Are You a 'Big Fish in a Small Pond?'

2022-03-20

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1
  • And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
  • 2
  • On today's show we talk about an idiom involving fish and a pond.
  • 3
  • A pond is a small body of water. It is usually smaller than a lake.
  • 4
  • And our idiom today is "to be a big fish in a small pond."
  • 5
  • "A big fish in a small pond" describes a person who is very well known or important in a small group but is not known or important outside that small group.
  • 6
  • For example, a high-performing high school student in a small town could be a big fish in a small pond.
  • 7
  • He may feel overly-confident or overly-important, or he may simply not know how small his "pond" is -- until he moves on to a big university.
  • 8
  • He must compete with hundreds of students who were also the best at their high schools.
  • 9
  • His pond just got a much larger and is now filled with many more fish.
  • 10
  • Here is another example.
  • 11
  • A young singer was famous in her small town.
  • 12
  • She wanted to move to a big city to grow her singing career.
  • 13
  • Her close friends and family supported her but also warned her.
  • 14
  • Here in our small town, they said, you are a big fish in a small pond.
  • 15
  • Once you move to New York City, that is going to change. Best be ready!
  • 16
  • For some people, this can be a painful realization - sometimes called a wake-up call.
  • 17
  • Sometimes when we use the expression "a big fish in a small pond," we add words to better describe the fish and the pond.
  • 18
  • For example, the singer's friends could say that she will be a very small but talented fish in a very big competitive pond.
  • 19
  • Now, some people like being a big fish in a small pond.
  • 20
  • They never grow their circle of friends or work environment.
  • 21
  • Sometimes they do not take opportunities that increase their environment, or pond.
  • 22
  • By staying in a small pond, it is safer.
  • 23
  • There are fewer dangers and also fewer competitors.
  • 24
  • The Meriam-Webster online dictionary says that the expression "big fish" has been slang for an important or influential person since the early 1800s.
  • 25
  • The addition of "in a small pond" -- to mean an unimportant organization -- is more recent.
  • 26
  • The dictionary goes on to explain another way to use the idiom "a big fish in a small pond."
  • 27
  • It can also describe a situation in which one person has more power, influence, knowledge, or experience than others within a small group.
  • 28
  • So, sometimes we use this expression to describe people in an insulting way.
  • 29
  • We are saying that they want to stay in a small pond just to feel more important.
  • 30
  • Their position of authority is not questioned by the other fish in the pond.
  • 31
  • And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
  • 32
  • Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.
  • 1
  • And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
  • 2
  • On today's show we talk about an idiom involving fish and a pond. A pond is a small body of water. It is usually smaller than a lake.
  • 3
  • And our idiom today is "to be a big fish in a small pond."
  • 4
  • "A big fish in a small pond" describes a person who is very well known or important in a small group but is not known or important outside that small group.
  • 5
  • For example, a high-performing high school student in a small town could be a big fish in a small pond. He may feel overly-confident or overly-important, or he may simply not know how small his "pond" is -- until he moves on to a big university.
  • 6
  • He must compete with hundreds of students who were also the best at their high schools. His pond just got a much larger and is now filled with many more fish.
  • 7
  • Here is another example.
  • 8
  • A young singer was famous in her small town. She wanted to move to a big city to grow her singing career. Her close friends and family supported her but also warned her. Here in our small town, they said, you are a big fish in a small pond. Once you move to New York City, that is going to change. Best be ready!
  • 9
  • For some people, this can be a painful realization - sometimes called a wake-up call.
  • 10
  • Sometimes when we use the expression "a big fish in a small pond," we add words to better describe the fish and the pond. For example, the singer's friends could say that she will be a very small but talented fish in a very big competitive pond.
  • 11
  • Now, some people like being a big fish in a small pond. They never grow their circle of friends or work environment. Sometimes they do not take opportunities that increase their environment, or pond. By staying in a small pond, it is safer. There are fewer dangers and also fewer competitors.
  • 12
  • The Meriam-Webster online dictionary says that the expression "big fish" has been slang for an important or influential person since the early 1800s. The addition of "in a small pond" -- to mean an unimportant organization -- is more recent.
  • 13
  • The dictionary goes on to explain another way to use the idiom "a big fish in a small pond." It can also describe a situation in which one person has more power, influence, knowledge, or experience than others within a small group.
  • 14
  • So, sometimes we use this expression to describe people in an insulting way. We are saying that they want to stay in a small pond just to feel more important. Their position of authority is not questioned by the other fish in the pond.
  • 15
  • And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.
  • 16
  • Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English.
  • 17
  • __________________________________________________________________
  • 18
  • Words in This Story
  • 19
  • idiom - n. an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be learned as a whole
  • 20
  • pond - n. a body of water usually smaller than a lake
  • 21
  • confident - adj. having or showing sureness and optimism
  • 22
  • wake-up call - n. something that serves to alert a person to a problem, danger, or need
  • 23
  • opportunity - n. a good chance for advancement or progress
  • 24
  • slang - n. very informal words used by a group of people
  • 25
  • authority - n. power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior