LESSON NOTES

Buzzwords S1 #1
What's the "Buzz" All About?

CONTENTS
2 Vocabulary
2 Sample Sentences
2 Vocabulary Phrase Usage
3 Grammar

# 1
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VOCABULARY

V oc abular y English C lass

installment part of a whole noun

buzzword a trendy word or phrase noun

phenomenon an unusual or striking event noun

a noteworthy happening or
event occurrence; a special social noun
function

trend current style or fashion noun

coming next; following adjective

feedback response noun

SAMPLE SENTENCES

I paid for my computer in monthly It seems as though new buzzwords are

installments. created everyday.

Have you ever seen a phenomenon like a He had to work so he couldn't attend the
tornado before? event.

The spring season is often filled with Trends come and go.
events like graduations and weddings.

We have a lot to do in the coming weeks. Please send us your feedback in an email.

VOCABULARY PHRASE USAGE

ENGLISHCLASS101.COM BUZZWORDS S1 #1 - WHAT'S THE "BUZZ" ALL ABOUT? 2

Short and sweet
We use this phrase to describe something that is brief and easy to understand or listen to.
These buzzword lessons will be short and sweet!

Oh, plenty!
Use "Oh, plenty!" to express a large number of items. For example, if you were in a friend's
home for a meal and he asks if you've had enough to eat, you could say, "Oh, yes—plenty!"

Get to the bottom of…

To "get to the bottom of" something means to get to the cause of that thing, or to have a
deeper understanding of that thing. For example, "I'm not sure I understand why she did this.
I'll have to call her and get to the bottom of it."

Drop a line…
To "drop" someone "a line" means to make contact with someone by letter, email, or
telephone. For example, "Drop me a line when you get to your hotel."

I'd/We'd love to...

Short for, "I/We would love to," use this phrase when you want to show your desire and
enthusiasm for doing something. We also commonly use it to accept an invitation to do
something. For example, if a friend asks you if you'd like to have dinner on Thursday, you
could respond, "I'd love to!"

GRAMMAR

The Focus of This Lesson is an Introduction to the Word, "Buzzwords."

The word, "buzzword" refers to any new word that is popularly used to describe a new
phenomenon, trend, or event. In our Buzzwords series, you'll learn some of the latest
buzzwords and phrases such as, "going green," "Crackberry," "social media,"
"microblogging," and others. Some say that people use buzzwords to cover up the true
meaning of their actions or intentions or to set themselves apart from others. Others say that
people use buzzwords, which are created quickly and with much humor, to express the
temporary nature or meaninglessness of whatever they describe; some short-lived buzzwords
fall apart as quickly as they are thrown together.

Why "buzz?" Some suggest that for those who haven't caught on to their meanings,
buzzwords are just noise, like buzzing, which is a low hum sometimes emitted by electronic
appliances or devices. Others suggest that "buzz" refers to the fact that things labeled with
buzzwords are what the general public seems to be talking about most. On its own, the word,
"buzz," means gossip or chatter.

English author George Orwell wrote that people use buzzwords simply because they are
convenient.

What do you think? Do you use any buzzwords? Why or why not?

ENGLISHCLASS101.COM BUZZWORDS S1 #1 - WHAT'S THE "BUZZ" ALL ABOUT? 3