Full English lesson with Mr Duncan - #45 - Button uses - What is Hyperbole? - Expressing Annoyance

Hi everybody, this is Mr Duncan in England.

Welcome to another Full English lesson.

For all those who cannot get enough

of that beautiful thing we  call the English language.

It is very nice to see you here again.

Thank you very much for joining me.

Before we get under way with today’s lesson,

I would like to set a little brainteaser for you,

so as to give you something to ‘mull  over’ whilst watching today’s lesson.

To ‘mull over’ is to think about  or consider something carefully.

The question is…

What word can be used alongside  the following 5 words?

The words are…

gate lamp office man box

I will give you the answer  at the end of the video,

so get your thinking caps on!

Have you ever found yourself in a situation

where a person is doing something annoying  and irritating and won’t stop doing it?

Maybe they are talking too  much about their problems,

or they are doing something else  that is getting on your nerves.

The feeling caused by the irritation  can be described as an annoyance.

You might want to say something to that  person, so as to get them to be quiet.

The only problem with doing that is you run  the risk of upsetting or offending them.

The point at which you feel as if you must say  something can be described as the breaking point.

You cannot stand it any longer.

You have to say something.

Phrases such as… ‘Please stop it!’

You have reached the end of your tether.

You cannot take anymore.

Please…

‘Cut it out.’ ‘Pack it in.’

‘Give it a rest.’ ‘Belt up!’

‘Pipe down!’ ‘Enough already!’

‘Put a sock in it!’.

Of course all of those phrases are  normally used to show annoyance

and are normally used in the heat of the moment.

The person receiving the complaint will most  likely feel annoyed or even hurt by your outburst.

But sometimes it is hard  to hold your feelings back.

It is not unusual for a parent to tell their  child off for doing something annoying.

Quite often it is the noise  that a child is making that can  

‘rile’ the parent to the point  where they lose their temper.

The word ‘rile’ means anger.

That feeling of rage that grows inside you  when something is getting on your nerves  

can be described as ‘getting riled’.

Fortunately most of us are  able to control our anger,

but sometimes, not often, but sometimes,

even the most mild-mannered person might  become frustrated and lose their temper.

It’s time to take a look at another buzzword.

A buzzword is a word or phrase that  is popular during a certain period

or is generally popular in everyday use.

Today’s buzzword is…

‘Hyperbole’.

The word ‘hyperbole’ is a noun that  means exaggerate of over-state something.

To make a situation appear worse than it really is

or to over blow something minor, so as to make  it appear more devastating that it actually is

can be described as ‘hyperbole’.

You might over-state your feelings or  exaggerate your reaction to something  

for extra dramatic effect.

News stories might use hyperbole  to get a person’s attention.

Advertising often contains hyperbole, so as to  make a bigger impression on the general public.

Social media has allowed hyperbole  to slip into general use.

It might be stated that something is having  a bigger effect on people than it really is.

“People are losing their minds over these new  contestants on the latest season of Love Island.”

In logical terms, it would be fair to say that  

people do not normally lose  their minds over a TV show.

It is hyperbole.

You might hear a politician use hyperbole when  stating a situation that needs putting right.

This can be applied to both  the problem and the solution.

That is to say; the situation is  made to seem far worse than it is

and the solution might  appear; too good to be true.

They can both be exaggerated.

An overreaction or overstatement  can be described as ‘over the top.

It is… exaggerated, overstated, overblown,

it is hyperbole.

Can you see the object that is next to me here?

It is a simple everyday item  that can be found everywhere.

There might be one or more  of these near you right now.

This is a button.

It is a useful thing for  fastening your clothes with.

Buttons come in all shapes, sizes, and colours.

The word ‘button’ can be used in other ways too.

A control that needs to work instantly  will often be in the form of a button.

It can be pressed easily.

An emergency button might be placed in  a room, so as to activate a fire alarm.

This might also be called a ‘panic button’.

In order to activate the alarm,  you will need to press the button.

You hit the button. You push the button.

An elderly person might wear an  alarm button on their person,

so they can call for help in an emergency.

“If you need any assistance in the  night, just press the red button.”

A computer will most likely have  a power button on the front,

so as to allow you to ‘power up’ the device.

A lift or elevator normally  has many buttons inside it.

However, these days the physical button  is being replace by the ‘touch’ button.

Touch screens now allow you  activate a function on a device

without having to press a real button.

A button might also be referred to as a key.

A computer keyboard has buttons that  are pressed to perform an action;

although, they are more  normally referred to as keys.

There are some phrases related  to the word ‘button’ as well.

You might be ‘on the button’ about something.

This means that you are correct about something.

An accurate statement or answer can  be described as being ‘on the button’.

“You were on the button about the  improvements that need to be made.”

There is also an item that can be worn on  a person’s clothing for a special occasion.

A flower that is place on the jacket  of a person attending a wedding

or some other celebration is a buttonhole.

It is normally placed in the hole  where a button might fasten in.

The flower is often a pink or white carnation.

If you want a person to stop talking,  you might tell them to ‘button it’.

You are telling them to say nothing.

“Don’t tell anyone that I’m  getting married, just button it.”

Then there is the phrase that  means to purposely annoy someone

so as to make them angry;  to push someone’s buttons.

You are doing something to wind  a person up and make them angry.

You are ‘pushing their buttons’.

“If he was disagreeing with me so as to  push my buttons, then he’s succeeded.

In American English a ‘button’  is a type of flat metal object,

which is pinned to a person’s clothing.

It is often called a ‘badge’.

This is a badge.

It can also be called a button.

Sadly we have come to the end  of another Full English lesson.

Yes I know...

those 10 minutes go by so quickly don't they.

Before I let you go...

here is the answer to the  brainteaser I set for you earlier.

I asked you to name the word that can  go alongside the following five words.

The words were…

gate lamp office man box.

The answer is…

Post.

First there is gate post, which is the support  that is normally driven into the ground  

and is used to support a swinging gate.

Then there is lamp post, which is a long solid  pole onto which a light is mounted at the top.

Then there is post office, which is  a building where mail is handed in  

and sorted for collection and delivery.

Then there is post man, or post woman, which  is a person who delivers those letters to you.

Finally there is post box,  

which is a safe and secure place where  letters are placed for later collection.

That is it, it's time to go.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Full English

And I really do hope you will join  me again very soon for another one.

This is Mr Duncan, in the birthplace of English

saying thanks for watching,

see you again soon.

And of course until the next  time we meet here on YouTube...

you know what's coming next, yes you do...

ta ta for now.