Speaker 0 | 00:00.040
Hey everyone and welcome back for another deep dive with us.
Speaker 1 | 00:02.981
Yeah, thanks for joining us again.
Speaker 0 | 00:04.763
Today we’re going to be looking at collocations.
Speaker 1 | 00:06.584
Those fascinating word pairings.
Speaker 0 | 00:08.645
Right, exactly. And how mastering them can really make you sound like a natural English speaker.
Speaker 1 | 00:14.449
Absolutely.
Speaker 0 | 00:15.450
Let’s jump right in with this first group fiery sunset picturesque village. I mean, don’t those just evoke such… Vivid imagery.
Speaker 1 | 00:26.032
Yeah, you know what’s so interesting is how collocations can use such everyday words, but they have this real impact. For instance, take fiery temper. You can use that to describe a sunset, but you can also use it to describe someone’s temper.
Speaker 0 | 00:38.816
Oh, that’s true.
Speaker 1 | 00:39.396
You know, fiery temper. That has a very different connotation to it.
Speaker 0 | 00:43.377
Yeah, fiery temper almost makes me a little bit afraid.
Speaker 1 | 00:45.817
Yeah, definitely has that energy to it.
Speaker 0 | 00:48.058
And speaking of picturesque village, have you ever been somewhere that you felt like, Oh, this could be on a postcard.
Speaker 1 | 00:54.912
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, there’s little like cobblestone streets and the flowers. It’s just that perfect image.
Speaker 0 | 01:00.975
Okay, and what about robins? We’ve got singing robin, robin’s nest, robin egg. Oh,
Speaker 1 | 01:05.096
it’s like the whole life cycle.
Speaker 0 | 01:06.837
I know, it’s so cute.
Speaker 1 | 01:08.018
Of the robins.
Speaker 0 | 01:08.918
And it’s all through these collocations.
Speaker 1 | 01:11.039
But, you know, something that I think is really interesting is that robins migrate like hundreds of miles.
Speaker 0 | 01:18.222
Oh, wow, I did not know that.
Speaker 1 | 01:19.583
And they use the stars to navigate.
Speaker 0 | 01:21.772
That’s amazing for such a small bird. I know,
Speaker 1 | 01:23.852
it’s incredible.
Speaker 0 | 01:24.672
All right, let’s switch gears a little bit and look at some collocations that are a little bit more mysterious. Silently observe and cause mischief. What comes to mind when you hear those?
Speaker 1 | 01:35.715
Well, with silently observe, you know, it makes me think of somebody like watching very carefully, taking it all in. Yeah. You know, but then there’s also silently cry, which is like very internal and quiet suffering.
Speaker 0 | 01:49.819
Hmm. Yeah, it really shows the range of emotion you can have with silence.
Speaker 1 | 01:52.825
Right, like it’s not just the accents of sound, it’s conveying something in itself.
Speaker 0 | 01:56.908
It also silently protests. Yeah. That it has so much historical weight behind it.
Speaker 1 | 02:00.731
Absolutely. You know, people who fought for change without saying a word. But their actions spoke volumes.
Speaker 0 | 02:07.856
Okay, now these next couple make me chuckle. A little mischief make. Mischievous grin. Hey! Can you think of anybody like that?
Speaker 1 | 02:16.642
Oh, I’m sure we all know somebody like that. Right. Maybe ourselves at some point.
Speaker 0 | 02:20.524
And then the collocations around prohibition are really fascinating. Total prohibition, legal prohibition, prohibition of alcohol.
Speaker 1 | 02:28.426
Yeah. It’s interesting how a very specific historical period, you know, the prohibition era in the U.S. left this mark on our language.
Speaker 0 | 02:37.849
Exactly. And even though, you know, we don’t have alcohol prohibition anymore, we still use the phrases enforce a prohibition, lift a prohibition. It’s really interesting how that works.
Speaker 1 | 02:47.332
Yeah, language really is like a time capsule. It’s preserving all these echoes of the past.
Speaker 0 | 02:51.935
Okay, last set for this part of the deep dive we have. Seek salvation, feel anguish, and deserve reproach. Those really speak to some really deep human experiences. They do. Like the desire for meaning, suffering, and also the burden of guilt.
Speaker 1 | 03:07.364
Absolutely. It’s these universal themes that we can all relate to on some level.
Speaker 0 | 03:11.306
Seek salvation. Almost makes me think of like a… desperate plea for help yeah or relief from suffering yeah it’s like reaching out for something to cling to and feel anguish i mean we’ve all felt that deep overwhelming pain we have and deserve reproach too because everybody has done something that’s made them feel ashamed
Speaker 1 | 03:31.277
or guilty yeah it’s interesting how those feelings are so deeply ingrained in the language it is and you know seek salvation that phrase isn’t just limited to like religion oh that’s a good point you know you can seek salvation from any kind of a difficult situation.
Speaker 0 | 03:46.536
Yeah, you can seek salvation from like writer’s block.
Speaker 1 | 03:49.157
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 03:49.598
Okay, now flush with embarrassment. I can practically see that like heat creaking up someone’s neck.
Speaker 1 | 03:55.440
Oh yeah, it’s that feeling of, oh no, everybody’s looking at me. Exactly. And I’ve made a mistake.
Speaker 0 | 03:59.522
And deserve an approach that really implies like a violation of social norms.
Speaker 1 | 04:03.443
Right, like you’ve done something wrong and you know it.
Speaker 0 | 04:06.024
Exactly.
Speaker 1 | 04:06.485
And now you’re facing the consequences.
Speaker 0 | 04:08.505
Okay, let’s move on to vigid recollection and faint recollection. That. That really speaks to the fact that memory is so subjective.
Speaker 1 | 04:16.469
Absolutely. Our memories aren’t perfect. You know, they change over time. They’re influenced by emotions and by other experiences.
Speaker 0 | 04:23.932
So what might be a vivid recollection for one person could be a faint recollection for someone else.
Speaker 1 | 04:30.094
Absolutely. Even if they experience the same event.
Speaker 0 | 04:32.956
That’s fascinating. It is. And speaking of subjective experiences, we have pious believer and undoubtedly true. Those really highlight the power of belief.
Speaker 1 | 04:45.663
They do. Pious believers suggest like a deep devotion to a belief system. Yeah. And undoubtedly true. Well, that’s just complete certainty.
Speaker 0 | 04:52.852
It’s like no room for doubt.
Speaker 1 | 04:54.074
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 0 | 04:55.676
Very interesting.
Speaker 1 | 04:56.477
It makes you think about how much our beliefs shape our view of the world.
Speaker 0 | 05:00.062
They really do.
Speaker 1 | 05:00.923
You know, what we consider to be true, what we hold on to.
Speaker 0 | 05:03.785
This has been such a great exploration so far. It has. It’s amazing how collocations can reveal so much about language culture and the human experience.
Speaker 1 | 05:11.952
I completely agree. You know, it’s not just about learning vocabulary. It’s about getting this deeper understanding of how language really reflects us.
Speaker 0 | 05:20.480
Right. It’s a reflection of who we are.
Speaker 1 | 05:22.101
Yeah. And how we see the world around us. And it makes you wonder, like, how does our brain even decide? Right. Which memories to hair onto. Yeah. And which ones to just kind of let fade away.
Speaker 0 | 05:33.607
That is a good question.
Speaker 1 | 05:34.868
Is it just time or do emotions play a role?
Speaker 0 | 05:37.930
Oh, definitely emotions. Yeah. I think we tend to remember things that were like really emotionally charged more vividly. Oh,
Speaker 1 | 05:44.955
yeah.
Speaker 0 | 05:45.535
You know, like weddings or even breakup.
Speaker 1 | 05:48.657
Exactly. Those big erosional moments.
Speaker 0 | 05:51.279
Those stick with us.
Speaker 1 | 05:52.380
They really do. And there’s actually a scientific reason for that. Oh. Our brains are wired to remember things that trigger strong emotions. Whether it’s positive or negative, it kind of leaves a deeper imprint.
Speaker 0 | 06:03.300
So that’s why I can remember my first roller coaster ride.
Speaker 1 | 06:06.122
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 06:06.763
But not what I had for lunch three weeks ago.
Speaker 1 | 06:08.524
Exactly. Those everyday things, they just kind of fade away.
Speaker 0 | 06:11.226
But what about those times where you like completely blank on something? Oh yeah. Like you have no recollection at all.
Speaker 1 | 06:17.411
Oh yeah, I’ve had that happen.
Speaker 0 | 06:18.812
Is there a reason for that?
Speaker 1 | 06:20.173
There is. It’s because… Our brains are complicated and sometimes the pathways to those memories get a little disrupted or weakened over time. Could be aging, could be stress, or even medical conditions.
Speaker 0 | 06:34.112
So it’s not necessarily that the memory is gone forever. Right. It’s just that our brain’s having trouble accessing it.
Speaker 1 | 06:40.297
Exactly like trying to find a book in a huge library. Right. But you don’t have the right cataloging system.
Speaker 0 | 06:46.642
Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 | 06:47.343
The book’s there, but you can’t find it.
Speaker 0 | 06:48.964
All right, let’s look at this next set of collocations.
Speaker 1 | 06:51.246
Oh.
Speaker 0 | 06:52.379
We’ve got friendly chap, parish church, and even something as simple as flush the toilet. These seem to reflect like social interactions and roles.
Speaker 1 | 07:04.407
Yeah, they do friendly chap, for example. Yeah. It makes me think of like a very specific type of person. Right. Like somebody who’s approachable. Yeah. You know, maybe you’d see them at the local pub. Yeah. Like a twinkle in their eye.
Speaker 0 | 07:15.595
Exactly. A ready smile. Yeah. That kind of archetype.
Speaker 1 | 07:18.677
And parish church speaks to. Like the institution of religion. Right. In a community.
Speaker 0 | 07:24.733
Right. That sense of belonging.
Speaker 1 | 07:26.455
And even something like flush the toilet. Yeah. That shows like our shared understanding of hygiene.
Speaker 0 | 07:32.160
Right. Even the mundane things have cultural significance.
Speaker 1 | 07:35.082
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 07:36.063
Okay. Let’s move on to some more formal collocations now.
Speaker 1 | 07:38.665
Okay.
Speaker 0 | 07:39.866
Void contract. Declare void. And legal void.
Speaker 1 | 07:45.531
Those sound very legalistic. They do. Like something out of a courtroom drama.
Speaker 0 | 07:49.515
Exactly.
Speaker 1 | 07:50.015
What does void contract mean?
Speaker 0 | 07:52.015
So a void contract is basically an agreement. Oh, it’s no longer enforceable. OK. Or valid. All right. And declare void. That’s the action of actually nullifying the agreement.
Speaker 1 | 08:03.578
So it’s like it never existed.
Speaker 0 | 08:04.979
Pretty much.
Speaker 1 | 08:05.559
And legal void.
Speaker 0 | 08:06.619
Legal void refers to a situation where there are no laws or regulations in place. OK. So it creates uncertainty.
Speaker 1 | 08:13.741
All right. I’m ready for something a little lighter now.
Speaker 0 | 08:15.882
Gasp in amazement. I can picture it. Yeah. That sharp intake of breath.
Speaker 1 | 08:20.288
Oh, yeah. Eyes wide.
Speaker 0 | 08:21.829
Exactly. Like you just saw something incredible.
Speaker 1 | 08:24.191
Yeah. That feeling of just being stunned.
Speaker 0 | 08:26.913
All right. Back to some deeper emotions. Feel anguish. Deep anguish. Mental anguish. These really show like the painful side of life.
Speaker 1 | 08:38.621
They do.
Speaker 0 | 08:39.582
Feel anguish. That just makes me think of sorrow and distress. And deep anguish is even stronger.
Speaker 1 | 08:45.786
Yeah. It’s that feeling of just being overwhelmed.
Speaker 0 | 08:48.567
But the pain.
Speaker 1 | 08:49.287
Yeah.
Speaker 0 | 08:50.048
Mental language. That’s specifically psychological suffering.
Speaker 1 | 08:52.788
Right. It’s what’s going on inside. Yeah. It can be anxiety, depression, or even PTSD.
Speaker 0 | 08:57.950
It’s a good reminder that language can express such a wide range of emotions.
Speaker 1 | 09:01.511
Absolutely. Even the most difficult ones.
Speaker 0 | 09:03.591
Okay. Let’s add some color to our conversation. Oh. With fiery red, fiery sunset, fiery speech, and even fiery temper. Ooh. Those all have a certain intensity to them. They do. Fiery red is such a- bold color.
Speaker 1 | 09:16.855
Yeah, it’s associated with passion and excitement.
Speaker 0 | 09:19.236
And danger.
Speaker 1 | 09:20.016
Yeah, definitely danger too.
Speaker 0 | 09:21.817
And fiery sunset.
Speaker 1 | 09:24.538
Oh, beautiful.
Speaker 0 | 09:25.739
I can just imagine it now.
Speaker 1 | 09:26.999
Yeah, the sky just ablaze with color.
Speaker 0 | 09:30.581
So beautiful.
Speaker 1 | 09:31.401
Nature’s at its best.
Speaker 0 | 09:33.022
And fiery speech. That makes me think of a really passionate speaker.
Speaker 1 | 09:37.044
Yes.
Speaker 0 | 09:37.704
Like they’re really trying to get their point across.
Speaker 1 | 09:39.385
Trying to inspire.
Speaker 0 | 09:40.805
Exactly.
Speaker 1 | 09:41.346
Or persuade you.
Speaker 0 | 09:42.206
And then fiery temper. Uh-oh. That’s a little scarier. Yeah,
Speaker 1 | 09:45.528
that’s when that passion…
Speaker 0 | 09:47.609
Turns to anger.
Speaker 1 | 09:48.270
Right, gets out of control.
Speaker 0 | 09:49.310
Okay, let’s stick with color for a second. We have flush red, flush with water, and flush with embarrassment. Hmm. It’s interesting how flush can have so many different meanings.
Speaker 1 | 10:01.074
It really can.
Speaker 0 | 10:02.054
Flush red makes me think of like blushing.
Speaker 1 | 10:04.535
Yeah, exactly. Like when you get embarrassed.
Speaker 0 | 10:06.356
And flush with water.
Speaker 1 | 10:07.776
That’s more about cleansing. Right. Rinsing something away.
Speaker 0 | 10:11.418
Washing it clean.
Speaker 1 | 10:12.278
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 10:12.979
And flush with embarrassment.
Speaker 1 | 10:14.439
Yeah, we’ve all been there.
Speaker 0 | 10:15.640
That’s that feeling of wanting to disappear.
Speaker 1 | 10:17.701
Right. Like you just want the ground to swallow you up.
Speaker 0 | 10:20.462
It’s a really good example of how one word can have so many different meanings.
Speaker 1 | 10:24.904
It is. And it all comes down to what word it’s paired with.
Speaker 0 | 10:28.766
Right, the collocation.
Speaker 1 | 10:29.846
It’s fascinating. Yeah. Yeah, it really shows how just changing one word can completely change the meaning.
Speaker 0 | 10:36.490
It’s amazing.
Speaker 1 | 10:37.471
All right, let’s move on to some collocations about belief and conviction. Pious believer, pious hope, pious act.
Speaker 0 | 10:46.035
Those all have like a really deep sense of devotion to them. Pious believer, that makes me think of someone who’s unshakably committed to their faith.
Speaker 1 | 10:53.640
Yeah, someone who’s really devout.
Speaker 0 | 10:55.301
And pious hope is… Like a wish or a dream that’s rooted in that faith.
Speaker 1 | 10:59.732
Exactly. And pious act that suggests doing something good because of your religious beliefs.
Speaker 0 | 11:04.676
Right. Like putting your faith into action. It makes you think about how faith can be such a source of comfort for people.
Speaker 1 | 11:10.781
It can, especially when times are tough. Yeah. But, you know, these phrases, they don’t have to be strictly religious. Oh, that’s true. They can apply to anyone who has really strong beliefs.
Speaker 0 | 11:19.868
Right. So a pious act could be any act of selflessness.
Speaker 1 | 11:23.231
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 11:23.791
If it’s motivated by a deep commitment to a cause.
Speaker 1 | 11:26.642
Right. It’s about the motivation behind it.
Speaker 0 | 11:28.983
Okay, let’s look at this next set. Find salvation, offer salvation, promise of salvation. Those all suggest like a way out of a difficult situation.
Speaker 1 | 11:39.227
They do find salvation. That’s like discovering a solution or a path to relief.
Speaker 0 | 11:43.329
And offer salvation is like extending a helping hand to someone who needs it.
Speaker 1 | 11:47.990
Yeah, you’re giving them a way out.
Speaker 0 | 11:49.571
And promise of salvation is like a glimmer of hope.
Speaker 1 | 11:53.113
It’s that belief that things will get better.
Speaker 0 | 11:55.974
Even when it seems like there’s no way out.
Speaker 1 | 11:58.214
Exactly. It speaks to that universal desire for peace and security. Right.
Speaker 0 | 12:02.476
Everyone wants some kind of salvation in their lives.
Speaker 1 | 12:04.636
Absolutely. Whether it’s freedom from something or recovery from something.
Speaker 0 | 12:08.517
Or just inner peace.
Speaker 1 | 12:09.738
Exactly.
Speaker 0 | 12:10.538
Okay. Last set for today. We’ve got fond recollection, clear recollection, and recollection of events. These seem to be about memory.
Speaker 1 | 12:19.141
They are fond recollection. That’s a happy memory.
Speaker 0 | 12:21.862
Right, something that makes you smile when you think about it.
Speaker 1 | 12:23.983
Yeah, those warm, fuzzy memories. And then clear recollection. That’s when you remember something in detail.
Speaker 0 | 12:30.205
Like it happened yesterday.
Speaker 1 | 12:31.406
Right. You can picture it vividly.
Speaker 0 | 12:33.067
And recollection of events that’s more neutral.
Speaker 1 | 12:36.688
It’s just the act of remembering without any emotional attachment.
Speaker 0 | 12:41.491
It’s really interesting how our memories can be so different.
Speaker 1 | 12:44.372
They can.
Speaker 0 | 12:45.112
Even if two people experience the same event.
Speaker 1 | 12:47.434
That’s because our memories are shaped by so many things.
Speaker 0 | 12:49.936
Yeah, our emotions, our perspectives.
Speaker 1 | 12:51.877
And time.
Speaker 0 | 12:52.658
Right? Time changes everything.
Speaker 1 | 12:54.620
It does.
Speaker 0 | 12:55.420
Well, this has been another fascinating deep dive. It has. It’s incredible how collocations can give us such a deeper understanding of the English language.
Speaker 1 | 13:03.667
Absolutely. And not just the language, but also culture and the human experience.
Speaker 0 | 13:07.571
Right. It’s all connected. It is. So keep exploring those collocations and keep those aha moments coming.
Speaker 1 | 13:12.795
And keep learning.
Speaker 0 | 13:13.656
Thanks for joining us. Yeah,
Speaker 1 | 13:14.777
thanks for listening.