We have often said that we both have faces for radio. Here is further proof (evidence) of this.
For our German-speaking listeners, there was a radio story about ESL Podcast on Deutschlandfunk. You can listen to the story here.
Look for the story “Englisch per Podcast: Sprachenlernen mit Humor.”
~ Jeff & Lucy
P.S. See the comments below for an English translation from Rolf, one of our German-speaking listeners. Thank you, Rolf!
Update: Audio file can now be found here.
Congratulations Jeff and Lucy, I don´t speak a single word of German but I like the sound of it. German is like music to my ears and I would like to have the translation
of the text the speakers said about ESL, Jeff and Lucy.
Is it possible?.
My daughter Laura who has been in Island last month told us that Germans speak english quite well, to her was easier to understand English with people from Germany
than with people from other countries. May be they have good hear for music and for lenguages.
My best wishes to ESL and congratulations again.
Hi Lucy, hi Jeff,
it’s here in Germany a great kind of advertising for your generous and unselfish job. I hope many poeple did/will listen to this story, so it will increase the number of your listener much more. By the way I learned some issues about you both I haven’t known before. It’s only a pity they translated your qoutes. 🙂
Thanks for your good job and best regards from Germany
heinzeric
Hey, this is so cool. I hope it’s prompted a lot of radio listeners to get to know your podcast.
And they are so right, your podcasts are both educational AND amusing. Great to hear that it’s also fun to you. 🙂
Arik from Germany
Jeff And Lucy ,I know modesty It is a sign of decorum and humility but you guys sometimes go too far and self efface yourselves. no offence,what you mentioned about radio face is silly.
besides,I didn’t get a word of what the lady is saying.Could you please translate it or if anybody out there knows the language could you possibly do the translation.
I just speak for myself . the comment has piqued my cuorisity
Best Regards,
Congratulations,Jeff and Lucy your ESL pod it become so popular
We wish we could provide a transcript, but neither Jeff nor I speak German! However, friends of the podcast who do have told us that the story is positive and given us a general idea of what was said. There’s nothing new here that our wonderful listeners don’t already know, except the part about the years we spent in jail.
Thanks to all for your nice comments!
~ Lucy
Dear Jeff you have students who speak German. maybe they can provide us with the English version of it. Congrats on being world renown
Dear Jeff and Lucy
Dear Lucy ,
It seems you know what it says ; could you share it with us word by word . it is not fair Lucy . The last part of your posting is like tantalizing sis ; It is so unlike you. Let it in on us . Don’t worry we don’t take it as gloating
Fellow students ,
I am telling you, It had cost us a fortune to learn what we have been picking up on EslPod.If it was not for Lucy and Jeff, I would still be clueless about English -that is,( thanks Jeff & Lucy) The most domineering language ,there is.( thanks Jeff)
God blesses Eslpod Team on their endeavour,
Attagirl Lucy,
Attaboy Jeff,
Congratulations on your latest achievement
Sorry , If I have posted a lot . I got all worked up
Hello Lucy, Hello Jeff, Hello to all friends of ESL
That piece of podcast on German Radio is indeed a wonderful acknowledgment of your work. Therefore I tried a translation:
Three times a week, Dr. Jeff McQuillan reports from a small studio in his house. There, the linguist and language teacher produces his podcast, in “beautiful Los Angeles.”
……(excerpt from an original podcast episode)…
“I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center of Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.”
For 20 minutes he teaches English for advanced learners, two times a week as a dialogue. McQuillan and his colleague, Dr. Lucy Tse, re-enact typical scenes from a job interview, the first meeting with the adored-one to a visit at the dentist.
……..(excerpt from an original podcast episode)…..
A dry sense of humor, self-irony, anecdotes from childhood, youth, family, and friends, jabs against cats, loud children and neighbors, these are the elements of entertainment in McQuillan’s podcast for advanced learners of English. There are no commercials, no jingles, and no special effects–except for the singing of the linguist…
……(singing excerpt from an original podcast episode)….
You can find these extras in the second variant of the English lesson from beautiful Los Angeles–The English Cafe. Here McQuillan talks, for instance, about cultural peculiarities of the U.S., current events, famous U.S. citizens, books, CD’s, and films. Fans deliver topics by mailing questions to McQuillan and Dr. Tse.
……(excerpt from an original podcast episode with a translation in German)…
re-translation:
“We had a wonderful German listener, Gerhard. Gerhard, he used to send us regularly a list of 100 topics he wanted to learn more about. It was great. It was a gold mine for us.”
Several thousand listeners download the ESL podcast three times a week. Fan mail comes from almost all countries of the world. Meanwhile, Jeff McQuillan has recorded more than 700 podcast episodes. Audio and dialogue texts are available free on the website. Only those who need additional material have to pay $10 per month. From that and with special podcast editions the two linguists finance their salary, equipment, marketing and a team of five people. Four years ago, McQuillan and Tse founded ESL podcasting. For this reason, they quit their jobs at the university. The new medium fascinated them. They did not think of earning money, but rather of being independent.
……(excerpt from an original podcast episode with translation in German)…
re-translation:
“I was frustrated having worked at the university for 10 years with instruction materials. With podcasting, we reach the consumer directly. We are the editors. We have no limitations regarding pedagogy and subjects. If the people like it, they will download it. And if they don’t, they wont.”
The number of listeners is growing steadily. There have been several attempts to copy ESL Podcast. Up to now no one has been able to achieve the success of this model. The combination of a well-founded education in linguistics, a passion for teaching, and intelligent and funny presentation is unique. Those who are afraid it may not be long before McQuillan ends broadcasting from his small studio in beautiful Los Angeles, he reasssures them:
……(excerpt from an original podcast episode with translation in German)…
re-translation:
“We’ll be doing it till we stop having fun. We still have fun. It’s interesting and we always find things to talk about. If this ends, we will do something else. But right now we’re having too much fun to stop. From Los Angeles, I am Jeff McQuillan, thanks for listening.”
THANK YOU SO MUCH ROLF, nice and good translation, thanks also to German´s broadcasting speaker as she said just what so many listeners of ESL feel about our two teachers and all ESL team, they are doing a wonderful work, and we all feel they have fun teaching it.
Thanks again Rolf, you have been really nice and useful to all us.
emiliano
Good show Rolf ,
Thanks a lot .
But ,there is something I can’t get. As far as I remembered Jeff never said he quit his position at the university because he disliked the job or found it distasteful, another word, it was too much . I think ,he mentioned that he got offered a job at a kind of linguistic facility in LA where they run some linguistic research. Then,further down,he added that because he loves to teach he started the Eslpod with Lucy. There is something else the 10 dollars fee is nothing compare with what they have put/offered on their learning guides, I have learnt lots of extra useful tips in respect to English right out of the learning guides . In deed ,EsLpOd is one of a kind(unique)
Dear Jeff ,
Did u have somebody interviewing you? I v never heard you saying the last part that you are having fun teaching right now and that you will stop it the minute you got tired. If you had sb interviewing you please tell me I really want to hear the interview. You got me Jeff . I am totally perplexed
Thank you very much, Rolf, from both Lucy and me for taking the time to not only transcribe, but to also translate this story. We appreciate it very much!
I thought the reporter did an *excellent* job with the story. I was interviewed for almost an hour and a half, and she had to prepare a story that would be only two to three minutes long. She didn’t really have time to explain the whole history of ESL Podcast or the Center. Besides, she needed time to let people hear me do important things, like sing!
The Center was started to support educational research and consulting. The podcast was started years later as a voluntary effort. We began with the free audio and then, several months later, when people requested more materials, we began the Learning Guide membership to allow us to work on it more. The memberships, courses, and donations support our efforts and allow us to provide ESL Podcast and English Cafe for free. It’s our members who allow us to produce the podcast, and we thank them very much for their support!
~Jeff
Absolutely I also agree, you both, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Lucy, and all your workteam, are doing a marvellous job and you deserve this recognition and much more.
Exactly, as the German radio means there would be a word to shortly explain your work: passion. This is the core key of your fantastic successful!
Good luck, my dear friends, you are harvesting now just a small part of your great effort.
Best regards from Spain,
Julio (Jack).
Hi Jeff and Lucy,
Here comes the nutcracker again( LoL)
It is sad If what the local station allegedly claimed that you guys are about to come out and call it quits is true.I personally think it is not a wise thing to do specially now that your program is growing in popularity hand over fist. I firmly believe,the peak /prime time of EslPod has yet to come;I mean the program hasn’t reached its potential /its purpose yet. You always strike me as prudent people. And ,honest , It would be totally an unwise act on your part.
I know that I don’t have a say on it ,but…..
I may sound silly /childish, but I didn’t take it very well that you gonna live us high and dry. You know what it is kinda sad.
At the end I wanna add one more time that the 10 dollars monthly fee and even the initial 60 dollars charge is nothing compare to what Jeff and Lucy Or better to sat EslPod team are offering in the learning guide.
For instant the following is just a small example of what they are offering in the learning guid. I copied and pased it down here
to pull (one’s) punches
In this podcast, the phrase “to pull (one’s) punches” means to not use all of one’s
abilities, strengths, or resources, or to not try to force something to happen: “The
professor didn’t pull any punches, saying exactly what he didn’t like about my
essay.” The phrase “to beat (someone) to the punch” means to do something
before another person can do it: “Kelvin wanted to be the first person in his town
to buy a hybrid car, but Sasha beat him to the punch.” The phrase “as pleased
as punch” means very happy: “She’s as pleased as punch with her new job.”
Finally, the phrase “to pack a punch” means to have a strong impact or effect:
That drink really packs a punch!”( Learning guide 508) hope Jeff and Lucy don’t mind
Thanks Rolf
60 dollar charge
A very good ad for ESL Podcast, well done!
It should be widespread.
heme
Jeff, thrilled to hear you still have tremendous fun doing what you’re doing . But,please gives us a heads-up when you stop having fun.The thing is I am smitten ( greatly impacted ) by the scope.I was in denial thinking EslPod Last us all out.Technically( according to the fact) , EslPod is my oasis away from the humdrum routine of my life.
Good Things about your programme is that you guys pomp up a certain amount of fun to it so your students never get bored or fed up. In deed, you guys are the best in town.
Sorry for my last comment ,I know I have no business interfering.
Please block out my last comment .I don’t want to put any idea into your mind.
Your world-weary student (LOL)
Peter,
P.S. In a lazy ,still Sunday afternoon the best thing is making a few comments on the blog . Sorry if sometimes you find me impossible. the fact is I am an incorrigible type of guy.
Good thing
into your head
Congratulations to the team of eslpodcasts, they deserve it. They have done a wonderful job since they started working on this. This is a wonderful page and whenever I have the chance I recommend it.
Mazel tov Guys
Hi Guys
Here comes my another gewgaw ( showy but worthless) posting,
Sorry if I have been a drip lately ;I didn’t mean to bring you down.
Here in Canada, today is the Labour day , which means today is a civic holiday ,or better to say a statuary holiday .The holiday in which people are off nationwide. I am experiencing a very dull long weekend. Oh, it just hit me . Do you know that in great Britain long weekend is called bank holiday . Oh ,sorry my bad ,I believe Jeff has covered it before.
Dear Raul, I do exactly the same, Whenever I get a chance, I am a supporting voice for this well-rounded Programme ,I don’t’ know about you my friend ,But seem like here in Toronto I am a lone voice in the wilderness which is not a very bad thing because eventually they will come around.
By the way, mazel tov means Congratulations. Jeff and Lucy, please correct me if I am wrong . To the best of my knowledge , it is a loanword from Yiddish.
Which is not all bad because …..
Dear Jeff and Lucy . I really enjoyed the latest episode regarding the showering ,very educational . Again, you nailed it. As always ,I found a number of terms and expressions that I was not aware of. All the joking aside ,you truly have an enormous bag of tricks(skills ). In deed ,EslPod is the best in the business,Bar none( no exceptions).
With your permission, I wanna add one piece of info to the whole showering business. It is the shower head that is removable from its holder mounted to the wall ,and you can move it freely all over your body while rinsing. It is called detachable showerhead.
It is ashamed that tomorrow I am back to the grind(work) again.
I weren’t aware of
It is a shame . am quite a character with all these slip-ups.Good thing is they are all a bunch of typos.Bad thing is Inever reviwe
Hey,
it’s the first time I “leave a reply” though listening to the podcast for many month I’m not the kind of guy who writes comments in blogs or forums. But hearing this interview about the team to whom I was listening at the daily bus/train drives was very exciting, interesting and touching(?!). I just regret I don’t know enough synonyms for “congratulations”. Even so it’s written all over the blog and the testimonials: great work!
Keep on bringing fun&knowledge to the people.
regards Marco & Karin
it seems i missed a lot these days“`
Dear Rolf, your english is really good, hope one day i can be as good as you are. thanks for translating the story for us those dont know a single word of German: )
Feel prould for ESL whenever hear it get respected from another place.
Best Wishes