Abba: Pop superstars are back: BBC News Review

Abba, the pop superstars of the 1970s,

are back with a new album after 40 years.

I'm Neil and this is News Review from BBC Learning English.

Joining me today is Roy. Hello Roy.

Hello Neil and hello everybody.

If you would like to test yourself on vocabulary around this story,

all you need to do is head to our website

bbclearningenglish.com for a quiz.

But now, let's hear more about this story from this BBC News report:

Abba are back. Now, every music fan on the planet

dreams of their favourite band making a comeback

and, for Abba fans, that dream has become a reality.

Abba have announced that they're working on a new album

and also going on a new digital tour,

where the artists will be replaced by avatars

that some people are calling 'Abba-tars'.

'Abba-tars' – what a fantastic pun, Roy!

OK. You've been looking at this story around the various news websites.

You've picked out some really useful vocabulary. What have you got?

We have: 'dismal', 'intact' and 'damp squib'.

'Dismal', 'intact' and 'damp squib'.

Let's start then with your first headline please, Roy.

OK. Our first headline comes from here in the UK,

from the Herald, and it reads:

'Dismal' – sad, hopeless.

Yes. So, this word is an adjective

and it is spelt D-I-S-M-A-L.

And, as you said, it means sad and hopeless.

One thing to notice about this word is that pronunciation of the 's':

it's a 'z' sound. We say 'dismal'. 'Dismal'.

That's... that's right: 'dizz-' – 'dismal'.

And so, you've already said it means sad, hopeless.

So, why do we need this other word 'dismal'.

What's the difference between 'dismal' and sad and hopeless?

Well, we don't use 'dismal'

to say that something is bad or a little bit bad.

We used 'dismal' to say that something is really bad.

It is absolutely terrible. That's why we have 'dismal'.

Yeah. As you say, we don't describe something

which is a bit disappointing as 'dismal'.

When something is absolutely awful, we say it's 'dismal'.

So, somebody doesn't like this Abba comeback!

Yeah. It's a very, very strong negative word.

Yeah. What kind of words go with it?

Yes. Quite commonly, we hear it with failure – a 'dismal failure'

or a 'dismal performance'.

And it's also quite commonly used in business English.

We say something like a 'dismal picture', a 'dismal forecast',

'dismal news' or a 'dismal outlook',

for example, if the company isn't doing very well.

Yeah, OK. And often with these words we look at in News Review,

there's various forms: you know, there's a noun, there's a verb version.

In this case, really, it's just the adjective and also an adverb.

So, we said, for example: 'My team was dismal – they lost.'

We could say: 'They played dismally.'

Yeah. Or it was a 'dismal performance'.

And one thing I'll say as well about this word is we quite often in...

in English, we use it to exaggerate something.

So, when we're saying something is bad,

maybe we want to, like, really exaggerate that

to say how much it... it was terrible for our experience.

So, we say something is 'dismal', like: 'The party was dismal!'

Or: 'The food was dismal.' Or: 'The weather is dismal.'

And it's a way to really exaggerate,

so it's quite commonly used in spoken English as well.

Yeah, or for emphasising just how bad something is, someone might say:

'Oh, that party was rubbish.' 'Rubbish?? It was dismal!'

Yes!

OK. Well, we hope this explanation hasn't been 'dismal'.

Let's get a summary:

If you like stories about music, we have the perfect one for you

about sad music and why people like it.

Where can our viewers find that Roy?

All you need to do is click the link in the description below.

OK. Let's take a look at your next headline.

OK. So, our next headline comes from the UK,

from the New Statesman, and it reads:

'Intact' – complete; in the original condition.

So, yes. So, this word is spelt: I-N-T-A-C-T.

And it means that it is complete and in its original condition.

This word is obviously more positive than that original headline.

Now, the other day, Neil, I gave you a present.

I gave you a really nice present and I thought you'd like it.

I gave you a jigsaw puzzle, where you put all those pieces in, but you...

you weren't happy, were you?

I wasn't, Roy, even though it was nice to get such a, sort of,

old-fashioned analogue type of toy – game.

I wasn't happy because there was a piece missing.

OK. So, it wasn't 'intact', but it was still a good puzzle.

OK. So, there's that meaning there:

when you said there was a piece missing,

we can say that something is not 'intact'.

Or if it is 'intact', it is complete.

Now, another way that we use this word

is to say that something is undamaged.

So, for example, you buy a package or a parcel,

and it arrives and everything is complete and it's undamaged.

And you can say, 'The package arrived intact.'

Yeah. And it's what you expect, isn't it?

When a package arrives, you expect it to be intact.

Yes. Yeah, you do. We... we also use it as well for buildings.

So, maybe there's a really bad storm

and some buildings have become damaged,

but there's one building that was 'intact'. It's undamaged.

That's right, yeah – not affected by the... by the storm or whatever.

And we also talk about... use it to talk about

things that affect people.

Yes, we do. So, for example,

if there's some kind of scandal or negative news report –

maybe it could potentially damage a person's reputation, but if they...

if they move past that situation with their reputation still OK,

then we say: 'Their reputation remains intact.'

Or: 'It remained intact.'

Yeah and the same could be said about somebody's health.

For example, you could say:

'Despite many years of smoking, his health was intact.'

It means undamaged. Yes... Absolutely.

OK. Shall we get a summary?

We've been talking about reputations and we have an expression

from William Shakespeare using the word 'reputation'.

What do our viewers need to do, Roy?

All you need to do is click the link in the description below.

OK. Let's have a look now at our next headline.

OK. Our next headline comes from the UK, from the Telegraph, and it reads:

'Damp squib' – something less impressive than expected.

Yeah. So, this is a very British expression and it's two words.

The first word is 'damp' – D-A-M-P.

The second word is 'squib', spelt: S-Q-U-I-B.

Very important – that 'b' there.

And what it means – it describes something.

It's a noun – a noun phrase – and it describes something that is...

It's... it's less than it was expected.

So, you had high expectations and it didn't reach those expectations.

Yeah. Now, this is a bit of a strange expression

because most people will understand

the first part 'damp', meaning slightly wet,

and we can see how that can be... have a, sort of, negative meaning.

But 'squib' – what is a 'squib', Roy?

In the past, a 'squib' was used to refer to a small firework.

So, this is going to give an idea. So, you're right.

That 'damp' word, which is obviously still in use – it means wet.

And the firework – if a wet firework...

if a firework is wet, it doesn't really... it doesn't really work.

Fireworks are best when they're dry.

So, this is what many people believe is the origin of this expression –

just a wet firework that didn't... didn't go off.

Yeah. And as we know, fireworks are exciting.

There's some expectation around how they're going to make you feel.

You're going to be excited and full of joy.

If it's 'damp', that excitement is gone

and that's the key to this meaning.

It is. So... and we use it quite commonly, as I say,

in British English, informally, to say something is a disappointment.

So, maybe you go to a restaurant and the food isn't very good,

and you say: 'Oh, that restaurant was a bit of a damp squib.'

Or a party – a terrible, terrible party.

Can you think of an example of a 'damp squib'?

Well, Roy. I know.... you know, I don't want to upset you here

because I know you organised it,

but last year's Learning English Christmas party.

Well, the Christmas party's usually quite good fun,

but this year – or last year – because we couldn't get together

because of Covid, we had to do it virtually.

And I'm afraid to say it was a 'damp squib', Roy.

Yeah... yeah, I agree. It was a...

it was a bit of a let down – not as good as expectations,

but we've made the best of a bad situation.

But you can say: 'Yeah, it was a bit of a damp squib,'

because the year before everybody was together

and hopefully, again – I have another opportunity this year,

so hopefully my reputation this time will remain 'intact'.

Ah, nice use of a word from that previous headline.

One other thing to point out about this expression 'damp squib':

a lot of people get confused

because the word 'squib' is not used in modern English very often,

and they think it's 'squid'.

What's a 'squid', Roy?

OK. So, yeah, this is absolutely true.

Both native speakers of English and non-native speakers

regularly get this wrong: they say 'damp squid'.

A 'squid' is an animal that lives under the water

and it's kind of like an octopus.

And it makes sense, because a 'squid' would be damp,

but that's not the expression. We say, 'damp squib' with a 'b'.

OK. Let's get a summary:

And time now for a recap of the vocabulary please, Roy.

Yes. We had 'dismal' – sad; hopeless.

'Intact' – complete; in the original condition.

And we had 'damp squib' – something less impressive than expected.

If you want to test yourself on the vocabulary,

go to bbclearningenglish.com. There is a quiz there.

Thanks for joining us and see you next time. Goodbye.

Bye.