Learning English from TV and movies

[lingua]

Hi,

I have been trying to improve my spoken English by watching TV and movies
but I am not able to understand many things. Unfortunately, we don't
have a close caption TV here. Even when I understand the words, I don't
understand the meaning perhaps because it is related to the local culture.

I try to watch the Jay Leno show whenever I can. I am not able to
understand all the jokes he tells, because they relate to current events
or news in the USA. However, I was suprised to watch on one show
that even some people in the USA did not know all the meanings.
In one segment, Jay Leno went around the town to ask people questions.
In this particular segment he asked people if they knew what some
words or phrases meant. Some people were able to answer his questions
but others were not. When he asked what is a "tramp stamp", one person
answered that it was the tattoo on the lower back. But when he asked
what is "going command", people were not able to answer. He asked if
Britney Spears rings any bell, but they could not answer. But when they
could not answer, Jay Leno did not tell what the answer was. There were more words that I did not understand but I am not able to remember them.

What is the meaning of going command? Why are the native speakers not able to answer the question?

May I use this thread to ask questions about the words used in TV and movies?

Thank you.

[seba_870701]

Why are the native speakers not able to answer the question?

I'm more than sure that there's no single man who knows all the vocabulary in a given language. According to some estimates about my language, there are ~500.000 lexical items in Polish. Yet, an average Pole knows ~150.000 words. And just a few thousnad are used in everyday conversations. I assume the same goes with English.
ps
Just try to think of all the technical, specialistic names of devices, illnesses, species of animals... no one can know all of them!

[Anglika]

Very often these TV shows deliberately look for words/phrases that are not commonly understood in order to make the show "more lively". I have no idea what "going command" can possibly mean without some kind of context.

Please start a new thread if you want to ask about other words.

[lingua]

Thank you.

[Mad-ox]

hi,

Here are some useful sites for listening:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/

http://www.world-english.org/listening_exercises.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/voices2005/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

They are very useful and they are addresed for every levels.

Madox

[Relaxor]

Hi,

I have been trying to improve my spoken English by watching TV and movies
but I am not able to understand many things. Unfortunately, we don't
have a close caption TV here. Even when I understand the words, I don't
understand the meaning perhaps because it is related to the local culture.

I try to watch the Jay Leno show whenever I can. I am not able to
understand all the jokes he tells, because they relate to current events
or news in the USA. However, I was suprised to watch on one show
that even some people in the USA did not know all the meanings.
In one segment, Jay Leno went around the town to ask people questions.
In this particular segment he asked people if they knew what some
words or phrases meant. Some people were able to answer his questions
but others were not. When he asked what is a "tramp stamp", one person
answered that it was the tattoo on the lower back. But when he asked
what is "going command", people were not able to answer. He asked if
Britney Spears rings any bell, but they could not answer. But when they
could not answer, Jay Leno did not tell what the answer was. There were more words that I did not understand but I am not able to remember them.

What is the meaning of going command? Why are the native speakers not able to answer the question?

May I use this thread to ask questions about the words used in TV and movies?

Thank you.

I have seen a similar segment, but not that particular segment that you spoke of. If my guess is correct, I think he said "going commando", which means not wearing any underwear under your pants. I don't know why he used Britney Spears as a reference. Perhaps she doesn't like to wear underwear??? don't really know....
Also, "going commando" is what we, here in the US, called a slang. Because of generations gap, slangs are often more familiarized with the younger crowds than older. Therefore, I'm not surprise that not everyone know the saying.

[Veron1]

hi,

Here are some useful sites for listening:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/

http://www.world-english.org/listening_exercises.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/voices2005/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

They are very useful and they are addresed for every levels.

Madox

Thanks

[Casiopea]

What is the meaning of going command? Why are the native speakers not able to answer the question?

Relaxor's got it.

Urban Dictionary

FOXNews.com - Will Britney Spears' Pantyless Antics Hurt Her Custody Case? - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment

[lingua]

Thank you Relaxor and Casiopea for the correct information. Relaxor, I am amazed you got it. I had not thought about slang being not understood by
people from other generations. Here too, the local newspaper publishes
the 'lingo' of the youngsters. It is kind of complicated because it is a mixture of English and local languages and the meaning is not readily apparent.
I had learned the phrase 'keyboard commando' (someone who grabs the keyboard because the other person is typing too slowly for his liking).

Also thanks to Mad Ox for so many links.