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Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: a history of rebellion - Wednesday 12th March 2014

17/3/2014

Dear all
I hope you all enjoyed exploring Clerkenwell last week. The history you all researched was amazing so thank you for your hard work!

I really enjoyed spending the day with you and hope to see you all again soon.

Best Wishes
Gail

A slum (noun): An of a city where living conditions are extremely bad, and where the buildings are dirty and have not been repaired in a long time. E.g. We walked past a playground that had been a slum before the second world war.

Brand (adjective): Completely new. E.g. A brand new building. E.g. Do you like my new shoes? They’re brand new!

To find your feet (verb): To become confident and independent in a new situation. E.g. We talked about arriving in a new city and how long it can take to ‘find your feet’.

A playground (noun): An area of land where children can play. When it is within a school, we usually specify and say ‘the school playground.’

A daffodil (noun): A tall yellow flower that grows in the spring.

A tramp (noun): A person who has no home or job and who moves from place to place.

Homeless (adjective): Having no home.

The homeless (noun) (pl): People who have no home.

A rough sleeper (noun) A homeless person

To sleep rough (verb): To be a homeless person.

A down and out (noun): Someone who is homeless or has rejected standard living.

Money:

A note (noun) (or banknote): A piece of paper money

A coin (noun): A piece of money made of metal

Cash (noun): Money in the form of coins or notes (not bank cards, cheques etc). E.g. Would you prefer me to pay you in cash or by credit card?

Change (noun): The money that you get back if you pay more than the amount something costs. E.g. Have you got change for a £1-00 please?

Readies (noun) (informal/slang): money

Dosh (noun) (informal/slang): money

A gimmick (noun): An idea for attracting customers or persuading people to buy something. E.g. We talked about the restaurant where you have to eat in the dark and wondered if it was a gimmick. E.g. Often new magazines use free gifts to get people to buy them.

Pitch-black (adjective): Completely dark, with no light at all.

A steeple (noun): A tower on the roof of a church.

A vent (noun): an opening in the wall of a room or machine which allows air to come in – and smoke, steam or smells to go out. E.g. We was the black vents in the outside wall of the building that used to be printing works.

To ventilate (verb): To allow air to move freely in and out of a room or building.

Stained glass (noun): Pieces of coloured glass that are used in church windows. E.g. A stained-glass window (and we saw some beautiful ones in that crypt!

A convent (noun): A place where nuns (religious women) live together in a community.

A nunnery (noun): The same as a convent.

Different ways to describe the movement of a river:

A bend (noun): A bend in the river

To wind (verb): The river winds its way …

To meander (verb): The river meanders through the field.

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Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: a history of rebellion (23rd March 2013)

17/4/2013

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Hello everyone
I am sorry that it has taken me so long to do the vocabulary from our walk around Clerkenwell. I needed a break so I took two weeks off over Easter and I am only just catching up with everything! Thank you for your patience!

How the weather has changed since me met! It was snowing most of the day during the walk and we were wet and cold!

I look forward to seeing you all again soon
Best Wishes
Gail

To loose weight (verb + noun):

To gain weight (verb + noun):

I’ve put on weight / I’ve taken off weight

Different words to say (going to the) toilet:

to spend a penny

loo

toilet

bog

bathroom

powder room

ladies / gents

A slum (noun): An area that is very poor and overcrowded. The housing is extremely bad with damp, broken windows, doors and roofs. Often, many people share a room. Slums are usually smelly and dirty and very bad for people’s health.

To loot (verb): to steal goods from shops or other places. E.g. during the London riots last year, lots of people smashed shop windows and took the goods. They looted!

To slam (verb): to close a door very loudly and forcefully. E.g. after the argument, he left the room and slammed the door.

To beat (someone) up (phrasal verb): to assault, hurt and injure someone by kicking, hitting or punching them. E.g. she was beaten up by three lads on her way home from school.

drought (noun): a long period of no rainfall that leads to a shortage of water. We usually say that we’re ‘in drought’, or ‘there is a drought at the moment’.

To flood (verb): when water from a river or the sea covers an area completely so that the area is under water.

To broadcast (verb): to transmit a programme on the radio or television.

Subtitles (noun): the translation at the bottom of the screen on a film or television programme.

A series (noun): When we have a television programme or drama that has lots of episodes, followed by another and another – we call them ‘Series 1’, ‘Series 2’ etc. E.g. We talked about the French drama ‘Spiral’ (in French, ‘Engrenages’) and how the BBC has just finished showing Series 4. What a great series!!

To get hitched (phrasal verb – informal): ‘to get hitched’ means to get married! We saw a shop with lots of wedding stuff in it near St John’s gate. It was called ‘Hitched’.

To hitch up something (verb + object): E.g. sometimes school children try to make their skirts shorter. They ‘hitch up’ the skirt (usually by rolling the waistband)! E.g. If we are wearing a skirt/dress, and we have to run for the bus, we ‘hitch up’ our dress and run. We hold it up a little and run!

a crowd (noun): a large number of people gathered together. E.g. we talked about crowds of people at Spa Fields to debate Parliamentary Reforms.

Nibbles (noun) informal: small, savoury snacks often at parties e.g. crisps, sausage rolls etc.

I’m fed up to the teeth with (something) (expression) A common expression. E.g. I’m fed up to the back teeth with this weather! It was snowing the day we did this walk so we were all cold and fed up!

A blizzard (noun): a very severe snow storm with strong wind.

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New Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: A history of rebellion - Monday 18th June 2012

22/6/2012

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Dear all
Thank you for coming on the walk on Monday. I really enjoyed walking with you and sharing all the information that we had researched about Clerkenwell together.

Here is some of the vocabulary that we went over at the end. I hope it helps! If there are any words that I have missed, please do add them to the Blog.

I look forward to seeing you all again.
Best Wishes
Gail

Vocabulary Clerkenwell: A history of rebellion Walk – Monday 18 May 2012

Coal (noun): Coal is the black or very dark brown ‘rock’ that is found deep underground. Traditionally we have used it for fuel and to make fires. E.g. it was very cold so we lit a coal fire to keep ourselves warm.

A coal hole (noun): In the past, many houses had their coal (see above) delivered by a coalman who poured the coal into a hole outside their house. The coal went into the house’s cellar. Then the people in the house could collect the coal from their cellar. We saw some of these old coal holes on the pavement in Clerkenwell.

A rebellion (noun): When people do not agree with a government, a ruler or any other type of authority and refuse to obey, they might organise an action against them. This act (sometimes violent) against a government or a ruler, is called a rebellion.

To rebel (verb): When a person or people rise up against a government or ruler, often by using arms. E.g. On June 12th 1381, the peasants from Kent and Essex marched on London. They were rebelling against the unfair Poll Tax that required the same amount to be paid by the peasants as the very wealthy.

A rebel (noun): A person who rises up against a government, ruler or other type of authority, often as armed resistance. E.g. In 1381 the rebels marched on London. They broke open prisons, killed several lawyers in the Temple and destroyed the Strand Palace, the home of John of Gaunt who had created the Poll Tax.

Scaffolding (noun): This is a temporary structure that is outside of a building so that workers can either paint the building or repair it. It is usually made with metal poles and wooden planks.

A scaffold (noun): This is a wooden structure that was built to hang prisoners from. The scaffold was high so each prisoner had to climb steps onto it. Then they were hung.

A scaffolder (noun): A person who puts the scaffolding up outside a building.

To hang (someone) (verb): In the past prisoners were killed by hanging them. Note: we changed the spelling for the past participle when we talk about a person being ‘hanged’. If we hang a picture on the wall, we say ‘I hung the picture on the wall’. If we kill a person, we say ‘he was hanged’. We never say: ‘that picture was hanged’!

A noose (noun): This is the loop in the rope that is used when a person is hanged. It is the loop that the person’s head goes through before it is tightened around their neck.

A knot (noun): When two ends of string, rope, cotton (e.g. for sewing) are tied together, they make a knot.

A hangman’s knot (noun): A special knot that the hangman (the person who was in charge of the hangings) made in the rope that the prisoner was hanged from.

A circus (noun): A company of trained animals, clowns, acrobats who travel from one town to another to perform to the local communities.

A zoo (noun): A place where wild animals are kept – usually in cages or closed in areas. Often in a large area in a park so that the public can come to look at the animals.

Joseph Grimaldi (a person so a proper noun): Grimaldi was born in Clerkenwell in 1778. He was the person who created the image of a clown as we know it today – the big painted smile, the costume, the sadness behind the smile and audience participation.

Pitch-black (adjective): Very dark black or coal black (see above for ‘coal’). E.g. It was pitch-black in there. I couldn’t see a thing!

Blackout (noun): During the Second World War, people had to turn all their lights off and cover their windows with dark curtains during an air raid. Because everything was black, it’s called a ‘blackout’.

A cell (noun): a) When someone is in prison, they are locked up in a small room. This is called ‘a cell’.

b) When a scientist looks through a microscope at an object, they can see all the tiniest of parts that make up the object. These are called ‘cells’. [I’m not a scientist and can’t explain this one very well!!!]

A prison (noun): The building where people are held because they have committeed a crime.

A jail (noun): The same as prison

Gaol (noun): An old English word for prison. We don’t use this in our speech anymore, but you may see it written down if you visit museums or read certain books.

To participate (verb): When we become involved and actively take part in something, we participate. Joseph Grimaldi (see above) was the first clown to get the audience to participate. E.g. Members of the audience had to get up and hold objects for him or help to pour water from a bucket etc. E.g. On the walk through Clerkenwell last Monday, you participated by sharing the history that you had researched with the group.

First Aid (noun): When someone is sick or injured and someone rushes to them to help them, it is called ‘first aid’. For example, someone might help a person to breath or wrap something around a cut to stop the bleeding. They do this until full medical treatment is available (often, until an ambulance arrives).

Outrageous (adjective): When something is very bad or excessive. E.g. I think that the price of public transport in the UK is outrageous! E.g. I’m outraged at the cost of transport in London!

An outrage (noun): A very strong angry reaction to something. E.g. it is an outrage that the train companies charge us so much for a ticket!

A tower (noun): A tall, narrow building that either stands alone or on top of a building. E.g. We looked a tower on the Italian-style church in Exmouth Market.

A steeple (noun): This is the ‘tower’ on top of a church. Usually, in England our steeples are pointed in a triangle shape.

A playground (noun): This is an outdoor area provided for children to play. When there is a playground in a park or in a local neighbourhood, there are usually swings, slides and other structures for children to play on. In playgrounds in schools, they are often just concrete ground surrounded by the school and other buildings.

A slum (noun): An area that is very poor and overcrowded. The housing is extremely bad with damp, broken windows, doors and roofs. Often, many people share a room. Slums are usually smelly and dirty and very bad for people’s health.

A stretcher (noun): When someone is very ill or hurt and cannot get themselves to hospital, they are carried on a stretcher into the ambulance. It has two poles and a long piece of strong fabric (usually canvas) that holds the two poles together.

Ways of saying things in English:

What does that mean? What does slum mean?
What do you mean by ... ? What do you mean by slum? What do you mean by that?

2 ½ years: we say ‘two and a half years’ but it sounds like ‘two anna half years’!

4 oz (in weight) = four ounces (28grams)
1 lb (in weight) = one pound (pound in weight, not money) (roughly 1 ½ kilo)
Pounds and ounces – you will often see this in markets though officially, we use the metric system!

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New Vocabulary from Clerkenwell Walk, Saturday 05 May 2012

7/5/2012

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Hello to all of you who came on the English Conversation Walk on Saturday in Clerkenwell. I really enjoyed spending the day with all of you. Thank you to all of you for participating throughout the walk with the history, the vocabulary and asking so many useful questions.

Here are some of the new words that we used on Saturday and went over again in the cafe at the end. Of course, I cannot include every new word that we looked at, but if there is something that you would like to have included here, please add it yourself.

Words relating to buildings:
slum (noun). A very run-down area where very poor people live. Often two or three families live in the same room.

a slum dweller – the person who lives in a slum

e.g. this is a slum area

to slum it (phrasal verb). When a person lives in a place that is not as good as the one they have had in the past.

to demolish (verb used with an object). To destroy or ruin a building or other type of structure. Often done deliberately.

e.g. the fire demolished the street.

We also use ‘to demolish’ informally. E.g. If we are very hungry and eat our dinner very quickly, we might say ‘I demolished that lot quickly!’ or ‘he demolished his meal in no time!’ or ‘she demolished that chocolate bar!.’

demolition (noun). The act of demolishing something. E.g. Demolition work began on the old office building this morning.

dilapidated (adjective). When something (usually a building or similar structure) has been left to fall to pieces. When it has become ruined and decayed.

Words relating to demonstrations, rebellions and riots:
riot (a noun: A noisy, often violent public disorder caused by a group of people or a crowd protesting against something such as government policy.

to riot (verb). To take part in a riot. E.g. they rioted in Clerkenwell last week.

Other uses:

a riot of colour (idiom): Something that is extremely colourful and bright, e.g. ‘her garen was a riot of colour last spring’.

to have a riot (phrasal verb). To have a lot of fun.

rebellion (noun). Organised action against a government or ruler. This can include armed resistance.

to rebel (verb). To reject and resist the government or ruler. To rise up in arms (when the people are angry and start to take action).

e.g. the people rebelled

to demonstrate (verb). To take part in an action against something such as a government e.g. they demonstrated against the war in London today.

to clash (verb). When two groups of people who disagree come together, often violently. E.g. the demonstrators clashed with the police.

to loot (verb). To steal goods, usually during a riot or war. E.g. the rioters were looting the shops all night.

e.g. He was a looter during the riots in London last August.

a wage freeze (noun). When a company or government fixes the amount paid to workers and will not allow any increases. E.g. The government imposed a two-year wage freeze on a million teachers.

a pickpocket (noun). A person who steals money, wallets or anything else from the pockets of people in the street or other crowded places.

to pickpocket (verb). To steal money, wallets or other items from someone’s pockets. You may have heard this in London sometimes: Beware of pickpockets!

decapitated!! Ha ha, I’m sure you’ll remember this one!

to decapitate (verb). To cut off a person’s head.

Words relating to tourists:

(to be) off the tourist path. An expression we use to describe an area that tourists don’t usually go to.

touristy (adjective). E.g. It’s too touristy in Oxford Street. Let’s go somewhere off the tourist path.

Other words that we used on the walk:

Lilac Tree (noun). A shrub or tree with large, fragrant purple or white flowers.

a bluebell (noun). A type of flower with blue, bell-shaped flowers. It is common in England.

livestock (noun used with singular or plural verb). E.g. the horses, cattle, sheep etc. Animals we find on farms, in the countryside and in live aninal meat markets.

Words relating to water (excluding those on the English Worksheet):
a puddle (noun) A small pool of water, often made by rainwater.

Now it's your turn! Please add any new words that we used on Saturday that are not included here! Or, if you have any questions, we will do our best to answer them ...

Best Wishes
Gail

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Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: a history of rebellion - Wednesday 12th March 2014

Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: a history of rebellion (23rd March 2013)

New Vocabulary: Clerkenwell: A history of rebellion - Monday 18th June 2012

New Vocabulary from Clerkenwell Walk, Saturday 05 May 2012

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