Cooking Up Language Skills: Learning English with Ratatouille?
Welcome to a distinctive learning experience where mastering English becomes as enjoyable as appreciating a well-prepared dish. In this session, we will explore the intricacies of the English language through the delightful narrative of “Ratatouille.” From the directive “Spit that out right now!” to the incredulous “You must be joking,” each phrase from our beloved movie serves as a lesson in the richness of language learning. Try a small amount of each expression, chew it slowly, and enjoy the quality of the words as if savoring a meal crafted by Remy himself.
For those unfamiliar with the depth of idiomatic expressions, terms like “Do not just hork it down” or descriptions such as “Burney, Melty, Smokey, Creamy, Salty, Sweet, Fruity, and Oaky-Nuttiness” might be confusing. However, fear not. Just as a peasant dish uses simple, wholesome ingredients to satisfy, our approach will clarify these expressions and present them in an easily understandable format.
- “Spit that out right now” = Urgent command to remove something from the mouth, often when it’s harmful or shouldn’t be there.
- “I have got to teach you about food” = Informal way to express a strong desire or urgency to teach about food.
- “I have to teach you about food” = Formal way to express the obligation or necessity to teach about food, less emphatic than “have got to.”
- “Take a bit of…” = Try a small amount.
- Can I have a bit of that?
- “Do not just hork it down” = Don’t eat it quickly or greedily, Do not quickly swallow food
- Savor the quality of the food = Enjoy it
- “You lost me again” or “You lost me there” = someone doesn’t understand what’s being said or done, and it’s happened before.
- “Chew it slowly” = crush food with your teeth to break it down into smaller pieces before swallowing.
- “Burney, Melty, Smokey, Creamy, Salty, Sweet, Fruity, and Oaky-Nuttiness”
- I am detecting nuttiness: to detect is to recognize, can be used as a joke => he is detecting that the other person is crazy => He is nuts
- “Sweet, crisp, a slight tang on the finish”: “Tang” refers to a sharp, slightly sour taste or flavor sensation. ex: citrus fruit
- “Gocha, Copy That, I am following” = I Understand
- “It is a peasant dish” = the dish is simple, hearty, and made with basic, inexpensive ingredients. It often reflects traditional cooking styles associated with rural, poor, or working-class communities.
- To serve food
- “You must be joking” = disbelief or skepticism.
- “You must be the chef” – “You must be tired/hungry”
- I am a big fan of you => “You are a man of good taste”
- “Then so be it” indicates acceptance or resignation to a situation or outcome, implying that the speaker is willing to accept whatever follows.
- “He is singularly qualified for the job” means that he possesses exceptional qualifications or skills that make him particularly well-suited for the position.
- “Singularly” = uniquely or exceptionally. It emphasizes that his qualifications are exceptional or unmatched.
- “A gross understatement” describes a statement that significantly understates or downplays the severity, importance, or significance of something. It implies that the reality is much more extreme or significant than what has been expressed.
- ex: to say the movie was bad is a gross understatement => suggesting that the movie was not just bad, but possibly exceptionally terrible.
- “They have rocked me to the core” expresses that something has deeply affected or profoundly impacted the speaker. It suggests that the experience or event has shaken them emotionally or mentally to their very core.
- “Nothing less than” and “nothing short of” both emphasize that something meets the highest possible standard or expectation, indicating that it is as significant or impressive as can be. ex: He is nothing less than the finest chef in France.
- “They ratted us out” means someone betrayed or exposed the speaker or a group’s secrets or wrongdoing to authorities or others, usually for personal gain or to avoid trouble themselves.
- We have been ratted out boys!
- “Once it got out” signifies that something was revealed or became known to others, often implying that it was previously kept secret or private. ex: it got out that the boss was dating one of the employees