Sick

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The script from this programme:



William: Hello and welcome to the English We Speak, I'm William Kremer.

Yang Li: And I'm Yang Li.

William: Li, are you wearing make-up?

Yang Li: Yes, do you like it? It's not too much?

William: I think you look sick.

Yang Li: What?

William: Sick!

Yang Li: But I feel fine. I'm perfectly healthy.

William: No, you don't look ill Li, you look sick!

Yang Li: Sorry I just don't get it. I'm not ill!

William: Sorry Li, I should explain. It's our expression for the day. Lots of young people in the UK use the word sick to mean cool or great.

Yang Li: English can be weird can't it? Sick means cool?

William: Yes, it is a bit odd. I know one teacher who was confused by this word when his student used it in a class.

Yang Li: Really? What did they say?

William: Something like this:

• Student: Mr Griffiths!
• Teacher: Yes?
• Student: Sir, are you wearing new shoes?
• Teacher: Yes, I am. Why?
• Student: Because they are sick!
• Teacher: Sick?
• Student: Totally sick, sir.
• Teacher: Well, young man. As you find them so terrible, how about you give me 100 lines saying… saying…
• Student: No, no, I like them! Sick means cool!
• Teacher: First I've heard of it.

Yang Li: Lines. Lines are a form of punishment which teachers used to give students – copying out the same sentence again and again. You never had to write lines, did you William?

William: Erm... Maybe I won't go into that here!

Yang Li: So anyway, what do I say if I really am sick?

William: I'm feeling sick. Or I'm feeling ill.

Yang Li: So we can work it out from the context.

William: Exactly, that's it. Anyway, like I was saying I love the make-up Li. But maybe next time don't wear green eye-shadow.

Yang Li: Why?

William: It makes you look, erm sick.

Yang Li: Oh, I give up. Bye.

William: Bye