I want ask you about two expressions from Steve’s lesson “You Don’t Need Language Instruction”?
I quote:
“I often hear, too, the statement that older language learners like formal grammar explanations. They don’t like things to be loosie-goosie. So, let me address these isues here.”
First, I can’t find meaning “to be loosie-goosie”.
And second, I often see the expression “to address sth” and though I understand what the verb “to address” mean I don’t feel it in that context. What does it mean exactly?
It is interesting because lately in polish language, which is my own, I met the same expression (sounded literally) in new, unknown meaning. In polish “to addressed sth” have only one meaning “to put address/name of somebody onto something to send”.
to be loosie-goosie means to be informal or casual. In this text “loosie-goosie grammar explanations” means explanations given without proper language or in a sloppy form. To address is a verb, means to speak to somebody.
Yes, usually when you address “something” the “something” is a problem that you are trying to solve. In one case, it could be a point that another person has made that you want to express agreement or, more usually, disagreement with. Another example could be a well known problem: pollution, poverty, etc.
Address, like many verbs, has multiple meanings. So it is correct to address people (face them and speak to them as a group), address an envelope (write a name and address on it before sending it), and address an issue (speak directly about a particular issue, as opposed to the issue simply being mentioned as part of a discussion).