BOX SET: English vocabulary mega-class! 🤩 Learn 8 expressions for people in 18 minutes!

Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak,

with me, Feifei…

..and me, Neil.

Hey, Neil. Would you like to try this new coconut smoothie I bought from that new cafe?

Coconut? Yuk, I hate coconut! Oh, right. In fact, I hate that new cafe.

It’s too expensive.

But it’s good quality,

and the staff are very pleasant.

They always smile and say ‘hello’.

I hate talking to people in the morning.

Oh dear, Neil – you're very negative.

‘Hate’ is a very strong word.

You're a perfect example of a ‘hater’.

This describes a negative person who dislikes someone or something –

but not everything, unlike you, Neil!

Let’s hear from some other haters.

I’m a real hater

of restaurants adding a fixed service charge to the bill.

Why can’t I choose how much to tip?

My wife’s a hater of horror films,

so we had to go and see a romcom at the cinema instead!

So, those are examples of

‘haters’ – negative people who dislike someone or something,

and sometimes without good reason - like Neil.

I hate it when you call me names!

But, Feifei, I am allowed to dislike things and I'm not as bad as modern ‘haters’.

These are people who write unpleasant things about someone on the internet,

like this… "I wish I had ignored the haters

who criticised my acting career on my blog.

It’s really knocked my confidence."

Not nice!

That’s an example of

a ‘hater’ who writes unpleasant things about someone on the internet.

Someone like this often criticises someone unfairly,

or without good reason.

It can be very discouraging.

Don’t you just hate those kinds of people, Feifei?

I do, but sometimes it’s best

just to ignore it.

Yes. Anyway, Feifei, I know what I don’t hate – a nice cup of tea.

Do you fancy making me one?

…Oh, you’re ignoring me now.

I hate it when you do that!

Bye, Neil.

Oh, bye.

Alright. Shall I put the kettle on?

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.

I'm Feifei. And I'm Rob.

Hey Rob, have you ever wondered what you'd be doing if you weren't here?

Hmmm... Lying on the sofa, watching TV I expect.

No, Rob. I mean in your career - if you weren't a talented presenter like you are?

I'd be a financial whizz-kid: investing in the stock market,

making loads of money.

A whizz-kid?

You mean someone young, very clever and successful at doing something?

Yes, that's a whizz-kid! I don't know why I didn't do it.

Do you want me to tell you?

No. Let's just hear about some other other whizz-kids who are young,

intelligent and successful, just like me...

My nephew is a computer whizz-kid: he earns a fortune fixing

people's laptops!

Our new financial whizz-kid has come straight from university

and he's doing really well.

She was a whizz-kid at university,

so it's no wonder she's now a partner

at one of the top legal firms.

So, they are whizz-kids - clever, successful or skilful people -

and most of all, they are young, like kids!

And there's the problem, Rob.

A problem? Yes, you're not young anymore.

OK, clever then!

Hmm, I'm not so sure about that.

Alright, successful - one out of three isn't bad.

Well, erm, errr...

OK. OK. Perhaps I'd never be

a financial whizz-kid. Maybe I'll stick to my other plan.

Which is? Sitting on the sofa, watching TV.

I'm off to do it now. Bye.

Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak.

I'm Feifei. And I'm Roy!

What are you doing?

There are keys everywhere! What is that noise?

Sorry, I was just cutting some keys!

It turns out that I've been doing my job wrong all these years! Ah!

I know what happened.

Neil called you to say you're not a key worker, right?

Exactly! All this time at the BBC and I hadn't cut a single key!

I'm lucky Neil was so forgiving.

He had no idea what to say when I told him I'd start cutting keys.

I'm not surprised he didn't know what to say!

A key worker is someone who provides an essential service,

like a doctor or nurse.

Yep, that's more logical.

I get confused sometimes.

You do. Let's listen to these examples while you get rid of those keys.

My friends Jorge and Zdenka are both key workers!

They do the amazing job of teaching kids.

Michiko is a key worker,

but her class is closed at the moment due to the outbreak of the virus.

Key workers need to have easy access to their places of work

during the coronavirus crisis.

This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English

and we're talking about the expression 'key worker'.

This refers to a person who is seen to give an essential service

or have an important role such as a teacher, doctor or nurse.

That's right! 'Key' in this expression relates to 'vital' or

'important'. Not to keys that open locks.

Correct. And it's been quite a common expression during the coronavirus pandemic.

People have been talking about the importance

of key workers being able to do their jobs during a world crisis.

That's right. In fact, I could say it's been a key point of discussion.

I really respect the amazing jobs

that people like doctors, nurses, emergency service staff and teachers do.

Yes, me too.

One thing though, Roy...

How much did you spend on that that key-cutting machine?

Enough to say 'please don't tell my wife - she'll be really angry'.

Do you want me to cut you a new key?

No. I don't want to encourage you!

Bye, Roy. Bye!

Welcome to The English We Speak with me, Jiaying...

...and me, Roy.

I can't believe you beat me at that video game!

Well, you made some simple mistakes!

It's understandable that I won - I'm a pro and you're a noob!

A what? Anubis?

Did you just call me an Egyptian god?!

Not Anubis, Roy - I called you a noob - as in someone very new

to something, and inexperienced.

But I'm not a noob - I've been playing it for years - it's my favourite game!

Oh - then you're just really bad at it!

You need some more practice!

Maybe we could play again - I have no idea how you found the dragon so early.

You didn't watch a gamer's tips and tricks video, did you?

Well, maybe just one video - it's good to research what you're going to play.

Let's have another game while we listen to these examples.

He ended up sending out the wrong information to the clients.

He's such a noob.

I can't believe I called her the wrong name!

I'm such a noob.

Four years ago, I made a film.

It was terrible - I was such a noob!

So, I studied how to make films at university.

You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English,

and we're talking about the expression 'noob'.

If someone is a 'noob', they are inexperienced or new to something.

You can also use the expression 'newbie'.

I can't believe you beat me

at that game second time round!

Well, like I said - I wasn't a newbie - I've been playing it for years.

I went easy on you first time

because I thought you were a noob!

OK. But while the word 'noob' is common in gaming,

we can use it in other places too, right?

Yes, for example your first day at work.

Do you remember when I started?

You were such a noob!

You forgot everyone's names and got lost in the building!

Yes - I was a bit of a disaster.

That's OK - you didn't know what you were doing.

So, do you want to play another game?

No thanks - I prefer playing against newbies so I can win.

Bye, Roy. Bye.

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei…

…and me, Neil.

Er… Neil, can you stop playing around

on that computer and concentrate?

In this programme, we have a new word connected

to the worlds of technology and work.

It's used to describe a kind of worker who provides an essential service for

the the smooth-running of all things

web-based. A microworker.

A microworker?

Isn’t that someone who makes microwave ovens?

No, Neil, though it does have the same prefix – ‘micro’.

Ah yes – and the word 'micro' used as a prefix, indicates that something is small.

But we're not talking about small workers,

we're talking about small digital tasks that computers can't do on their own.

Neil, stop typing!

Sorry… These might be things like drawing around a digital image of a face

to help train artificial intelligence systems to recognise people.

That's right – microworkers perform

simple, repetitive, digital tasks that help improve algorithms.

Let's hear some examples.

Since the recession,

lots of people who lost their jobs have earned cash as microworkers.

Some of the biggest tech giants

have use microworkers to help develop their systems.

Some complain it's badly paid,

but others like the flexibility of microwork.

You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English.

In this programme, we're looking at the word 'microworker'.

It describes people who earn money from performing

simple, repetitive digital tasks that help develop computer systems.

As we've heard, microwork isn't a a full-time job.

It's something people can do as much

or little as they want, when they want.

On the other side, it's not very well paid or secure.

Right, are we done?

Yes. What are you doing that's so important?

Oh you know, just earning a little bit of extra cash as a microworker.

Bye!

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.

I'm Jiaying... ...And hello, I'm Neil.

Err... Neil, why are you wearing a big wig?

Don't you like it?

Well, it's certainly big!

Thanks! I'm wearing it because you said we were talking about the word 'bigwig'.

A big wig... No, not that kind of wig, Neil!

I'm talking about an important and powerful person.

Oh, silly me!

Yes, a bigwig is an important person in a position of power.

So, Jiaying, don't I look important

and powerful in this wig?

No - you just look silly.

Let's hear some examples of 'bigwig'.

We've got some bigwigs in the office today,

so we're all on best behaviour.

My dad is a bigwig in the company,

so he says he'll help me get an internship.

A local bigwig has given her support for building a by-pass around the town.

This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English,

and we're talking about

the word 'bigwig' which describes an important and powerful person.

So, Neil, do you know any bigwigs? Err...

no, unless you think I'm a bigwig when I wear this big wig?

It's certainly given you a big head.

But no, I'm afraid you are a little wig!

But a CEO of a company, an industry giant or the mayor of a town

might be considered a bigwig.

Do they wear wigs too?

No, Neil! But the word comes from the the 1700s when English men

of authority wore wigs and those in higher power wore larger wigs.

Oh, right...

I'm off then. Where are you going?

To get a bigger wig - maybe I'll be more important, then!

Hmm, I don't think so.

Bye.

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.

I'm Feifei. And I'm Roy!

My legs are really aching.

I've been standing all day!

Well, there's an easy fix for that, Roy.

Sit down! No, sorry - I can't.

I want to be at the front of the queue

when we go to watch Rob's Biscuit Band tonight.

Firstly, I'm not going with you.

Secondly, I think you've mixed up front of the queue

with 'frontliner' - which is the word we're talking about

in this programme.

Ahhh... right.

A frontliner is a person who works in an advanced position.

It's been mentioned quite a lot recently due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yes. Doctors and nurses who have direct contact with patients

are sometimes referred to as frontliners.

Yes, because they work on the frontline.

Right, now I'm going to sit down - seeing

as we're not queuing to be at the front of the line.

Yes, you should.

Let's listen to these examples.

Ahmed is a frontliner and works in the hospital

as a doctor helping patients recover from diseases.

Wellington's mother is a frontliner and attends many accidents as a first-responder.

Roberta always wanted to be a teacher growing up,

and now she works in a school as a frontliner.

This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English

and we're talking about the word 'frontliner'.

This is a term that refers to people who work in an advanced position

during a pandemic, such as doctors and nurses.

They do amazing jobs.

Sometimes they get referred to as a 'frontline doctors

and nurses' or 'frontline workers'.

Many people see them as heroes.

Yes, these frontliners

have been risking their lives to save people from the virus recently.

In the UK, a lot of people took part every week in something called

'Clap for Carers'.

It's now become an annual event where people go outside and clap to celebrate

the difficult and brave work of frontliners.

And to all the people who listen to The English

We Speak who are frontliners - a round of applause.

Bye! Bye!

Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English,

I'm Jiaying... And I'm Neil.

A legend in my own lifetime!

A legend in your own lifetime?

Err, Neil, are we talking about you?

Yes! I'm famous and still living - that's what I mean

by 'a legend in my own lifetime'.

So, you're famous just for being alive?

No, no, famous for presenting this amazing

The English We Speak programme.

Hmm, you are well and truly alive but

I'm not sure about famous.

When we describe someone as 'a legend in their own lifetime'

we mean they are a living person who is incredibly incredibly well-known

and admired for something - or were admired when they were alive.

Such as, for example, Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web.

And me! Let's have some examples

about some real legends...

Elvis was a legend in his own lifetime.

For some football fans, Ronaldo is a legend in his own lifetime.

The athlete has made

such an impression at the Olympics

that she's become a legend in her own lifetime.

This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English

and we're discussing the phrase - 'a legend in one's own lifetime',

which describes someone who is incredibly famous for something in their lifetime.

Neil, you really have to do something amazing to be a legend in your lifetime!

Well, I can make a great cup of tea and bake quite tasty cakes.

Ah! That makes you 'a legend in your own lunchtime'!

Hmm, that doesn't sound so great.

It's not. 'A legend in your own lunchtime'

is an informal, sarcastic twist on the real phrase

and means you're not as important or famous as you think you are!

Keep trying, though, Neil!

Oh, thanks. I guess I'll just go and make some tea and cake then.

Thanks. You're a legend - to me anyway!

Gee, thanks, Jiaying.

Bye. Bye.