Jiaying Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. I’m Jiaying…
Neil And I’m Neil.
Jiaying Thanks for wearing a hat today, Neil. It will be great for demonstrating our piece of authentic English today!
Neil Well, wearing a hat is very useful – it makes you taller and smarter. The bigger the hat, the bigger the brains – apparently.
Jiaying Excellent – you have demonstrated our phrase very well.
Neil Remind me what it is.
Jiaying** To talk through your hat** - it means to talk a lot about something you don’t really understand. I could say, you’re just talking rubbish!
Neil Maybe I should just wear a different hat?
Jiaying No, Neil. Just listen to these examples and you’ll understand!
Examples I don’t believe Roy’s story about climbing Mount Everest – he’s talking through his hat!
The weatherman’s promise of a heatwave didn’t come true – I think he was talking through his hat.
You’re talking through your hat when you say our exams have been postponed.
Jiaying This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. Our phrase today is ‘to talk through your hat’, which means to talk a lot about something you don’t really understand. And, Neil, you’ve been talking through your hat!
Neil OK, but I’m sure wearing a hat is good for you.
Jiaying I know a hat keeps your head warm.
Neil Ah yes, that’s it. They’re also good for keeping your biscuits – but keep that under your hat!
Jiaying Very good, Neil. ‘To keep something under your hat’ means to keep something a secret. Well, your secret is out now, but let’s go before you talk any more rubbish about hats!
Neil OK. Bye.