🦄 When you forget the word "pony" and need to paraphrase just a tiny little bit

Stay weird, my friends. Happy Friday!

Happy to share the journey with you 💓

2 hangry (hungry+angry) corps will sooner die of hunger than take a decision

Some words clarify meaning, others obscure it. Some words build walls, others - bridges. Some words trigger respect, others - love

Whatever side you choose, it's useful for sure to be able to recognise "the US corp dialect" at least

Full Transcript
- Hey, I'm starving. Can we align on our dinner strategy for this evening?

- Sure. What's your go-forward preference?

- Uh, I have no strong directional bias*. Do you want to narrow down on* a vertical?

- Honestly, I'm comfortable with any solution.

- You know what? I'll just procure* us some fried chicken.

- Wait, fried chicken doesn't align with my current nutritional road map.

- Then maybe you can suggest something that features a more health-focused result.

- Uh, I don't want to do a deep dive. Just order something that aligns with our dietary parameters.

- Is sushi within scope*?

- Sushi just feels suboptimal. Is Mediterranean on the table?

- Circle back on that one next week.

- Vietnamese?

- Not in my wheelhouse.

- Can we double-click on that?

- It just doesn't resonate.

- Per my earlier request, what do you want to eat?

- I'm detecting elevated hangry levels. Let me jump in here.

- Thank you.

- Hi, I'd like to order one extra-large borch.

- Wait, no!

*

Glossary

🫧

a strong directional bias -

Having a preference or leaning toward a specific option/strategy

In dinner script

:

"I don't have a strong preference for any type of food"

Normal person says

:

"I'm not picky"

or

"Whatever you want"

🫧

to narrow down on a vertical -

Focus on a specific industry/category/area of business

In dinner script:

"Do you want to pick a specific type of cuisine?"

Normal person says:

"What kind of food do you want?"

or

"Pick a cuisine"

🫧

to procure

- Obtain/acquire (usually resources, supplies, services)

In dinner script:

"I'll just get us some fried chicken"

Normal person says:

"I'll buy

it"

or

"I'll order"

or

"I'll get it"

🫧

within scope

- Fits the project boundaries/requirements/budget

In dinner script:

"Is sushi an acceptable option for us?"

Normal person says:

"How about sushi?"

or "

Does sushi work?"

Reference: IG handle corporate.bro

Your turn:
🤑 - I want my door into FAANG/MANGO
👩‍💼 - I want my door out of the corporate
💷 - I want an inheritance from a Nigerian prince

An AI actress Tilly Norwood, the phrase "PURSUING AN ACTING CAREER," and 1.2K+

A plug-in from the admin here. Some of you remember, in July, I started resurrecting my old YouTube account (handle @ englishforimpact). The vide format is new for me, turned out veeeryyy ..hm.. demanding!

But I persisted, and my Shorts finally broke through a bit and started gaining 1k+ views organically. Some shares and even subs too! So I thought - who nows, you may like them too. Or get inspired to start creating your own content!

Here are my top 3 popular Shorts over 90 days
🫧I stood up for my values. A phrasal verb by Pavel Durov. 1.3K
🫧Thorough, Tenacious, Tangible. Pronunciation challenge. 1.2K
🫧2 cultures, 2 languages, 1 love. Viet collab. 1.6K

🪴 Do you have any blogs of your own, dear reader? Share them in comments, with a short description of who it is for in English
💓 Support me with your subscription on YouTube

You've got a 3hr commute on a language practice train ahead.

Passenger roll

A1 - Duolingo
Gamified app with bite-sized exercises for vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation practice
C1 - Babbel
An app with structured courses focused on practical conversational skills and real-world dialogues
D1 - YouTube
Free video lessons, pronunciation guides, and immersive content from native speakers
F1 - Chat GPT
AI conversation partner for practicing writing, getting explanations, and receiving corrections
B2 - Call a teacher
Speak with a teacher recommended by a friend, found on a marketplace platform (Profi) or on social media
E2 - Fluently
AI-powered speaking practice with real-time feedback on pronunciation and fluency
A3 - Netflix
Watching shows/movies in target language with subtitles for immersion and listening practice
C3 - Memrise
Spaced repetition flashcards and video clips with native speakers for vocabulary retention
D3 - Tandem
Language exchange community for practicing with native speakers via text, audio, and video
F3 - Italki
Marketplace for booking affordable one-on-one lessons with professional tutors and native speakers
B4 - Quizlet
Creating and studying custom flashcard sets for vocabulary, phrases, and exam prep
E4 - Preply
Platform for finding and scheduling private lessons with qualified language tutorsRetry
A5 - Read a book
It can be fiction or non fiction - up to you
C5 - Hello Talk
Language exchange app connecting learners with native speakers for text/voice chat practice
D5 - Other
We're sure you know more ways to boost your English
F5 - Chat on a dating app
Tinder, Bumble, Coffe & Bagel - you name it!

🪴 Which seat will you pick and why?

💷 Basic Income already here! Reddit reacts to "free" money

Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) in a nutshell

The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme provides €325 per week to 2,000 artists and creative arts workers, launched in 2022 and originally scheduled to run for three years until 2025. The scheme was extended by six months to February 2026, and in Budget 2026, Ireland committed to making the program permanent (4)

A cost-benefit analysis found that for every euro invested in the scheme, society received between €1.31 and €1.75 in return, with an overall return of €1.39 per euro invested. This return comes through increased wellbeing, higher public engagement with arts and culture, and gross income gains for artists.

This topic has been discussed by S2S (website) users this week. It has got sooo much positive feedback, that I want to remove paywall as an exception and share the Speaking plan on "Basic Income" with all of you. I hope it will help you find the words to express your nuanced thoughts on this topic. ENJOY

🪴 Speaking Plan [Notion link] overview

🫧Short text + Full reddit screenshots + audio
🫧10 phrases explained + audio
🫧A gap fill exercise for 10 phrases + clues
🫧Questions for discussion
🫧3 external resources to verify the info, learn more, and/or get engaged in a debate

🧛 You know who to share this with