Pep talk (source:http://brownsharpie.courtneygibbons.org/)

Today was Labor day which is one of the national holidays in the United States. In addition to the fact that people do not go to work, it has a few meanings to the American people. It is the end of summer. To enjoy the symbolic last day of the summer, people go for a picnic where they grill a lot. Labor day also meas the start of NFL and college football season, which I am so happy about. After labor day, the number of people playing golf decrease a lot because people start to watch college football on saturdays and NFL on sundays. These are a few things I know about Labor day. Do you guys know anything else you want to share?

Moving on to today’s expression, let me ask you a question! Have you ever experienced any situation that your boss or boss’s boss call a meeting and make a short or long talk about work, work, work? Well, more specifically, the main thing that he/she is trying to say is that you need to work harder? I am sure you do have that experience, (In which you would be talking to yourself like, “Oh! Great! Here it goes again!”) Maybe you are the one who is making that talk? Oh… good luck with that! Well, either way… Do you know what is the English expression you can use for that kind of talk? It is called, “PEP TALK.”

Definitions I found on the web are:

1. a vigorous, emotional talk, as to a person or group, intended to arouse enthusiasm or increase determination to succeed, etc.

2. This is usually a 5-10 minute speech given by your Supervisor at work,so as to make you work twice as hard for the same amount of money.

Well, the first one sounds pretty good but, in reality, you would hear pep talk in relation to the second one. Don’t you think?

Anyways, I had to find the origin of “PEP” to figure out why people started to use the expression. PEP is a shortened form of pepper. Now, in general, putting some peppers in your food sort of stimulates your appetite, doesn’t it? (American people use pepper a lot in the food. And, I do also love peppers.) Having that kind of feeling, what would be your feeling if someone add pepper in their talks? That is right! It is encouraging and stimulating. Another very good example of pep talk is the time when a coach of a football team tries to encourage the players before they go out to play a game, like “Hey, Guys, It is the time that you guys just go out there and show what you have! Let’s go! You can do it!”

Now, let’s put some peppers in your talk when you want to encourage yourself, shall we!