When I volunteered at the Los Angeles Valley College Speech Department, there was a program for students who were new to the United States and needed help in English conversation.
I met with these students twice a week. They came from all over the world. The first day of our meeting, an Asian woman greeted me with a very low bow. I had the students introduce themselves and tell everyone where they came from. Most of them had some type of experience with the English language, so we were able to proceed with our group conversation. They talked about their classes, their jobs, their families and any experience that they decided to talk about. Some students talked more than others, and some seemed to have difficulty with the English language or were shy, so they didn’t talk at all.
At one of our meetings, there didn’t seem much conversing going on until one young man asked a question. His question got this group stimulated.
This young man told our group that recently at work someone told him that he had “money to burn.” He was puzzled because he didn’t understand what that meant. No one seemed to be able to help him, so I explained what this expression meant.
Well, it wasn’t very long when several of the students brought up the various slang expressions and started asking about the meaning of these expressions. Some of them even offered to talk about the expressions that they were already acquainted with and even were able to tell us how it was interpreted in in their own language. It was a fun period for all of us.
After this meeting with these students, I became very excited. I got a “brain storm.” I decided to make a tape using several of our slang phrases.
The following semester, I enrolled in a broadcasting class at this college. I became acquainted with some of these young students and the teacher of this class. I became very excited when I decided to produce a tape for foreigners.
I have a friend who has his own broadcasting equipment in his home. I asked some of the students whom I felt had good voices and the teacher, if they would like to go to my friend’s house and make a tape of the script that I had written for them.
The script was categorized according to subject. For example, slang words that pertain to money, work, school and social life are some examples of the different categories. In the money category, I used a dialogue using expressions such as “arm and a leg,” “big bucks,” and “pay through the nose.”
There was a narrator who did a great job describing each category before the conversation between the two characters started. We also used terrific sound effects all through this tape. I named my tape “Slang with a Bang.” I also made a booklet using the script from the tape so that people could follow it when they listened to the tape.
Now came the difficult part.—- trying to market my “Slang with a Bang.” I made several copies of the tape and the booklet that came with it. I tried to sell them. This is when I discovered that marketing a product can be difficult.
Well, an opportunity finally arrived. I know a young lady who had a dress shop. She decided that she no longer wanted to be in this business. She wanted to try to sell some of her merchandise before she closed up. We decided together that we would have a joint party at her store. She told me that I could bring in my tapes and the booklets that went with the tapes. We invited our family and friends and between the two of us, this sale was a success. She sold some more of her clothes, and I sold some of my tapes. We also had fun.
Of course, selling to people who want to help you out is one thing, but trying to continue selling your product to the public is something entirely different. The important thing is that all of those who contributed to this project found it to be an interesting learning experience.
I’m looking forward to selling my slang tapes and booklet on E-Bay. I have a feeling that since there are so many foreigners entering the states, they will find that this tape will be of importance to them.
