English, baby!

Servants

Date: Oct 30 2007

Themes: Work

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Ever since people have been becoming rich, they have been hiring others to do things for them. But nowadays, in the United States anyway, when people make a lot of money, they don’t tend to hire servants anymore. They spend their money on technology and property.

Marni and Kevin are both surprised to discover a real-live, present-day American who keeps servants.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Kevin

Marni: So uh…I know this woman. I used to work at the Town Club, which is a social women’s club, and this woman, very rich, very old-money, has a bell under the table, where she very carefully rings when she wants her servants to come in.

Kevin: You’re kidding! Wow. That’s old school.

Marni: Very old school. So, servants. It seems so archaic to me but I guess…

Kevin: Well, you know, in probably most countries of the world, affluent people have servants. When I lived in Mexico, we had people who lived in our house who cooked and cleaned. But they were treated very well. I think it’s just…It’s all in how you treat them.

Marni: Yes. That’s very true. But what do you consider a servant? If you have a maid or somebody who comes in to clean your house, is that a servant?

Kevin: Well I don’t particularly like the word “servant”...

Marni: I don’t either…

Kevin: ...but I think of it as someone who lives in your home with you.

Marni: Okay.

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Discussion

The wealthy like to form clubs where they can network and…well…be wealthy together. Marni used to work at one of these clubs and there was a woman there who had a button under her table that she could push to call her servants.

Kevin remarks that that’s very old-fashioned, and Marni agrees. But then he recalls that in many countries it’s quite normal to keep servants. He lived in Mexico for a time, and the house he lived in had people who stayed there and cooked and cleaned.

Marni asks Kevin what exactly he thinks a servant is. Does someone who comes to your home to clean and then leaves afterward count as a servant?

Kevin says that he thinks in order for someone to be a servant, that person has to live with the people he or she works for. Kevin and Marni agree that they aren’t too fond of the term “servant.” They might prefer more specific terms like “cook,” or “grounds keeper,” or even another general term like “assistant.”

Is it common to have servants where you live? Do you have servants? Do you work as a servant?

Comments

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angelo15

Greece

In Greece we call them house assistants. They are people who help other people(usually rich) in cooking,cleaning and so on. This is their job and they have their own house.

Very interesting topic…

weixu

China

wellcom to china

eke

Germany

I can not imagine, to have a servant. All what I want to do in the house,like cook and clean and so on .. i do by myself . With work, wich i can not do, i can call a specialist( for example a bricklayer) and I have to pay for him. But i learned from my father to do all things wich possible and what i can by myself. So sometimes I work like a man.

dream girl

China

In my country,China,most of the servents are less educated middle-aged women mainly from rural areas.They are traditional,so they are diligent .They can do all the housework and some are good at cooking.Many gradurally be regard as one of the family members.so If I am rich enough,I want to hire a servant.

zhenglongvoctory

China

old china ,servants were treat as families property, rarely respect. today condition are great improved.whatever have or be one servant just as kind of social need ,equal power and respacting each other ,careless host easy lost servant's heart . must admit servant really shared a great deal of burden , so they are worth respected

christlee

China

in my hometown, you will never guess who use the servants most !They are the high school students!Mostly, students don't want to stay in school bedchamber with someother people and so the live out of the school with a servant there to keep his or her daily life .That's ture !

abdulhaq

Canada

well its true ppl hv servents in different societies in third worlds in south saia,middle east,sub continents but with respect n these servents used to do any thing n in some families they were working for generations n they r very loyal to them .

chinky_ice

Philippines

some people who weren't able to finish middle school, work as a servant. In our home here in the philippines, we also have a servant, she's been with us for 13 years and we consider her as part of our family. We treat her like an older sister or an aunt.

kookoo

China

I don't like the term "servant". It sounds like the "servant" and the "master" are unequal. But there are people who work in others houses to do the cleanings or cook meals. I think they are just employees employed by the house owner.

arun sinha

India

ya this old system is now find in many places.the main reason is the lack of education.if they get proper knowledge,this system will change.

lan.xianmei

China

I am not see a family have a servant around me,but I think my mother very like,she has to do all the house work,I feel full sadness.But can I do any more?

Lato

Albania

hellooooooo

ben8853

China

its common in my hometown.most of servants come from remote and poor family. they just get low income .although i konw its unfair but its still exist.

bluemooon

Italy

in our life everybody sholuld do his work.

annie lixin

China

this is my first time of coming here.

i love the style

i appreciate the way of communication

abdurahiman

India

in my openion all peoples are servent

puppys2black

Philippines

we should respect them equally,servant is a hard occupation.we also learn from them not to rely from others.they are great!

ellen2008

China

i did not like a person in my house, so i didn't like a servants,but i am very busy and i have not time to do my housework. in the further, maybe i will have a baby, i think i will find a person cook and clean for me.