Some Everyday Expressions about Cars and Driving – English List

Speed-racing, fast-flying, metal-clunking, oil-charged … these useful little machines called cars have a lot more to do with the English language than one might imagine. There are so many popular idioms and expressions that were inspired by these furiously fast vehicles. Whether for a compliment or a “total wreck,” this language has you car-lovers covered.

Below is a list of some expressions that were inspired by cars or driving. Most of these can be used in a literal driving context but also in a figurative way. It’s not a complete list at all, and there are many more expressions out there. Still, these are some that, in my life, seem to be the most commonly used. So let’s get the motor runnin’!

Oh, and I’ll be writing more lists about this topic in the future if you want to know even more phrases related to cars. So, stay tuned for that!

How did that get there? Tobias Tullius

Total Wreck / Totaled

Utter Destruction!

Let’s go ahead and start with one that I just used. A total wreck, whether for a car or in general life, is a complete disaster. Something has been destroyed and it doesn’t look like there’s going to be any coming back. If you total a car, it’s totaled, and this has the same meaning as a “total wreck.” It’s “totally” destroyed … totally, man!

This word is used more specifically for cars, but can be used for other things if you want to get creative. A complete wreck is another option with the same idea.

Messed up car, messed up life

• My life is just a total wreck right now!
• Did you see? Max totaled his Audi the other day.

Rev Up

Getting things hot

Revving up an engine is to get it started, get it hot. You press your foot on the gas and get ready to run (as in driving, of course). It’s similar as a figurative expression, where it means to get really excited, get “fired up,” and start an activity with lots of power and energy. It’s also used as an adjective in the same way.

Passion from within

• Cars are so noisy when they rev up their engines.
• Be careful with Charlie. He gets all revved up at football games.

Curb

Take a pause …

Has someone ever been talking to you and you just wanted to stop them and change the topic? Well, you could have curbed them, which is doing exactly that. It usually means to stop something in order to change its course. Think of a car’s wheels hitting a curb.

An abrupt stop

• Joey’s car got scratched when he curbed it last week.
• Guys at bars always come at me with terrible conversations. I wish I could just curb them and move on.

It’s okay to speed on the race track. Wes Tindel

Speeding

That’s doing too much

This means going really fast, simple as that. It works in cars as much as in life situations. It generally has the context of doing more than one should or more than needed.

Breaking the limit

• Is it okay to speed in Germany?
• All his speeding through life is going to catch up with him someday.

In The Rearview

A look back

As in, in the “rearview mirror.” When looking in their “rearview,” someone can see what’s behind them. Outside of driving, something in the rearview or looking in the rearview has to do with being in the past. Usually we say it when something gets put in the past or when someone is focusing on their past.

Checking what’s past

• Make sure to check in the rearview while you drive.
• I used to work as a waitress, but that’s all in the rearview now.

On E

No fuel for the fire

This is can also be expressed as “running on E.” On E literally means on empty, which happens when a car has no more gas in the tank. This is helpful to express when a car has an empty gas tank, or when a person has no more energy in their metaphorical “tank.”

Running on 0%

• I got this new rental car, but the tank was already on E.
• Messi looks so tired out on the field. He must be running on E by now.

Full Throttle

Going strong

When talking about cars, full throttle means the vehicle is moving at full capacity or is driving very quickly. Well, that’s about the same as someone doing something at “full throttle,” or with lots of enthusiasm, energy, and speed.

Full speed ahead

• She loves to drive with her convertible at full throttle through the desert.
• If you choose to do something in life, make sure to do it full throttle.

Like A Deer In Headlights

Caught you looking

Sometimes people say “headlamps,” but it means the same thing. Often said as a deer caught in headlights, this phrase intends exactly what comes to mind when you read it. Someone usually makes this look when they are caught doing something they shouldn’t be. They can be very shocked or even embarrassed.

Scared deer, scared baby

• Have you ever actually seen a deer caught in headlights?
• When Sean’s mom caught him stealing cookies from the cabinet, he was like a deer in headlights.

Hit The Brakes / Hit The Gas

Just press go … or stop

Hitting the gas or the brakes in a car means to push your foot on the gas or brake pedal to make the car go or stop. These expressions sometimes get used in other situations, like when you want a person to speed up or slow down. Pumping the brakes or the gas is another alternative, as well is pushing the brakes / gas. Although, the sensation is a little less “rushed.”

Advice for driving, dates, and driving dates

• Never hit the brakes too suddenly. But when the light turns green, you need to hit the gas.
• Jake tried to kiss me on our first date and I was like, pump the brakes! Now it’s been two weeks, and I wish he would push the gas!

Park It

Bring it in, sit it down

Parking, we know, is to pull your car over to the side of the road and leave it. Or, you can leave it in a parking lot. When someone says to park it, they usually are asking you to sit down. Sometimes it can mean to stop what someone is doing, too.

Pull over and leave it there

• When you learn to drive a car, you must learn how to park it.
• Hey, Jimmy! Come park it next to me.
• He knows he was wrong. He should just park it and apologize.

Swerve

Evade, avert

A swerve (action) or to swerve mean to make a sudden and unexpected turn while driving. This is usually to avoid an obstacle in the road, like a tree branch or something. Figuratively, one can swerve to avoid a situation or person, mostly because they don’t like them. I think it can also be used to talk about making a sudden change in life or in movement.

This is part of where all those “skrrt” sounds came from in Trap and Hip Hop music these days, since car tires make a skrrt sound when they swerve.

Going around, literally

• Why is this guy swerving? There’s nothing in the road.
• Yeah, man. When Gina called me, I had to swerve.
• Sometimes in life we have to swerve around and try something new.

Rolling

Wheels and squeals

Car wheels roll, and that’s the idea behind this word. To roll can simply mean to drive, but it can also mean that someone is leaving or going, as if they were “driving” away. People also use rolling to mean that they are laughing really hard, as if they were “rolling” on the ground and holding their stomach.

Funny trip

• Do you want to roll in my truck tonight, or are we taking dad’s?
• After the party we can roll to my house.
• Oh my God, that movie was hilarious! I was rolling the whole time.

Read more: Rolling, Roll, Roll Out, & more

Cruising

Riding cool

Some people love to just get in their car and enjoy the ride. Cruising is driving low and slow with nowhere to go, but just having a cool time. Outside the car, it usually means the same thing but in a more general life sense. It can also mean to move through some situation really easily and smoothly.

Smooth move

• Every Tuesday me and my cousins go cruising in our Chevys. Wanna come?
• Everyone says how bad airport security is, but we just cruised through the last time.

This guy’s buckled and ready to go. Humphrey Muleba

Buckle Up

Safety first … or not

Well, everyone’s got a different opinion on whether to buckle up their seatbelts or not. Whether you’re an all-the-time buckler or a never buckler, one thing remains consistent. Buckle up is also used to tell someone to get ready, because something big is surely coming.

Get ready!

• Alright, Maddie. Let’s buckle up before we drive to school.
• Buckle up, boys. This year’s vacation is going to be insane!

Riding / Rider / Ride Or Die

On the road together

Riding in a car or any vehicle can be lots of fun. Outside of that context though, riding might have to do with going together with someone, or being there for someone no matter what. A true and loyal companion. A rider or a ride or die also have these noble qualities.

True company

• It’s fun to ride in the back of a pick-up truck.
• I’m going to get some pizza. Are you riding?
• Yeah, Marcy is a rider too, but Janelle is my ride-or-die. We’ve been through it all together.

Read more: Ride, Rider, Ride-or-Die, & more

Shift Gears

Switching course

No matter how popular automatic transmission gets, there always seem to be enough manual cars to practice driving stick shift. When you change from gear one to two and so on, that’s shifting gears. Now that I think of it, you can “shift gears” in an automatic car too. Just change from park to drive and whatnot.

Okay, so shifting gears has a similar meaning in other contexts, too. Changing one’s situation or circumstance comes to mind.

Nice maneuvers

• Shifting gears can be hard for beginner drivers.
• He was a great athlete before shifting gears and becoming an actor.

Pedal To The Metal

Pressing ahead

This is like putting your foot on the gas pedal as hard as you can, all the way to the floor. In a car, this means to drive as fast as you can. We tend to hear it a lot outside of cars too, since it can be used to tell someone to hurry up, give it all they’ve got, and put one’s full energy and effort into something.

Fast life youngsters

• Did you see how fast Sarah was driving? She really likes to put the pedal to the metal.
• Come on, son. Put the pedal to the metal and finish that homework. It’s almost midnight.

Also, here’s a resource I found useful for helping me write this article. They have plenty of cool car expressions!

**Thank you for reading. Great job coming to practice your English skills (or just for being curious)! Feel free to read similar posts here on the Blog, as well as share or comment. Can you think of other expressions that have to do with cars and driving? There are a lot out there. Well, drive safely, be careful, and happy learning! Peace.

Contracting verbs with “to”, Wanna, Gonna, Hadda & more – Speaking Habits

There’s a dirty habit that English speakers have … okay, it’s not that terrible. Still, when many people speak, they have a habit of contracting certain verbs if they come before the word “to.” These verbs usually stand ahead of another verb that is in its infinitive form, which is the most basic (e.g. to love, to go, to see). Here, I’m talking about the verb that comes before these infinitive forms. Read some examples to see what I mean:

Examples – connecting verbs with “to”

• I wanna help you.

(“Want to” might get fused together, so this sounds more like, “wanna”)

• You hadda say that, didn’t you?

(You had to say that, didn’t you?)

• You hafta help me, please!

(You have to help me, please!)

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Or, do you want more info? Look at this article on RealLifeGlobal.com along with the video below.

http://reallifeglobal.com/.

This might happen because the word “to” is normally pronounced as a “shwa” or a short “uh” sound. When people are speaking, it can be a drag to pronounce every letter and word. So, they get bunched together and form into a new word. It’s similar to how “would have” can turn into “would’ve.”

One thing to remember is that this fusing the verbs before “to” doesn’t work all the time. You might have to pay attention to which words this is used most commonly. Also, unlike with “would’ve,” hafta, wanna, and hadda are just how these words are pronounced in speech. They aren’t proper English, though, so you shouldn’t write these words on a paper or test (but they’re fine in text messages or social media).

Some other noteworthy examples of these contractions I’m sure you’ve all heard before are gonna and gotta.

More examples

• They’ve gotta be kidding.

(They’ve got to be kidding.)

• No one told you what’s gonna happen?

(No one told you what’s going to happen?)

• She hasta help her mom first.

(She has to help her mom first.)

Thank you all for reading! I hope you learned something. Read the Blog for other posts like this about English habits. Go ahead and share a comment with us if you’ve heard this habit before. And as always, take care out there. Peace! ☮️

Lead fame hit | What is ‘Clout’? – with dialogue

Yan Krukov

Meanings of Clout

Welcome to another post and yet another word explanation … sort of. Today’s focus is on “clout,” a word that has resurged up into popularity lately. Clout in normal situations has a couple of different meanings already. It can be a hit or a strike, and also some kind of cloth.

But we don’t want to focus on those definitions. If you’re looking this up, you’re likely searching for the most common use for this word in — American English, anyway — which is having strong influence either in business, politics, or some field related to these.

Read more: Clout in the learner’s dictionary

This meaning, though, has slightly changed in recent times. In some casual or slang contexts, usually in music or on social media, clout refers to general fame or recognition. Someone with clout is in control, calls the shots, and makes the decisions. It’s pretty much the same as being popular.

Read: Clout in the Urban Dictionary

Also, having clout on social media is having lots of popularity (on those media platforms), having lots of followers, getting lots of attention, and so on. Sometimes people who are looking to be more popular or chasing after fame and influence are called clout chasers.

Oh, and perhaps you’ve heard of this?

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Like I said, these meanings are all pretty close to the same thing. Still, informally, clout is more about having fame online or being popular when you go places. The traditional meaning is less about having showy popularity where everybody knows you and more about having real power and leverage to make big changes. This is often in an elite field like politics or business.

Below is a short story featuring the characters from Adventures of Charles. Here, clout is explored with some more or less realistic examples, if you care to see that. Either way, thanks for stopping by. Good luck with your English studies!

‘Lead fame hit’

clout used in sentences

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Leonie Zettl

What a weird story! I can’t believe you and Jonah saw all of those crystals, though. That must have been amazing. You’ll have to take me on your next trip.

Read previous story: Depth trap dive

Charles looked over at his friend, Sheila, with a smile as she steered the wheel. She had a way of making everything seem exciting. Oh, and she made driving look so cool.

–I know, it was amazing! The crystals were just beyond belief.

I guess Charles was also good at that.

Sheila thought for a moment, then decided to say, –I just don’t know how you guys afford these elaborate vacations. Are you guys, like, secretly rich or something? ‘Cus you need to tell me if you are.

Charles laughed and decided to tell the truth.

–Well, you know, I have nothing to do with it. Jonah is the one with all the connections. I think he has some clout with the airlines because of his cousin, so they let him travel when he wants.

• He has some influence or leverage with this company, he has a certain amount of power and freedom with them.

–That’s dope! she responded enthusiastically, paying closer attention to the street signs now. Charles watched as the red and green streetlights skimmed over her face. –It must be good to have a friend like that.

–Well, I’m sure you have clout too in the music world. You could probably walk into a club and everybody would know who are. And want to buy a drink for you, too.

• I’m sure you have influence, I’m sure that you are popular in the music world.

Sheila laughed.

–Hey! I ain’t that famous. Not yet, anyway. But I do wish I could get some of that clout on Instagram or something. My songs aren’t reaching the right audiences yet.

• Get some popularity, more attention, influence on Instagram.

Charles placed a hand on her shoulder, about to say, “Don’t worry, grasshopper. Your time will come,” or something like that. But before he could shed his words, Sheila jerked her neck and turned to the side, pointing her finger at a dark corner building.

–Oh my God! That’s the old studio, she said.

–Really? Charles replied. –It looks barren.

–I know, huh? Let’s go record something! I bet you they still have all the old equipment.

As he undid his seatbelt, Charles nodded and replied, –Old equipment? Look out! Now you’ll really be famous.

Sheila parked the car at the corner by the dark-looking ruin of a building. Charles then took a deep breath, and they went in.

To be continued …

‘OCD’ – Visual / Audible Poem (‘TOC’ Legenda em português)

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In the video below is a poem. It was inspired by a strange time in my teens when I was struggling with obsessive anxiety. I know some of the words are weird, but I tried to express my reality and my real thoughts from that time. This is not what everybody who experiences OCD feels. This was an artistic take on my personal view of the condition at the time. Okay, hope you enjoy it. You can also read the poem by itself at the link below. Thanks!

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Have you or someone you know ever dealt with OCD or another psychiatric condition? If you feel up to it, please share about it here. It’s a safe place and it’s you may inspire someone with your testimony. You never know 😉 Thanks for supporting and I appreciate your courage.

You can check out some other videos like this one in the Videos section.

Read on Inkspired

Preply vs Cambly: Pros & Cons – Students’ Edition

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For people seeking to learn English, there have never been so many options as now! With such variety, though, it can get confusing as to which platforms are better suited for each individual student. I mean, we’ve all got our own unique styles and comfort zones, right? This post will take a look at two platforms that I have tutored on.

I’ll give my opinion on what I feel the advantages and disadvantages are for English learners on either of the two. Feel free to let me know what you think below or to share what your experiences have been like learning on these sites. So, let’s talk about some of the similarities, pros, and cons of Preply and Cambly for students.

Read also: Preply vs Cambly, Tutors’ Edition

Check for yourself: Cambly Info; Preply

All the Same

Despite some differences, Preply and Cambly actually have a lot of similarities for students, and they offer much of the same things. Both of these are online language learning platforms where students can decide the times and days of their own lessons. These platforms allow for students to attend lessons on practically any device with a camera, from laptops to cellphones to tablets and more.

They also allow for students to choose which tutors they wish to talk with, providing a profile and video by each tutor. The two platforms have learning materials that can be used during the lessons as well. Monitors are on watch for both platforms to make sure the lessons go smoothly and safely. Now, on to the specifics.

Preply, pros & cons

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Advantages

• they make it easy to pay for lessons and set up recurring / weekly lessons with the same tutors
• if the student doesn’t enjoy their first lesson, they can do a lesson with another tutor free of extra charge until they find a good fit
• the interface looks nice and the platform is fairly easy to use
• they have features like a whiteboard, lesson topics, and an easy chat section to navigate
• students can arrange to do automatic lesson confirmation so they don’t have to worry about this after lessons
• it’s designed mostly for students that want to stick with the same tutors for longer and do longer lessons
• they aren’t so picky about doing lessons off of the Preply platform, as long as the lesson is confirmed on Preply, this allows for more freedom to do the lesson where you’re comfortable
• they check with students to confirm before extending their payment plans
• students can learn other languages besides English

Disadvantages

• sometimes the platform can be a little slow, this especially happens during updates
• there is no free trial lesson and all lessons are paid for in advance
• students aren’t required to do 1 hour lessons but most do, some students have a hard time keeping up with this weekly schedule, it’s a bigger commitment
• most students do lessons on a laptop in a more formal setting, this could feel limiting to some students
• because tutors set their own rates, sometimes lessons may be too pricey for certain students

Cambly, pros & cons

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Advantages

• students usually do the lessons on a cellphone, so they have the freedom to be almost anywhere and practice English
• lessons are normally shorter, although students can pay for extended lesson times if they wish
  • it is usually a laidback atmosphere which can be very relaxing for students, low pressure
• students have the freedom to talk to a different tutor each session or make planned lessons with the same tutor
• students are allowed a free-trial lesson and sometimes promotions for multiple free lessons
• a great place for YouTubers and influencers to interact with English speakers for entertainment and educational purposes
• students can feel safe that the lessons are closely monitored, more so than Preply in my experience
• tutors go through a quick training before starting, this is to better understand other world cultures and behaviors, and it helps them to be more receptive of students’ specific customs
• you don’t have to schedule lessons, just log in and find someone to talk with
• I sense that tutors come from a wider array of backgrounds on Cambly, there’s also a fair amount that aren’t native English speakers but still speak English very well

Disadvantages

• many students like to share contact info, but Cambly strictly prohibits this, this is a downside if you are one of those students
• students can do the lesson from anywhere, but some locations might make video connection worse
• because the atmosphere can be more relaxed, some students might not reap the full benefits of a fully focused lesson, this can provide a false sense of improvement for some students who would benefit better from sitting and focusing on English practice, which is totally possible on Cambly

So, there …?

Well, you can see I tried to stay optimistic and focus on the good side of things. The lists are overwhelmingly positive for both platforms, which surprised even me. For students looking to do lessons on either Preply or Cambly, I would suggest just thinking about the kind of lessons you want. Do you want to just practice conversational English or do you want to have a bit more structure and order in your lessons? Or do you want both or something different altogether?

Both of these platforms are excellent tools to use for practicing English and to get some cultural exchange. In the end, though, my experience tells me to encourage all the students out there to use it as one of your many language learning tools, and not as a cure-all. Just using an online platform probably isn’t going to make you fluent, although it’s one great way to help you get there!

Language learning is best done when there is a variety of methods and materials used so the brain can get in contact with the language from different angles, using different experiences. Students that seek a more casual approach to learning might prefer Cambly, while students who seek to put in more focus might prefer Preply. Either way, both platforms allow for casual and serious language learning, just with their own twist. The important thing is how they are used by the students. You can do it! I trust in you. I hope I could make the differences, similarities, pros, and cons of Preply and Cambly a bit clearer for you. Thanks for reading, and we’ll tune in next time. Peace.

‘Butterfly Effect’ by Travis Scott – Lyrics for English Students

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“BUTTERFLY EFFECT” is a song by Travis Scott, as you might know, and it came off of his 2017 album, Astroworld. Below are the lyrics with some explanations about expressions, grammar, and other less-obvious meanings of the song. I am no expert on this song or on Travis Scott, but this might help those of you learning or studying English to better understand the words. If you’d like, please watch the video and read the lyrics and explanations. Then take another listen to see how much you understand the second time. Ready?

Read the lyrics without my explanations on Genius

Other explanations: Where is the Butterfly Effect; Interesting Song Facts

More Lyrics “Explained”

“Butterfly Effect” Lyrics & Explanations

All the commas

• Other meanings: This probably has to do with money. The more commas, the bigger the number is; 1(,)00(,)000(,)000(,) …

Murda on the beat so it’s not nice

• Other meanings: This is a popular tagline from the producer on this song, Murda Beatz.

Ooh, hmm

For this life, I cannot change

• Figurative speech / Philosophy: Just a note about the title: the “butterfly effect” is the idea that changing something small or subtle in the past — like killing a butterfly — can lead to a completely different present and future. It’s also the idea that something small like a butterfly beating its wings can make huge ripples (impacts) in time. This theory kind of rings throughout the song as Travis says he cannot change, as if his life is destined to be this way. The lyric also could mean that this new lifestyle cannot change who he really is. But, like a butterfly beating its wings in the past, his impact will be made on the world.

Hidden Hills, deep off in the main

• Geography / Other meanings: Hidden Hills is an upscale, sort of exclusive city in the north Los Angeles area where lots of rich and famous people live. It also sounds like he could be saying “in the hills” which has the same connotation. That’s because in Los Angeles, many of the rich and fancy neighborhoods are either literally in the hills or have the name “hills.”
• Not sure: The “deep off in the main” part is a little confusing, but it could just mean that the people in this society have deep ties, deep roots, or deep connections there. Or something else entirely.

M&M’s, sweet like candy cane

• Figurative speech: We know M&M’s. Some like chocolate and others swear by peanut butter. He could be relating M&M’s to certain drugs like ecstasy, comparing the “high” feeling of being on drugs to a sugar high from eating lots of sweets.

Drop the top, pop it, let it bang

• Casual speech / Slang: “Drop the top” and “pop the top off” are ways to talk about taking the top off of a convertible car. “Bang” here could refer to playing loud music in the car. These expressions probably have other meanings too that are a little more provocative, so I’ll leave it at that.

For this life, I cannot change

Hidden Hills, deep off in the main

M&M’s, sweet like candy cane

Drop the top, pop it, let it bang

Drop the top, play hide and seek

• Games: “Hide and seek” is a kids game where one person has to search for other people who are hiding.
• Figurative speech: He doesn’t literally want to play hide and seek though. This could mean going to look for something or someone, or trying to run away or hide from someone. Doing things discreetly.

Jump inside, jump straight to the league

• Figurative speech / Slang: Going to “the league” generally refers to young athletes who skip college and go directly into the professional league. He could be referring to someone joining his “team” or his crew. Come play with the big boys. This mixes in with a popular term among some black men to call each other “hitters,” like a baseball player that hits a ball. That’s not what it means, that’s just the relation to being on the team or in the league.

Take a sip, feel just how I be (It’s lit)

• Grammar: *”Feel just how I am …”
• Slang / Informal speech: Saying “how I be” refers to how the person lives, how they act on a regular basis, their style. This is very informal, by the way. Saying something is “lit” means that it’s fun, it’s cool, something good will come of it. It’s also one of Travis’s popular sayings.

On Freeway, but no, ain’t nothin’ free (Straight up)

• Grammar: *”On the freeway, but no, nothing is free …”
• Slang: Saying “straight up” like this is the same as “for real,” as if to reiterate that the person really means what they say.

Bend laws, bend lanes (Skrrt, skrrt)

• Expressions: To “bend the law” means to break it basically, to go against the law. “Bending lanes” is driving quickly along turns on street lanes. Hence, skrrt skrrt.

Been bustin’ bills, but still, ain’t nothin’ change

• Grammar: *”I’ve been busting bills, but still, nothing has changed …”
• Slang: By “busting bills” he means he’s been spending a lot of money. Still, he makes a ton of money, so his financial situation isn’t affected by this.

You in the mob soon as you rock the chain

• Grammar: *”You’re in the mob as soon as you rock the chain …”
• Slang: The “mob” here refers to his crew again. The same goes for “team, squad, gang,” etc. To “rock” in this case means to wear something proudly, especially a certain brand.

She caught the waves, just thumbin’ through my braids (Alright)

Some braids for you – Gift Habeshaw

• Slang / Expressions: To “catch the wave” here means to get high (on drugs) and feel some wavy vibes. To “thumb” through something means to run one’s fingers through it as if to study it, like thumbing a book.
• Culture / Style: He plays on the idea of waves as a hairstyle since “waves” have been a popular hairstyle for black men for a while.

Heatin’ up, baby, I’m just heatin’ up (It’s lit)

• Expressions: “Heating up” figuratively means that something is getting started, it’s just beginning. A similar expression is “warming up.”

Need your love, not a need, it is a must

Feelin’ stuck, you know how to keep me up

• Expressions / Dual meanings: “Keep me up” here means this person keeps him feeling well, positive, and in good spirits. It also has a more provocative meaning, though.

Icy love, icy like a hockey puck (Alright)

this hockey puck is icy – Samantha Gades

• Slang: “Icy” here has a couple of meanings. It can be really cool, chill, relaxed, good-looking, and involving lots of “ice” or diamonds and jewels.

For this life, I cannot change

Hidden Hills, deep off in the main

M&M’s, sweet like candy cane

Drop the top, pop it, let it bang

For this life, I cannot change

Hidden Hills, deep off in the main

M&M’s, sweet like candy cane

Drop the top, pop it, let it bang

All the ones, all the chains piled on the mantle

All the dawgs, all the dawgs low creep right behind me in the Phantom (It’s lit)

a scary Phantom – Taras Chernus

• Slang: “Dawgs” is the same as a guy or a friend. To “creep” in this scenario means to move slowly and watchfully without trying to be noticed. In a car, it sounds like it means driving with the car low to the ground.
• Regular speech: Saying “right” with a direction just adds emphasis to how close the subject is. “Right next to, right beside, right above, right there.”
• Cars / Culture: A Phantom is a popular expensive car often referenced in rap / trap music.

Yeah, never go, never go dip on the set, stayed Santana

• Informal speech / Grammar: *”I stayed like Santana …”
• Slang: To “dip” in this case means to disappear or abandon something. The “set” is a person’s original “hood,” group or place that they most represent. So, Travis didn’t abandon his origins, in simpler terms.
• Pop Culture References: He’s probably referencing Juelz Santana who was a part of a rap group called Dipset or the Diplomats.

Yeah, run it back, turn the lights on when I hit up Green Lantern (It’s lit, alright)

• Expressions / Slang: To “run it back” means to do something again like repeat a song or phrase, or to go back to a place. To “hit up” a place means to visit it or go to it.
• Personal meaning / Location: He could be talking about a bar in San Antonio called the Green Lantern, since Travis is from Texas and I’ve heard he went to this place.

Yeah, fly the broads, fly the dawgs down to Atlanta

• Slang: “Broads” is another term for young women. It’s an older term that can be seen as disrespectful to some women.

Yeah, in the cut in Medusa, lay low, yeah, I might be

• Slang / Expressions: “In the cut” here means that he is in a place, probably a really nice place. It’s one of those non-specific slangs that could be a number of other things too. To “lay low” or “lie low” means to take it easy, relax, not do much work, enjoy one’s time.
• Life references / Dual meanings: Medusa could be referring to the logo on Versace brand clothing, or a popular restaurant in Atlanta.

Yeah, roll up, help me calm down when I’m movin’ high speed

• Slang: “Roll up” here refers to rolling up a joint (of cannabis). It could also refer to rolling his window up to feel stronger effects from the weed since we assume he is in a car.

Yeah, if I send one, need to text back ’cause you know what I need (Straight up)

• Grammar: *”You need to text back because you know what I need …”
• Deeper meaning: We can only imagine what he might need from this person he’s texting.

Oh, please, oh, me, oh, my

• Expressions: “Oh me, oh my” is an old-fashioned expression that sounds like a kids song. “Oh my” is a way to show shock or surprise. It’s short for “Oh my God / goodness / word.” Also, saying “Oh, please!” like this can be like telling someone to stop because they are lying or saying something outrageous. “You wrestled a lion? Oh, please!” Of course, it can also be like saying “Please, stop.”

We been movin’, we been movin’ for some time (Alright)

• Grammar: *”We have / we’ve been moving …”
• Expressions: “Moving” here refers to making moves, or doing things to make money and have success.

Flexin’, flexin’, try to exercise

Flexing those muscles, brah – Alora Griffiths

• Slang: “Flex” in this context means to show off, present what you have to everyone else, usually in a way that is misleading. Of course, it relates to flexing a muscle, showing your strength, proving that you have been exercising a lot.

Exercise, exercise, exercise

Then it repeats.

What makes Saskatchewan unique? – 10 Cool Features 🇨🇦

Lake Diefenbaker – Olivia Kulbida

Heading out to the middle of the prairie, this is Saskatchewan’s time. A Canadian province known for flat open terrain and farming, this place definitely has a lot more specialties than milk and bread. Read a quick profile and then enjoy about 10 cool things that make Saskatchewan a unique place.

SASKATCHEWAN: Quick Profile

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Cities: Regina is the capital; Saskatoon is the biggest city

Location: the middle of the three Prairie provinces in the interior of central Canada, far from any oceans; it borders the U.S. to the south

Read more: about Canada; about Manitoba

Climate: mostly humid continental (humid hot summers and snowy cold winters) with Subarctic climate in the north and some semi-arid steppe (dry plains) features in the southwest; the weather usually comes in extremes with particularly warm summers and intensely cold winters throughout; weather can be very windy with tornadoes and storms being fairly common, although Saskatchewan gets more sunlight than any other province

Environment: mostly prairies and plains in the south with some highlands; mostly boreal forests and taiga to the north with over 100 thousand lakes, Lake Athabasca is the largest; some tundra in the far north and some large areas of sand dunes

Name: it was once a part of Britain’s North West Territories; named after the Saskatchewan River, from the Cree language meaning “swift flowing river”

1. Because of Grasslands National Park

Cypress Hills – Erik Lizee / Eriklizee

What is it?:

Grasslands is a national park in southern Saskatchewan near the U.S. border. It preserves lots of prairies and rolling Great Plains landscapes, as well as the range critters.

Places and features:

Wildlife and hiking; Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, with some highlands and collections of dinosaur fossils

2. Because of Moose Jaw

Mac the Moose – Lisa

What is that?:

While not a literal Moose Jaw, this place is a small city in rural Saskatchewan. Despite its size, it has a nicely infused natural landscape and some unique experiences throughout.

Places and features:

Tunnels of Moose Jaw, tunnel tours that explore parts of the city’s underground past such as prohibition and Chinese immigration; Wakamow Valley, urban park; the Western Development Museum, exploring how the West was won; Mac the Moose, a giant moose statue; Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa, a luxurious spa with a big geothermal pool

Discover: Tunnels of Moose Jaw tours; Temple Gardens

3. Because of Regina

Prince Edward Building – Grahampurse

What is it?:

Well, Regina (Reh-jai-na) is the capital and one of the main cultural hubs in the whole province. The city hosts several events and festivals along with some beautiful urban scenery. It may not be the most populous city in Saskatchewan, but it doesn’t miss by much

Wascana Lake – Tintaggon

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Places and features:

Saskatchewan Legislative Building; RCMP Heritage Centre, dedicated to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with festivals and service ceremonies; the Government House; MacKenzie Art Gallery; Royal Saskatchewan Museum; Saskatchewan Science Centre; Wascana Centre, a huge urban lake with an even bigger park surrounding the city center and provincial buildings; Hotel Saskatchewan, offers historic interactions with a step back into the prohibition era; Victoria Park

4. Because of Saskatoon

Bessborough Hotel & South Saskatchewan River – Kyla Duhamel

What is it?:

You know! Saskatoon is the biggest city, or most populous I should say, in the province. Similar to Regina, it offers lots of cultural and culinary attractions mixed in with a beautiful natural landscape.

Places and features:

Forestry Farm Park & Zoo; Remai Modern, a cooly-designed modern art gallery; Western Development Museum, the largest of these in Saskatchewan; Ukrainian Museum of Canada, documenting Ukrainian heritage in the nation and one of the biggest ethnic minorities of Canada; South Saskatchewan River, a scenic river that runs through town, it shelters riverside green spaces like Rotary Park and Kiwanis Memorial Park; the Delta Bessborough Hotel

5. Because of the Trans-Canada Highway

Qu’Appelle Valley – Kjfmartin

What is it?:

This is basically what it sounds like. Within Saskatchewan, the Trans-Canada Highway takes drivers across pretty sweeping landscapes and through some interesting towns and provincial parks.

Places and features:

Qu’Appelle Valley, a stunning valley area with lakes and places like Echo Valley Provincial Park and Fort Qu’Appelle; Moose Mountain Provincial Park, several other towns and parks along the way

6. Because of its Unique Lakes

Jackfish Lake – Kyla Duhamel

What are they?:

Saskatchewan, like much of Canada, is known for its many, many lakes. With so many of them, this province still has some that stand out from the rest.

Places and features:

Little Manitou Lake, a lake with a high salt concentration that allows for floating, it also hosts a resort and spa nearby; Lake Diefenbaker, an artificial lake or reservoir with interesting rock formations, cliffs, and a long shoreline; Jackfish Lake, with nearby Cochin Lighthouse (in the middle of the prairies!)

7. Because of Historic Towns & Forts

Wanuskewin Heritage Park – Travis Wiens

What are these?:

Historic towns and sites like forts are important places where the past can be preserved. Saskatchewan has a lot of these places that share its extensive history.

Places and features:

Maple Creek, home to a frontier-themed B&B called Ghostown Blues and Fort Walsh, a historic mounted police fort; Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a cultural historic center near Saskatoon documenting over 6,000 years of First Nations heritage; Batoche, a stronghold town during the Métis rebellion, now a museum; Fort Carlton, a Hudson’s Bay fur trade post; the Battlefords, Battleford and North Battleford were important towns for the mounted police during territory days, home to Fort Battleford and, you guessed it, another Western Development Museum

8. Because of Sand Dunes

Athabasca Sand Dunes – Snappy Goat

What are those?:

Outsiders might not know that Saskatchewan is home to the largest sand dunes in the world that far north. Some are in the southern region, but the biggest dunes are a drive up.

Places and features:

Great Sand Hills, Canada’s second-largest; Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park, Canada’s largest dunes along the shores of mighty Lake Athabasca

9. Because of its Northern Wilderness

Waskesiu Lake, Prince Albert National Park – Viktor Birkus

What is that?:

To the north of this province is a vast area of wilderness. This ranges from dense boreal forests to scattered taiga, from the many lakes to tundra and even sand dunes, as we just saw before.

Places and features:

Clearwater River Provincial Park, with waterfalls, rivers, and rapids; Prince Albert National Park, with controversial conservationist Grey Owl’s Beaver Lodge; Reindeer Lake; Lake Athabasca; Hunt Falls, powerful waterfalls up north

10. Because of its Culture

Saskatchewan is a curious one of the Prairie provinces. It’s smack dab in the middle of them, with its plains and open spaces giving it the feel of a giant field or farm. Sure, the plains played a huge role in the settlement of the region from First Nations down to Eastern European farmers, though English and Anglo-Canadian ID is dominant. And it’s notable how important the mounted police culture has been in this place.

The indigenous presence is comparatively big in Saskatchewan’s largest cities. Their cultures are preserved in elaborate galleries, historic sites, and even universities dedicated to them. Beyond that, these cultural centers help to preserve so well the building blocks of the province’s society. They make it clear where the modern place has come from.

Spikes in temperature and the harsh climate have molded its diverse residents into toughness and resistance. Previously a province that suffered hard economical times, Saskatchewan has been turning business around and making things more interesting for all. Whether passing through on the open highway or stopping to slide on some dunes, this grain basket of Canada has a lot of flavor for any taste!

**Thank you all for coming! I hope you enjoyed learning more about Saskatchewan. Tell us what you like about this place, and shout out if you’re from SK. Feel free to look at other posts on Cult-Surf or related posts in the Earth’s Face section. Take care and be awesome! Peace.

That’s ‘Wack!’ Video Quick Examples – English Expressions

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Hello, English learners and enthusiasts. We have this expression or slang word called:

Wack!

This word is used to describe things that are boring, not interesting, of bad quality, or simply not fun. The video below shows how you might use or hear it in normal speech, so please check that out. Let me know what you think! Sorry, my hair was kind of crazy that day. 😀

In the Urban Dictionary

Watch more Videos

Read “wack” in a short story

Contact me!

What makes Prince Edward Island unique?- 11 Cool Features 🇨🇦

Nicolas Raymond

Set the sails and off to the “Prince” of Canada’s provinces! Prince Edward Island is a place known for its red shores and soils, many lighthouses, Green Gables, and for potatoes, ostensibly. Let’s check out 11 of the cool features that make PEI special. But first, a quick profile.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Quick Profile

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Cities: Charlottetown is the capital and biggest city; Summerside is the second-biggest

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Location: mostly on the island of Prince Edward with many smaller coastal and barrier islands; within the Gulf of St. Lawrence, part of the Atlantic Ocean; once in the traditional Mi’kmaq lands and then French Acadia, it’s now part of the Maritime and Atlantic provinces of eastern Canada

Read more: New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; about Canada

Climate: has a maritime climate with some continental features; long but mild cold season and mild hot season compared to more inland areas

Environment: north Atlantic forests with coastal beaches, dunes, sandstone cliffs, and marshlands; lots of agriculture and farmland

Name: named after British Prince Edward, the father of Queen Victoria; called Île–du–Prince–Édouard in French

Alright, so why is Prince Edward Island unique, then? …

1. Because of Green Gables

Avonlea Village – Carl Campbell

What is that?:

This is the setting of the classic children’s novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. She was also from the area which now has lots of historic points dedicated to the book and its author.

Places and features:

New London, Montgomery’s hometown; Avonlea, the fictional community in the book now set up for people to visit; Anne of Green Gables Museum, and more related sites

2. Because of Prince Edward Island National Park

 PEI National Park – Dave Bezaire

What is it?:

This national park protects a large natural area of the PEI north coast. With an abundance of beaches, pretty shorelines, and boardwalks, it also contains parts of the interior like Green Gables.

Greenwich marsh & dunes – Claudine Lamothe

Places and features:

Dalvay-by-the-Sea, a national historic site and very famous hotel on the north coast; Stanhope Beach; Cape Tryon, a cape with beautiful green and red cliffs and the Cape Tryon Lighthouse; Greenwich Beach, beaches with marsh boardwalks and cool sand dunes

See more: visit Dalvay-by-the-Sea

3. Because of its Confederation History

Confederation Bridge – Dillon Turpin

What is that?:

Prince Edward Island holds an important spot in Canadian history for hosting the meetings that led to its confederation. Several sites on the island are dedicated to this prideful part of its heritage.

Places and features:

Confederation Landing, a waterfront park in Charlottetown with some historic boating sites and tours like Peakes Wharf; Confederation Centre of the Arts, an arts center in Charlottetown with exhibits and popular plays; the Confederation Trail, a cross-province trail that can be walked, biked, or sled across, it offers the best opportunities to enjoy the island’s rural scenery; Confederation Bridge, the world’s longest bridge over frozen waters, it connects PEI to the mainland at New Brunswick

Read more: about Confederation Trail

4. Because of its Towns

Cavendish – TourismPEI

What are they?:

These are the small towns scattered throughout Prince Edward Island. Most of them have nice boardwalks, beaches, and wharves to explore.

Places and features:

Cavendish, home to several Green Gables sites, a famous ice cream shop, and cliffside shores; Victoria-by-the-Sea, also has a Seaport Museum; North Rustico, among many others

5. Because of its Many Beaches

Basin Head Provincial Park – Nicolas Raymond

What are these?:

Remember that PEI province is full of differentiated coastlines. These come in the shapes of rocky and sandy beaches, coastal cliffs, and also wetlands.

Places and features:

Basin Head Provincial Park, home to Singing Sands Beach whose sands “sing” when stepped on; Brackley Beach, with red sands and boardwalks, also the locale of Dunes Studio Gallery, a kind of art gallery with a café and restaurant surrounded by green garden settings; Red Point Provincial Park, fun for families; Cabot Beach

6. Because of Charlottetown

Victoria Row – Heather Cowper

What is it?:

Charlottetown, as you know, is the capital and biggest urban area in Prince Edward Island. It’s also a center of culture and commerce with lots of historically significant sites dotted around. The city played a major role in Canadian confederation.

Places and features:

Victoria Park, a beautiful harborside park; Victoria Row, a popular shopping area with eateries and Victorian-era architecture; Prince Edward Battery; the Province House; Saint Dunstan’s Basilica; Beaconsfield Historic House, preserved Victorian home and museum; a series of mouse statues set up around the city

7. Because of the South Shore & Rocky Point

Rocky Point – Martin Cathrae

What are they?:

Well, one is the southern shore of the island, particularly south of Charlottetown. Besides more coasts and beaches, there are a number of towns and historic sites found down here, especially on Rocky Point.

Places and features:

Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst, a national historic site home to some of the earliest European forts and settlements in PEI, it was also a main port of entry for early settlers; Blockhouse Point Light; Argyle Shore, more pretty red beaches and cliffs; Point Prim, with the historic Point Prim Light Station

Read more: Îles-de-la-Madeleine & Southern Québec

8. Because of Points East

East Point Lighthouse – Stefan Krasowski

What is it?:

This area is the general eastern coast of the province. It combines a series of towns, parks, scenic shores, and most notably, lighthouses to light them all!

Places and features:

Points East Coastal Drive, the best way to catch the different places; Cape Bear, with a lighthouse and Marconi Museum; Wood Islands; East Point, home to one of the oldest operating lighthouses there; Orwell Corner Historic Village, preserving late 1800s country life

9. Because of its West Side

North Cape – Gregory Roberts

What is this?:

Here, I mean the western part of the island since everything else on this article has been further east. The west also has some of the prettiest coasts and settings, being either the starting or ending point of the Confederation Trail.

Places and features:

North Cape, more amazing scenery and coasts at the northwestern tip of the island, also part of the North Cape Coastal Drive; Cedar Dunes Provincial Park; the Bottle Houses, or Maisons de Bouteilles, a few homes made from recycled glass in a serene setting

10. Because of Summerside

Summerside Wharf – Stephen Downes

What is it?:

Summerside is the island’s second-biggest city and one of its main cultural centers. It has several unique and intriguing institutions that distinguish it from the rest.

Places and features:

Acadian Museum; College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada, it has exactly what the name suggests; the International Fox Museum & Hall of Fame, also has exactly what the name suggests, dedicated to preserving the history of attempted fox domestication and some noteworthy foxes; Eptek Art & Culture Centre

11. Because of the Culture

Dalvay-by-the-Sea – Corey Balazowich

So Prince Edward Island is something else. It’s the smallest province but the most densely populated. From the native Mi’kmaq to Acadians to British settlers, this place has seen its fair share of people coming to tame it. Still, the rugged shores and amazing coastal landscapes prove that the wild can attract more than any civilized town.

And pretty towns with that classic North Atlantic, Victorian style are found throughout, showing how much fishing and boating have fed the people of this province. Let’s not forget that PEI is one of the crop-baskets for Canada, as small as it is, and it played a major role in the confederation of the country.

That’s why so many things reference that fact all over the island. Well, that and Anne of Green Gables, which is also referenced all over the place. Quiet hills and gusty cliffs still allow for haunted woods to scare us and for fantastical gardens to enchant our minds. Prince Edward Island is a magical place — sure, it can be a little cold and cloudy at times. PEI knows what makes it PEI, and preserving that has made them one of a kind.

**What else can you share about Prince Edward Island? Are you from there or have you visited? Tell us what you most like about it! Contact me to collaborate or to send a personal message at tietewaller@gmail.com. Feel free to read more posts on the site or on Earth’s Face. A special thank you to all the photographers for making their amazing work available on creative commons. Thanks for the support and keep being adventurous! Peace out people.

Other reads:

Facts about Prince Edward Island

Cost of visiting Prince Edward Island

Tourism re-opening in Prince Edward Island

Safety and daily life on Prince Edward Island

How come Prince Edward Island is a province?

‘Django Unchained’ & American Society- What’s it say about us?

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Django Unchained was a 2012 American movie by Quentin Tarantino that shook up so many of its viewers. With references to Spaghetti Westerns, Southern epics, and slavery pieces to name a few, this movie also had a lot to say about American society overall. Down below are a few of the points about our society, past and present, that were referenced in Django Unchained.

That’s Racist

Jason Leung

The most obvious thing that Django Unchained tells us about America is slavery and racism. We all know about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the nation’s history of African enslavement. In the movie, we see how pseudo-religious and pseudo-scientific concepts were used in those days to justify slavery.

You remember the whole scene where Mr. Candie (DiCaprio’s character) uses one of his former slave’s skulls to demonstrate how black people are anatomically inferior to whites. Or that scene where the slaver uses the Bible to justify his whipping and punishing of the “sub-human” slaves.

The cold part is that this stuff really happened, and a lot. It seems like every five words in Django is the “n-word,” and this is more for a shock effect than anything. I mean, I’m sure white people in those days called black people nigger a lot, but not like every five seconds. Still, the use of this word and other racial slurs in the movie shows us how language has been used throughout our country’s history to uplift certain groups and diminish others. And that goes both ways.

Read more: Are there many interracial couples in America?

Okay, so we saw whips and chains, physical representations of bondage and dominance — not to get freaky. Oh, and we saw a glimpse of a pre-Ku Klux Klan group in one of the funniest scenes of the entire movie. The KKK really formed after abolition as a kind of retaliation against blacks gaining equality. Django (Jamie Foxx) and Dr. Schultz (Cristoph Waltz) later in the movie start to be treated with a bit of respect when they are presumed to have money and status. This shows how even racism can be curbed when there are benefits involved.

Frontier Living

Eniko Polgar

Django Unchained at its heart is a Western, so the usual gun-slinging and street shootouts had to be a part of it. The characters throughout most of the movie are riding horses and carriages across open landscapes, mountains, and everything we associate with the Old West. We even see the classic cowboy stand-offs in the small frontier town, people running to get the sheriff, and a saloon fight.

The Antebellum South is also represented when they get to Mississippi. There we see big plantations and plantation homes being worked by slaves. Besides that, we get a look at some slave quarters, those common oak and poplar trees of the South, and big fields of cotton to be picked. And of course, all around is the sense of white dominance and complacency for being in control of that crazy world they’d created.

Read more: Isn’t America all cold and snowy?

The Outlaw is B(l)ack!

Hennie Stander

Another thing this movie does is show audiences how black outlaws and bounty hunters did exist in the Old Western days. I feel like this movie opened up in many ways for people to learn about such figures as black cowboys and bounty hunters, a subject that was not really touched on before in movies or TV (at least to this extent).

Django shows in part the presence of these lesser-known historic black figures of that time, informing that they were also a part of the development of the country. There’s also something many people forget, that some slaves were able to buy their freedom and lead interesting lives outside of the establishment.

Read more: Aren’t there a lot of black people in America, like on TV?

Reparations … or Revenge?

Andy Watkins

Since the times of slavery in America, there has been a sense of black people recovering some kind of dignity, strength, even ranging into dominance. It’s important to remember that not all people in any group will want the same things, which is normal. Still, when Django goes and kills all of the slavers that did him wrong, there’s this sense of “justice served cold” that reverberates off of every gunshot and explosion.

There’s a constant debate in the USA of whether there should be reparations or compensation given to black Americans for the terrible deeds taken against their ancestors. There is this underlying feeling of getting revenge on these racist actions, which is completely exploited in this movie. Let me also remind you that the German’s full name is Dr. “King” Schultz, likely a nod to Dr. Martin Luther King as a kind of liberator and symbol for good.

Through all the killing that Django does, we also get an idea of the violent nature of rebellions in general, especially as it deals with the black-led ones. There was many a violent uprising in America’s past, and this movie plays a bit on such true historic bloodbaths.

And the White Director

Siebbi

So Quentin Tarantino doesn’t look very black, as far as most of us can tell. The fact that a white guy had directed a movie like this did conjure up some backlash for the film. Django Unchained touches on some pretty sensitive subject matter, particularly concerning black Americans. So one might imagine how some people felt uncomfortable with it.

Tarantino movies aren’t for everyone and lots of people are already uneased by the cartoonish violence in them. Put that together with about a thousand “n-bombs” and you’ve got a sure recipe for retaliation. Even though many people thought he had no business making a movie about slavery, there were still those that enjoyed Django Unchained regardless of its crazy subject matter. Q. T. does actually have a cameo in the movie and gets blown up, which shows that even the director wasn’t safe from Django’s vengeful rage.

Boy, I Swear

Etienne Girardet

Another common feature in Tarantino’s movies is the liberal and consistent tendency of his characters to swear. This is just his style, and it comes more so from this culture surrounding Hollywood or Southern California — where almost everyone I know curses. Some are offended by this constant use of bad words, and others could care less.

One thing that’s funny about this, though, is that people back in those times (early-mid 1800s) definitely did not curse as much as in the movie. Sure, there was cursing, but people back in those days were generally pretty conservative and religious by today’s standards. I had this same thought watching The Hateful Eight which had a similar amount of cussing in a time period that people probably didn’t have such dirty mouths.

Read more: The Wolf of Wall Street

This feature of the movie was likely used to connect modern audiences to this past period in time, similar to how the score contained some rap songs. It also reminds audiences that this story is fictional and for entertainment purposes, so don’t be taking it all so seriously.

America, the Beautiful Mixed Baby

British Library

In Django Unchained are black people (obviously), Germans, Australians, other Americans, and Mr. Candie who loves French — even though he can’t speak or understand it. Some aspects of the culture, especially on the German side, are explored a bit deeper. With all of this, we get reminded of America’s very mixed heritage.

Germans at a certain point in the U.S. interior were very prevalent and made up a large part of the immigration there. All these different people of varying backgrounds remind us of this uncommon origin we share that turned the U.S. into a land of immigrants. It also reminds us that a large part of the country, like the West, was built by outlaws, runaways, and people seeking the thrill of adventure until turning it into what it is today.

Read more: Aren’t Americans white?

**What did you think of this movie? Are you fond of Tarantino or do you avoid his movies at all costs? If you can, share what else Django Unchained showed us about American or world society. Also, feel free to check out similar posts on At the Movies. Message me at tietewaller@gmail.com for direct contact or to collaborate on something! Thank you for reading and peace to you.