BBC Learning English The English We Speak 19 January 2013 Every Tom Dick and Harry

Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: TDH: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Hello I'm Kaz. And I'm Yang Li. Hey Kaz I see you have brought some guests to the studio. Indeed I have. Li I'd like you to meet Tom Dick and Harry. How do you do? How do you do. It's always nice to meet new people Kaz, but I suspect these young men are here for a reason. Am I right? Yes Li I've invited them because their names are Tom, Dick and Harry. Tom, Dick and Harry. Three popular English names - connected to a popular phrase by any chance Kaz? Absolutely right Li. Our phrase today is 'every Tom, Dick and Harry'. 'Every Tom, Dick and Harry' meaning everyone with a common name I suppose. Yes, In English if you want to talk about lots of unspecified people you can use the phrase 'every Tom, Dick and Harry'. So it's like saying 'everyone', right? That's right but it's more informal and slightly humorous. OK, I think you should demonstrate its use Kaz. Good idea Li. Imagine I tell you something in confidence, in private I could ask you not to repeat it. Because we don't want everyone knowing about it. Exactly. We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing about it. We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing our secret Kaz. You've got it Li! Ok, let's listen to some more examples:

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Examples Shhhhh! Lower your voice! We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to hear us. Make sure you send out invitations, otherwise you'll have every Tom, Dick and Harry showing up at your party. Whatever you do, don't tell Doug. He can't keep a secret and soon every Tom, Dick and Harry will know about it. Yang Li: Those three names are interesting and each is a short form of a longer name. I know Tom is the diminutive of Thomas and Harry is short for Harold. But what's Dick short for? Dick is short for Richard. Ah yes, of course, Dick is short for Richard. So what's Kaz short for? We don't need to know that Li. Why not Kaz? Because we are very unlikely to ever say 'every Kaz, Dick and Harry'. Very funny Kaz but it's time to say goodbye to our guests 'Tom, Dick and Harry'. So, goodbye chaps! Goodbye! And it's goodbye from us. Bye!

Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: Kaz: Yang Li: TDH: Kaz: Kaz/Yang Li:

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