CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 82
Whatchamacallit: being indirect
A
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Vague
and general words
In informal speech, we make frequent
use of rather vague words and words with many different or rather general
meanings, like thing or get.
That’s one of the things I
want to talk to him about. [thing = subject]
Laura has got a thing about mice.
[she either really likes or dislikes them]
Don’t make such a big thing of it!
[Don’t make so much fuss about it!]
There wasn’t a thing we could
do about it. [a thing = anything]
For one thing, I haven’t got time. For another thing, I can’t
afford it. [Firstly …, secondly …]
The thing is, I have to take my car for a service tomorrow morning. [used
to introduce a topic or a problem, or to provide an explanation]
As things are at present, … [as the situation is]
I don’t get what you’re
saying. [understand]
We must get that parcel in the
post today. [send]
She had big plans to travel the world
but she just never got it together. [took positive action or organised
herself]
Jill will get things sorted (out) today.
[organise things so that the problem is solved]
I hope I can get her to myself this
evening. [be alone with her]
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B
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When
you can’t think of the word
When
we can’t remember a word or name, we often replace it with a vague word.
For
objects: thingy, thingummy /ˈθɪŋəmi/,
thingumijig /ˈθɪŋəmədʒɪg/, thingamibob /ˈθɪŋəməbɒb/, whatsit, whatchamacallit /ˈwɒtʃəməˌkɔːlɪt/, whatnot
Have
you seen the thingy we use for keeping the door open?
For
people: whatsisname /ˈwɒtsɪzneɪm/ (for a man); whatsername /ˈwɒtsəneɪm/ (for a woman)
Did
you see whatsisname today?
Note
that these words can be written in different ways. It is also possible to use
thingy for either a man or a woman: I was talking to thingy about
that yesterday.
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C
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Quantifiers
Some
quantifiers are common in informal speaking but are rare in formal writing.
For example, the following expressions mean a lot of:
I
can help you – I’ve got bags of time.
They
can afford to go on expensive holidays as they’ve got loads of money.
I’ve
tried phoning her umpteen times but she never seems to answer her
mobile.
These
expressions mean a little or some: a bit of, a scrap of.
I’ve
got a bit of a headache.
You’ve
been sitting there all day but you haven’t done a scrap of work.
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D
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Being indirect and less threatening
Here
are some expressions which we can use in speech to make what we are saying
sound less threatening and potentially offensive to the person we are talking
to.
It’s
not the most practical/sensible/intelligent/appropriate thing you’ve
ever done. [it’s impractical / not very sensible / rather unintelligent /
inappropriate]
It’s
not the most practical idea – and I mean that in the nicest possible way.
No
offence intended, but I think you’ve misunderstood
the basic problem.
If
you don’t mind me/my saying so,
I think that you could have handled that better.
I
gather you feel upset by the recent changes
in the office. [I’ve heard it from someone]
Incidentally, have you paid your money for the club outing yet? [often
used to introduce a new subject into the conversation in an indirect way]
What
a load of idiots – present company excepted, of course. [not including
you or me]
The
staff here, myself included, have not been working quite as hard as we
should.
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EXERCISES
82.1
|
Look
at A opposite. Explain what the underlined expressions with thing and get
mean in the following sentences.
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82.2
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What
words do you think the speaker is looking for in each of these sentences? Choose
from the words in the box.
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82.3
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Look
at the sentences in 82.2 again and find a different vague word from the one
used in the exercise, e.g. Where’s
the whatchamacallit for sifting the flour so there aren’t any lumps in
it?
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82.4
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Look
at C. Rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences in a more informal
style.
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82.5
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Look
at D, and then fill the gaps in this text.
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82.6
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Over
to you
•
Have you got a thing about anything?
•
Is there anything you need to get sorted out this week?
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ANSWER KEY
82.1
1
make such a big thing = make such a fuss
2 has got a thing about = is obsessed with 3 The thing is = the problem is 4 things = the situation; get away for a holiday = go on holiday 5 things = subjects, items; get through = deal with 6 get on with = have a good relationship with; For one thing = firstly; like different things = have different tastes; For another (thing) = in addition, secondly 7 get = understand; I didn’t get a thing = I didn’t understand anything 8 get everything sorted out = solve all our problems; got it together = organised things
82.2
1
sieve 2 Daniel Craig 3 protractor 4 hammer 5 colander 6 rolling pin
82.3
Possible
answers:
2 Look, isn’t that thingy? The actor who was in the latest James Bond? 3 I can’t find the thingumijig for measuring angles. 4 Have you got a whatchamacallit, you know, for bashing in nails? 5 Where’s the thingummy for draining potatoes? 6 I need a whatsit – you know, one of those things for flattening pastry.
82.4
Possible
answers:
1 The garden had masses of / a mass of / loads of / a load of / dozens of pink and yellow flowers. 2 I’ve asked her out umpteen / loads of / masses of times, but she’s always got some excuse. 3 He hasn’t done a scrap of useful work here since he first got the job. 4 I’ve got loads of / masses of / dozens of papers I want to get rid of. 5 Alice invited masses of / dozens of / tons of people to her party at the weekend. 6 Yasmin’s got bags of / loads of / tons of energy – I don’t know where she gets it all from! 7 Loads of / Dozens of / Masses of people were turned away because the lecture room was full. 8 She was told dozens of / masses of / umpteen times not to leave any valuables on her desk.
82.5
1
company
2 included 3 gather 4 Incidentally 5 offence 6 mind 7 possible |
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