AEE: Are You on a Wild Goose Chase for Better English? Listen Today

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Ears English Podcast – "Are You on a Wild Goose Chase for Better English?"

Episode Overview

In the December 21, 2024 episode of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the intriguing English idiom "wild goose chase." Aimed at intermediate to advanced English learners, this episode explores the meaning, usage, and nuances of the phrase through engaging discussions, real-life examples, and practical role-plays. The hosts provide listeners with valuable insights into how to incorporate this expression into everyday conversations, enhancing both vocabulary and cultural understanding.

Introduction to the Idiom "Wild Goose Chase"

The episode begins with Lindsay introducing the topic:

Lindsay (00:05): "Have you ever felt like you were on a wild goose chase? That’s exactly what we’re unpacking today."

Michelle echoes the sentiment, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of the phrase.

Defining "Wild Goose Chase"

Lindsay provides a clear definition of the idiom:

Lindsay (05:01): "This means that you are searching for something that's impossible to get or something you just won't find. It emphasizes the futility and frustration in the search."

Michelle adds a layer of understanding by differentiating between literal and metaphorical uses:

Michelle (06:08): "Sometimes it’s used to express that something seems impossible to find, but other times it's just about the frustration of a difficult search."

Real-Life Examples and Personal Anecdotes

To contextualize the idiom, Lindsay shares a personal story about her experience searching for an apartment in New York City:

Lindsay (01:49): "My journey to find an apartment in New York might have had tons of that. There was definitely a lot of chasing up and down midtown, downtown, uptown, running from one subway stop to the next."

Michelle mirrors this with her own experiences, highlighting how pervasive the feeling can be:

Michelle (07:03): "I guess I'm just constantly on a wild goose chase."

Exploring Nuances and Variations

The hosts delve deeper into the versatility of the phrase, discussing its emotional undertones and varying intensities:

Michelle (13:04): "It’s interesting because it’s used in a somewhat negative feeling, but it’s a good way to connect and vent with others."

Lindsay (14:13): "You need a way to say, this is intense. Or I’m annoyed. It really captures that feeling when things are harder than they need to be."

They contrast "wild goose chase" with similar expressions like "lost cause" and "in vain," explaining their unique connotations and appropriate contexts:

Lindsay (15:33): "A lost cause means you’ve already decided it’s not going to happen, whereas a wild goose chase maintains some hope, albeit with frustration."

Michelle (16:16): "Doing something in vain means you’re misguided in your search. It’s similar but carries a different weight."

Practical Role-Plays

To solidify understanding, Lindsay and Michelle engage in role-plays demonstrating the idiom in action. In one scenario, they act as friends searching for a birthday present:

Michelle (17:14): "I think it’s a lost cause."

Lindsay (17:20): "I don’t think we’re looking in vain. We may just need to try another store."

Michelle (17:25): "It feels like we might be on a wild goose chase."

These dialogues showcase how the phrase can be seamlessly integrated into everyday conversations, reflecting real emotions and situations.

Cultural Insights and Language Tips

Throughout the episode, Lindsay and Michelle offer tips on understanding American culture and idiomatic expressions. They emphasize the importance of learning phrases that convey not just literal meanings but also emotional and cultural subtleties. By focusing on connection rather than perfection, listeners are encouraged to use these expressions to enrich their interactions and express nuanced feelings.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Lindsay (05:01): "This means that you are searching for something that's impossible to get or something you just won't find."

• Michelle (06:08): "Sometimes it’s used to express that something seems impossible to find, but other times it's just about the frustration of a difficult search."

• Lindsay (14:13): "You need a way to say, this is intense. Or I’m annoyed. It really captures that feeling when things are harder than they need to be."

• Michelle (16:16): "Doing something in vain means you’re misguided in your search. It’s similar but carries a different weight."

Educational Features and Resources

Lindsay highlights the All Ears English app, a valuable resource for listeners to enhance their learning experience:

Lindsay (02:14): "We have an app, guys. It’s a place you'll want to go if you want to deepen your learning with the show."

Key features include:

• Real-time transcripts: Accessible directly on the phone.
• Personalized vocabulary lists: Tappable words in each episode for easy definition lookup.
• Weekly summary role-plays: Integrating vocabulary from various episodes to reinforce learning.

Conclusion and Takeaways

As the episode wraps up, Lindsay and Michelle reiterate the importance of using idiomatic expressions to foster human connections. They encourage listeners to share their experiences and frustrations, using phrases like "wild goose chase" to convey complex emotions and build rapport.

Michelle (18:57): "It’s good to connect with people over this feeling. Even though it's somewhat negative, it's a good way to vent and share."

Lindsay (19:55): "You can share your life with people in a sense, that's what it comes down to."

Final Remarks

The hosts conclude by inviting listeners to engage further with the podcast and explore additional resources:

Lindsay (20:08): "I hope you don't go on any wild goose chases in the future anytime soon."

Michelle (20:09): "Same to you, Lindsay."

They also promote their two-minute English level quiz available on their website, encouraging continued learning and interaction.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding Idioms: The phrase "wild goose chase" encapsulates the frustration and futility of searching for something elusive, both literally and metaphorically.

2. Contextual Usage: The idiom can be applied in various contexts, from daily tasks like finding a birthday present to more significant endeavors like job hunting.

3. Emotional Expression: Using such phrases allows learners to express complex emotions and connect more deeply with native speakers.

4. Learning Resources: Leveraging tools like the All Ears English app can significantly enhance vocabulary retention and practical usage through interactive features and structured reviews.

5. Cultural Integration: Idiomatic expressions are integral to mastering American English, offering insights into cultural nuances and conversational dynamics.

Final Thought:

This episode of the All Ears English Podcast not only demystifies the idiom "wild goose chase" but also equips listeners with the tools to use it confidently in their conversations, thus bridging the gap between language learning and cultural immersion.

Transcript

[A]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Are you on a wild goose chase for better English? Listen today. 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, 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 All Ears English app for iOS and Android. Start your seven day free trial at allearsenglish.com forward/app.

[B]

Have you ever been in a situation where you are looking for something but it's hard to today get one phrase that can help you express the intensity of your search in English?

[C]

This episode is brought to you by Google Gemini. With the Gemini app you can talk live and have a real time conversation with an AI assistant. It's great for all kinds of things like if you want to practice for an upcoming interview, ask for advice on things to do in a new city or brainstorm creative ideas. And by the way, this script was actually read by Gemini. Download the Gemini app for iOS and Android today. Must be 18 + to use Gemini Live.

[A]

Hey there Michelle. How you doing today?

[B]

Good. Lindsay, I have a question for you.

[A]

Oh yes, I'm ready.

[B]

Have you ever felt like you were on a wild goose chase?

[A]

Wow, that's a big question. You know the, my, my journey to find an apartment in New York.

[B]

That's a great one.

[A]

Might have had tones of that. There was definitely a lot of chasing up and down midtown, downtown, uptown, running, running from subway stop to the next to apartment and it's just the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Michelle.

[B]

Yeah, New York. Oh yeah, that's. That's a great example of how this expression might be used. So guys, well we are here today on our Saturday episode. So hopefully you're relax today. Maybe you're going out for to the gym. Maybe you're sipping your coffee however you're listening. Thank you for being here with us on this Saturday. So yeah, today we are going to talk about this fun expression, a wild goose chase. But before we get into that, we want to remind you guys about our really great app.

[A]

Yeah, we have an app, guys. We have an iOS Android app. It's custom, just for allers English. And this is a place you'll want to go if you want to deepen your learning with the show. Of course over there you can Listen to every episode for free. Free. But if you become a premium member in the app, that's when you get to see the transcripts right there on your phone. You also get tappable words in each transcript. There's five to seven tappable words in each episode. If you tap on those words, you'll see the definition. You'll save them to your personal power list. And at the end of each week now, we are doing a weekly summary role play where Aubry and I take all the vocabulary words from the week. Not all of them, many of them.

[B]

We.

[A]

We bring them into one role play, right? So we're taking words from different episodes.

[B]

We're.

[A]

We're talking about what they mean, to review them again. Then we're doing a role play using those different words. And this is what we actually need to do to touch back to those words.

[B]

Right.

[A]

In a review format to make sure we fully learn them. I think for our listeners, a lot of what they tell us is, I learned enough. I learn a word once and then I forget it and I don't know how to use it. This is how we actually are able to use it on the spot is by reviewing.

[B]

Okay, I love that, that, that, that is so helpful because, you know, you might listen to an episode and then maybe you just go on to the next episode, forget about it. And this is just such a great way to put it all together in a larger way. How can we fit these words all together? Because these episodes don't just exist totally on their own, Right? This is all about how can we connect everything together in real life. Because real life isn't just one topic.

[A]

100. 100% right, exactly. You got it. Sometimes you're going to need to grab an episode from a topic about X. When you're talking about Y, it's going to be completely in a different context. So what you see in those weekly summaries is those words are moved into a new context, which is really, really cool. So, guys, that is only over there for premium members in the app. So go over to allersenglish.com app, choose Android or iOS, download the app, give it a try, do the trial and check it out.

[B]

All right, good. All right. And I bet this will be in a summary. Wild goose chase. What in the world does that mean?

[A]

Yeah, I love this. This is so fun. Oh, my gosh. This means that you are or were searching for something that's impossible to get or that you just won't find, Right? So maybe you go all over the place. And you're looking and you're trying to get something big done or find something and it just doesn't happen. Or it's extremely difficult. So we can use this on literal levels and metaphorical levels. Right. And that's what I love about the advanced English. You know, in C1 we talk about using metaphors. Speaking metaphorically, this is where we're headed as a community to move towards abstract English. So high level. So high level.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, so it's not always used to say that you are. Okay. So the meaning of an actual. Of. Of a wild goose chase would be that it is actually impossible to find.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Right. Something. It. It's. I'm on a wild goose chase. It doesn't. It. It's not going to happen. Right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But sometimes we say I feel like I'm on a wild goose chase, which is more. It seems that way, but I know that I can find it. But it's just everything is all over the place. But it doesn't always mean, oh, it's not going to happen. Right.

[A]

Yeah. Just emphasizing it feels crazy. Things feel crazy.

[B]

Right? Yeah. Do you use this, Lindsay?

[A]

Yeah, of course I have it. Historically in my life, I have used it for sure. Lately, not as much, but I feel like I used it a lot or my mom might have used it a lot. I don't know. You know, it could be even. Let's. I don't know. For some reason, this makes me think of the wild turkeys that cross the road. You know, it's holiday time, we're eating turkey. It makes me think maybe you're. You're making Thanksgiving dinner and you have a guest that demands, you know, 100% genuine real cranberry sauce. But, but you only have like, big box stores in your town that don't have fresh cranberries.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And you go on a wild goose chase all over your county to find fresh cranberries for this person. Right.

[B]

Right. Yeah. Oh, that's a great example. Yeah. I. Yeah, I use this for sure. I don't know. I guess I'm just constantly on a wild goose chase.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

But I just met your life, Michelle.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

I think for you. Thank. Yeah. No, thank you. That's a. So. So again, it doesn' mean if you ever. If you really are in a wild goose chase, it's probably you're not going to find it. But if you say, oh, I feel like it, or it's like I'm on a wild goose chase in a more metaphorical way, it's. You're probably going to find. It's just annoying. So let's go. Let's go over some other examples. I mean, Lindsay, this touches back on your New York example. I mean, you did find an apartment eventually, so. But it was like a wild goose chase. So. Yeah. Looking for a house when the inventory is low. I know people who are currently looking for houses or have had to stop their search because they just don't. There's just not enough inventory. So, yeah, you could say I want to move. And we've been looking everywhere, but it's like we're on a wild goose chase. Yeah.

[A]

I think anytime looking for any product, any item that's just rare, hard to find, unexpected. That's the vibe that we're going for. Right, right.

[B]

Oh, or even now because, yeah, the holiday time people might be searching. It makes me think of, you know, maybe it's different now because we have the Internet, but if somebody's looking for the Hotte toy for their kid. Oh, my gosh. When people get into the fights of the.

[A]

Yes. Don't you think there's a lot of holiday movies that come out all about that? This kid has his heart set on this one toy and he just has to get it. And at the end of the movie, will he get his toy? Right. There's just so many holiday. I love holiday movies, by the way. They're so light and fun.

[B]

Yeah, I, I do, too. I do, too. It's a very special time of year, so. Okay, so here's another one. Lindy, what's the next example?

[A]

Trying to find an outfit to wear as a bridesmaid in a certain color that is really rare. Oh, my gosh. Yes. This is always hard if you're, if you're honored to be selected as part of a bridal party. It's a wonderful thing. But you might have a challenge ahead of you in terms of getting the right thing to wear, especially if the. If it's. They're not just telling you what to wear, if they're saying, oh, broadly, try to get this color Right.

[B]

So, for example, the bride wants us all to wear a color called peacock blue, but I'm on a wild goose chase trying to find anything in that color.

[A]

Oh, and it's so hard because, you know, you don't want to stress the bride out. You don't want to say the wrong thing in front of the bride. There's a lot of right deference given to the bride. Right. During these times. And, and so in the background the bridal party is always going crazy and the bride might not even know it.

[B]

Yeah, right. It's true. It's so true.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We have one more act for you this evening. I don't even need to say his name.

[D]

Mr. Bob Dylan, a complete unknown, is now a Golden Globe in critics Choice nominee for best picture.

[B]

Bobby, what do you want to be?

[A]

Whatever it is they don't want me to be.

[D]

Timothy Chalamet astonishes as Bob Dylan in one of the best performances of the year and critics rave. Edward Norton is absolutely fantastic.

[A]

70,000 people are here and Bobby is.

[D]

The reason for it this Christmas.

[B]

They just want me singing, blowing in the wind for the rest of my life. How does it feel?

[D]

Don't miss the movie. Critics are healing. 5 stars. It's pure cinematic magic.

[B]

Turn it down.

[D]

Pay loud direction and named to AFI and the National Board of reviews. Top 10 films of the year.

[B]

Make some noise. BD track some mud on carpet.

[D]

A complete unknown. Only in theaters Christmas Day. Rated R under 1790 without parrot.

[A]

Okay, Michelle, we are back to continue on. Now, what would be another example? Let's give more context.

[B]

Yeah. So another example could be if you're trying to find a job in a bad economy. Okay, so maybe there aren't that many jobs. So you could say I've been applying to jobs everywhere and networking, but I'm on a wild goose chase.

[A]

Yeah. It's just kind of.

[B]

When you.

[A]

When you resort to the phrase wild goose chase, you're trying to say things are getting kind of crazy, right? Yeah.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Things are.

[B]

You're a little exasperated. Yeah. Grim. Good. Good word.

[A]

Exasperated is a good word.

[B]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah. These are. Guys, these are gonna be on. On the app for sure. Or what's. What's one more example? This.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Up here.

[A]

So let's see. Yeah. If you're trying to get signatures for documents that you need and you're spending a lot of time running all over, for example, maybe you need to get something. Not. You need to print something out, but you don't have a printer at your house. It just goes.

[B]

It.

[A]

I actually, I've felt this way over the last couple years, dealing with my aunts, all of her financial stuff, family. Yeah. It's pretty intense.

[B]

It's pretty. Do you have a printer?

[A]

I actually do. And I'm glad.

[B]

I figure you would need to.

[A]

Yeah, I do have a printer. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

I. I haven't had a printer and like, most of the time I don't need one. Sorry, I think I interrupted you. I. I Haven't had one in years. But there's. And. And most of the time it's okay. But there is that time when it comes up and you're like, yeah, why don't I have a print?

[A]

Totally. I think every household probably should have a printer. I think especially if you're doing certain things like dealing with estates and people just like, wrapping up their. Their things when they pass away. There's a lot of that that has to go on. So here's a sample sentence. Okay, so we need to get this notarized, but the notary isn't there, and it's due by 12. Right. Man, are we on a wild goose chase. I love that.

[B]

I love that. Yeah. So, yeah, yeah, that's a. That's a good example of when it might be. Yeah. All the forms, it's just. It becomes kind of a pain.

[A]

I didn't even see your example, and I thought about a notary. For some reason, you have to call them. Is it. When is the notary in? Or the notary's not in today. It's just like.

[B]

Right. Are you serious? God, yeah. It's always some sort of paperwork. Maybe something, a title of a car, a Maybe you're purchasing a single house or. Or leasing an apartment, and you have to get know. You have to prove, you know, your bank statements or whatever.

[A]

And sometimes it never ends. You just end up in this spiral of bureaucracy. I think I shared on the other podcast with Aubrey of trying to retitle a. A classic car that belongs to a family member, but there's no license plate, there's no title, there's no registration, and it's like a foreign car. Like, how do you do that in the state of California? We're gonna find out.

[B]

So you're gonna go on a wild goose chase in the middle of it. Right.

[A]

So these. It's when things become extreme, they become ext. It's not like I'm just gonna go and find the thing and come home. No, no, no.

[B]

Yeah, right, right, right. It's just, you know, it's used. It's interesting because it's used kind of in a. When you're frustrated or. Or exasperated. Right. But it's also very versatile because you can use it kind of humorously or sarcastically. So it doesn't always have to be this extreme situation. Not all the time. I think most of the time it is, but, you know, you could say, oh, man, now I have to go on a wild goose chase. School supplies, you know, just. It doesn't have to Be extreme. It can just be like, oh, I have to go searching around for something. Yeah.

[A]

I think this is useful because you need a way to say, this is intense. Right. Or I'm. Or this is annoying. I mean, we, you know, so many hours in the day, I. I really get annoyed by this kind of thing. You know, when things are harder than they need to be, I just want to be spending my time hanging out with my dog or outside hiking. I don't want to be running around chasing a notary. You know?

[B]

I know that notary. Yeah. Sometimes. Yeah, I. I need to. I need to find a neighbor notary or something. And just like, you can do a.

[A]

Mobile notary, but it's expensive. Like, really?

[B]

I didn't know.

[A]

Yeah, they'll come to you. But I mean, they charge you for it, you know? Yeah. Anyways, so there. So do we have.

[B]

Lindsay, what is a notary? I'm sorry. Okay.

[A]

Just to be. Okay. We haven't defined this. I think our listeners probably have. Of course, they have the same thing, guys. So a notary is if you're signing an important document. Certain important documents require that you sign in the presence of a notary. Someone who's been trained to say, yes. I've checked this person's id. They're who they say they are. We are here in this place. This is the date. This is the time they stamp it. And then that kind of certifies the signing of the thing, that cute little seal that they. A little seal. Love it.

[B]

Yes. Well, it's up to you. Do we have time? We. We're still kind of early on.

[A]

I think we have a few minutes. Let's do it. Let's do a few of these. So.

[B]

All right.

[A]

All right. So a lost cause. This is the same idea, kind of. I'm trying to find my glasses, but I think it's a lost cause. So this is a little different because you. You've already decided it's just not gonna. You're not gonna find the thing. Well, goose chase. You could still have some hope. Right. But by the time it's a lost cause, it's over.

[B]

Yeah, right, Exactly. And I think we could do a whole follow up on a lost cause, but, yeah, definitely could. Could be used in a similar way. I think we'll skip the next one.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah, let's do waste. Okay. Well, this has been a waste of time. We didn't find anything we needed, so that's more after. Well, it doesn't have to be after the fact. You could say, I Think this will be a waste of time, but.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. A lot of unnecessary steps and things. Yeah. And then in vain. I think we're looking in vain over here. I really think Franny threw out what we needed. This should be its own episode in vain. I mean, you've seen. We've seen this in. In songs and poems and movies, Right. Doing something in vain means you're kind of misguided in your search.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's not gonna happen for another reason, Right? Yep.

[B]

Yes. Yeah. So we can definitely go deeper into these examples, these other ones soon. But let's do a role play on a couple of these now. So here Lindsay and I are friends, looking for a birthday present for our other friend.

[A]

Okay, here we go. Go ahead, Michelle. Oh, it's you.

[B]

I'm sorry. Here we go. So she told me she wants a fondue making set. Oh, boy.

[A]

I don't even know where to start. Okay. I don't see anything.

[B]

I think it's a lost cause.

[A]

I don't think we're looking in vain. We may just need to try another store.

[B]

Okay, well, I'll try one more, but it feels like we might be on a wild goose chase.

[A]

It doesn't feel like we tried that hard.

[B]

No, it's. We're. Right. We're, like, looking on one shelf at once.

[A]

Like, if it's not in the aisle that I'm walking down, then I'm not.

[B]

Even gonna ask anybody. We must not like this friend very much.

[A]

I like them very much.

[B]

Or it sounds like I don't for sure you. You have a little more hope. I'm like, oh, man.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Can't do it.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So you. And then. So you said. So I said, oh, boy. I don't even know where to start. Okay. I don't see anything. Not trying hard here, Michelle. And then you said.

[B]

Said, I think it's a lost cause. I'm ready to give up.

[A]

I don't. And then I said, I don't think we're looking in vain, meaning I think we could actually find this. You know it exists out there, right? This thing she wants. It is a real thing. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I said, okay, well, I'll try. I'm sorry. This is so funny. Okay, I'll try one more. But it feels like we might be on a wild goose chase. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, that's the quality of gifts you get and how much thought was put into it. Right. We can always judge our friendships, I guess. You know, how in it are our friends at that moment right into the friendship.

[B]

I don't see it.

[A]

Yeah. Michelle, is there another episode our listeners could check out here?

[B]

Guys, head on over to episode 2315 was who asked you rude phrases to avoid in English?

[A]

All right, all right. So we've talked about what this phrase means, the intensity of it. Is there a takeaway here? I mean, a human connection takeaway, what it means for us?

[B]

Right. Well, yeah, I think that it's really used when we are kind of in an intense state. Right. We've. You're kind of like we've used that word exasperated. You're just kind of over it. You know, you didn't. Unlike the role play, it's not about looking at one shelf in the store. It's, you know, something is very annoying, it's become irritating or you think it will be that way. So I think it's just good to connect with people over this feeling. I mean, even though it's a somewhat negative feeling, it's a good way to connect and to vent and to share maybe what will or won't be a waste of time.

[A]

Yeah. Because if you've had a experience has been very exasperating. Again, maybe you're physically out of breath when you're saying you've been in a wild goose goose chase. Maybe you want to share that feeling. Like you said, Michelle, you want others to really understand how hard it was to find this thing. Or maybe you haven't found this thing yet. Okay. So you can share your life with people in a sense.

[B]

Yeah, definitely.

[A]

That's what it comes down to. Nice.

[B]

All right, thank you guys for listening.

[A]

I hope you don't go in on any wild goose chases in the future anytime soon. Michelle.

[B]

Same.

[A]

Yes. Yes.

[B]

Same to you, Lindsay.

[A]

All right, you have a good day, Michelle. Bye.

[B]

All right, bye.

[A]

Thanks for listening to all ears. English.

[B]

Would.

[A]

Would you like to know your English level? Take our two 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.