
No, don't worry.
I don't really think so.
Yeah, I had a really good chocolate coconut like coconut chocolate ice cream in New York last weekend.
It was so good.
Oh, and it melted so fast because it was so hot in New York.
Yeah, that's good, that's good um okay awesome, all right, so what's another way?
We could not use this, all right.
So oh, that was the worst movie of the year.
I beg your pardon lindsey, but i actually loved it, and it won a ton of academy awards.
What about the intonation here?
Yeah well, I mean, you can do a couple different ways.
I mean, I said, like, I beg your pardon, right?
But I think with the chocolate, when you said something more like I beg your pardon or something like that, you know you.
Basically it's animated, right.
Yeah, it's animated.
I think that's the key here is you want I wouldn't say like, I beg your pardon, but I you know.
Yeah, you have to say something.
You have to change your tone.
I mean, you could also make it more of a question.
I beg your pardon.
Right?
Right.
That's true.
Like, are you serious?
Like, that's what you think?
I disagree.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So there's room for creativity here, guys.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Oh, that's true.
So um, so you know we're now talking about this different way of using it and how you know.
Maybe it's used more in British English.
We're not quite sure.
But so we wanted to give you a couple other ways to say this.
So these are all.
You know, all of these that we're going to talk about are a little bit formal sounding, but very professional as well, and they're I think they're really good for debating people, because these, you know, it's not just it's if you really disagree with someone.
So So, like if you, you know it's not just about like oh yeah no, I don't think so.
It's not like, no, I disagree.
It's like, I beg your pardon.
Whoa.
Like you're so wrong, you know?
Yeah.
No, it's, it's emphasizing for sure.
You have to go big or go home here.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Exactly.
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So what's the first thing that you could say, Lindsay?
Okay, you can say, I beg to differ.
I beg to differ.
I think this is a little more formal.
Yeah, yeah, I think so too.
I think it has a little bit more of a formal sound to it.
Lindsay, so how could we use this?
New York is the best city in the world.
Oh, I beg to differ.
It's definitely London.
Oh, that's a tough debate.
I don't know how you define the best, right?
Right, exactly.
We all have different definitions of why we think something is the best.
Yeah, and I like the next one too, guys.
So this is take issue with someone, with something, I guess, or someone.
But it's take issue with something.
I like this one because this really, yeah, I agree.
I think this shows a little bit more of a strong opinion, almost like you're arguing against something.
It sounds pretty smart, I think.
Right, right, right.
I think so too.
You just got to be careful, you know, like how it could sound.
Yeah and so like.
So, for example, if you said something to me like oh, i think you know i, i think he handled that situation well, and i could say oh, i took issue with the way he handled that situation right Yeah, exactly.
Or you could use it in the present and just say someone makes a statement to you and you say no, I take issue with that.
And then argue your perspective right there.
Yeah, I love it.
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
Let's do one more example with that one.
Oh, yeah, we do have another.
OK, so, hey, I'm going to buy those one thousand dollar shoes for mom.
So you'll chip in.
Lindsay, I take issue with that.
That's way too much.
Wow, $1,000 pair of shoes?
Ugh, forget it.
Yeah, that's not going to happen.
And guys, we're going to teach you one more fun one that just kind of came up.
This idea of kind of debating and talking about your opinion.
What's that phrase, Lindsay?
Okay, so that phrase is let's agree to disagree.
This one's fun.
I love this one.
Yeah, sometimes, you know, this is the only thing you can say.
Because you definitely don't want to leave the conversation in a weird negative place.
And you're not going to compromise on your opinion.
So you have to agree to disagree.
Yeah.
So...
So, for example, Michelle, I think that French fries are disgusting and I never want to eat them.
Oh, Lindsay, let's agree to disagree because I love them.
Yep.
So that's a good way to use that.
I like that.
Right.
And I think you use that one when you know that you're not going to change each other's minds, right?
It's like, oh, just forget it.
Like, you know, this isn't getting anywhere.
You think this, I think this, let's just agree to disagree.
Yeah.
And it's definitely a place of you, you hold your own, right?
Because you don't have to sway your opinion.
But you also don't end in such a negative way.
You don't walk away from the other person being angry.
Exactly.
Exactly.
That's a really good point, Lindsay.
Yeah.
So again guys, the purpose of today's episode is to show you how to sound polite when you're disagreeing.
So it could be in a formal situation or even in a debate.
And some of these phrases may be less formal as well, depending on the intonation, right?
So sometimes you can use them in a less formal situation.
But we're really kind of we were focusing more on a formal sound today, I think.
Yeah, exactly.
So we're going to have a quick role play for you guys here.
And today we are discussing whether people should or shouldn't be vegetarians.
Oh, this is an interesting topic.
I was actually talking to a couple of who was I talking about?
Some talking to some new parents about whether or not they're going to raise their kid vegetarian.
If they're vegetarian.
It's really interesting.
That is interesting.
Yeah, if you have a dietary choice and trying to decide if your kids will have that as well.
Yeah, it's fascinating.
So I don't know.
Yeah, that's a tough one.
Yeah, maybe we'll do another episode on that and ask our listeners for comments and opinions.
Yeah, that'd be fun.
That'd be fun.
All right.
So we're going to talk about it right now.
Here we go.
All right.
So that's why I think it's important to stop eating meat altogether.
Eating meat is the most unhealthy thing you can do also.
I beg your pardon, Lindsay.
There are health benefits to eating meat.
It's also the food chain, so you just got to do it.
Well, I take issue with that argument.
Honestly, we can eat plants and also it's better for the environment.
Also, meat doesn't really taste that good.
I beg to differ.
I love meat.
All right, Michelle, let's just agree to disagree.
Okay.
Yeah.
Interesting.
So, yeah.
So this is a good example of an argument where we have to agree to disagree because gosh, this argument is everywhere and it's getting more and more heated now because there's so much new research that's coming out.
Right.
And it's but people stick.
They they stand firm with their beliefs. with this.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
So let's go through it.
So you said it's the most unhealthy thing you can do.
And I said, I beg your pardon, Lindsay.
And then I, you know, talked about my point.
And then I said, I take issue with that argument.
Mm hmm.
You disagree with it.
Yeah.
And then you said meat doesn't taste good.
And I said, I beg to differ.
I love me.
Yeah.
And then this is a good way to end the conversation.
Okay, Michelle, let's just agree to disagree and move on.
Right.
It's a good out right before you get like, you know, too heated.
Yeah, then you have to move the conversation on to something else because we definitely can't, especially with certain personalities coming together, we can get stuck in loops of arguments where you're never going to agree.
You see things very differently and it's pointless to try to keep arguing your perspective, I think.
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
So this is, you know, kind of a can be a relationship saver in a way, like you know, it's like ah, let's just stop this argument.
We don't agree.
And it's not important.
Let's move on.
Exactly, exactly.
I love that.
And maybe we'll revisit this topic again.
I mean, I definitely am trying to keep up on the research that's coming out now.
I mean, I think there's a lot there's a lot to keep up on.
And it's such a debate.
But I know that yeah, we could have we could have another argument on this for sure.
So guys, yeah.
Yeah.
Go ahead, Michelle.
Yeah.
So guys, before we go, we just wanted to remind you to listen to this podcast inside the iOS app, right.
Because we have personalized vocabulary.
We have a personalized vocabulary tool, right?
Where you can get all of your vocabulary organized into one nice little package, right?
Right?
One package, one place, one screen.
I mean, that's the point.
It's all in the same place, right?
So guys, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash bonuses on your iOS device to download it.
I mean, we came up with some cool phrases today.
I take issue with that.
So we'll probably have that as a tappable, savable word that you can review inside your app at a later day tomorrow, the next day
So you will actually start using it, guys.
That is the brilliant thing.
I love that.
So, all right.
Yeah.
So, Lindsay, what's the takeaway for today?
Well, the takeaway is, guys, these phrases are natural and youthful.
But always think about why you're using them, who your audience is, what your intonation is.
It's the big picture that makes the connection, right?
It's never just the words themselves that are going to make the connection.
We have to remember that.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
And what else, Michelle, anything else to leave?
You know, you have to think about do you sound polite or impolite?
And you know, what are you going for?
What are you going for in this conversation?
Are you okay letting it go if you don't end up coming to an agreement?
Or, you know, do you want to use a phrase like let's just agree to disagree, or is important to you know, really get to be to be right or to maintain the connection right?
So you have to think about that.
So um that's, that's very important, All right.
Lots to think about today, guys.
Remember, go download that app and start listening inside the app.
And Michelle, thanks for spending some time together today.
This has been fun, as always.
Thanks, Lindsay.
You too.
All right, guys.
Happy debating.
Take care.
Bye.
Bye.
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