What is 'a pea-souper'? The English We Speak

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English

We Speak. I'm Feifei.

Neil: And I’m Neil.

Feifei: Errr, Neil why are you still here?

I thought you were driving to Manchester.

and Rob was going to present the programme.

Neil: Feifei, have you looked

outside the window?

Feifei: Errr, no. Should I?

Neil: It's a pea-souper out there!

Feifei: You want me to look out of the window

at PEA SOUP? Is there a big bowl of it or

something?

Neil: No, there's no soup – it's an informal

way of describing thick fog. It's so thick

you can hardly see through it. And that's why I can't

drive to Manchester.

Feifei: That is a shame.

But why a pea-souper?

Neil: I guess because, like pea soup, it's

thick and a dark cloudy colour.

Feifei: Hmm, well I'd rather eat pea soup

than be in it! I think we had better hear

some examples of this strange phrase…

Examples: It looks like our flight is

delayed until this pea-souper clears.

It's a real pea-souper today. When I was

driving here I couldn't even see the car in front

of me.

There's no way I'm cycling in this pea-souper.

It's far too dangerous.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English. And I'm with Neil, who

can't travel because of a pea-souper – that's

a very thick fog, that's hard to see through.

Neil: Sometimes you can refer to it as 'smog',

if it's fog mixed with air pollution.

Feifei: Yes, that's horrible stuff to be in.

Well Neil, if you can't go to Manchester,

what are we going to do?

Neil: Well, let's have lunch together.

Feifei: Yes, but what are we going to eat?

Neil: Pea soup of course! It's that

kind of day.

Feifei: Oh look, the fog is clearing. Maybe

you can drive after all!

Neil: Hmm, I'll get my coat. Bye.

Feifei: See you.