When we discussed about pop culture in our online spoken English classes, most students were confused or had no idea on what pop culture means although we have all  heard pop songs. What does pop culture mean and how can it help us improve our English communication? Pop by the way is a short form of ‘popular’ and when we say culture, we are talking about the kind of vocabulary used by native English speakers. There are a lot of things that we can learn from American popular culture which can help us improve our English at large. If you observe a native speaker's everyday conversation, you will find traces of popular culture. However, if you are not familiar with the culture, you would end up feeling frustrated as you would not understand the references.

3 tips to improve communication skills

Pop culture – finding references

If you are staying in some part of America, you would not find it difficult to learn pop culture. But, for people elsewhere, you can use online resources to learn references. Dictionary might not carry pop culture reference, but there are some places where you can search. Urban dictionary and BBC podcast series are the best places to start with. The new age chatting phenomenon has already made us aware of the acronyms, such as bffs, lol, btw, etc. You can listen to the podcast series to learn when and where to use these terms appropriately.

Pop music – Plug in

Most of us today are addicted to Justin Bieber and the likes. Listening to pop songs is another great way to build your vocabulary on popular culture. Not only would you get the dope on the latest but also it is an interesting way to start a communication. When in company of native speakers, you can flaunt your knowledge of popular culture. Similarly, you can watch popular sitcoms and movies and improve your knowledge. Can I be more specific? If your friend talks like this, you would know he is pulling a ‘Chandler Bing’ on you from the popular series ‘Friends’. This comedy sitcom may be over a decade ago but still reflects pop culture of America.

Read blogs

If you happen to read small blogs, you would realize the writer writes in a tone as he/she is speaking. It is very common to find acronyms such as, JK (just kidding) or Atm (at the moment). Read blogs on various topics of fashion, travel, fitness and food to improve your knowledge on pop culture.

Conclusion

To learn pop culture is a fun and good way to gel well with the native speakers. So, why not start watching a ‘Games of Thrones’ series and use it as a communication starter. You can also join our online spoken English class and discuss on pop culture with other students seeking to improve communication.

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- By Chander Madan

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