What Does It Mean to Get the 'Greenlight?'

2022-04-17

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1
  • And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
  • 2
  • In many parts of the world, the flow of traffic is controlled in part by traffic lights.
  • 3
  • Typically, they have three colors: green, yellow, and red.
  • 4
  • Green means go.
  • 5
  • Yellow means proceed with care and be prepared to stop. And red means stop.
  • 6
  • But these colored lights are not only used to control traffic.
  • 7
  • When it comes to red and green, we also use those two in our English expressions.
  • 8
  • The most common is the green light.
  • 9
  • "Greenlight" means to have permission to go ahead with a project.
  • 10
  • In English, we often turn verbs into nouns and nouns into verbs.
  • 11
  • For example, sometimes we use "go-ahead" as a noun.
  • 12
  • If you have been given a go-ahead to proceed with a project, you have been given the greenlight.
  • 13
  • Or in other words, you have been green-lighted, to use the past tense.
  • 14
  • However, we would not say that we have been "go-aheaded."
  • 15
  • Making that past tense is simply not correct.
  • 16
  • We you get the greenlight, you can proceed.
  • 17
  • You have been given consent.
  • 18
  • A greenlight is simply permission to get started!
  • 19
  • This term is especially common in the film and theater industry.
  • 20
  • Producing films and plays takes a lot of resources. So, getting the greenlight is important.
  • 21
  • For example, the company producing my friend's film refused to green-light production until he did a big rewrite on his script.
  • 22
  • Now, let's listen to these two co-workers use the term "greenlight."
  • 23
  • A: So, when are you starting your new project?
  • 24
  • B: As soon as I get the greenlight, I can take the first step.
  • 25
  • A: The boss gave you the go-ahead in the meeting yesterday.
  • 26
  • B: No, she didn't.
  • 27
  • A: Yes, she did. I saw her. She nodded her head!
  • 28
  • B: That's not a greenlight. That's body language. For all I know, she could've been tired and her head dropped forward slightly.
  • 29
  • A: No way. I've known her for years and that is definitely how she greenlights a project. In fact, just last week she greenlighted a bigger project than yours with just a wink.
  • 30
  • B: That's a shockingly subtle way to authorize a project.
  • 31
  • A: Perhaps. But also smart. If it doesn't work out, she can say she never gave consent.
  • 32
  • B: Well, my project needs a lot of resources. So, I'm going to need more than a wink and a nod, before I proceed.
  • 33
  • A: What more could you need?
  • 34
  • B: Oh I don't know ... maybe something in writing ... like an email?
  • 35
  • Now, a red light used as a traffic signal means "stop."
  • 36
  • This is also true in conversation.
  • 37
  • It means an order or directive to stop an action or project.
  • 38
  • During the pandemic, many companies put a red light on all unnecessary costs.
  • 39
  • Although, this usage is less common than greenlight.
  • 40
  • A red light can also mean a signal of danger or a warning.
  • 41
  • For example, always being late for work could be a red light for a larger problem.
  • 42
  • Used this way as a warning, we could also say "red flag."
  • 43
  • There is another way we use "red light."
  • 44
  • Sometimes we combine it with the word "district."
  • 45
  • In a red light district adult entertainment is sold.
  • 46
  • And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories! Until next time...I'm Anna Matteo.
  • 1
  • And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
  • 2
  • In many parts of the world, the flow of traffic is controlled in part by traffic lights. Typically, they have three colors: green, yellow, and red.
  • 3
  • Green means go. Yellow means proceed with care and be prepared to stop. And red means stop.
  • 4
  • But these colored lights are not only used to control traffic. When it comes to red and green, we also use those two in our English expressions.
  • 5
  • Green light
  • 6
  • The most common is the green light.
  • 7
  • "Greenlight" means to have permission to go ahead with a project.
  • 8
  • In English, we often turn verbs into nouns and nouns into verbs.
  • 9
  • For example, sometimes we use "go-ahead" as a noun. If you have been given a go-ahead to proceed with a project, you have been given the greenlight. Or in other words, you have been green-lighted, to use the past tense. However, we would not say that we have been "go-aheaded." Making that past tense is simply not correct.
  • 10
  • We you get the greenlight, you can proceed. You have been given consent. A greenlight is simply permission to get started!
  • 11
  • This term is especially common in the film and theater industry. Producing films and plays takes a lot of resources. So, getting the greenlight is important.
  • 12
  • For example, the company producing my friend's film refused to green-light production until he did a big rewrite on his script.
  • 13
  • Now, let's listen to these two co-workers use the term "greenlight."
  • 14
  • A: So, when are you starting your new project?
  • 15
  • B: As soon as I get the greenlight, I can take the first step.
  • 16
  • A: The boss gave you the go-ahead in the meeting yesterday.
  • 17
  • B: No, she didn't.
  • 18
  • A: Yes, she did. I saw her. She nodded her head!
  • 19
  • B: That's not a greenlight. That's body language. For all I know, she could've been tired and her head dropped forward slightly.
  • 20
  • A: No way. I've known her for years and that is definitely how she greenlights a project. In fact, just last week she greenlighted a bigger project than yours with just a wink.
  • 21
  • B: That's a shockingly subtle way to authorize a project.
  • 22
  • A: Perhaps. But also smart. If it doesn't work out, she can say she never gave consent.
  • 23
  • B: Well, my project needs a lot of resources. So, I'm going to need more than a wink and a nod, before I proceed.
  • 24
  • A: What more could you need?
  • 25
  • B: Oh I don't know ... maybe something in writing ... like an email?
  • 26
  • Red light
  • 27
  • Now, a red light used as a traffic signal means "stop."
  • 28
  • This is also true in conversation. It means an order or directive to stop an action or project. During the pandemic, many companies put a red light on all unnecessary costs.
  • 29
  • Although, this usage is less common than greenlight.
  • 30
  • A red light can also mean a signal of danger or a warning. For example, always being late for work could be a red light for a larger problem. Used this way as a warning, we could also say "red flag."
  • 31
  • There is another way we use "red light." Sometimes we combine it with the word "district." In a red light district adult entertainment is sold.
  • 32
  • And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories! Until next time...I'm Anna Matteo.
  • 33
  • Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English.
  • 34
  • ​____________________________________________________________________
  • 35
  • Words in This Story
  • 36
  • traffic - n. the movement (as of vehicles or pedestrians) along a route
  • 37
  • consent - n. approval of or agreement with what is done or suggested by another person
  • 38
  • script - n. the written form of a play or movie or the lines to be said by a performer
  • 39
  • nod - v. to bend the head up and down one or more times
  • 40
  • wink - v. to close and open one eye quickly as a signal or hint
  • 41
  • subtle - adj. difficult to perceive or understand
  • 42
  • authorize - v. to give power to : give authority to
  • 43
  • a wink and a nod - exp. A sly, subtle signal used to communicate a piece of information that one doesn't want to state aloud, publicly, or directly
  • 44
  • conversation - n. a talk between two or more people : the act of talking