[ti:All About Names] [ar:Faith Lapidus] [al:WORDS AND THEIR STORIES] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00](MUSIC) [00:09.73]Now, the VOA Special English program, [00:14.41]Words and Their Stories. [00:18.24]A person's name is very important. [00:21.83]Some names also have special meanings [00:25.13]in popular American expressions. [00:28.11]To better understand what I mean, [00:31.12]sit back and listen. [00:33.66]You might even want [00:35.03]to get a cup of Joe, [00:37.35]I mean, a cup of coffee. [00:39.55]One day, an average Joe [00:43.43]was walking down the street. [00:45.64] An average Joe is a common person [00:49.03]¨C either male or female. [00:51.38]This average Joe was lost. [00:54.62]He did not know Jack [00:57.16]about where he was going. [00:59.46]By this, I mean he did not know [01:02.59]anything about where [01:04.24]to find things in the city. [01:06.53]So average Joe asked [01:10.27]John Q. Public for directions [01:13.40]to the nearest bank. [01:14.95]John Q. Public is also [01:17.54]a common person [01:18.79]¨C male or female. [01:20.84]"Jeez Louise," said John Q. Public. [01:24.97]This is an expression of surprise. [01:27.41]"Jeez Louise, don't you know [01:30.59]that all banks are closed today? [01:33.60]It is Saturday." [01:36.13]"For Pete's sake," said average Joe. [01:39.98]This is also an expression [01:42.72]used to show a feeling [01:44.42]like surprise or disappointment. [01:47.01]"For Pete's sake. [01:48.75]I do not believe you," [01:50.35]said average Joe. [01:52.11]He was being a doubting Thomas, [01:56.41]someone who does not [01:58.00]believe anything he is told. [01:59.85]At that moment, [02:02.19]Joe Blow was walking [02:04.23]down the street with a woman. [02:06.79]Joe Blow is also an expression [02:09.88]for a common man. [02:11.65]Now this Joe Blow was NOT [02:15.41]walking next to a plain Jane. [02:18.49]A plain Jane is a woman [02:21.00]who is neither ugly nor pretty. [02:24.44]She is simply plain. No, [02:27.35]the woman with Joe Blow [02:29.71]was a real Sheila [02:32.20]¨C a beautiful woman. [02:34.12]Average Joe asked the woman [02:37.81]if all banks were closed [02:40.13]on Saturday. "No way, Jose," [02:43.37]she answered. [02:44.61]This is a way of saying "no." [02:45.98]"No way, Jose. [02:49.43]Many banks are open on Saturdays." [02:51.27]Average Joe did not know [02:55.15]either of these two people from Adam. [02:58.19]That is, he did not know them at all. [03:01.37]But he followed their directions [03:03.96]to the nearest bank. [03:06.12]When he arrived, [03:08.71]he walked to the desk [03:10.80]of the chief bank employee. [03:13.14]Now this man was a true [03:16.13]Jack of all trades. [03:17.94]He knew how to do everything. [03:21.48]"I am here to withdraw some money [03:25.11]so I can pay my taxes to Uncle Sam," [03:28.55]said average Joe. [03:30.35]Uncle Sam represents [03:32.64]the United States government. [03:34.68]The banker produced some papers [03:37.81]and told average Joe to sign [03:40.70]his John Hancock at the bottom. [03:43.65]A John Hancock [03:45.94]is a person's signed name [03:48.31]¨C a signature. [03:49.87]Historically, John Hancock [03:52.42]was one of the signers [03:54.42]of the United States Declaration [03:57.31]of Independence. [03:58.66]Hancock had a beautiful [04:01.31]signature and signed his name [04:03.90]larger than all the others. [04:06.78]As average Joe left the bank [04:10.62]he began to sing. [04:12.24]But sadly, average Joe [04:15.58]was not a good singer. [04:17.68]He was a Johnny One Note. [04:20.44]He could only sing one note. [04:24.09](MUSIC) [04:34.79]This VOA Special English program, [04:39.05]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, [04:41.25]was written by Jill Moss. [04:43.45]I'm Faith Lapidus.