Humblebrag: The English We Speak

52,228 views ・ 2018-09-17

BBC Learning English


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

00:07
Rob: Morning Feifei! Nice bike.
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Feifei: Thanks Rob, you know I always
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cycle to work. And what
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a beautiful sports car!
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00:16
Rob: Oh this old thing? Hey, Feifei, mind
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if we take a quick selfie?
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00:22
Feifei: What, me in my sweaty cycling
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gear and you leaning on your fancy...
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00:27
Rob: Smile!
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Right! Let me just post that... out there
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"I really respect my super healthy
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colleague Feifei cycling to work every day.
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It saves money and is so good for the
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environment! Much better than lazy
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little me driving this old car."
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Feifei: Hang on, let me see. You know,
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00:53
Rob, I'm not sure how I feel about this
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post. I mean, it's a bit of a humblebrag.
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00:59
Rob: A humblebrag?
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01:01
Feifei: Sorry - I'll just say it straight. You
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make it look like you're praising my
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cycling, but in fact you're just drawing
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attention to your expensive car.
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01:12
Rob: Hmm.
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01:13
Feifei: You look like you're being humble,
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but in fact you're bragging - showing off -
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about your car. It's a humblebrag.
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False modesty.
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Rob: OK, I get it. You're right. I suppose
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that is what I was doing.
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01:28
Feifei: You're not the only one. It's
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everywhere on social media and in the
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workplace these days. Check out
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these humblebrags:
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I never thought I was very good at exams,
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so it's a bit confusing that I got top of the
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class in all subjects again this year.
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I somehow made it to the singing
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competition final this year. Think the
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judges need their ears testing!
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01:59
Feifei: And if you want to take your
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humblebragging to the next level, try
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hiding your brag inside a complaint.
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Examples: I'm exhausted because I've just
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received two promotions in three months.
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I need a holiday!
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Help! I can't believe the cakes in first
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class aren't sugar-free. I'll be gaining
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so much weight.
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Rob: Some pretty impressive
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humblebrags there! But what exactly is
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the problem with it?
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Feifei: Well, researchers in Harvard and
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the University of North Carolina have
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found that if you humblebrag, people like
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you less. They say you're better off
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just bragging.
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Rob: Just plain bragging?
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Feifei: Apparently so. Humblebragging
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makes you look less sincere.
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02:53
Rob: Well, that makes sense. Best to say
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what I think. Let me change the caption...
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Right. "I'm not going to lie, I absolutely
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love my new sports car. Feifei's bike isn't
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bad either."
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Feifei: That'll do! Let me just comment...
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"Get some exercise!"
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03:14
Rob: Very funny. Bye bye!
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03:16
Feifei: Bye!
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Original video on YouTube.com
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