The English We Speak: One size fits all
episodeTranscript
jump: chapters · speakers · find in transcriptTranscript
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. This advertisement feature is paid and presented by GoTurkiye. Turkiye is a golfer's paradise and much of that is down to Belek on the country's southern Mediterranean coast. Courses here cut through lush pine forest set on fast sandy ground that's kept in immaculate condition all year round and And for those never quite ready to call it a day, Belek is also host to the first full 18-hole floodlit course in Europe. Local pro Denis Satmaz is lucky enough to call Belek her training ground. There are more than 15 courses. You can play golf in winter and summer.
What is the episode about and how is 'one size fits all' introduced?
And once the round is done, long lunches replace scorecards and spas, hammams and slow afternoons take over. When I'm not playing golf, I usually go to the beach, tan, go into the sea. You just feel like you're in another world. Because in Belek, luxury isn't about excess. It's about time well spent. Plan your next detour at goturkiye.com today.
Nordia Private Banking
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, where we explain phrases and expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them too. I'm Feifei. And I'm Phil.
Hi Feifei, I've got the new team t-shirts. Have this one.
Where does the expression 'one size fits all' come from and how does it relate to clothing?
They're one size fits all.
But this is enormous. One size fits all? I'm not sure it does.
OK, but it does help us tell people about the expression one size fits all.
It sounds like something you would use to talk about clothes.
Yes, and that's where it comes from. Clothes are sometimes sold as one-size-fits-all. It's sold as one size and it's supposed to fit everyone.
Well, I'm not sure it works for these t-shirts, but I can imagine it working for something like a hat. We don't just use it to talk about clothes, do we?
No, we don't. It's become more general. One size fits all is often used to describe a way of doing something where everyone is treated in the same way.
How is 'one size fits all' used to describe standard approaches at work?
A training program for a company might be described as one size fits all. Everyone does the same training. A one size fits all approach to problem solving means trying to solve every problem the same way.
Yes, and in the same way that one size fits all clothes don't always fit everyone, this expression is sometimes used negatively. We might describe something as one size fits all to suggest that it ignores the needs of individuals or a particular situation.
Let's hear some more people using the expression one size fits all.
Me and my cousin are such different people. I mean, I always try to find creative ways to deal with problems, but he always takes a one-size-fits-all kind of approach.
I need to order some new computer software for the office. Everybody uses things slightly differently.
When is 'one size fits all' used negatively to criticise solutions?
They've all got different requests, but I'm hoping we can get something that's one-size-fits-all that we can all use.
When I go to the barber's, it doesn't matter what I ask for, they give me the same haircut. It's one size fits all in there. MUSIC
We've been learning the expression one size fits all to describe something where people or situations are all treated the same.
Yes. Other expressions that are similar are off the peg or off the shelf. They can be about clothes, meaning standard sizes that haven't been fitted or tailored – But we can now use these to talk about products or ways to solve problems. An off-the-shelf solution or an off-the-peg solution is a standard way of doing things. It hasn't been adapted to a specific situation.
OK, that's it for this programme, but join us next time. We have lots of different ways to help you learn English because when it comes to learning a language, one size doesn't fit all.
See you next time.
What example conversations illustrate 'one size fits all' in everyday situations?
Bye-bye.
I'm Shannon Maldonado, the founder of the Jaui gift shop that sells handmade artisanal products.
What similar expressions (like 'off the peg' or 'off the shelf') explain standardized solutions?
I chose Shopify because when I tested the equipment, I found it to be one of the easiest to use equipment. It was important for me to consider our development in the future. All tools needed for sales, such as stock planning, are handy on the dashboard. Start your free trial at shopify.com website.
No segments match your search.
Select any passage to copy it with its citation or turn it into a shareable card.
Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:42
2
What is the episode about and how is 'one size fits all' introduced?
0:42–1:53
3
Where does the expression 'one size fits all' come from and how does it relate to clothing?
1:53–2:39
4
How is 'one size fits all' used to describe standard approaches at work?
2:39–3:34
5
When is 'one size fits all' used negatively to criticise solutions?
3:34–4:37
6
What example conversations illustrate 'one size fits all' in everyday situations?
4:37–4:47
7
What similar expressions (like 'off the peg' or 'off the shelf') explain standardized solutions?
4:47–5:09