In today’s ESL Podcast 338 – Refusing an Invitation, we talked about finding an excuse for not attending a party.
Sometimes, though, we decide to accept rather than refuse an invitation. In the Culture Note of the Learning Guide, we talk about different types of people who attend parties. We know that Dr. Jeff McQuillan would always be the life of the party (an amusing person who is the center of attention at a social gathering), but which are you?
Are you normally the: VIP, life of the party, party crasher, party-pooper, or wallflower?
~ Lucy
What is the meaning of these words: party crasher, party-pooper, or wallflower?
[Please see the Culture Note of the Learning Guide for Podcast 338. –ESL Podcast Team]
Hello Vittorio,
A party crasher is a guy that invites himself in a party he isnt even invited to. They usually screw up the whole party. Without party crashers, parties wouldnt be fun anymore.
Take care
Ed.
I love “The Party” of Blake Edwards, with Peter Sellers doing one of his best works. But for me a “party” is one of the strange custom of english people life that I do not understand at all, may be because usually spanish didn’t do it in social life.
When I was very, very young, (many years ago) we used to go to a friend’s house to dance, if the parents were out, and it was because we have not money to go other places.
We carried the pick up, records, food and some drinks, and we have a lot of fun. In those “guateques” (party) I was never a wallflower as I liked to dance quite a lot.
But now when I see so many adults doing silly things in a party at a movie, they seems to me as teenagers out of time.
I really do not understand that way of having a good time with people that very oftem you do not know at all.
¿Possibly we spanish are the odd people to english social life?……..sure.
P.D. I do not see Jeff McQuillan as the life of the party, I see him as the life of the E.S.L. world wide, but it is possible that with so big family he is a king between his
nephews. Sure he is in that family occasions quite differents to an usual party that we see in the movies.
Looking back on my childhood, I always was a wallflower, because when I was at these parties, there were usually lots of people I didn’t know very well.
Now, I like to organize parties myself and I really enjoy spending great time with my friends. We don’t usually invite people who don’t know us very well. You know, they may not like being with people they don’t know very well, and won’t enjoy this party very much. So, the idea is to spend time with your closest friends. Big parties are not usually for everyone, that’s why there are some people who may become a party-pooper ar a wallflower at that parties…
Dear ESL Podcast Team,
Sorry for posting here in comments, but I really want to express all my thanks for creating such a very useful thing as “Cultural Notes” in your learning guides.
I subscribed to your learning guides not because I’m experiencing any difficulties with understanding English, contrary I don’t since I’ve already been living in Canada for almost 2 years and I don’t have any troubles with that.. To me, the most useful information is that I’m getting from ?ultural notes. I got to know many different aspects of American life and life on the North American continent in general. I helps me to adapt to living here more easily. And the second reason, of course, I want to support you a little with my modest monthly ten dollars.
I like the USA and Canada very much; cultural notes help me understand a local life more easy. I heartily believe that you continue familiarize us more and more with your culture.
Sincerely,
Oleg
Party sometimes is good for rebuild our relationship and friendship. I love party where we can share our life, experience, job, knowledge, and interested things. Getting know each other better! Fun! Don’t you think?
Henry Luong
Edgewater, NJ