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Heart to Heart: Some Heartfelt Expressions

29 May 2009

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

Each week, this program explains the many meanings of English expressions. Today’s expressions include a very important word – heart. 

We will try to get to the heart of the matter to better understand the most important things about words and their stories.  So take heart.  Have no fear about learning new expressions.   Besides, popular English words can be fun.  There is no need for a heavy heart.  Such feelings of sadness would only break my heart, or make me feel unhappy and hopeless.  

Now, let us suppose you and I were speaking freely about something private.  We would be having a heart to heart discussion.  I might speak from the bottom of my heart, or say things honestly and truthfully.   I might even open up my heart to you and tell a secret.   I would speak with all my heart, or with great feeling.

When a person shares her feelings freely and openly like this, you might say she wears her heart on her sleeve, or on her clothing.   Her emotions are not protected. 

If we had an honest discussion, both of us would know that the other person’s heart is in the right place.  For example, I would know that you are a kind-hearted and well-meaning person.  And, if you are a very good person, I would even say that you have a heart of gold.  However, you might have a change of heart based on what I tell you.  Our discussion might cause you to change the way you feel about something.

But, let us suppose you get angry over what I tell you. Or worse, you feel no sympathy or understanding for me or my situation.  If this happens, I might think that you have a heart of stone.   And, if you say something to make me frightened or worried, my heart might stand still or skip a beat.

Yet, even though you may be angry, I would know that at heart, you are a kind person.  In reality, you do care.   And any argument between us would not cause me to lose heart or feel a sense of loss. 

My heart goes out to anyone who loses a friend over an argument.  It really is a sad situation, and I feel sympathy for the people involved. 

I promise that what I have told you today is true – cross my heart.

I really wanted to play some music at the end of this feature.  In fact, I had my heart set on it. So here it is, “Don’t Go Breaking my Heart” by Elton John.

(MUSIC)       

This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss.  I’m Faith Lapidus.



Comments:

1. Recommedations!!

Hi to all. I have my heart set on making our students think of how to take fresh heart at their learning by taking risk. I want to say with all my heart that those students having a heavy heart at their speaking at heart is in the reason that they have lost their heart, although they are capable of learning and speaking. therefore, It is our duty to turn their capability arround again through making them take heart rather than lose heart, that is to say them from the bottom of heart that they can do whatever they like easily.We, as a teacher, should have a heart of gold rather than that of stone, if we wanna help our students.Here it is necessary for me to thank those who prepared this website with all my heart. Author:Tajik,AA from Iran_Varamin
Submitted by: Aliakbar Tajik (from Varamin) (Iran_Varamin)
07-05-2009 - 21:43:43

2. From the bottom of my heart!!!

This programm is amazing! I hope from the bottom of my heart it's will help me brushing up on my english skills! I'll take heart! Promise!! :)
Submitted by: Labass (Mali)
07-03-2009 - 17:57:18

3. Easy to listen

This website is for everybody to pratice your listening skill because it different to others.It very clearly slowly (not too slow) to listen, That's why I love to practice my listening with this website~.
Submitted by: Ampol Toprasert (Thailand)
07-03-2009 - 04:15:08

4. Win my heart

It's bound to steel my heart after first visit here.
Submitted by: Go English (China)
06-29-2009 - 23:53:21

5. Learn Englesg

Pleasa help me to improve my english
Submitted by: Khalid (K.S.A)
06-26-2009 - 12:04:39

6. learn english

i want to learn english
Submitted by: farnush (iran)
06-25-2009 - 15:32:52

7. English

I would like to improve my speaking and listening skills of English language.
Submitted by: Atiqullah Muneeb (Afghanistan)
06-25-2009 - 07:25:17

8. Good topic

This is a good topic for me to starting learning English.
Submitted by: nucci (Thailand)
06-23-2009 - 11:36:08

9. learning English

i wanth learn englsh
Submitted by: abdulwaheed (Afganistan)
06-23-2009 - 08:36:14

10. to improve in inglish

it is the best way to learn english but add some example and exercise for practice
Submitted by: md.khorshed alam (bangladesh)
06-21-2009 - 08:34:59

11. listening

It is a good chance for me to learn English through your website, espacially in Afghanistan.
Submitted by: Sanaullah (Afghanistan)
06-21-2009 - 06:01:05

12. salam

hi there
Submitted by: ahmadziasaba (afghanistan)
06-20-2009 - 05:02:40

13. Heartiest thanx

Bravo! It is a wonderful opportunity for English learners to go fask track. Keep it up...
Submitted by: Tanweer (Canada)
06-19-2009 - 16:07:56

14. Leaping Heart

Thanks to this Program founders and its greatful works. After reading all these hearts expression,i feel kind of leaping heart within me.Besides I wish to take heart to step further on learning English.Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Submitted by: Zaw Tun Latt (Burma(Myanmar))
06-19-2009 - 11:27:28

15. english

Thank you so much, for good stories. It's so helpful for me to learning english !!!
Submitted by: kimheejea (south korea)
06-18-2009 - 09:52:55

16. feeling and speaking friendly

I am going to take heart to using as much English as possible the way the VOA has been practicing and to make my students take heart to doing it. This will help those having a heavy heart be freer when speaking and be friendlier, more sincere and wear their heart on their sleeve. Even when crossing their heart, they will never ever lose their heart for telling their friends the truth because one should speak from the bottom of his heart if he is a real friend and his heart will go out to some one after losing a friend who has broken his heart. Any way, you may have a good friend again and tell him heart to heart 'you have a heart of gold.'
Submitted by: Radica (Serbia)
06-17-2009 - 19:03:53

17. Heartfelt expressions

I really want to speak English very good. In fact, I have my heart set on it. So, here I am writing, reading, repeating and listening to VOA News and Words and Their Stories. I promise that I'll try to get to the heart of the matter to better understand this useful and beautiful language-cross my heart. I think I only need to take a heart to be succesful in this project. From the bottom of my heart this program is fantastic! Thanks VOA, Dora
Submitted by: dora centeno (Nicaragua)
06-14-2009 - 02:27:01

18.

It's really a good way to learn English expressions. Thank you very much~
Submitted by: Peggy ()
06-13-2009 - 15:29:11

19. Heart to heart

This is really a useful and valuable program for non - native English to improve their language. Thanks for your program. I really love it.
Submitted by: Tran Bao Tran (Viet Nam)
06-11-2009 - 17:10:40

20.

It's easy to read and understand.Different expressions,different meanings .Great ~
Submitted by: Rain bubble (China)
06-11-2009 - 08:37:23

21. learning english

as i am a french spoker, my aim is to improve english language around my environment
Submitted by: fred Mutabazi (D.R.Congo)
06-10-2009 - 07:13:16

22. all time member

Hello, This is my first time to get in touch with you. I really like your website. Before I just listen to your prlogram. Hopefully, I could share what I have with you. Thanks,
Submitted by: Nittaya Sudchit (Thailand)
06-10-2009 - 03:22:47

23. thanks

i hope this way is good for learning english.thank you so match from you.be victory
Submitted by: mohamad saie (iran)
06-09-2009 - 13:33:15

24. my heart will go on

what's about this?
Submitted by: khanh dieu (Vietnam)
06-09-2009 - 01:52:06

25. heartfelt thanks for heartfelt expressions

If you are here in order that you can learn English, home is where the heart is.Because They've set their heart on teaching it.And they put their heart and soul into doing it.Yet,if your hurt isn't in it,it makes me sick at heart.
Submitted by: seref (Turkey)
06-07-2009 - 18:54:59

26. Best programs from VOA

I have been lestening to VOA For More than 12 years and its fantastic .
Submitted by: Abdalhakem mssor (Syria)
06-07-2009 - 08:54:20

27. Heart to heart

English is still a foreign language in my home country Vietnam. We lack an English speaking environment to improve it on a daily basis. If English is spoken here, it is just sort of simple English. By simple English I mean, we tend to use simple words, phrases and structures. We have hundreds of books on idioms but it is so challenging to use idioms that they fall into oblivion. However, I myself have started to use articles from VOA Special English to train my students and urge my colleagues to do the same. It really helps.
Submitted by: Ton That Hoa (Vietnam)
06-07-2009 - 06:55:16

28. ...

Whatever it happens, just don't lose heart! And chin up! Things'll get better soon.
Submitted by: Jib_lo_pa (Vietnam)
06-05-2009 - 16:48:46

29. A Heart of Gold

Special thank to Jill Moss and Faith Lapidus . I have learned a lot meaning of "Heart" from your golden heart or "A heart of gold" It 's a good benefit for me of learning English. I love to hear it and to practice it by reading a lone .
Submitted by: Kim Hong Ta (Canada)
06-05-2009 - 02:02:12

30. thanks

I love this program. It gives me the feeling to take my heart to learn english.
Submitted by: parastoo (The United States)
06-04-2009 - 04:19:09

31. Cross my heart

It's good to get to the heart of the matter. This program is very useful for me to improve my English. Thanks with all my heart.
Submitted by: Lan Nghiem (usa)
06-03-2009 - 14:53:52

32. what useful expressions!

very useful expressions!(Thanks alot!) I am going to use some expressions of these to my BF or other BBF. haha : ))
Submitted by: H.J (Korean in Japan)
06-03-2009 - 00:31:23

33. thanks

Now I am preparing for the GRE assessment to go abroad. I appreciate the service of VOA for providing us so many useful and interesting materials to study and know what happened in USA in recent days.
Submitted by: xiaowei (China)
06-02-2009 - 15:34:55

34. heart to heart

I've discovered voa.com quite by chance and I'm happy now to use its resources (texts, audio and video) in the classroom because I believe they are really great to encourage my students to learn English and understand the English-speaking world much better. Thank you.
Submitted by: Valerian Tukbaev (Russia)
06-02-2009 - 13:16:25

35. MY OPINION

Daily I open your page to learn something new and comment it with students
Submitted by: HUGO BERMEJO (CHILE)
06-02-2009 - 11:29:44

36. Thanks so much

I'm not good at English so I'm trying my best. Your programme is very good for me. Thanks.
Submitted by: Van Thuy (Viet Nam)
06-02-2009 - 04:10:40

37.

i think this is very good!!
Submitted by: Haejin Seo (Korea)
06-01-2009 - 11:31:41

38.

your expressions not only useful but they enrich our vocabs and they are also very interesting.
Submitted by: supriyanto (Indonesia)
06-01-2009 - 04:34:39

39. how i improv english speaking

i like voa english method. But i want to improv my english more fluent & quickly.
Submitted by: rajeev (india)
06-01-2009 - 03:48:49

40. interesting

I think this programme is very interesting. Not only does it help non-native English speakers to improve their English, but it also hepls them to behave towards people in a friendly and wise way.
Submitted by: DoTuanLong-HULIS (Vietnam)
06-01-2009 - 02:05:37

41. exquisite

I like this kind of articles because it is very useful to help people learn the beauty of English. Also, help people how want to learn English understand this expressions which may be difficult for them to translate them (expressions ) literally. Thank you
Submitted by: Mohamed Amar (USA)
05-31-2009 - 19:52:35

42. Heartly thanks.

I am improving my Englsih. I like to read it because its language is easy to understand. No hard words are used, pronunciation is also clear. Heartly thanks.
Submitted by: Sulbha (India)
05-31-2009 - 16:04:36

43. Sad memory...

A couple of years ago, I was in a bad situation which I could not explain to anyone openly. I was in mental shock and physical exhaustion for a while. One day, I opened up my heart to one of my friends and told a great secret. we had a heart-to-heart conversation that day. I thought she was a very warm-hearted person, but she tured out to be talkative. She told that secret to almost everyone she knew. It broke my heart. Since then, I have not trusted her any more.
Submitted by: Lee YunHee (S.Korea)
05-31-2009 - 13:26:14

44. Heart to Heart

This article is very good, I have learned many words about "heart".
Submitted by: YongBei (China)
05-31-2009 - 13:05:06

45. Various meanings of English words

As you known an English word may have various meanings. Sometimes they may be conflicting. It will be very useful for foreigners studying English if you may advise us how we can get the exact meaning of a new word in a sentence with many words that we do not still understand well their meaning. In addition, it also interesting and easier to remember if you may explain the reason or history that caused various meanings of a word. Thank you for your attention.
Submitted by: Nguyen Son Hung (Japan)
05-31-2009 - 11:57:07

46.

I have n't think about this much expressions related to heart. Really valuable informations, yes saying from the bottom of my heart!
Submitted by: Raji (India)
05-31-2009 - 09:49:11

47. thanks

i might break ur heart cause i skipped the music in the end :)
Submitted by: stef (china)
05-31-2009 - 09:16:16

48. learning English

I want to improve my speaking and listening English. thanks for you
Submitted by: Mohammad (Afghanistan)
05-31-2009 - 09:10:58

49. I wany to hear the voice to learn my English

Please help me to improve my English
Submitted by: linh tran (USA)
05-31-2009 - 04:14:19

50. useful

haha, so many useful expressions with
Submitted by: David Chen (China)
05-30-2009 - 22:52:03

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