日米会話学院 Podcasting

2006.09.22

036_Prying_Questions

Emi talks to Brian David Thomas of the United Kingdom about the word "pry" and how it is used to preface a personal question or to apologize.

Kevin:

Hello everyone and welcome to Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great way to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones. And again with us here today is Nichibei student Emi. Hello Emi.

Emi:

Hello Kevin.

Kevin:

And also with us today is Nichibei instructor, David Brian Thomas. How are you today David ?

David Brian Thomas:

Very well, thank you.

Kevin:

So Emi, why don't you explain your question to us.

Emi:

OK. So a couple of days ago, I was talking with my friend in the United States about my upcoming trip to San Francisco, and she knows I don't have any money so she asked me who's paying for my trip. She asked me like this, she said, 'I don't mean to pry, but who's paying for your trip?'. So this was the first time for me to hear this phrase. So I guess my question is, what does pry mean and how is it used.

Kevin:

Good question Emi, and an excellent question for our expert this episode, David Brian Thomas. What can you tell us about this David?

David Brian Thomas:

Well let's start with the word PRY. That's spelled P-R-Y. Pry is a verb which means to inquire or ask, too closely into a person's private life. If you ask about the details of someone's love life, ....or money situation..... or health situation......They may feel that you are prying into their personal life. If they get mad at you for asking personal questions they may they may shout, 'I'm sick of you prying into my personal life!'

Emi:

So is the verb PRY the same as the adjective nosy? Could she have said,'I don't mean to be nosy, but who's paying for your trip?'

David Brian Thomas:

Yes, that's right. To be nosy, N-O-S-Y , or ....to stick your nose into someone's personal business, ....has the same meaning as PRY.

Emi:

So my friend was saying she was sorry if she was asking a personal question!

David Brian Thomas:

Right again. She was prefacing the question.

Emi:

Prefacing?

David Brian Thomas:

To preface something simply means to say something before something else. .....So by prefacing the question with "I don't mean to pry', your friend was being polite.

Emi:

Is there another way to use pry?

David Brian Thomas:

Yes,.... you can use it in the past tense to apologize if someone gets mad at you for asking a personal question. Kevin!

Kevin:

Yes?

David Brian Thomas:

I'll ask you a personal question and you get mad at me.

Kevin:

Alright.

David Brian Thomas:

So Kevin, do you have any plans to have a baby?

Kevin:

Why are you so nosy. Mind your own business!

David Brian Thomas:

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry." now you give it a try Emi.

Emi:

You mean, ask you a personal question?

David Brian Thomas:

Right.

Emi:

OK. So, what do you and your wife usually do on the weekends?

David Brian Thomas:

I'd rather not discuss my personal life.

Emi:

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

David Brian Thomas:

Good job Emi. Now you can use PRY to preface a question, to make it softer and more polite, or to apologize to someone who's angry you asked a personal question.

Emi:

OK thanks. I think I've got it.

David Brian Thomas:

I'm happy to help.

Kevin:

Oh Emi,

Emi:

Yes?

Kevin:

So who is paying for your trip to San Francisco?

Emi:

Kevin! don't be so nosy!

Kevin:

Sorry, I didn't mean to pry.

Emi:

Oh It's OK.

Kevin:

Now let's review some of the words and phrases used in this episode.
to PRY
I don't mean to pry but what is your monthly salary?
Excuse me. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to pry.
To preface. To preface a question.
Nosy. My sister is so nosy! She's always sticking her nose in my business.

END

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