Animated English: “Falling Hare”

Welcome back, learners and laughers alike! Today, we’re going to explore language learning through a classic 1943 cartoon, “Falling Hare” featuring the timeless Bugs Bunny. The cartoon revolves around Bugs Bunny’s encounter with a gremlin, a mythological creature known for causing mischief, particularly with mechanical equipment. “Falling Hare” offers a treasure trove of idiomatic expressions, vocabulary, and a glimpse into American humor. Let’s dive in!

Cartoon Summary:

“Falling Hare” is a hilarious cartoon where Bugs Bunny reads about the myth of gremlins and brushes it off as a fairy tale. Soon after, he finds himself in a series of mishaps and comic interactions with a real gremlin causing mayhem in an airfield. The humour is largely driven by slapstick comedy, wordplay, and Bugs Bunny’s trademark sarcasm.

Readers in China can watch the cartoon here –> https://v.qq.com/x/cover/opi0msolkgxd98x/s0161dfxtay.html

Vocabulary:

Let’s look at some key vocabulary and phrases from the script along with their pronunciations in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA):

1. Menace (/ˈmɛnɪs/): A person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger.
2. Dia-bo-lick-al (/ˌdaɪəbəˈlɪkəl/): Another way to say “diabolical”, meaning wicked or evil.
3. Sa-bo-tay-gee (/ˌsæbəˈtɑːʒiː/): This is a fun, incorrect pronunciation of “sabotage” (/ˈsæbətɑːʒ/), meaning to deliberately destroy or damage something.
4. Hubbub (/ˈhʌbʌb/): A chaotic din caused by a crowd of people; a busy, noisy situation.
5. Blockbuster bombs (/ˈblɑːkˌbʌstər bɒmz/): During WWII, these were large aerial bombs filled with high-explosives, capable of destroying a whole street or large building.
6. Wendell Willkie (/ˈwɛndəl ˈwɪlki/): A U.S. lawyer and corporate executive, and the 1940 Republican nominee for president. His mention is a humorous cultural reference from the time.

Key Phrases:

1. “Get a load of this”: This is an informal way of saying “take a look at this” or “listen to this”.
2. “Oh, brother!”: This is an expression of exasperation or disbelief.
3. “Which way did he go, George?”: This line is a playful reference to the classic Lennie’s line from “Of Mice and Men,” and has become a recurrent joke in Looney Tunes cartoons, often used when a character is hunting or tracking another.

Exploring classic cartoons like “Falling Hare” can not only provide a fun history lesson but also aid in language learning. As we unravel the humour and catch the cultural references, we enrich our understanding of the English language. Stay tuned for our next post where we’ll continue our exploration of vocabulary and humour in cartoons!

As a fun activity, try to use some of the vocabulary words and phrases from this post in your conversations this week! And in the meantime, you can also try the quiz below!

 

#1. What does the phrase ‘yous think’ indicate about the speaker’s background?

The speaker is a foreigner

The speaker uses informal or dialectal English

The speaker is from an English-speaking country

The speaker is highly educated

#2. What does it mean to ‘take a whack at it’?

To physically hit something

To attempt or try something

To ignore something

To throw something away

#3. What does ‘dia-bo-lick-al-sa-bo-tay-gee’ imply?

Malicious sabotage

Innocence

Friendliness

Delicious food

#4. What does ‘ain’t’ mean in the context of this cartoon?

Will not

Have not

Is not or are not

Is or are

#5. What does ‘ran out of gas’ mean?

To become tired or exhausted

To need a bathroom break

To stop talking

To become very hungry

#6. What does the phrase ‘which way did he go’ mean?

Asking about someone's mental state

Asking for directions or the path someone took

Asking about the time

Asking about the weather

#7. What is a ‘gremlin’ as used in the context of this cartoon?

A type of airplane

A tool for fixing machines

A small creature that causes mischief or mechanical problems

A type of car

#8. What does the phrase ‘get a load of this’ mean?

Unload a truck

Load a gun

Lift something heavy

Understand or take notice

#9. What does ‘hub-bub’ refer to?

A type of candy

A loud noise or chaos

A deep conversation

A peaceful situation

#10. What does ‘whack’ mean in the context of this cartoon?

To ignore something

To throw something

To hit something

To clean something

Previous

Finish

Results

There will be a lot of hub-bub about how well you did on this quiz!

You get gave it a good whack.  Try it again!