[ti:Some Say 'There's No Smoke Without Fire']
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:08.32]And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
[00:19.24]On this program we explore words and sayings in American English.
[00:26.68]Today we talk about fire.
[00:30.76]Any kind of fire – from a campfire to a lit match – gives off smoke.
[00:38.52]This fact about fire relates to today's idiom:
[00:42.96]There is no smoke without fire.
[00:47.56]Before we continue, let's talk about two words
[00:51.44]often used to explain this idiom: rumor and gossip.
[00:58.40]Rumors and gossip are stories or pieces of information
[01:03.12]that are passed from person to person
[01:06.48]but have not been proven to be true.
[01:09.36]They are often about something bad.
[01:14.36]One meaning of "there's no Smoke without fire"
[01:18.04]is that rumors and gossip often have some truth behind them.
[01:24.88]If the word on the street is that something is really bad,
[01:29.36]it just might be.
[01:32.04]Or if you hear unpleasant things about someone or something
[01:37.52]from many different people, there may be some truth to it. Maybe.
[01:44.24]Here's an example:
[01:46.48]I think we should start looking for another job.
[01:49.92]I've heard that this bank is going under.
[01:52.92]It could be just gossip.
[01:55.48]But usually, there's no smoke without fire.
[02:00.00]In other words, there must be at least some truth to all the talk.
[02:06.04]The logic is this:
[02:08.44]If many people are saying that something bad is happening,
[02:12.48]it could be partly true.
[02:16.08]We say this idiom several ways.
[02:19.24]You can say, "there's no smoke without fire."
[02:22.52]Or you can say, "where there's smoke there's fire."
[02:26.76]You can even simply say, "where there's smoke..."
[02:30.96]without continuing the rest of the sentence.
[02:34.80]People will definitely understand your meaning.
[02:39.76]Here is another example.
[02:42.32]Hey, I hear you're going out with that new guy at work.
[02:45.76]We just went for a long walk together. That's about it.
[02:49.72]Well, be careful. Rumor has it that he is bad news.
[02:54.56]What kind of bad news?
[02:56.48]Well, he's been married before.
[02:59.76]So. It's no crime to have a failed marriage.
[03:03.28]Right. But he's been married FOUR times.
[03:07.52]My cousin knows a former wife of his.
[03:10.04]She says he owes money all over town.
[03:13.48]This is just gossip.
[03:15.80]Look, I'm just saying be careful.
[03:18.80]Where there's smoke. Yeah, you know.
[03:24.48]And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.
[03:29.72]Until next time ...
[03:30.96]I'm Anna Matteo!
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