Curated and contributed by Tatyana Lukov, TESOL Program, Hawaii Pacific University
This clip is from Downton Abbey, Season 1, Episode 2. Matthew and his mother are just moving into the Crowley house because he has become the heir of Lord Grantham. Matthew isn't happy with the situation - he thinks that his rich relatives will want him to change and be more like them (have an excessive lifestyle). Because of that, he is not in a good mood, and is not polite when he meets the servants of Crawley House, so his mother has to introduce him and herself to Mr. Molesley.
(the scene ends at 1:25 min.)
Driver: Here we are ma'am, Crawley House.
Matthew: For good or ill. ... I still don't see why I couldn't just refuse it.
Isobel: There is no mechanism for you to do so. You will be an earl; you will inherit the estate. Of course you can throw it away when you have it, that's up to you.
Matthew: Can I help?
Mr. Molesley: I'm Molesley, sir. Your butler and valet.
Matthew: Mr. Molesley, I'm afraid...
Isobel: May I introduce ourselves? I'm Mrs. Crawley and this is my son, Mr. Matthew Crawley.
Mr. Molesley: I'll just give Mr. Taylor a had with the cases.
Matthew: I can...
Isobel: Thank you, Molesley.
Matthew: I won't let them change me.
Isobel: Why would they want to?
Matthew: Mother, Lord Grantham has made the unwelcome discovery that his heir is a middle-class lawyer and the son of a middle-class doctor.
Isobel: Upper middle class.
Matthew: he wants to limit the damage by turning me into one of his own kind.
Isobel: When you met him in London, you liked him.
Activity 1: Fix the Captions
Work with a partner. Open the video in a new tab.
Listen to the dialogue without captions 2 times.
Pause the video after each short phrase and write down exactly what you hear to create your own captions.
When you are done, play the video one more time with the captions on. What are the differences between the automatic captions you see on the movie, and your captions? Why do you think there are these differences?
Compare your captions with the transcript above. Are there any differences?
Activity 2: Language Use in Introductions
What expression did the people in the video clips introduce themselves?
Are these expressions formal or informal? Why do you think it's formal/ informal?
What expression did the people in the video clips introduce other people?
Are these expressions formal or informal? Why do you think it's formal/ informal?
Put the following expressions into the correct type of introduction, and mark each as F (formal) or I (informal).
Self-introduction Other-introduction
Expressions:
Hi, I'm X.
I would like to introduce X.
Have we met? I'm X.
Please meet X.
I think I've seen you around, but we haven't officially met. I'm
This is X.
Hi, my name's X.
I don't think we've met. I'm X.
I'd like you to meet X.
I think I've seen you around, but we haven't officially met. I'm X.
Add at least 2 more ways to introduce yourselves and others in informal situations. What can these situations be?
Activity 3: Comparing Introductions in English and your Language
Are there certain rules of introductions (self and/or others) in your culture?
Describe them to each-other, and also translate them word-for-word to English so your classmate understands what you mean.