AEE 2429: Don't Be a Snob When it Comes to English

Summary

All Ears English Podcast – Episode 2429: "Don't Be a Snob When it Comes to English"

Release Date: June 19, 2025
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan

---

Introduction to the Episode

In Episode 2429 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the concept of being a "snob" in various contexts, particularly focusing on its relevance in English language learning and social interactions. The discussion emphasizes fostering connections over striving for perfection in language use, aligning with the podcast's overarching theme of "Connection NOT Perfection."

---

Defining "Snob"

[02:15 - 04:07]

Lindsay and Michelle begin by exploring the general meaning of the term "snob." Lindsay shares her personal experience with a friend who exhibited snobbish behavior, describing her as "kind of snobby at times or kind of bossy" ([02:15]). Michelle concurs, acknowledging that most people encounter snobs in school environments and beyond ([02:47]).

Lindsay summarizes the negative connotation of being a snob, explaining that it typically refers to someone who believes they are superior to others, often manifesting in dismissive attitudes toward others' choices ([04:07]). Michelle adds that while snobbish behavior is generally perceived negatively, it's essential to recognize underlying factors, such as insecurity, that might drive such behavior ([04:43]).

Notable Quote:

"It's someone generally who's not very nice, and that's usually because he or she believes they're better than other people." – Lindsay McMahon ([04:07])

---

Personal Anecdotes and Examples

[04:07 - 09:36]

The hosts share anecdotes from their personal lives to illustrate snobbish behavior. Lindsay recalls dealing with snobby individuals during her school years, particularly highlighting "popular girls in high school" ([06:28]). Michelle shares a humorous moment where she was perceived as a snob despite simply not hearing a comment, illustrating how misunderstandings can lead to unfair labeling ([06:36 - 06:46]).

Transitioning to light-hearted examples, Lindsay and Michelle discuss the difference between being a "snob" and specific types like a "coffee snob" or "wine snob." They explore how these labels can be both positive and negative depending on context. For instance, being a wine snob might simply indicate a refined taste without the negative connotation of looking down on others ([07:12]).

Notable Quote:

"Somebody can seem like a snob, but not actually be a snobbery." – Michelle Kaplan ([04:43])

---

Exploring Different Types of Snobs

[09:36 - 15:31]

Lindsay and Michelle expand the discussion to various "snob" categories, such as:

• City Snob: Someone who prefers urban environments over suburbs, which Michelle humorously identifies with herself ([12:35]).
• Movie Snob: Individuals with high standards for films, often deeply critical of mainstream choices ([12:46]).
• Beer Snob: Lindsay admits to being selective about craft beers, particularly favoring dark varieties ([13:27 - 13:53]).
• Music Snob: People who pride themselves on having discerning taste in music genres ([14:09 - 14:22]).

The hosts emphasize that being a snob in these contexts is not inherently negative. It often reflects a deep passion and specialized knowledge in a particular area. The key distinction lies in how one interacts with others—whether they judge or belittle differing tastes or simply share their enthusiasm without arrogance.

Notable Quote:

"Most of our listeners are snob about something, but again, the good kind of snob. Right? Something that you really nerd out on that you really love." – Lindsay McMahon ([15:16])

---

Impact of Snobbish Behavior on Connections

[15:31 - 18:23]

The conversation shifts to the impact of snobbish behavior on social connections. Lindsay and Michelle discuss how self-identifying as a snob can either hinder or enhance relationships. For example, openly admitting to being a "wine snob" can signal shared interests and foster connections with like-minded individuals ([18:08]).

They also highlight the importance of context when using the term "snob." Describing oneself as a snob in a self-deprecating manner can make interactions more relatable and genuine, whereas labeling others as snobs without understanding can create unnecessary friction and misunderstandings.

Notable Quote:

"If you're saying it, you're probably already connecting with someone." – Lindsay McMahon ([12:35])

---

Role Play: Navigating Snobbish Conversations

[16:19 - 17:58]

To illustrate practical applications, Lindsay and Michelle engage in a role play scenario set on a cruise during a wine tasting event. They demonstrate how snobbish remarks can dampen the experience and hinder connection. For instance, Michelle's comment, "I'm just a wine snob, so I have very high expectations," coupled with Lindsay's response, "Oh, boy, Michelle," showcases how such statements can create an awkward atmosphere ([16:32 - 16:45]).

Through this exercise, the hosts underscore the importance of mindful communication to avoid coming across as overly critical or dismissive, thereby maintaining positive and engaging interactions.

Notable Quote:

"You have to be careful of that. Right?" – Lindsay McMahon ([16:55])

---

Key Takeaways and Conclusions

[18:23 - 19:14]

Wrapping up the episode, Lindsay and Michelle summarize the nuanced nature of being a snob. They reiterate that having specialized interests and refined tastes is perfectly acceptable and can even enhance social connections when approached thoughtfully. The distinction lies in avoiding judgmental attitudes and fostering acceptance of diverse preferences.

They encourage listeners to embrace their unique interests without fear of being labeled negatively, promoting the podcast's core message of prioritizing connection over linguistic perfection.

Notable Quote:

"It really depends on the context if it's kind of a negative thing or not." – Michelle Kaplan ([18:47])

---

Conclusion

Episode 2429 of the All Ears English Podcast provides insightful discussions on the concept of snobbery, its various manifestations, and its impact on social interactions. By blending personal anecdotes with practical examples, Lindsay and Michelle offer listeners a balanced perspective on embracing their passions while maintaining genuine connections with others. The episode reinforces the podcasters' commitment to teaching modern, conversational American English centered around authentic human connections.

---

Remember to follow the All Ears English Podcast for more engaging episodes that prioritize connection over perfection in your language learning journey!

Transcript

[A]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 2429 don't be a snob when it comes to English. Welcome to the All Ears English podcast. Downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection with your American hosts, Lynn Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. To get real time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the Allears English app for iOS and Android. Start your seven day free trial at allearsenglish.com forward/app.

[B]

Do you know anyone who is a snob today? Find out what this word means and when it can be used in a harmful or harmless way so that you can express your interests and bring more connection into your life. When you speak English, do people ask what a lot? Or maybe they tell you have great English but you don't feel like you do. Break free from awkward conversations and shake off that feeling of almost fluent by taking our free two minute quiz. Get your personalized results immediately. Check it out. Allearsenglish.com fluency score. That's allearsenglish.com fluency Score.

[A]

Hey there, Michelle. How are you today?

[B]

Hey, Lindsay. I'm good. How are you?

[A]

Good. Glad to be back. Glad to be back. All good. Michelle, what are we talking about today on the show?

[B]

Well, I want to know, Lindsay, did you know anyone who was a snob when you were growing up?

[A]

I did, actually. I had a friend. She, I, she was a, like a, I guess, kind of a frenemy, a little bit a friend of me who lived right down the street. We were friends, but I also felt like she was kind of snobby at times or kind of bossy sometimes, which are two different words. They mean two different things. But yeah, I would say I felt that she was a little bit of a snob. What about you, Michelle? Did you know anyone?

[B]

Of course. Yeah. No, there were, there were a few of them.

[A]

Oh, no, no.

[B]

But not, not too bad. Not too bad. But yeah, definitely in school, I think, I think everybody knows people who are snobby.

[A]

Yeah, this, this is rampant. And this is, this will be an interesting episode today because it's something that goes across cultures, right? It goes across the world. It's a personality characteristic. So we're going to get into it today. But this came from a YouTube question, right?

[B]

So the question was from Ardalan BookArt24 and it just says, can you talk about the exact meaning of snob and Coffee snob? Thank you so much. That's. Yeah. This is gonna be fun. So this is a great question. So coffee snob was discussed on episode 2391, which was how to connect over coffee habits in English.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

So, yeah, definitely listen to that one to hear more about coffee.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So we're not going so much into Coffee Snob. So very. They're. They're. They're different. Right. Coffee Snob and snob are very different.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Interesting. Yes. So that's what we're going to talk about. So they're. They're not the same thing to say. You're a. Something snob or just a snob. Right. So let's just start with regular old snob.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

So this is a pretty negative word, right?

[A]

I would say so. I mean, it's someone generally who's not very nice, and that's usually because he or she believes they're better than other people. Right. And it's so funny because it's something we recognize very young as kids, and then we. We are aware it throughout life. Right. When we meet people, they give off this air of thinking they're amazing, they're too good for certain things. And it might be if they have money, they might have that attitude, but not necessarily. There are people who have money that are very humble. Right, True. Or because they're insecure themselves sometimes.

[B]

Right, Right. Yeah, that's true. It can. Somebody can seem like a snob, but not actually be a snobbery. Exactly. So we always want to make sure that we kind of give people the benefit of the doubt until we experience, like, don't judge it based on what they look like, because sometimes people. Lindsay, you were just saying somebody might be shy. Somebody might. There might actually be something else going on.

[A]

Totally. Totally. All right, what else do we need to know here, Rochelle?

[B]

All right. Well, but some. How does somebody show they're a snob? I mean.

[A]

Well, I guess some things you might do is you might criticize others taste. Right. Like, talk down about what they've chosen. If. I don't know, maybe. Well, I don't want to go to the Coffee Snob to confuse it. But what would be an example of that?

[B]

I don't know. Clothes. Like, clothes.

[A]

Sure, sure.

[B]

Criticize what somebody's wearing. Or they, you know, I mean. Or again, I don't want to say. Some people might have this look that they don't like things. Right. So they. They might just give off this look like when they see somebody come in, their face kind of changes and. Yeah, but you know, again, we don' really by a look completely. But they talk down to others. Right? That could be a snob.

[A]

They talk down to others. They just have a vibe that somehow manipulatively can put people, make people feel bad about themselves a little bit if, if you let them. But you don't have to let them. Right, of course. Let's give other examples, Michelle, of how this is used. So this comes up a lot in school when we're kids, right? Teenagers even, or even younger. I remember the popular girls in high school. They were much snobs and I do remember that.

[B]

Me too. Or you could say I didn't hear what Angela said and I thought she, I thought I was being a snob.

[A]

Oh, I, I think she thought.

[B]

Sorry, I meant I didn't hear what Angela said and I think she thought I was being a snob, but I just didn't hear her.

[A]

Oh yeah, that's too bad. You don't want to go through like years and years of an acquaintance thinking they're snobby, but they're actually just not hearing what you're saying or just, I don't know, they're just in another world in their. Right. That can very well happen and you miss out on a potential friendship.

[B]

True. But you can also use the word snobby. Right. So snob or snobby. So you could say don't be snobby or don't be a snob. That means the same thing.

[A]

Yep, exactly. Exactly. Okay, now let's flip over to coffee snob, Michelle, because it's pretty different. Is that so negative? Like if we go out for coffee and we're ordering and I order a pour over and you say, oh, what's that all about? A pore over and you say. I say, oh, I'm kind of a coffee snob. Don't worry about it. It's, you know, is that okay or is that also negative?

[B]

I think it really depends on how you use it. I think generally speaking it's not right. I think it's okay. It just means that you have a certain special taste in something but you could use it in a self deprecating way or someone could use it in a negative way. It just, it just depends on the context. Right. If I like let's say you're a, you're a coffee snap. Well, let's say you're a wine snob. Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I say, oh, I'm Gonna invite Lindsay over for, you know, my wine tasting at my house, But I don't know, she's a wine snob, so maybe it's not going to be good enough for her.

[A]

Right, right, right, right, right. Yeah. So that, yeah. So I, I think in general, our culture applauds when people have unique interests and things. Right. When you know some, you love something so much that you know everything about it. But the difference is, do you kind of like judge other people's choices based on what you know or. Or have learned?

[B]

Right. That's the key. Or if, or like. Or if, let's say you're at someone's house and you're a wine snob and they serve it and. Yeah, you know, if you, if you kind of show your judgment or you're just kind of vocal about it or you make others feel bad about, like, not everybody is going to have the same interests that you do unless you're in a wine club. You know, that's why you join kind of maybe special, special groups like that so that you can be with people who have those interests, but not everybody is going to share yours. Yeah.

[A]

The hardest thing is gifting wine to a wine snob. I have a friend, and she's wonderful. She's lovely. I mean, she's a little bit of a wine snob. But the good thing about her, she's not too judgy. If we, we try to gift the best wine we can find. But you still, you know, like, how, how much can you spend? Where does it, where does it end? Michelle. But she's sweet, actually. Like, she'll happily accept any gift and she'll also share wine. Like, she'll buy expensive wine, but then she'll invite people over and let's enjoy together. So it's the best kind of wine snob.

[B]

Wait, so can you tell the difference when you have like a good wine versus a regular?

[A]

Honestly, not really. I really can't. I mean, I can tell when I. When a wine is kind of gone bad, I guess, vinegary and that kind of thing, or when it's really low quality. But the difference between, you know, like a hundred dollar cabernet versus a thousand. I've never had a thousand dollar cabernet, but I don't think I would be able to tell the difference. I really don't. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

No. What about you?

[B]

No, I have no idea.

[A]

No way. All right, so, yeah, very interesting, Michelle, right?

[B]

Yep. Yep. All right, let's take a break.

[A]

Okay. I have learned after so many years as an entrepreneur that speed matters when it comes to hiring, but so does quality. You need the most qualified person on your team fast. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites. Indeed's Sponsored Jobs helps you stand out and hire fast. With sponsor jobs, your job post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. And it makes a huge difference. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. Hiring for me in the past has felt overwhelming. Managing all of the incoming applications, making sure you write the job ad in a way that attracts top talent. That's what I love about Indeed. It speeds up the process and makes it easier. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job offer credit. To get your jobs more [e-mail] AEE just go to indeed.com a e e right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com a e e that's I n d E-E-D.com a e-e terms and conditions do apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. Okay. Yes, we are back. Michelle, what else do we need to know?

[B]

So, yeah, we're already talking about a blank snob. It doesn't have to be just coffee or wine. So coffee though is very common. But let's talk about some other ones. You hear some other common ones. So I hear city snob. I might say that about myself. Right? That I, oh, I, I mean, now I live in a suburb, but I would say, like I might say to somebody talking about my move, I might say, oh man, I'm a city snob. So it was really hard for me to adjust to the suburbs. Right. That's not, that's just saying I love the city. Right?

[A]

Sure, sure. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And that's okay. Again, usually it's okay to reveal this about yourself because if you're saying it, you're probably already connecting with someone. Right?

[B]

True.

[A]

Or a movie snob. There are a lot of people that are big time movie snobs. They'll read all the, all the critiques of the movie and very picky about what movie they'll go to. I'll kind of go to any movie because I like to go to the theater, you know.

[B]

That's good. Yeah. No, I'm not a movie snob. I, I, I don't have a High taste in it.

[A]

No.

[B]

I don't know. I like my. Give me my father of the bride, and I'm set.

[A]

Oh, that is high taste. Michelle. What are you saying?

[B]

Thank you. Than appreciate that. Yeah. Or we already mentioned wine snob. Beer snob. Now, Lindsay, I know you like craft beer, so are you a beer snob?

[A]

I might fall into this category, admittedly so. Yeah. You know, I just. I struggle. Even certain breweries that I go to, if there are not enough dark beers, I'm really into imperial porters and imperial stouts. Okay. Yeah. Right now, which are the barrel age, like, real deep, deep, deep dark beers. If they don't have enough of those, I will get snobby even about that brewery, Right? Yeah, that's me.

[B]

Yeah. That's funny. That's funny. Or music snob. That's another one. Do you ever have. Oh, my God. It's so embarrassing when you can tell somebody kind of has really cool taste in music and then they ask you what kind of music you like. And I'm like, I like the Backstreet Boys.

[A]

Totally, totally, totally. And there are a lot of music snobs walking around.

[B]

There are a lot. And you don't even want to. You don't even want to say what. What you like. Like, who can I think of as the. The coolest musician that I like?

[A]

I get stuck with that too sometimes. And then it could go on and on. You could be a literature snob. There's just so much that. But it's fun because this means that you're just into a niche, right? A specific niche that you love something so much that you have become kind of a snob. But again, it comes back to you. Do you judge others?

[B]

Right, right, right. So, like, just to think of a couple other ones. So fancy hotels, right? You could say, I'm a hotel snob. Or if you only fly first class, I'm an airplane snob. Right. So many. So sometimes it means you only like the highest quality of that certain thing. But sometimes it might just mean that you know a lot about it, you pay attention to it. So coffee snob could be either. If it's just. If you're talking about not liking something or being judgy about it, then you might say you don't like something because you're a snob about that particular topic, basically.

[A]

Yeah. That's so true. Yeah. And I. I feel like probably most of our listeners are snob about something, but again, the good kind of snob. Right? Something that you really nerd out on that you really love. You've developed a refined taste for something.

[B]

Oh, my God. Is it bad that I can't think about what kind of snob I am? Like, should I be, like said, city snob? I said city snob.

[A]

Yeah. You love New York. I mean, or the big cities. And you have high standards for cities, right?

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Yeah, we'll go with that. Michelle. It's okay.

[B]

Yeah, okay. Okay. I feel better. So in another episode, we can talk about different ways to say these things. So hit follow, because there are tons of other ways we can express this.

[A]

But, yeah, guys, hit that follow button now. Now, just a reminder again, like we said, to hit follow if you love our style. Remember, everything we're teaching here is modern, real English. But it's also coming back to human connection. It all comes back to connection. So if that's what you want in your life speaking Eng, hit the follow button and follow us. All right, awesome.

[B]

Let's do our role play. So we are on a cruise together doing a wine tasting.

[A]

Oh, who's the wine snob here? Let's see.

[B]

Let's see. All right, all right.

[A]

Wow. All of these look amazing.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know. They look fine. I'm just a wine snob, so I have very high expectations.

[A]

Oh, boy, Michelle.

[B]

Oh, no. You can totally tell the sommelier is snobby. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah. That's kind of a bummer. So it's. It's a bummer when someone is super excited about something and then someone else joins. They're like, oh, the choices aren't very good.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly.

[A]

You have to be careful of that. Right?

[B]

It's true. That's true. So let's go through it. So I said, I'm just a wine snob, right? Yeah.

[A]

So I have very high expectations. And then the problem there for connection is I'm gonna start to think, oh, maybe it's not that exciting. It's not that great. It's going to dampen my experience a little bit, potentially. Or I'm just going to keep being very excited about the wine choices.

[B]

Right, right.

[A]

Yeah. And then I said, oh, boy, Michelle. And what am I. Why, what am I saying here?

[B]

I'm saying you're basically saying, oh, gosh, you're gonna have a terrible experience, kind of.

[A]

Exactly. I'm just saying, oh, it's too bad that your wine's not, because, you know. And then you said, oh, no, you can totally tell the sommelier is snobby. So you're just saying the sommelier at this wine tasting is snobby, but the wines aren't good, which is weird because. Right?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, it's weird. Something, something's not matching up.

[A]

It's not right. But anyways, so I think the point is connection right here. And we'll come back to the takeaway in just a minute. But Michelle, is there another episode we should check out?

[B]

Check out 2419, which was how to connect over mutual interests. And that's really great to listen to with this one because in a way, when you call yourself a snob, it's a way to show what your interests are and you might end up connecting with someone.

[A]

Totally, totally. And then you can go do a wine tasting with those people. Right. I mean, that's, that's how we can find friendships and deepen our connections. But I think it's this, this term is interesting. Right? So in one way, if we're actually just a snob, it's, it's, it is kind of negative. But if we're more of a niche snob, like a movie snob, a coffee snob, that can be okay depending on how we present that fact. Right?

[B]

Yeah, that's true. So it really depends on the context if it's kind of a negative thing or not. But yeah, I, I, I think in any case, you're going to hear this out in your conversations. You can use it. Just be careful, you know, don't call someone a snob unless you're kind of, you know, joking around about a special interest or. But I would, I would more say it's safer to just use it about yourself when you're starting off.

[A]

Yeah, I love it. Good stuff, Michelle. Thanks for being on the show with me today, guys. Hit the follow button for more. All Ears English.

[B]

All right, all right, all right. Thanks, Lindsay. Have a great day.

[A]

All right. Bye.

[B]

Bye.

[A]

Thanks for listening. To All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our 2 minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com fluencyscore and if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.