Learning English

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Introduction

Sometimes we want two things, but they’re not always possible to achieve at the same time. This situation can be described with a fairly new and informal English word which we’re about to explain in this programme.

Transcript

Jiaying
This is The English We Speak with me, Jiaying…

Neil
…and me, Neil. We’ve got a fairly new word for you that is about the desire to have two good things at the same time. Or it can be used to say you’ve been offered two good things at the same time, when in reality that is impossible. The word is ‘cakeism’.

Jiaying
Cakeism. I love cake, but is this word really connected to cake?

Neil
No. There’s no cake here, Jiaying. Although it might be useful to think about a delicious-looking cake. If you eat it, it won’t be there any more. This is the idea behind the idiom ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it’. You can’t have two good things at the same time. ‘Cakeism’ is based on this idiom.

Jiaying
Right. So, we’re saying you can’t have all of the advantages. I want a better train service for my commute to work, but I want the journey to be cheaper as well.

Neil
Sorry Jiaying, it’s unlikely you’d get both! But if the railway company claims it will give you both things that is ‘cakeism’. Let’s hear some examples…

Examples
The salesman offered me a great deal on a new phone – a better handset and a cheaper tariff – but I think that’s just cakeism!

Our boss claims we’ll get a higher salary and have fewer hours next year – it sounds like cakeism to me!

The bus company has promised an improved service and cheaper tickets – but that’s just cakeism!

Jiaying
In this The English We Speak, we’re looking at the word ‘cakeism’. We use it to describe when we are offered two good things at the same time, which in reality is impossible to achieve. So, if I promised to write the rest of the scripts for you and made you some coffee, that would be cakeism? It won’t happen!

Neil
Maybe not. You can just make me some coffee and I’ll buy some cake and we can talk about cakeism a bit more.

Jiaying
Sounds like a plan. Bye for now.

Neil
Bye.

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