The English We Speak: Share your life story
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What is the expression “share your life story” and when is it used?
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How do Fey Fey and Becca illustrate oversharing with a personal anecdote?
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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 Fay Fey and I'm joined by Becca. How are you, Becca?
Why can “share your life story” sound rude and how can tone change its meaning?
I'm well, thanks. I had such a great weekend. I caught up with my friend. Well, she lives outside of London with her husband now, but we've been friends since we were eleven and we basically grew up together in London. And we went to a market that we used to go to often because we studied textiles together and used to go to this market all the time for fabric. Anyway, she now works in marketing and is doing really well for herself. Well
whoa well Becca I asked how you are, but I didn't ask you to share your life story.
Okay, Fey Fey, I'm doing fine thanks. You used an interesting expression there. Share your life story.
Yes. A life story is a narrative about a person's life experiences.
What are common examples of people actually sharing their life story in conversation?
It's often very long and it goes into incredible detail of the events, relationships and milestones that helped shape that person's identity.
Yes, so if we share our life story, it could feel like we're oversharing, that we're saying far too much than necessary. And you said you didn't ask for me to share my life story because I was rambling on and going into detail about my friend.
Yes, you were going into very specific details. And though it's sometimes nice to share about yourself, you should remember when a British person asks you, How are you? or Are you alright? It's usually a very basic greeting that requires a simple response. Let's see some more examples.
I remember my grandpa always sharing his life story with me. Usually the same stories, but I didn't mind. My friend shares her life story with every new person that we meet. I'm getting bored of these conversations.
How can you respond politely when someone starts to ramble on?
Sorry I'm late. I was talking to the receptionist and he was sharing his life story.
We often use the expression share your life story in a slightly negative way, usually in response to someone talking at length. So it's important to be mindful of how you say this expression. If you raise your tone towards the end, it could express surprise and feels more positive. But if you drop your tone, it could express disappointment or even sarcasm. Hear the difference. I didn't ask for you to share your life story. And I didn't ask for you to share your life story.
You're right. The latter sounded a bit rude. Okay, that's it for this programme, but join us next time for more useful English expressions.
What key take‑aways should listeners remember about using this expression?
Goodbye. Bye.
Anna mä autan! Haluan, että sen yksi voit tollaista määrä nostaa penkistä. Mä tiesin, että sä tuut. Miksi meidän kellari näyttää kunto salilta? No kun ajattelin, että näin on kuntoukomat. Tänä kaikki kamat sait varmaan taas tosi halvalla. No, itse asiassa!
Itse asiassa Bilteemasta löytyy edulliset välineet hommaa kuin hommaa. Oli kysymys sitten omasta tai kaverin projektista.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the expression “share your life story” and when is it used?
0:00–0:24
2
How do Fey Fey and Becca illustrate oversharing with a personal anecdote?
0:24–1:03
3
Why can “share your life story” sound rude and how can tone change its meaning?
1:03–1:48
4
What are common examples of people actually sharing their life story in conversation?
1:48–2:52
5
How can you respond politely when someone starts to ramble on?
2:52–3:45
6
What key take‑aways should listeners remember about using this expression?
3:45–4:15