Rob Hello, I’m Rob…
Feifei … And I’m Feifei and this is The English We Speak. Hey, happy birthday for last week Rob.
Rob Thanks Feifei, yes 21 years old – where has the time gone?
Feifei Are you sure – you don’t act like a 21-year-old.
Rob What are you saying, Feifei?
Feifei Well, errr, look at your clothes – they’re not very trendy, they’re a bit boring!
Rob Boring?
Feifei Yes… and come on, you’re not very youthful.
Rob Youthful?! Just because I haven’t got any tattoos – who wants a tattoo anyway, they look silly, don’t they? And they damage the skin as well…
Feifei There you go – old fashioned attitudes – no way’re you 21!
Rob So you’re saying I am a fuddy-duddy?
Feifei A fuddy-duddy – that’s an informal phrase to describe someone who is boring, dull and has old-fashioned attitudes. Let’s hear some examples of this phrase.
Examples Ling thinks I’m an old fuddy-duddy because I don’t drive a flashy sports car.
My dad’s a bit of a fuddy-duddy - he still listens to music on cassette tapes.
The bank has lost many customers over the years, probably due to its fuddy-duddy image.
Feifei So a fuddy-duddy is someone who is old-fashioned and sometimes pompous. But Rob, being a fuddy-duddy isn’t all bad.
Rob Oh yes? Boring, old-fashioned – how can that be a good thing?
Feifei Well, you make us all laugh.
Rob Yes but for the wrong reasons – I’m off.
Feifei Oh dear, it seems like a fuddy-duddy doesn’t even a sense of humour. Where are you going?
Rob To get a tattoo done.
Feifei It’ll hurt. Bye!