PE 10/6 Bill Joel – Berklee College of Music Commencement Speech

* the norm: what is usual or typical

ex> In many countries, tipping restaurant servers and taxi drivers is the norm.

ex> The weather this month has been cooler than the norm, don’t you agree?

Note> “The norm” is an informal guideline about what is considered normal (what is correct or incorrect) social behavior in a particular group or social unit. Norms form the basis of collective expectations that members of a community have from each other, and play a key part in social control and social order by exerting a pressure on the individual to conform.

* march to the beat of a different drum(mer): to do things one’s own way

ex> People who march to the beat of a different drum are the ones who shape a society.

Note> This expression is derived from the writings of the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, who wrote: “If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away.” Thoreau is the author of the expression, which has entered the language and appears in various forms.

* version: a form of something that is different from an earlier form of the same thing

ex> The newest version of that software has some very clever features.

* contemporary: occurring now; from the same time period

ex> Jeremy prefers traditional furniture designs, and I prefer contemporary ones.

* work of art: a creative product with great aesthetic appeal

ex> Some people simply bake a cake, but Angie’s cakes are true works of art.

* compel: to force or pressure someone into doing something

ex> After the long sermon about sharing, we felt compelled to stay behind and help with the tables and chairs.

* last: 계속되다, 오래가다

Last is a word with a confusing range of meanings. In the above context, it is a verb meaning “to continue in time.” As an adjective or adverb, it means “coming after all others.” Last is also a noun that describes a device shaped like a human foot that is used for making or repairing shoes.

ex> That sounds great, but if you want to make it last, you’ll have to start using less of it each day.