Como digo em inglês: Vou ficar com o menos pior

By Ana | Podcast Inglês Online

Apr 04
Como digo em inglês Vou ficar com o menos pior

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Hi, everyone. What’s up?

Nesse episódio do podcast Inglês Online eu falo sobre duas expressões bem comuns com a palavra LESS.

Transcrição

Hello, all. How’s it going? Today we have a new episode of the inglesonline podcast. To download or just listen to other episodes and download transcripts, go to inglesonline.com.br and click Podcast Inglesonline.

Let me tell you about a very common and interesting expression in English: the lesser of two evils. Think about a situation where you had to choose between two not-so-great options. You have to make a choice in order to keep something going, or to fulfill an obligation. An election is a perfect example, when there are only two candidates running and you don’t like either of them.

Let’s say, though, that you firmly believe that, even if neither candidate is that great, you should pick someone. You should vote for one of them, that’s what you believe. You feel like it’s your duty to vote, and you’re not gonna spoil your vote either, so you MUST pick someone to vote for. The problem is, you’re not a fan of either candidate. You’ve heard bad things from trusted sources about both of them. So who are you gonna vote for? Candidate A is the one you were going for, until last week when your good friend Raymond filled you in on Candidate A’s real opinions about public transportation.

You were devastated. You’d been a big fan of Candidate A until that moment. And then there’s Candidate B, and you’re really not a fan. You just don’t think Candidate B has got what it takes to be an effective politician. You’re familiar with his work and you just don’t think he’s competent. So this is a tough choice for you. Since you’re adamant about voting for someone, you are going to choose the lesser of two evils, in your opinion. Both are bad, but you’re gonna go with the least bad, or the lesser of two evils. You’re gonna go with the one that, in your opinion, is going to cause the least damage as a politician. You’re gonna pick the lesser of two evils.

Here’s another example for that: your friends are going to watch a movie tonight and they’re asking you to come along. You’ve heard of this movie, and you think it’s gonna suck. Your other option would be staying home and watching boring TV shows. What to do? You choose the lesser of two evils, which in your opinion is staying in tonight and watching TV.

Here’s another set phrase with the word less: less is more. Less is more. Have you heard that one? How can less be more? Well, imagine that you’re in school and your History teachers gives the students a new assignment. She says you guys should break into groups of six and work as a team on the assignment. Your team spends two weeks working on the assignment and you realize that it’s not that easy to coordinate everyone’s work, or get everyone to agree on something, or find a date for the next meeting that will work for everyone, and so on.

So now your History teacher is giving the class a new assignment, and she tells the students that they should break into groups of three. So you and your two classmates start working on the new assignment and you realize it is much easier to get things going in a small group. The three of you agree on stuff quickly, it’s easier to find a place and time for the next meeting, and so on and so forth. So you come to the conclusion that, in this case, less is more.

“Less is more” means, there are advantages in not having too much or too many of something. It would seem that more people to help with an assignment is always better, right? Well, you don’t think so. Fewer people do a better job in your opinion. So, you think “I’m definitely happier in a smaller group. Less is more”.

And just a reminder that this is a set phrase, OK? It doesn’t really matter what you’re talking about. What matters is the idea that less of something, or fewer units of whatever… produce better results. So whether you’re talking about fewer people doing a better job, or a small computer being more powerful than a large machine, or a tiny fruit containing more nutrients than a larger fruit, you can say that, in this case, less is more.

So when was the last time you chose the lesser of two evils? Let us know in the comments. Talk to you next time!

 

Key expressions

  • the lesser of two evils
  • less is more

 

Glossary

spoil your vote = anular seu voto

you’re adamant about = você faz questão de, tem opinião firme a respeito de

the least bad = a/o menos ruim

the least damage = o mínimo de estrago

What to do? = O que fazer?

not a fan of either = não é fã de nenhum dos dois

fewer units of whatever = menos unidades do que quer que seja

Ana
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Marcio 12/04/2012

Ops!!!! Depois que enviei minha dúvida sobre a pronúncia do either, eu vi que ela já tinha sido respondida anteriormente. Obrigado!!!

Marcio 12/04/2012

Hi, Ana Luiza. Why did you read “either” (íder) and (áider)? – “you’re not a fan of either (áider) candidate”. What’s the correct form? Thank you for all and congratulation for website.

Roberta Ghion 07/04/2012

Here is the song: http://youtu.be/7x2WAveirQg

Roberta Ghion 07/04/2012

Hi Ana!!!!

There is a song, from Joss Stone that is called “Less is More” It´s a very nice song and explain in another way the meaning of “less is more”. I hope you like the song!!!

Kisses, bye bye

Roberta Ghion

Rian Dutra 07/04/2012

Excellent podcast as always!
However, I have a doubt about that expression…

In your examples you put just two things… candidate A or candidate B.
But if I had more than two things?

For example: yesterday I had to choose the lesser of three evils and blablabla

Is it right or that expression just can use when we have two things?

Thanks!

Eric Picinin 06/04/2012

Sorry about the symbols there is any of them here where i’m typing hihih…

Eric Picinin 06/04/2012

Ola ana
Eu tenho uma duvida sobre a pronuncia de either (ider) e either (aider), Logo no inicio tu pronuncia das duas formas que citei a mesma palavra, o mesmo aconteceu com neither. Ha mesmo alguma diferenca ou se trata de sotaque..

i hope that you get what i mean to say…

I realy apreciate your podcasts and all your help.. See ya.

    Ana 07/04/2012

    Olá Eric,

    As duas são corretíssimas, e eu também reparei o que vc disse. No entando, em vez de “uniformizar” a pronúncia no podcast todo, eu fui com o que veio naturalmente na hora. O que vc ouve no episódio é o jeito que pra mim é mais comum dizer aither ou ither, de acordo com a ocasião. Pode ser que reflita região geográfica, mas não posso te dizer com certeza, OK?

      Eric Picinin 09/04/2012

      Valeu Ana,

      Entao concordo contigo mesmo, muito melhor essa forma que tem vem naturalmente, perguntei para esclarecer mesmo pois ouco sempre antes de dormir e tive que abrir a pagina para verificar se o que tu havia dito era a mesma coisa ou outra palavra rsrsr…Agora estou atento a essas diferencas. Always input rsrs listening drive me crazy sometimes …

      Thank you so much, i’m your big fan.

gil 05/04/2012

Hi Ana.
You used the expression ‘much easier ‘.
It is used to enphasise, isn’t it?
Your podcast are fantastic, always.
Thanks

Diogo Higino 05/04/2012

Hi Ana and other users of this blog, better blog.

The last time I remember that I had to choose among have “less is more” I mean it was when I was on college doing some works. I mean everyone have trouble with some colleague or classmates that don’t have the same interest you have, first of all when the topic is to solve in group, in this situations, I did always prefer less people in the group, so less is more objective than many people talking and not focus in it.

Thanks for this other great podcast.

Until next time.

Zanelli 05/04/2012

Hello Ana !!!
In my case I don’t like “sertanejo” and “pagode” sometimes when I go to friends homes I need pick the lesser of two evils… but stay in my home I think so the best solution.
See you

    Ana 05/04/2012

    So which one would be the lesser of two evils? Pagode or sertanejo?

Hígor 05/04/2012

Hello Ana, thanks by the tips, I loved so much.

The last time that I was supposed to choose the lesser evil was when I had to take a decision betwen two meetings which would take place at the same time, the first with a costumer and the another with my boss… it was a very hard decision, so I decided to go in the first one, cause face my boss….hummm it woud not be a good thing to do that day.. rsrs

bye

    Ana 05/04/2012

    hahaha… so between meeting the client and your boss, you chose the lesser of two evils: meeting with the client

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