What does 'big data' mean?

32,871 views ・ 2019-11-25

BBC Learning English


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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Feifei: Neil, what are you doing? That's
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the biggest spreadsheet I've ever seen!
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Neil: Hi, Feifei. Yes, just you wait.
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I'm developing a product
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that will revolutionise
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English teaching!
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Feifei: Great. So why are you looking at
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screens of numbers?
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Neil: Not numbers, data. Big data!
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This is what I need. And that is
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the expression we're
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talking about in The English We Speak.
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Feifei: How do you plan to use this data?
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Neil: I haven't figured it out yet.
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But that's not important.
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Everyone's talking about big data.
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Feifei: It is a hot topic. But big data is
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all about analysis. You need to know what
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to do with all that data.
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Neil: Right.
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Feifei: What you are looking at is
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a list of... football scores...
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from every country...
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in 1987?!
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Neil: Ah, yes. Not useful?
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01:01
Feifei: Sadly not! Let's listen to this
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explanation of what big data actually is.
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We are surrounded by data. Every time
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we use social media, buy
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something online, or even search
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for information, we are creating data.
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Because there's so much of it,
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and because it comes
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in many forms, we call it big data.
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Companies collect and analyse big data
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to discover hidden trends and patterns.
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For example, online retailers use big data
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to learn what kinds of things customers like,
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so they can suggest new products to buy.
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01:54
Feifei: You're listening to The English We
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Speak from BBC Learning English.
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Our expression in this
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programme is 'big data'. So, Neil,
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how's your research going now?
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Neil: Not well. It's hard to know
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where to start.
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Feifei: Well, you'll probably need
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information on things like spending
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patterns on language
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learning apps, key times users
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log in and how long sessions last,
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how demand varies
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by language level, data on first languages,
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data on which kind of content is most...
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Neil: OK. Stop, stop, stop. I'm trying
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to write all this down. Feifei?
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Feifei: Yes?
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Neil: Can I hire you as a big data analyst?
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Feifei: Sorry, Neil, you're too late. I'm
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launching a product of my own.
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It helps predict
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football scores. In fact, I need a bit
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more data from...1987!
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Neil: Well, I might just be able
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to help you out there!
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Feifei: Yes, I think you were actually
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looking at my screen earlier.
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Neil: Sorry! You know, I think I'll leave
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this big data stuff to the experts.
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02:54
Feifei: Bye.
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02:55
Neil: Bye.
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