AEE 2436: The Audacity! Have the Nerve to Connect in English

Summary

All Ears English Podcast - Episode 2436 Summary: "The Audacity! Have the Nerve to Connect in English"

In Episode 2436 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Michelle Kaplan and Lindsay McMahon delve deep into the multifaceted English adjective "audacity." Responding to a thoughtful listener question from Bita, the episode unpacks the nuanced meanings of "audacity" and explores its positive and negative connotations in everyday language.

Listener Question: Understanding "Audacity"

The episode kicks off with Bita's inquiry about the term "audacity." She mentions encountering the word on an Instagram reel and is curious about its exact meaning and whether it carries a positive or negative undertone. Michelle Kaplan acknowledges the depth of the question, recognizing that "audacity" can be interpreted in various ways depending on the context.

Positive Connotations of "Audacity"

Lindsay introduces the positive side of "audacity," highlighting its association with confidence and boldness. She references Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, emphasizing the empowering aspect of the term. Lindsay shares a personal anecdote about her son memorizing Obama’s inspirational speech, illustrating how "audacity" can symbolize hope and resilience.

Michelle Kaplan elaborates, stating, "It basically means this confidence or this boldness. You don't have fear" (04:44). The hosts provide positive examples:

• Lindsay: "It's amazing that he had the audacity to move to New York all by himself. I wouldn't be that brave." (05:06)

• Michelle: "His fashion choices show his audacity. He really stands out on the red carpet." (05:59)

These examples illustrate "audacity" as a commendable trait, reflecting bravery and the willingness to take risks.

Negative Connotations of "Audacity"

Conversely, the hosts explore the negative implications of "audacity," where it can denote impudence or unwarranted boldness. Lindsay provides critical examples:

• Lindsay: "I can't believe she has the audacity to think she didn't need to audition for the part." (07:05)

• Michelle: "He has the audacity to argue with his boss, who knows what he will do next." (07:32)

These instances portray "audacity" as a judgmental term, suggesting that someone is overstepping or behaving arrogantly.

Michelle Kaplan observes, "To me, when I hear audacity, I do think that I... think more of the negative side" (08:16), though she acknowledges the term's versatility.

Contextual Clues: Intonation and Situation

A key takeaway from the discussion is the importance of context and intonation when interpreting "audacity." Depending on how it's spoken and the surrounding circumstances, the word can swing between praise and criticism. Lindsay mentions, "You have to listen about whether audacity is used more in a positive or negative context" (16:28).

Similar Expressions: Gall and Nerve

The hosts compare "audacity" with similar expressions like "gall" and "nerve," noting their interchangeable use in certain contexts:

• Gall: Often carries a strictly negative connotation. For example, "She has the gall to fire two employees who just earned her a lot of money."

• Nerve: Can be both negative and positive. Lindsay shares, "I can't believe she has the nerve to start her own fashion company. She always seems so timid to me." (11:48) Conversely, it can denote courage, as Michelle suggests, "You had the nerve to stand up to..." (11:58).

Additionally, they touch upon "fearless" as a more consistently positive attribute, devoid of negative implications.

Interactive Role Play: Demonstrating Usage

To illustrate the practical application of "audacity," Michelle and Lindsay engage in a role play segment. They simulate a conversation between friends contemplating opening a boutique, seamlessly weaving both positive and negative uses of the term:

• Michelle: "Do we have the audacity to actually do this?" (09:25) – Here, "audacity" underscores bravery.

• Lindsay: "I'm shocked that she has the audacity to start her own fashion company after the way she behaved at that conference." (09:52) – In this context, it conveys criticism.

This exercise underscores how tone and context dictate the interpretation of "audacity."

Final Takeaways

The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding context when using or interpreting "audacity." They caution that while the term can convey admiration for someone's boldness, it can also serve as a subtle critique of someone's overstepped boundaries. Michelle summarizes, "Takeaway for today is... you really have to listen about whether audacity is used more in a positive or negative context." (15:23)

Conclusion

Episode 2436 of the All Ears English Podcast offers a comprehensive exploration of the word "audacity," highlighting its dual nature in English language usage. Through engaging dialogue, illustrative examples, and interactive role play, Michelle Kaplan and Lindsay McMahon equip listeners with a nuanced understanding of how to effectively use and interpret "audacity" in varied contexts. This episode serves as a valuable resource for ESL learners aiming to grasp the subtleties of English adjectives and their emotional undercurrents.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Michelle Kaplan (04:44): "It basically means this confidence or this boldness. You don't have fear."

• Lindsay (05:06): "It's amazing that he had the audacity to move to New York all by himself. I wouldn't be that brave."

• Lindsay (07:05): "I can't believe she has the audacity to think she didn't need to audition for the part."

• Michelle Kaplan (08:16): "To me, when I hear audacity, I do think that I... think more of the negative side."

• Michelle Kaplan (09:25): "Do we have the audacity to actually do this?"

• Michelle Kaplan (15:23): "Takeaway for today is... you really have to listen about whether audacity is used more in a positive or negative context."

---

This detailed summary captures the essence of the episode, providing ESL learners with insights into the versatile use of "audacity" while omitting non-content sections like advertisements and intros.

Transcript

[Michelle Kaplan]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 2436, the Audacity. Have the nerve to connect in English.

[Aubrey Carter]

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 host, Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, and Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz, coming to you from Arizona and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward/, subscribe.

[Lindsay]

Do you have audacity? Do you know someone who has a lot of nerve? Today, we answer a listener question about this impressive adjective. Listen in to learn how to connect about confidence in English.

[Michelle Kaplan]

If you're a natural introvert, speaking out in a conversation in English can be stressful. Maybe at work you're unsure if people will understand you or you're worried they'll ask you to repeat so you stay quiet. Let's finally get over this challenge in 2025. Start by taking our free fluency score quiz to find out your level and then get an action plan to get fluent. Go to allearsenglish.comfluencyscore One more time, go to allearsenglish.comflu e n c Y S C O R E.

[Lindsay]

Hey, Michelle, how are you doing?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Hey, Aubry. I'm good. I'm good. I'm happy to record with you today, guys. Lindsay is out of town, so she is not here. But don't worry, she will be back, and we're looking forward to having her back. But, Aubry, we're having some fun over here, right?

[Lindsay]

Yes. I love recording with you, Michelle. I'm excited for this episode today. Tell me, what is the name of the recording software that you use to record things like ads and titles?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, it's Audacity. Yeah, that's. That's the software that we record on.

[Lindsay]

And which is a fun name for software because it has a very. It's an interesting meaning in English, right? It's not just the brand of some computer recording software.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, exactly. So today we have a great question from our listener beta about this word. Would you like me to read the question? This is from YouTube. All right, so Bita says, hey, guys, the other day I came across the term audacity on an Instagram reel. I and I've been hearing it all the time, but I didn't know the exact meaning or whether it is used in a positive or negative way. I would appreciate it if you could make an episode about it, your longtime fan beta. Okay, great question, and thank you for being our longtime fan. We're so appreciative.

[Lindsay]

Thank you. And great question. And we use it both ways, so this is really interesting. This might be super positive to say someone has audacity. It might be negative. Yeah, yeah. The audacity. So I'm excited to dive into all of these.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Exactly. So, yeah, this is a super good question. I mean, when I hear the word audacity, I think of. Well, first of all, our software, but I also. One of the first things I think of is Barack Obama because he had a book called the Audacity of Hope.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. I don't know if I told you this, Michelle, or listeners out here, you may have heard this, that my son recently had to memorize a speech at school, and he memorized Obama's yes, we can speech. And it was all about hope and unity. It was selections of it because it had to be three to five minutes. But he did such a great job. It was so amazing. That's just such an amazing message of hope.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. You sent me the video. I remember. And he's right. What an incredible boy. Right? That's. You must have been just beaming, right?

[Lindsay]

Absolutely. But it is interesting to use it this way, to say the audacity of hope. So, yeah, that's interesting.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. So we're going to talk about more what this means. I mean. All right, let's get into it. So it basically means this confidence or this boldness. You don't have fear, right?

[Lindsay]

Exactly.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And you can be used. It can be used in either a positive or a negative way, don't you think?

[Lindsay]

Exactly. So here, this is very positive. The audacity of hope, meaning like, we are willing to hope even in spite of challenges, in spite of fears. Right. We're lacking fear. We have confidence that we can have hope in spite of any reason that we wouldn't.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, exactly. So, yeah, let's give some examples of how it can be used in a positive way. I mean, we go. Here's the first one. It's amazing that he had the audacity to move to New York all by himself. I wouldn't be that brave.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. And this is really interesting to. To think about describing someone as having audacity. You don't always know for sure how positive someone is being. Right. If you say this, there could be an implication that you think it's sort of foolish or foolhardy. Right. That someone maybe is just moving with no funds, no plan. Be like, he's got a lot of audacity to just move to New York by himself. Right. That might be criticism, but someone else might mean it as really a compliment. Like, I'm impressed that they're that brave. I don't know if I could do it. And there's no implied criticism. So that's interesting about this word. Sometimes you're not. You won't really be sure.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, that's true. You would have to listen to the intonation. You would have to maybe know something, a little something about the person who's saying it.

[Lindsay]

Or you might even have to ask a follow up question.

[Aubrey Carter]

Right?

[Lindsay]

Like you could say, like, I think it's so impressive, you know, what about you? Are you. What do you think?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yep. Yep. Or here's another example. His fashion choices show his audacity. He really stands out on the red carpet.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. And again. Right. Is there an implied criticism here or is it only a compliment? You might see this word audacity in news media and the author may have intended one or the other and you won't be sure.

[Michelle Kaplan]

True. So let's talk about more of the negative side.

[Lindsay]

The.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, I mean, Aubry, you made a really good point that even the positive.

[Lindsay]

Ones could be, could be like a veiled criticism. It's very subtle, very slight. It's not, it's not obvious because it can be taken positively.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right. But this, these ones are a little bit more obvious that they're negative. Right. It's almost in this way, audacity means almost too brave. And Aubrey, you want to read some.

[Lindsay]

Of those examples, you might say, I can't believe she has the audacity to think she didn't need to audition for the part. This is definitely a criticism, a judgment. Right. It's not a kind thing to say. You probably would not say to someone's face, I can't believe you have the audacity to think you could get the part without auditioning.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay]

This is really harsh.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right, right, right. Or if he has the audacity to argue with his boss, who knows what he will do next.

[Lindsay]

Right. This definitely means like they're overly bold to the point that it might be causing problems for them. Right. This is definitely a negative characteristics sometimes to have audacity.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right? Yep. It really depends.

[Advertiser]

Shop 4th of July Savings at the Home Depot right now and get up to 40% off, plus up to an extra $600 off select appliances with free delivery like Samsung. From all in one washer dryers to smart refrigerators. Upgrade to tech you can trust with Samsung appliances. The Home Depot has what you need to simplify your routine. Don't miss 4th of July appliance savings at the Home Depot. Free delivery on appliance purchases of $396 or more. Offer valid junior 18th through July 9th, US only. See store online for details.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay, so, Aubrey. Yeah. To me, when I hear audacity, I do think that I. I do think more of the negative side. Right. Somebody has the audacity to do something. Like, it's shocking. Yeah, you too? I. I don't.

[Lindsay]

I think. Yeah, I think that is how I hear it used more and how I. I use it more. But it can be positive. So that's why it's really tricky. You know, if we. If someone's saying, like, I really admire her audacity, that's positive. Right. Because if someone is very shy and timid and has no audacity, they might really admire that in other people. And they see themselves, maybe they're getting steamrolled a lot. They're like, I wish I had more audacity.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right. Yeah, exactly. So, I mean, and it can be positive, like that New York example, but that could also be negative. So it's really. You have to think about the context.

[Lindsay]

But.

[Michelle Kaplan]

But I also wanted to point out the grammar. We often say the audacity to do something. The audacity to blank. Right. So, Aubrey, I thought we could play a tiny little game. I'm going to give some examples, and we'll talk about if we think it's more positive.

[Lindsay]

You know, I love a game. I'm excited. Oh, God.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right. I'm shocked that she has the audacity to start her own fashion company. She always seemed so timid to me. So what do you think? Is this more of, like, I'm shocked in a good way.

[Lindsay]

This definitely seems more positive. Right. If you are seeing someone as normally being timid and they have overcome that and they have the audacity to create a business, where's the negative there? Right? I. I think this is definitely positive. What do you think?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, I think so, too. Now let's do this one. I'm shocked that she has the audacity. Start her own fashion company after the way she behaved at that conference.

[Lindsay]

Oh, this is negative. I didn't see the behavior at the conference. But it sounds both in your intonation.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay]

And some, like, context here. God. Like, I am shocked that she has the audacity. You can hear in your voice that this is negative.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right, right. And sometimes aubry you were saying at the beginning, when we were talking about the episode that you often say it like this. You want to do it for us?

[Lindsay]

Yeah, I will. After someone says something sort of shocking, I'll just say the audacity. And this isn't just me. I hear it used this way. This is very common. But this is definitely how I most often use this word. Let's do a little role play to see how that might look. Michelle.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay. All right. She's always late.

[Lindsay]

The audacity.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Have you had to all that?

[Lindsay]

I'm saying sort of like, how dare she like, like, think that it's okay to always be late, but it is a little bit playful. Right. Because if I actually said that outright, how dare she always be late? It's so rude. All of that is sore, mean, and critical. Whereas to just be like, the audacity. I'm sort of poking fun at us for caring so much. Right. I'm making it lighter.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, exactly. Some similar words you might hear are the gall or the nerve. Right. So she had the gall to fire two employees who just earned her a lot of money.

[Lindsay]

Yes, we hear this a lot. Right. She has some gall. She. I can't believe she has the gall to do that. It's very similar, very interchangeable.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yep, yep. Or what's another one?

[Lindsay]

Or the nerve. I use this even more. I can't believe she has the nerve to do that. This is negative. I. You know, I don't think I would ever say, like, I was so impressed she had the nerve to start that business. I feel like I mostly hear this used negatively. What do you think, Michelle? Could be positive?

[Michelle Kaplan]

I think it could be. Okay. I'm imagining somebody. Right. Standing up to somebody. Right. I. I can't. I'm so glad that one of us had the nerve to stand up to. Blah, blah, blah. Right.

[Lindsay]

That's a good point. Because then you're. You're using it to mean courage. Right. You had the nerve to do that. You had the courage to do that. That's a good point. And even this other example that was so positive, if I put in nerve, I am shocked that she has the nerve to start her own fashion company. She always seems so timid to me. Right. Very interchangeable. Interesting. Because gall, I would say. I wouldn't say gall that way. I can't believe she has the gall to do this. I feel like that's always negative.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Ah, very interesting. And then, of course, you could use more basic ones, like fearless or fearless. Her fearlessness is exactly what got her to where she is in life.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. And this is much more positive. Right. If someone is fearless, that's really. Usually there's no negative implication there. They're just brave. They're courageous, they're fearless. You'd have to really add a lot of context to make that negative. Right. Be like, she really doesn't think before she acts. She's always been. But even then, I wouldn't say fearless. I would say maybe foolhardy.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. I don't know. I. I put foolhardy down as a. As a key word for today because I really like it. But I don't use it that much. But I like it. So maybe I'll start.

[Lindsay]

Maybe I should start using it. Maybe it is a little common. But yeah, I like it. I like it better than foolish. I feel like the word foolish is so much kind of meaner and critical. Foolhardy just sounds a little more light hearted. So I. I say that usually instead of foolish.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I like that. I like it. All right, let's do a role play. So here we are, friends, thinking about opening a boutique together.

[Lindsay]

Oh, I'm done.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, here we go. I don't know. Do we have the audacity to actually do this?

[Lindsay]

Let's make our dreams come true. We are fearless.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes. No more working in bad situations where our bosses have the gall to call us in at 2am for no reason.

[Lindsay]

You can say that again. Mine definitely had a lot of nerve. Yeah, these are good because this is really how we use it. Right. You first said, do we have the audacity to actually do this? And this is where it is being used just positively Right. Are we brave enough to take this risk? Yeah. There. It's positive.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And then we're kind of getting ourselves amped up. We're all excited. So you said we are fearless.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. I'm giving us a pep talk here. We can do it. We do have the nerve to do this. And then you said our bosses had the gall to call us in at 2am for no reason. So this is very. That negative use of like, how dare they. They had the gall of doing something unreasonable.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yep. And then you said, you can say that again. Mine definitely had a lot of nerve. So negative way.

[Lindsay]

Yeah. Meaning they. They were willing to do things that were disrespectful or inappropriate. Will often just be like, you got a lot of nerve doing that. It means you. You're just criticizing. Judging the action.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Oh, my gosh. Well, this was a lot of fun. Aubrey, What a good question. Really Brought us around to a lot of different conversation topics and talking about the depth of this word and how it really depends on the context. Guys, head on over to one of our Saturday episodes that we did, which was this isn't what I ordered. How to ask for the correct order in English. You might need a little bit of nerve to do that.

[Lindsay]

Oh, that's a good point. Right? It takes a lot of nerve. Send back an order that was incorrect. I. I have the nerve to do that. If it's really wrong or something's really bad. My partner does not. He would never. He's like, I'm just gonna eat this silently. He doesn't have the nerve to send it back.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I have the nerve. I have the nerve. I'm paying. So, anyway, takeaway for today is, you know, you really have to listen about whether audacity is used more in a positive or negative context. Aubry and I kind of came to this conclusion that more frequently you might hear it in a negative context, but different situations. And we gave you lots of examples of that today.

[Lindsay]

This is definitely a. A word to be a little bit careful with because you could intend to mean it positively and accidentally say it negatively if the tone isn't just right or it's not clear by the context. Right. Whoever you're talking to or about might misunderstand because it is often used negatively to say someone has audacity or I can't believe they have the audacity to do that. So definitely a pitfall to watch out for in English.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Really good point, Aubry. All right, well, this was fun. Thanks for chatting with me today and I'll see you soon.

[Lindsay]

Yes, awesome. See you next time.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, bye.

[Aubrey Carter]

Thanks for listening. To all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com forward/fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to be. Make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.