St. Patrick's Day 2021 ☘️ English Vocabulary with "GREEN"

Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with  Jennifer. If you'd like to take your studies  

beyond my weekly videos, please check out Patreon  memberships. Find out just how much more I'm able  

to guide you to your language goals. Right now,  let me test your vocabulary. How many shades of  

green can you name? I think many children  learn the different shades when they color  

with crayons or pencils. The names of the  different colors are usually written on the sides.

Let's start with green: true green, pure green,  some say "Kelly green," which has Irish roots.  

Next is dark green. I might say forest green or  emerald green. Then light green or pale green.  

I would call this one mint -- mint green.

The label on this next one says "blue green."  

I might say "turquoise." That contrasts with  aquamarine, which has a bit more green to it.  

Then we have a shade that's mostly yellow with  a touch of green. Green yellow. Greenish yellow.

And this one is green with a touch of brown or  a tinge of brown. I'd call it olive. In fact,  

the last three shades are all olive green. I'd  say, "Light olive, olive green, and dark olive."

In short, there are many shades of green.  In honor of St. Patrick's Day on March 17th,  

let's consider the meanings  and uses of the word "green."

Are you a healthy eater? I try to be. I don't eat  a salad every day, but I do eat vegetables every  

day. Health experts say we should eat greens, a  lot of greens -- leafy greens or salad greens. I  

think these greens don't taste all that great on  their own, but if you add some tomatoes, onions,  

maybe some carrots, and then pour some salad  dressing on top, then you have a nice dish.  

Notice in this sense, "greens" is a plural noun.

Check out this next example. The new hire is  energetic and articulate, but still rather green.  

Good thing he's a quick learner!

Here is "green" a noun or an adjective?

An adjective. And what is it synonymous  with? What does it mean? Irresponsible,  

inattentive, or inexperienced?

C -- inexperienced. If someone is  green, they lack experience or training,  

but we usually soften it and say that someone  is "rather green" or "still a little green."

Let me show you another use of "green" as an  adjective. Check out these news headlines.  

Africa Urged to Embrace Wind Power to Create  Jobs and Go Green. Meaning Africa is being  

urged to embrace wind power in order to create  jobs and go green. Kingston Construction Company  

Providing Green Jobs for Community. Meaning the  Kingston (Construction) Company is providing  

green jobs for the community. By the way, you  can check out my lesson on news headlines if  

you'd like me to help you make sense  of the grammar you read in the news.

Now look closely at the headlines.  What does "green" refer to?  

Farming, the environment, or health care? 

B -- the environment, specifically things that  are environmentally-friendly. Going green refers  

to changing one's practices in order to reduce  waste and use clean energy, sustainable energy.

Green jobs are those that help build  the infrastructure for clean energy.

There can also be green practices, green methods,  

and green policies -- all meant  to protect the environment.

For some reason, "green" is associated with envy.  Maybe it's because envy and jealousy are unhealthy  

feelings, and if you're truly sick, you can appear  a little green, right? We have the saying "be  

green with envy." To tell you the truth, I don't  use it that much, so I think it's more important  

to understand it than to use it actively. The  expression may appear in advertising. For example:  

Lose weight! Look fabulous! Make them turn green  with envy! Of course, why should making people  

envious be your goal? But such an ad is possible.  You'll hear the variations: be green with envy,  

turn green with envy, make  someone green with envy.

Do you know a proverb about green grass? It also  has to do with being envious and not being happy  

with what you have. They say, "The grass is  always greener on the other side of the fence."  

It's so well known that we often just  say the beginning of this proverb:  

You know what they say, "The  grass is always greener..."

I think it's a very common but awful temptation  to compare what we have to what others have. I've  

heard it called "the grass is always greener"  phenomenon or "the grass is always greener"  

syndrome. It's very human to make comparisons,  and sometimes we feel like what we have just  

isn't as good as what we see on the other side  of the fence. It could be someone's resume,  

someone's family life, someone's Facebook page,  or any other area of life where we get judged.  

Sometimes, though, life is kind to us and we  become the object of envy. If you get a promotion,  

if you move to a nicer apartment, if you change  companies for a better salary, you're moving on  

to greener pastures. Just like horses and  cows look for pastures with green grass,  

we humans look for better opportunities.  

You can look for greener pastures, find  greener pastures, move on to greener pastures.

Let's do a quick check. Can you  recall key words and expressions?  

One. A city promises to use clean energy  in the future. What do they promise?

To go green. Two. What's another name for a  bluish green color or a greenish blue color?

Aquamarine. Three. Finish the proverb.  The grass is always greener...

on the other side of the fence.

Four. What kinds of vegetables  exactly are we supposed to eat?

Greens. Leafy greens or salad greens. Five.  What's another way to say "light green"?

Pale green.

Six. If you just improved your life  in some way, where did you move?

You moved on to greener pastures.

Seven. What work helps create cities  that are environmentally-friendly?

Green jobs.

Eight. If someone lacks experience,  especially because of their youth,  

how can we describe them...politely?

We can say they're a little green. They're  still rather green. Nine. How can we express  

that someone felt envious? When Kyle found out  that Mike got the promotion, Kyle turned...

green with envy.

And ten. What shade of green is a  bit yellow with a touch of brown?  

Think of the green or black  fruit that grows on a tree.

Olive green.

We'll lend here. Please like and share  the video if you found the lesson useful.  

As always, thanks for watching and happy studies!  And to all celebrating, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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