Today's lesson is all about giving your opinion, which also includes a piece about political thinking.
The points and views raised in this lesson in no way represent those of Misterduncan or anyone connected whit Hat for rent Productions.
You know the world of English is a fun and exciting place to be. I'm so glad you could join me for another lesson.
Hi everybody, this is Misterduncan in England. How are you today? Are you OK? I hope so! Are you happy? I hope so! In today's lesson, we will look at a major part of our way of thinking, which has the ability to both join and divide societies around the world. From small groups of people, to whole nations. In this lesson we will talk about… giving your opinion.
The word 'opinion' means the individual or personal view about something. It is your own thought and because of this, it does not have to be based on any fact or knowledge. Opinion is usually based on your own idea and how you view that particular subject or situation.
An opinion is normally based on two things; What you know and the things you have experienced. Of course, knowing something does not mean that your opinion is correct. The thing you think you know could have some from someone who is also wrong. So saying that your opinion is right because you heard it from another person does not necessarily mean that it is correct.
When expressing what you think about something… You give your view. You offer your opinion. You tell us what you believe. You tell it as it is. You tell us what you think. You give your two cents. This expression is mainly used in the USA.
When two or more people are sharing their opinions, we call this a… Debate or a… Discussion. Of course in this situation the people involved will not have the same opinion. Each person will disagree and challenge each other with their own personal view. Sometimes discussions or debates can become charged with strong emotions and the people involved may at times become angry. We call this a… Heated Debate. The subject or topic they are talking about may be hard to accept or agree on. The subject can be described as a… Hot Topic.
There are many hot topics around. Things which people find difficult to agree on. In some situations we will not agree with each other, while in others we may share the same opinion and all agree unanimously. If we can not agree on something, then we may end the debate and simply agree to disagree.
There are many ways of defining opinion… It's your opinion. Your point of view. Your angle. Your belief. Your conviction. Your feeling. Your idea. Your sentiment. Your standpoint. Your take. Your thought. Your viewpoint. The way you see it.
Sometimes it is not easy to have an opinion about something. You may find that you can see both sides of the debate. In English we say that you… sit on the fence. You cannot decide which opinion to accept. You are undecided.
Mmm… This chicken is dead. Sometimes the opinion of a professional person will be needed. For example… during a criminal court trial. This person will give evidence, based on their professional experience. They are usually referred to as an… Expert Witness. Experts are very useful because their opinion can be trusted. A Doctor may be asked to give their medical opinion, especially during an investigation into a suspicious death.
It may seem strange to some people, but there are times when an opinion must not be given. A good example of this is the way in which news is reported on Television. Personal views and opinions must not be expressed by the newsreader. The news must be reported in an unbiased way and the people who edit the news stories must be impartial. They cannot make any personal comment or express their opinions at all.
There are many situations where a debate or an exchange opinions can take place. In government there are many debates which are held in order to allow people to have their opinions and points of view expressed openly. This is commonly known as… Politics. The basic principle of politics is to express these different points of view in an organised way. Each group is called a… Party and in turn they represent the various opinions of the population.
In politics the main division between these different opinions is normally very clear. To simplify this we divide political opinion into two areas… left and right. On the far-right you have the extreme opinions and ideas. Far-right politics tend to be brutal and tough. As we move to the middle, then these opinions soften and as we move to the left, then the ideas and opinions become more open and less harsh. Of course it would be fair to say that over the years extreme views and opinions have existed on both the left and right.
Generally speaking, far-right political thinking is no longer viewed as acceptable. History has shown that this form of opinion achieves very little. Most politics these days can be described as 'moderate', especially when talking about the right-wing. These days we tend the use the words… Conservative to describe the right and… Liberal to describe the left. In the USA, the Democrat party is seen as liberal, or centre-left. And the Republican party is seen as being conservative, or centre-right.
Here are some words connected to giving your opinion.
Discussion. The talk about a particular subject. You discuss something.
Topic. A subject. The thing you are discussing. The theme of the discussion.
Debate. A conversation involving people with opposite (opposing) or different opinions.
Stalemate. When both side of a debate or discussion cannot reach any agreement.
Dialogue. The words spoken in a debate. The words which have been said, or those that must be used. The action of talking.
Common-Ground. The parts of a debate that both sides decide to agree on.
Having an opinion about something is what makes you and me, the people we are. We may not always agree with each other, but the fact that we are talking is an important one. Communication and dialogue help to break down a walls that divide us. The English language gives us a chance to share our opinions and put forward our thoughts and ideas. We may agree to disagree, but at least we are talking. As I always say, the one thing we all have in common on this planet is our individuality and as long as we keep talking and sharing our opinions, then there is hope for all of us.
That is all from me for today. I hope you will join me again soon for another lesson and topic. Will it be a hot one? You will have to wait and see. This is Misterduncan in England saying… thank you for watching me, teaching you… and of course… Ta-ta for now.