Como falo em inglês: eu não pude deixar de ouvir

By Ana | Podcast Inglês Online

Sep 02
Inglês Online eu não pude deixar de ouvir

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Hi, there. No episódio de hoje do podcast Inglês Online, eu falo sobre aquela situação em que você ouve a conversa de outras pessoas sem querer. E também a situação em que você ouve de propósito!

Transcrição

Hi, there. This is the new episode of the Inglesonline podcast.

Please subscribe to this podcast using the Podcasts app for iPhone or iPad, or listen to the episodes using the Inglesonline Android app.

Podcast Inglês Online eavesdroppingThanks for all the comments at the iTunes store and if you haven’t yet left a comment for this podcast please do so: the more comments for the Inglesonline podcast, the more people will find out about it and listen to the episodes.

Thank you for telling your friends, your neighbours, your family and keep listening.

So today we talk about eavesdropping. Yep, eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation.

Have you heard that term before?

Here’s a popular definition for the word: eavesdropping means secretly listening to the private conversation of others without their consent.

Basically, every time you pay attention to and try to listen to what other people are saying (and you’re not part of the conversation) you’re eavesdropping.

Well, of course, sometimes you can’t avoid it. I mean, how many times have you been in an elevator and then someone stepped in while chatting on their cell phone and they happily carried on the conversation as though they were alone?

You can’t help but overhear what they’re saying in that case, and that is the second term of today’s episode: overhear.

So the difference between eavesdropping on a conversation and overhearing a conversation is, one is on purpose and you’re kinda not supposed to do it, while the other one happens unintentionally.

Like I said though, if you’re surrounded by people who are loud talkers, you would pretty much have to cover your ears to avoid overhearing, no?

Now, when you know there are two people in the other room and they’re having a private conversation…

And you quietly put your ear to the door – well, then you are clearly eavesdropping. No two ways about it: you are eavesdropping.

OK, now I’m going to ask you to admit to it and let us know about the last time you eavesdropped on a conversation. Who were you eavesdropping on, and did they ever realise you were there? What was the conversation about? C’mon… tell us!

Here’s what someone tweeted out: I’m glad our ears don’t perk up like dogs when we’re eavesdropping on a conversation.

So, yeah! You know how a dog’s ears will perk up when they’re paying attention to something.

If that happened to us human beings, well… I bet we would start thinking twice before eavesdropping.

Now, overhearing what other people say is so common. When we’re standing in line at the supermarket or just walking down the street, we can’t help but overhear all kinds of things.

I mean, there are entire websites devoted to strange or funny things people overhear while out and about.

I’ve overheard many funny things in my life, and I have also gotten a few looks from strangers who’ve overheard me talking to other people.

I wanna hear your stories: tell me about something funny you overheard someone say.

Let me know in the comments, and talk to you next time!

Key expressions

  • eavesdropping
  • overhear

Vocabulário

as though they were alone = como se ele/ela estivesse sozinho/a

no two ways about it = não há dúvidas

when a dog’s ears perk up = quando as orelhas de um cão ficam em pé

we can’t help but = não conseguimos evitar

out and about = por aí (quando alguém está na rua, ocupado com atividades indeterminadas)

Ana
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Eric 04/10/2015

It was in 2013 I was in Dubai airport in the shuttle. There ware a Brazilian couple talking in Portuguese about what they would MAKE when they just enter in the hotel room. They weren’t using bad words. The guy was trying to convince his woman but the woman told to the guy: Hey what are you are saying all these things, last time you just slept all night long! So the guy was very up set! For sure they didn’t realized I was Brazilian. I thought to turn to them and ask them something like where my gate were or something like this, just to see their surprise faces! That’s it

    Ana 04/10/2015

    Hi Eric,
    Funny story :-)
    We always have to be careful when speaking Portuguese abroad (I’ve learned from experience, haha)

Jeff 04/09/2015

Hello Ana! By the way, I confess it’s been so long since I”ve listened to one of your podcasts. ): Despite of that, I am about to get my degree in Translation and Interpreting English/Portuguese and of course I’ve always told my friends that your website is perfect! Sometimes we are listening to music in any place where there’s a crowed or maybe at a bar and we pause the song to listen what people are talking about lol!!! Then we think to ourselves “am I eavesdropping?!”

    Ana 07/09/2015

    Hi Jeff,
    Great to know you enjoy the site and that it’s useful :-)
    Whoa – you’re eavesdropping for sure!!

Jennifer 03/09/2015

Hi Ana! Sincerly I never heard the term eavesdropping before.Very interesting!
That’s the thing about learning English: we never know enough.
Thanks for each new lesson you teach us!

Walkiria 02/09/2015

(Replayng with correction)
So, I’ve started listening your podcast and became surprised again . You announcied that would talk about “eavesdropping” and HAVE TAUGHT much more… No two ways about your efficiency.

    Ana 03/09/2015

    Hi Walkiria ;-)
    Great to know you’ve enjoyed it!
    Thank you.

Walkiria 02/09/2015

So, I’ve started listening your podcast and became surprised again . You announcied that would talk about “eavesdropping” and teached much more… No two ways about your efficiency.

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