What is a 'word salad'? - Learn useful English phrases with Misterduncan @EnglishAddict

2,587 views ・ 2024-06-21

English Addict with Mr Duncan


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

00:02
Do you ever find yourself listening to someone talking
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without actually saying anything?
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That person is coming out with meaningless sentences
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that make no sense and appear to be hiding something.
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00:17
We often think of people in power
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talking without using any words of substance.
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00:25
We can describe this type of speech as a ‘word salad’.
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00:30
Yes, there are sentences being used,
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but there is nothing contained
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within anything they are saying.
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It is just one giant word salad.
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00:43
Some people say that politicians,
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00:46
whilst trying to avoid answering
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a direct question,
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might respond with a giant word salad.
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00:54
Of course,
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I could not possibly comment on whether or not that is true.
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01:03
When we use the term word salad,
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we are often expressing our frustration at someone
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who is not giving an honest or direct
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answer to an important question.
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A person who goes on and on about a subject
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that they clearly know nothing about,
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might construct their sentences as a word salad.
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They are desperately trying to sound as if they know
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what they are talking about, but failing miserably.
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So the next time you hear someone trying to answer a difficult question
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by trying to change the subject
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or by saying anything that comes into their head,
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you can describe their response as a word salad.
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01:55
Sometimes saying very little
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is the best form of response.
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02:00
After all, you don't want to be accused of avoiding the question,
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or even worse, talking gibberish.
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A long, drawn out sentence that seems to go on and on
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with no real context will most likely be described as a word salad.
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