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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fawer

China

in china,servant is called 'baomu',they are mostly female,they are talent and diligent, they usually spend their time in cooking or cleaning, they are respected by everyone. they are great!

Mydestiny

China

i think servant is a kind of occupation,not differing from other work .we should respect them equally.

Johnny bai

China

i can't accept that there is a servant in my house. it's wired that the people you don't know exactly living with you. I prefer to cooking and cleaning by my self, which is sort kind of a fun.

saraswathidevi

India

I have a servent,he will clean the house and cooks the food.such people,in India we call as servents

smart2022

Saudi Arabia

oh… it's common in my country to have maid

or " assistant"

actully, we respect her and her tradition.. maid is helpful especially for big familes like mine

All the best>>Smart Boy

shahriarheydari

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I don’t agree with staying servant in my place

omerel

Sudan

beacuse we are from rural areas we dont have servants, but actully they have to be treated equally to family members ,because they help in doing all the house work

Baabaxaan

Somalia

Most of my country has a servent but most of them are women. I don't why? Now I've a servent but I don't treat us like a servent I respect her/him and I call her/him sis/bro. Becayse you know no one's perfect. Beside this I was waiter b4 three years I don't know if waiter work exacly is a servent lol but, note to self.

babyfaceding

China

in china, many families have nurserymaids at home, some of them cook and clean, and some of them take care of the babies. We don't call them "servant", they earn money from their work, just like the other people.