Bone idle: The English We Speak - YouTube
Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.
I'm Feifei and... excuse me please...
Rob, can we have your attention please!
Rob: Err, oh alright then... hello, I'm Rob.
Feifei: Rob, could you take your feet off the table please!
Rob: Oh, alright then. There you go...
Feifei, do I have to present this programme today?
Feifei: Why, what's wrong?
Rob: Well, I've done so much work already
and according to my watch, I should be having
a coffee break now.
Feifei: Really! Rob's being lazy because he
was out late last night.
Rob, there is a phrase to describe your condition.
Rob: Oh yes. Overworked? Energetic?
Feifei: No - the opposite. It's bone idle -
literally, you are idle right through to
your bones. In other words, you are very lazy!
Rob: It's a great phrase Feifei but that doesn't
describe me. Look I've just moved my little finger.
Feifei: Ha ha! I think we had better hear some more
examples while you move the rest of your body.
Examples: The doctor has told my brother
to do more exercise,
but he won't do it, he's bone idle.
You're bone idle - you've been at home all day
and you're still in your pyjamas!
My boyfriend's bone idle -
he won't even get off the sofa to answer the phone.
Feifei: So the phrase 'bone idle' means very lazy -
like Rob! Hey Rob, I hear it's Dan's birthday
today and he's brought a cake in for us all to share.
Rob: Cake! I love cake - great, come on let's get some
before it all eaten.
Feifei: Ah, you're moving now -
but you're not going anywhere
until you've finished this programme.
Rob: Come on then, tell me what to say.
Feifei: Just read this script.
Rob: OK let me see. Hold on, the script says
that you're about to say 'it's not Dan's birthday,
it's a joke.'
Feifei: Sorry Rob, it is a joke -
but it did stop you from being bone idle!
Rob: Right, that's it. I'm not going to do
anymore work for the rest of the day.
Feifei: No change there.
Rob, I've got a new name for you.
Rob: What's that?
Feifei: Lazy bones.
Rob: You're cruel.
Feifei: Bye.
Rob: Bye-bye.
