Do you want to play with some English words?
This video is about wordplay.
Thatís when you use words in funny or clever ways to make jokes.
So come and play with some new COVID-19 words.
And join in our quiz!
Thank you everyone whoís been leaving us comments about how youíre surviving the corona
crisis.
Weíve loved hearing about what youíve been doing and learning about new words youíre
using.
Hereís something Iíve learnt.
If you translate the word elbow bump from German, it becomes an elbow kiss!
So an English elbow bump is a German elbow kiss.
It sounds much nicer than a bump.
Lots of you have told us about English words that youíre using in your language.
So phrases like ësocial distancingí have become international.
But in Indonesia, Saeful says itís PSBB which means something like ërestrictions on large-scale
socialí.
It sounds very formal.
Well it is in a way.
Several of you mentioned this new word.
Covidiot!
Thatís a great one.
So what does it mean?
Itís a term for someone who thinks the coronavirus isnít real.
So Itís a combination of COVID and idiot and itís wordplay.
Covidiots think social distancing rules are unnecessary so theyíre ignoring all the public
health advice and going sunbathing on crowded beaches.
Or joining large crowds to protest about the shutdown.
And not wearing masks.
New words like this are being coined with the coronavirus.
Iíve got some here and Iím going to see if Jay knows what they mean.
You can play along with me and see if you know what they mean too.
OK, hereís the first one: coronacoaster.
Does it mean drinking beer from Mexico?
Oh Corona beer.
No.
Is it something to do with a crown?
Why?
Coronaís another word for crown.
Thatís how the virus got itís name.
Because it has spikes like a crown.
Good guess but no.
Coronacoaster.
It sounds like roller coaster.
So the amusement park ride?
Yes, a roller coaster has a lot of ups and downs and a coronacoaster is the ups and downs
we feel during lockdown.
One minute weíre thinking this is great because we can stay at home with our family and and
we have this extra time.
And the next minute weíre thinking this is terrible because of all the bad news about
the virus.
Living through COVID-19 is an emotional roller coaster.
A coronacoaster!
OK, next one: coronials.
It sounds like colonials ñ people who live in a colony.
Yeah, but it also sounds like millennials.
Oh, itís the generation of people who survive and live through the corona virus.
Nearly.
But itís a future generation of babies ñ babies that will be born in 9 months-time.
Because their parents were staying inside on lock down and finding fun ways to pass
the time.
Youíve got it!
Millennials are the generation of people that became adults in the early 21st century, so
this is a clever bit of wordplay.
Where are these words coming from?
Oh theyíre all over the internet.
People love playing with words.
I wonder if theyíll make it into the Oxford dictionary?
Who knows.
OK, next one.
The COVID-10.
It sounds like a gang - a group of thieves or criminals.
OK, hereís a clue.
Weíve both been eating more than we should during the lockdown.
Oh itís the extra 10 pounds weíve put on!
Youíve got it and thereís a similar one that made me laugh.
You know how weíve been talking about flattening the curve.
Whatís that?
Thatís about doing things like social distancing so we donít ovewhelm the hospitals.
Taking protective measures can flatten the curve, so hospitals have the capacity to handle
all the COVID cases.
But thereís hereís the new term.
Instead of flattening the curve, this oneís fattening the curve.
Oh thatís funny.
Thatís about all the extra weight weíre putting on from eating too much.
Weíve both been fattening our curves!
Itís so true!
Have you been putting on weight too?
And have you got any tips for taking it off?
We need them!
I think the Simple English Videos family has been using its time wisely because several
of you mentioned you were studying English and preparing for FCE.
Good for you!
But whatís happening with the Cambridge English exams?
Theyíve been disrupted because of the virus.
In some countries, Cambridge have introduced a new IELTS exam that you can do online.
Even the speaking exam?
That too.
Itís similar to the normal exam but online.
They call it an indicator exam.
So it indicates the score youíd get if you took the real exam?
Yes.
Itís a temporary solution for students who need to present their IELTS score to universities.
Cool!
OK, letís have another word.
OK.
This is a phrase.
The locktail hour.
What's that?
Iíve no idea.
Youíve heard of the cocktail hour, right?
Yes, itís the time of day when we have cocktails.
So the locktail hourÖ Is the cocktail hour during lock down!
I think itís been getting earlier in the days for lots of folks.
Yes!
There are lots of funny phrases about drinking.
What are Quarantinis?
You got me.
Theyíre experimental cocktails you mix from whatever you can find in your drink cupboard.
So quarantine - martini.
Very clever.
We could make some of those!
We have some strange drinks in our closet.
And there are puns about wine as well.
A pun is when you play with a word that has more than one meaning
Or words that have different meanings but sound similar.
Hereís one: furlough merlot.
That rhymes!
It must be the wine you drink to relieve the frustrations of being furloughed.
Exactly!
To be furloughed is when companies tell workers not to come to work for a while because they
donít have the money to pay them.
It used to an American rather than a British term, but I read it in the Guardian this week.
So youíre starting to use it in British English now?
Uhuh.
Hereís another one.
Bored-eaux.
Get it?
Yeah ñ theyíre playing with the wine varieties here.
And another: cabernet tedium Instead of cabernet sauvignon.
Yeah.
Tedium is another word for boredom.
Tedious is the adjective.
Are you finding the shutdown tedious?
We hope not.
OK, Iíve got one more for you and itís my favourite.
But first, whatís an elephant in the room, Jay?
Umm, itís a problem that everybody knows about, but they avoid mentioning.
Yeah, it when thereís a topic thatís difficult so nobody wants to talk about it.
Can you give me an example?
OK.
Um.
Racial inequality is going to be an elephant in the room for a lot of politicians in our
next election.
Good example!
OK, so hereís the new expression.
You know how weíre all having video meetings these days.
Whatís an ëelephant in the zoomí?
Oh, then this is about some sort of problem in a zoom meeting.
Yeah!
Maybe someoneís behaving strangely, but nobody says anything about it.
Exactly.
So you can see somethingís wrong.
Their office is really untidy ñ a big mess.
Or they might have grown a strange beard or perhaps theyíre still wearing their pajamas.
But nobody says anything.
Well things in Paris have been really really busy.
Well thanks for making time for this meeting.
Weíre just waiting for Jay.
Oh, here he is.
Hi Jay.
Hi everyone.
Sorry I'm late.
Well, letís get started then.
Shall we all look at last monthís figures?
You know what we need a new word for.
Whatís that?
The bad hair Iím getting from not being able to go to the barber.
Perhaps you can suggest one.
What should we call it?
Corona hair?
Coronalocks Coronacurls
But I think the solution came today.
What?
Open it up.
What this?
Yes.
OK.
Let's see what we've got here.
This just arrived earlier today.
What have you got?
Would you like my help?
It's hairclippers!
Are you going to cut your own hair?
No actually, I was going to cut yours.
You're kidding!
You're going to cut it for me.
No, youíre going to cut if for me.
Youíre very trusting.
Well, you can see how well she does in our next video.
We hope youíre finding better ways to solve your problems and enjoy life in these difficult
times.
Weíll see you all soon, and in the meantime, wash your hands,
And call your grandparents.
Bye now.
Bye-bye!