'Straight from the Horse's Mouth'

2023 · VOA Learning English

This speaker is a general-american model. Each line below can be recorded and scored against it.

Transcript

1. And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning

   0.8s–14.2sPractise this

2. English.

   13.8s–18.3sPractise this

3. On today’s show, we will be talking about an animal that is as impressive and beautiful as it is useful -- the horse.

   20.0s–32.5sPractise this

4. Today’s expression is straight from the horse’s mouth

   32.3s–37.8sPractise this

5. “Straight from the horse’s mouth” is about the way we get information and with this expression that means directly.

   38.6s–49.1sPractise this

6. When we hear something from the source, we can say we heard it first-hand It is coming from a primary source.

   49.2s–59.0sPractise this

7. So, if you hear something from the horse's mouth you hear it from the person who has direct personal knowledge of the information.

   64.7s–75.6sPractise this

8. For example, a co-worker of mine, Andrew, likes to play the piano. But don’t take my word for it, let’s hear it straight from the horse's mouth.

   75.7s–87.5sPractise this

9. Thanks, Andrew! The opposite of this expression would be through the grapevine

   90.6s–97.0sPractise this

10. That is a very indirect way to get information. Now, let’s talk about origin

    97.4s–106.2sPractise this

11. Experts are not sure how this expression started. However, there are two common explanations.

    106.3s–114.2sPractise this

12. One traditional explanation is about buying horses. Before buying a horse, a possible buyer would look into the horse’s mouth.

    114.3s–126.3sPractise this

13. This is because you can tell a bit about a horse’s health and age from its gums and teeth. Another explanation involves horse racing.

    126.4s–139.8sPractise this

14. At the horse races, people talk about which horses will win and which ones will lose.

    139.9s–147.3sPractise this

15. The most valuable opinions are from the people who know the horses the best the riders and trainers.

    147.9s–157.2sPractise this

16. Since you can’t ask the horse, these people are the next best thing. “Straight from the horse's mouth” suggests the most knowledgeable source of information.

    157.5s–171.3sPractise this

17. So, this expression can also mean from a reliable source. The information is coming from a trustworthy person.

    171.4s–182.5sPractise this

18. It may even be the definitive source, meaning the best authority. Now, let’s hear the expression used in another example: A: Hey, guess what?

    182.6s–196.2sPractise this

19. Stella is moving to Toronto! She’s so excited.

    196.1s–200.8sPractise this

20. B: I just can’t believe it. I mean, she also just got a promotion and a raise at her job.

    208.1s–216.5sPractise this

21. I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth Stella’s!

    226.5s–231.4sPractise this

22. If anyone asks you where you learned this expression, tell them you heard it straight from the horse’s mouth from VOA Learning English. Until next time, I’m Anna Matteo.

    235.5s–249.1sPractise this