Any podcast hosted by American English speakers could be a place where one might hear compliments used "in the wild." Language learners can listen on Apple, Stitcher, Audible, or wherever they typically access podcasts. Two podcasts that discuss the bright side of life-- and where you will be more likely to hear compliment language in American English-- are Happier with Gretchen Rubin and Wonderful! with Rachel and Griffin McElroy. Happier is a podcast about how to be happier, more creative, and more productive: the hosts share life hacks (various tips that they recommend to improve listeners' lives), product recommendations, and enthusiasm for their favorite books, TV shows, and so forth. At the time of this blog publication, the most recent episode is titled, "The Joy of Being a Minor Expert, Having Two Dogs, and Counting Your Steps!" The language used in Happier is appropriate for all maturity levels. The hosts of Wonderful! describe their podcast as being "...for joyful and enthusiastic people that like hearing about the passions, big and small, of other people," Topics vary widely; the most recent episode (at the time of this blog publication) is subtitled, "Rachel's favorite urban oasis! Griffin's favorite partially-illustrated stories!" Wonderful! sometimes uses adult language, so it is not recommended for young learners.
While investigating the compliment language used by the hosts and building their own lexica, language learners should also make comparisons with languages and cultures they know. They might also consider broader cultural questions like: Are the podcasts discussed above examples of a helpful brand of American optimism? Or do they reflect a culture rife with toxic positivity? Learners who want to explore this even further might read Derek Thompson's piece for The Atlantic, The Dark Side of American Optimism (And the Bright Side of Rising Pessimism About the American Dream).
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