I have taught English as a foreign language for over twenty years. This has been both a secondary occupation and sometimes a first. In any event there are two teaching/learning opportunities I do not practice, which in fact weakens my effectiveness. I don't play games and I don't (often) listen to music. Thus, my efforts to help students learn are reduced, for both of these ways of learning a language are proven techniques.
Recently I asked a student who is passionate about music about the song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." He said, "Oh, we all know that. It is the first song I learned to play on the guitar." I then asked him what the song was about. He said he didn't know, but that it was something about being dead. I asked dead or dying. He didn't know. I repeated this exercise with other Italian students of English and then a few Czech students. (I travel in these two cultures.) The results were the same.
I puzzled over this situation and immediately saw the problem. Well, I say the problem; whereas, I should say one problem. The one problem is that the key words of badge and momma eluded immediate recognition. For the native speaker, I mean specifically the American English speaker or one who is familiar with the cultural contexts for some of that language. Here is the email conversation around this matter. It begins with my correspondent's question (>>) and my reply.
>>Badge – I wonder what it feels like for you as a native speaker when listening to this song. Do you get the connection between the badge and Slim's [Slim Pickins] job immediately?
Connection was immediate. The only people who wear badges in the public consciousness in the US are officials of the law. Of course, other people wear badges (e.g., military, scouts, etc.). But what the song-speaker's job is is obvious. The immediate association is marshal or sheriff in the Olde West. For fun look up the expression, "We don't need no stinkin' badges." Place this word with guns that are no longer needed--to bury them in the ground--well, that seals the deal. Context is the frontier and the law and outlaws and gun fights . . . and he is dying. He has been shot, probably.
>>Momma – how come it is used even for a wife? Sounds like mommy or red-hot momma or lady of the night to me.
I can't say exactly, but this native speaker immediately associates this expression with rural folks, maybe farmers or at least ordinary and traditional American family people, perhaps central and southern US. The father of the family and kids call the mother of the children momma (or moma, mama, etc.). Then there is also black English, Ebonics, where young dudes call their girlfriends momma. But this doesn't work with the Olde West context.
Now if you try to look this one up, you will have difficulty finding this usage. But if you go to say, Hays, Kansas and have "supper" (evening meal) with a family that has lived there for several generations, you might encounter this expression--used by the father to address his wife. I suspect this is regional American English, although this comes close (see http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mama).
Someone needs to write an article about this usage . . . long story short, you just have to know the language very, very well, or have met lots of different American English speakers.
The final illustration of these points came up in an email to the same correspondent.
Language and culture. Yes, we need to have cultural knowledge and locational usage conventions in order to understand something like this,
We got some John getting off a limo.
Dumped her in the Alphabets.
Why did he have to cut me so bad? - They get him? - No.
Be on the lookout for Vincent Van Gogh in a Zegna fuckin' suit.
But in terms of what a Central European needs who uses English as a second language for travel and just getting along in the world, the cultural baggage is generally not necessary. Thus, my argument again for not teaching idioms and the uses of the definite article (in hospital (B-EN) vs. in the hospital (A-EN)).
Now if one really wants to dive into sitcoms or read literature or talk with a people from a specific native speaking place, then there is an argument for learning more and more cultural stuff, as well as looking stuff up almost constantly.
Now, what was all that about John? You know your homework.
