Subtitles section Play video
-
Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Noun Phrase 19.
-
The noun phrase today is sob story.
-
Okay.
-
Let's take a look at the note.
-
A sob story is a very sad story, especially about one's personal difficulties, usually
-
told to someone in order to get sympathy.
-
Yeah.
-
There could be many reasons why they want sympathy.
-
Sometimes it is to borrow money, Sometimes it is because they are not paying money that
-
they are supposed to be paying.
-
Sometimes it could just be used for an excuse why they didn't get something done or sometimes
-
it could be that maybe they want a personal favor from somebody.
-
But whatever it is , it is a sob story.
-
And we usually use it, especially when a person has been using sob stories a lot.
-
You know, it is more believable if it is the first time you ever heard it from them.
-
But if they for , you know, almost no excuse seem to come up with some sob story for something.
-
Then you start to question it.
-
Then that is when you start to use the term.
-
So let's continue.
-
Let's look at some examples here.
-
Every time my co-worker wants to borrow money, she gives me another sob story.
-
Okay.
-
That is a perfect example because we often use it about borrowing money.
-
Let's look at number two.
-
Jane's tenant give her a sob story about why she hasn't paid her rent for several months.
-
All right.
-
Another good example about why you didn't pay money.
-
All right.
-
And remember of course the whole idea of a sob story comes from of course, sob by itself
-
means to cry . So we say to cry noisily while taking short breaths.
-
Yeah.
-
It is often the type of crying that maybe some children will do.
-
(sobbing sounds )You know if you have ever seen a child that sometimes can cry for long
-
periods like I don't know.
-
Maybe 20 minutes , 30 minutes, an hour . Where you know they keep taking short breaths in
-
between (more sobbing sounds) So that is what sobbing really is.
-
But we just use the term sob story.
-
Anyway, I hope you got it.
-
I hope it is clear.
-
Thank you for your time.
-
Bye-bye.