In this mini episode, you will learn how to use the fun expression “Earth to...”
Episode 438 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you how to use the fun expression “Earth to...” Send your questions about English and your comments and suggestions to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi! This is Samantha, from China. And you are listening to Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 438 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
In this episode, I am going to teach you a strange and interesting kind of expression that you probably will never see in a textbook or a regular English lesson.
The expression is “Earth to...” and then someone’s name. Earth to... someone’s name. That’s Earth: E-a-r-t-h, to: t-o, someone’s name. For instance, “Earth to John,” “Earth to Mary.”
What does it mean when we say “Earth to...” someone’s name? What does it mean when we say that to somebody?
First, let me tell you when we use this expression, and then maybe you can guess what it means and why we use it. We use this expression when we are trying to get someone’s attention, but the other person seems very distracted. Maybe they are just not paying attention to you or to what is happening around them. This person might be lost in a daydream or lost in a fantasy. Really just not paying attention to what is happening.
That’s the kind of situation where we say this to somebody, but why? Why do we say it to somebody in that kind of situation?
The reason is simple: “Earth to...” and then a person’s name is supposed to sound like somebody on Earth talking to an astronaut or somebody who is in outer space. Somebody who is on a rocket in space or on a space station. So it is supposed to sound like you are talking to someone very far away from Earth, somebody who is very far away from what’s happening. This is how people might talk to astronauts, especially in a science fiction movie.
Let’s imagine that an astronaut is in a rocket that is called Rocket 101. Somebody down here on Earth trying to communicate with that astronaut might say, “Earth to Rocket 101, Earth to Rocket 101.” They might say that into their radio or whatever they use to communicate with astronauts in outer space.
And so if you see somebody, a friend of yours probably, who is not paying any attention, it might seem like they are somehow in outer space. Their mind is in outer space. Their thoughts or their attention are in outer space. And so if you are trying to communicate with this person, you could do it the same way somebody might try to communicate with an astronaut: “Earth to John.” Or “Earth to Mary. Can you hear me? Are you paying attention? Hello? What’s happening? Where are you? Where are your thoughts?” Or “Where is your attention right now?”
When you hear people use this expression, they’re almost always using it in a teasing kind of way. Almost like they are teasing somebody for not paying attention.
And that is “Earth to... somebody,” a very common and interesting expression that I think you should know.
Outro
This is the end of episode 438 of Everybody ESL. Remember: If you have any questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Samantha recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode. And until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye!