Summary
‘Slap’ and ‘bang’ are two examples of onomatopoeia – words that sound like the word they are describing. Rob is going to stick the words together to create an authentic English phrase which Feifei is going to use to describe where she’s going for a drink tonight!
Transcript
Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei.
Rob
And I’m Rob! Now, for this programme, we are going to need two sounds! A slap…and, a bang…
Feifei
Very strange! A slap…and a bang…
Rob
Yes! It’s a clue for our authentic English expression.
Feifei
Slap-bang – is that an expression?
Rob
It is when you want to describe something that is directly or exactly in a particular place. It’s often used with the short phrase ‘in the middle of’ something.
Feifei
Very precise. So the expression ‘slap-bang’ is an informal way of saying ‘exactly in a certain place’? So not a bit to the left, or a bit to the right?
Rob
No, ‘slap-bang’ – means ‘exactly’. And we are slap-bang in the middle of this programme, so let’s have some examples…
Examples
He scored an amazing goal – the ball went slap-bang into the middle of the net!
I couldn’t find my phone anywhere, and there it was – slap-bang in the middle of the table!
If you take the train to Edinburgh, you’ll see the castle slap-bang in front of you when you come out of the station.
Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we’re talking about the expression ‘slap-bang’ which means exactly or directly in a particular place.
Rob
And you don’t need to make the slap…or bang… sound every time you say it!
Feifei
Well, Rob, I’m off to meet some friends at a pub which is slap-bang in the middle of town.
Rob
OK – anybody I know?
Feifei
Oh just Neil, Roy, Sam and Georgina from the office.
Rob
And I’m not invited? Well, that is a bit of a slap in the face.
Feifei
‘A slap in the face’ – good phrase, Rob, meaning an insult that you weren’t expecting. But, sorry. You’re still not invited.
Rob
OK, then. I’ll stay here and play with these sound effects. Bye.
Feifei
Bye, Rob.