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Introduction

When people talk too much we get bored listening. Richard can’t stop talking about Star Wars and Feifei has a phrase to describe what he’s been doing – but why does it involve rabbits? Find out more in the this episode of The English We Speak.

Transcript

Rob
Welcome to The English We Speak, with me Rob… but no Feifei! Where is she?

Feifei
Sorry I'm late.

Rob
Where have you been?

Feifei
Well, I was on the way to the studio, and I bumped into Richard and – you know Richard - he started to rabbit on about Star Wars!

Rob
Richard's got a rabbit?

Feifei
No, Rob! I mean he wouldn’t stop talking. 'To rabbit on' describes someone talking continuously so that other people lose interest in what they are saying and become bored. And Richard was really going on and on and on.

Rob
So, it's got nothing to do with rabbits?

Feifei
No, Rob. Let's hear some examples, shall we?

Examples
Mark just won't stop rabbiting on about the weather – it's so boring!

Freya likes to rabbit on about how amazing her boyfriend is!

Our meeting always overruns because our boss likes to rabbit on about timekeeping!

Feifei
In this The English We Speak, we're looking at the phrase 'to rabbit on' which describes someone talking so much that they become boring to listen to.

Rob
So, what was Richard rabbiting on about anyway?

Feifei
Oh, he was going on about his collection of Star Wars memorabilia.

Rob
Really? That's fascinating. I love Star Wars – does he have the Chewbacca figure, and the limited-edition Darth Vader mask? My favourite is the Luke Skywalker…

Feifei
Rob, stop! Now you're rabbiting on.

Rob
Oh, am I boring you? Don't you like Star Wars?

Feifei
No.

Rob
OK, time to go, I think. I'll go and chat to Richard. Bye.

Feifei
Bye.

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