'Green-Eyed Monsters' and Other Uses of 'Green'
2021-03-21
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1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
2Colors are often connected to the feelings we have.
3Many expressions in English link colors and emotions.
4Take for example, the color green.
5Green can be a symbol for many things.
6In other words, it can represent many different ideas, qualities, or objects in our lives.
7One of these is money.
8For example, a greenback is a common expression for a dollar bill...because it is green.
9Here is another example: green represents environmental causes.
10So, if a company goes green, they probably have changed to cleaner technology to produce their products.
11Green is also a sign of a beginner.
12If someone is green to a job or activity, they are new to it.
13So, for example, if I am green at cooking, I haven't been cooking for very long.
14So, I'm probably not very good at it.
15Just ask my family.
16Green can also mean other things -- bad things.
17Historians say long ago the Greeks connected a green color on the face with sickness.
18They might have thought the color came from an overproduction of bile in the body.
19Now, we say that if someone looks "green around the gills," they look sick or they could be sick at any moment.
20Gills of a fish are the organs it uses to breathe instead of lungs.
21In this expression, why we say "gills" is not exactly clear.
22But maybe it is used as a funny replacement for the word "mouth."
23For example, if your friend drinks too much alcohol at a party or eats too many sweet foods and does not feel well, you might say he looks green around the gills.
24People who get seasick might look green around the gills when they are sailing on rough waters in a boat.
25The Greeks also linked green to jealousy.
26Today, we use green to describe people who are very jealous or envious.
27One of the expressions is very simple: We say they are "green with envy."
28Let's say I really want something that you have - like a beautiful apartment.
29You could say that I am green with envy about your apartment.
30Envy usually has two parts.
31You feel unhappy over another person's luck, but you also want to have the same luck yourself.
32It does not feel good to be green with envy.
33In fact, feeling envious or jealous is unpleasant.
34But these feelings are natural.
35We all probably have felt these emotions at some point in our lives.
36But some people get so jealous of others that it begins to affect their lives.
37In that case we can say they are "consumed with envy" or "eaten up by jealousy."
38We can also say "the green-eyed monster" has a hold of them.
39The green-eyed monster is jealously imagined as a beast that attacks people.
40It takes over their minds and tries to destroy their lives.
41Now, let's hear two friends use some of these expressions.
42So, have you talked to Randy recently?
43Yes, I ran into him at a party last weekend and couldn't believe how different he seemed.
44Let me guess...ALL he talked about was the job he didn't get and the woman who did get it.
45Yes! How did you know?
46Oh, I've been hearing that story for months now.
47He claims this woman, Jessica, stole his idea and then got the job instead of him.
48Yep, that's the same story he told me...for 40 minutes!
49The green-eyed monster has really got a hold of him and will not let go.
50It's kind of sad.
51You're telling me!
52I told him that he really needs to get over it. How did you handle it at the party?
53I told him I had to use the bathroom and just never came back.
54Good move. Until he's no longer green with envy, it's probably better to avoid him.
55If someone happens to speak English a little better than you, don't turn green with envy.
56Just listen to more programs at VOA Learning English.
57That will help you a lot more than giving in to the green-eyed monster.
58And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories!
59Until next time...I'm Anna Matteo.
1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. 2Colors are often connected to the feelings we have. Many expressions in English link colors and emotions. Take for example, the color green. 3Green can be a symbol for many things. In other words, it can represent many different ideas, qualities, or objects in our lives. 4One of these is money. For example, a greenback is a common expression for a dollar bill...because it is green. 5Here is another example: green represents environmental causes. So, if a company goes green, they probably have changed to cleaner technology to produce their products. 6Green is also a sign of a beginner. If someone is green to a job or activity, they are new to it. So, for example, if I am green at cooking, I haven't been cooking for very long. So, I'm probably not very good at it. Just ask my family. 7Green can also mean other things -- bad things. 8Historians say long ago the Greeks connected a green color on the face with sickness. They might have thought the color came from an overproduction of bile in the body. 9Now, we say that if someone looks "green around the gills," they look sick or they could be sick at any moment. Gills of a fish are the organs it uses to breathe instead of lungs. In this expression, why we say "gills" is not exactly clear. But maybe it is used as a funny replacement for the word "mouth." 10For example, if your friend drinks too much alcohol at a party or eats too many sweet foods and does not feel well, you might say he looks green around the gills. People who get seasick might look green around the gills when they are sailing on rough waters in a boat. 11The Greeks also linked green to jealousy. Today, we use green to describe people who are very jealous or envious. One of the expressions is very simple: We say they are "green with envy." 12Let's say I really want something that you have - like a beautiful apartment. You could say that I am green with envy about your apartment. 13Envy usually has two parts. You feel unhappy over another person's luck, but you also want to have the same luck yourself. 14It does not feel good to be green with envy. In fact, feeling envious or jealous is unpleasant. But these feelings are natural. We all probably have felt these emotions at some point in our lives. 15But some people get so jealous of others that it begins to affect their lives. In that case we can say they are "consumed with envy" or "eaten up by jealousy." We can also say "the green-eyed monster" has a hold of them. 16The green-eyed monster is jealously imagined as a beast that attacks people. It takes over their minds and tries to destroy their lives. 17Now, let's hear two friends use some of these expressions. 18So, have you talked to Randy recently? 19Yes, I ran into him at a party last weekend and couldn't believe how different he seemed. 20Let me guess...ALL he talked about was the job he didn't get and the woman who did get it. 21Yes! How did you know? 22Oh, I've been hearing that story for months now. He claims this woman, Jessica, stole his idea and then got the job instead of him. 23Yep, that's the same story he told me...for 40 minutes! The green-eyed monster has really got a hold of him and will not let go. It's kind of sad. 24You're telling me! I told him that he really needs to get over it. How did you handle it at the party? 25I told him I had to use the bathroom and just never came back. 26Good move. Until he's no longer green with envy, it's probably better to avoid him. 27If someone happens to speak English a little better than you, don't turn green with envy. Just listen to more programs at VOA Learning English. That will help you a lot more than giving in to the green-eyed monster. 28And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories! 29Until next time...I'm Anna Matteo. 30Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 31_______________________________________________________________ 32Words in This Story 33bile -n. a yellow or green fluid made in the liver that helps the body digest fats 34jealous -adj. an unhappy or angry feeling of wanting something that someone else has; anger or worry that someone else will take what you have 35envious (envy) -adj. feeling or showing a desire to have something that another person has 36consumed -adj. to take all of a person's attention, energy, or time 37monster -n. a strange or horrible imaginary creature; something that cannot be controlled and that causes many problems 38Yep -informal response : yes 39handle -v to deal with or act on 40bathroom -n. a room where you can wash up, usually has a sink and toilet