LANGUAGE

language acquisition / development / processing / proficiency / skills / usage

abusive / chatty / colloquial / bad /
foul /strong / vulgar language
I enrolled in a language school.
The language barrier difficulties did
not hinder their romance.
get your message across to manage to
make someone understand or believe something
Make your point! Give your opinion clearly
Can I just butt in? interrupt a conversation
or discussion or someone who is talking
be tongue-tied unable to speak because you are nervous
to get a word in edgeways unable to have a chance to speak because someone else is speaking.

Hes a terrible gossip and hes always spreading rumours about everyone in the office.
Hes not very articulate. I mean, he seems to find it quite a struggle to express himself.
Hes never less than 100% honest. He certainly doesnt mince his words say what you mean
clearly and directly, even if you upset people by doing this. He can be very blunt saying what you think
without trying to be polite or considering other people's feelings sometimes.
Hes always twisting change information so that it gives the message you want it to give, especially in a
way that is dishonest what I say and trying to put words into my mouth.

THE MEDIA
[S + singular or plural verb] newspapers, magazines, radio and television considered as a group

the Fourth Estate = the mass media = the media

the local / national media media attention / coverage / hype / reports
media event event or activity planned to attract the attention of the media
profile the amount of public attention and notice that something receives

the Beeb (UK INFORMAL FOR the BBC) boob tube (US INFORMAL FOR
television)
the box UK INFORMAL television telly UK INFORMAL FOR television
the small screen television, especially when compared with cinema

aerial bandwidth canned laughter

channel-hopping zapping
compere a person whose job is to introduce performers in a television, radio or
stage show

flat screen plasma screen high definition television

footage secuencias filmadas

British channels: ITV, MTV, MW,

1
American Channels: CBS, CNN,
NBC, PBS
shopping channel
newscast, newscaster, newsflash,
news-reader, newsroom, newsy
out-take tomas falsas
pay channel pay-per-view
presenter, sportscast, sportscaster
prime time
slow motion
square-eyed
tune, tuner
voice-over on a television programme or film, the spoken words of a person that you cannot see
vox pop [U] the opinions of people recorded talking informally in public places [C] a broadcast for radio
or television in which people going past in a public place are asked their opinion on a particular subject

weather forecaster, weathergirl, weatherman

zap [ I usually + adverb or preposition ] MAINLY US INFORMAL to use an electronic device to change television
channels quickly, sometimes to avoid watching advertisements

instant replay
antenna, aerial
CCTV closed-circuit television
call-in n, phone-in
weather girl, weather man,
tune in TV/RADIO sintonizar
be on/off (the) air
car-crash TV/telly INFORMAL television programmes about real people that are shocking or
embarrassing but very interesting to watch

be in the news
Over and out cambio y corto
pirate radio station
ratings audiencia
the watershed in Britain, the time in the evening, usually 9 p.m.,
when television programmes which are not suitable for children may start to be shown

INFORMATION (Info)
additional / background / fresh / full / further / new information
basic / general /practical / sensitive /up-to-date information
accurate / detailed / factual / precise information
relevant / useful / valuable / vital information
classified / confidential / inside / public / secret information
(the) information available
financial / genetic / medical / personal / technical information
find / gather / get / glean / have / obtain / receive / seek information
convey / disseminate / distribute / divulge / exchange / give / impart / pass on /
provide / share information

2
access / download / retrieve / save / store / transmit information
need / require information
factoid interesting piece of information
crib sheet ( US crib notes ) INFORMAL a piece of paper that contains notes or
information, used for cheating during an examination
flier ( US USUALLY flyer ) a small piece of paper with information on it about a
product or event
double entendre a word or phrase that might be understood in two ways,
one of which is usually sexual

o I don't need all the details - just give me the bare bones. the most important facts about
something, which provide a structure to which more detail might be added later
o The palace have issued a communiqu denying the rumour. an official piece of news or an
announcement, especially to the public or newspapers
o Today's newspaper contains a searing expos of police corruption. a public report of the
facts about a situation, especially one that is shocking or has been kept secret
o A set of factsheets accompanies the TV series. written document containing information for the
public
o The police have opened a file on local burglaries. written records that are kept about a
particular person or subject
o I got a lovely long newsy letter from Bec. INFORMAL containing a lot of news that is personal or
not very serious
o I heard an interesting snippet on the radio this morning. a small and often interesting piece of
news, information or conversation
o I've got a hot tip for you (= I can tell you about a particular likely winner of a race or competition, or
give you a valuable piece of information).
o Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested the drug dealers. a secret warning or piece of secret
information
o This magazine is full of juicy titbits (= small pieces of interesting information, especially about
other people's private lives) .
o We are getting some facts
and figures together and we
will then have a full board
meeting. exact detailed
information
o Come on, I want to know all
the gory details about your
date with Jon. the interesting and
usually personal bits of information
about a person or event
o When it came to the nuts
and bolts of running a
business, he was clearly
unable to cope. the practical
facts about a particular thing, rather
than theoretical ideas about it