< Return to Video

Bone idle: The English We Speak

  • 0:09 - 0:11
    Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.
  • 0:12 - 0:15
    I'm Feifei and... excuse me please...
  • 0:16 - 0:18
    Rob, can we have your attention please!
  • 0:19 - 0:23
    Err, oh alright then... hello, I'm Rob.
  • 0:23 - 0:26
    Rob, could you take your feet off the table please!
  • 0:27 - 0:29
    Oh, alright then. There you go...
  • 0:30 - 0:33
    Feifei, do I have to present this programme today?
  • 0:33 - 0:35
    Why, what's wrong?
  • 0:35 - 0:37
    Well, I've done so much work already
  • 0:38 - 0:40
    and according to my watch, I should be having
  • 0:40 - 0:41
    a coffee break now.
  • 0:42 - 0:45
    Feifei: Really! Rob's being lazy because he
  • 0:45 - 0:47
    was out late last night.
  • 0:47 - 0:50
    Rob, there is a phrase to describe your condition.
  • 0:51 - 0:54
    Oh yes. Overworked? Energetic?
  • 0:54 - 0:57
    Feifei: No - the opposite. It's bone idle -
  • 0:57 - 0:59
    literally, you are idle right through to
  • 1:00 - 1:03
    your bones. In other words, you are very lazy!
  • 1:03 - 1:06
    It's a great phrase Feifei but that doesn't
  • 1:06 - 1:10
    describe me. Look I've just moved my little finger.
  • 1:10 - 1:12
    Ha ha! I think we had better hear some more
  • 1:12 - 1:15
    examples while you move the rest of your body.
  • 1:19 - 1:21
    The doctor has told my brother
  • 1:21 - 1:23
    to do more exercise,
  • 1:23 - 1:27
    but he won't do it, he's bone idle.
  • 1:27 - 1:31
    You're bone idle - you've been at home all day
  • 1:31 - 1:33
    and you're still in your pyjamas!
  • 1:33 - 1:35
    My boyfriend's bone idle -
  • 1:36 - 1:39
    he won't even get off the sofa to answer the phone.
  • 1:43 - 1:45
    So the phrase 'bone idle' means very lazy -
  • 1:46 - 1:49
    like Rob! Hey Rob, I hear it's Dan's birthday
  • 1:49 - 1:53
    today and he's brought a cake in for us all to share.
  • 1:53 - 1:57
    Cake! I love cake - great, come on let's get some
  • 1:57 - 1:58
    before it all eaten.
  • 1:58 - 1:59
    Ah, you're moving now -
  • 2:00 - 2:02
    but you're not going anywhere
  • 2:02 - 2:04
    until you've finished this programme.
  • 2:04 - 2:06
    Come on then, tell me what to say.
  • 2:06 - 2:08
    Just read this script.
  • 2:10 - 2:14
    OK let me see. Hold on, the script says
  • 2:14 - 2:17
    that you're about to say 'it's not Dan's birthday,
  • 2:17 - 2:18
    it's a joke.'
  • 2:18 - 2:19
    Sorry Rob, it is a joke -
  • 2:20 - 2:22
    but it did stop you from being bone idle!
  • 2:23 - 2:25
    Right, that's it. I'm not going to do
  • 2:26 - 2:28
    anymore work for the rest of the day.
  • 2:28 - 2:30
    Feifei: No change there.
  • 2:30 - 2:32
    Rob, I've got a new name for you.
  • 2:32 - 2:33
    What's that?
  • 2:34 - 2:35
    Lazy bones.
  • 2:35 - 2:36
    You're cruel.
  • 2:36 - 2:37
    Bye.
  • 2:37 - 0:00
    Bye-bye.
Title:
Bone idle: The English We Speak
Description:

[Images: GETTY IMAGES]

Is there something wrong with Rob's bones?! He can't seem to move but Feifei knows what's wrong and she has a phrase to describe his condition. Watch this programme to find out what it is.

More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-180205

Do you want to learn how to speak English? Then join us here on YouTube for great grammar, drama, news, study, pronunciation, vocabulary, music, interviews and celebrity videos. Every day we have a new video to help you with English. We also produce regular 'extra' videos across the week so come back every day to see what's new.

MONDAY: The English We Speak
TUESDAY: News Review
TUESDAY: English At Work
WEDNESDAY: LingoHack
THURSDAY: 6 Minute English
FRIDAY: The Experiment (watch this space for new and exciting content that we are trying out!)

Please use English when you comment.

For more videos and content that will help you learn English, visit our website: http://www.bbclearningenglish.com
more » « less
Video Language:
English
Duration:
02:50

English subtitles

Revisions

Our website uses cookies for analysis purposes.