| William: | Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. My name is William Kremer. |
| Li: | I'm Yang Li. |
| William: | Li, do you mind if we don't look at a phrase today? |
| Li: | Don't look at a phrase? So what do you want to do today instead? |
| William: | Erm, nothing actually. I've got to go and meet a friend at the airport. |
| Li: | So what are you saying, William? That you don't have time for today's programme? |
| William: | Is that all right? |
| Li: | Oh well ... |
| William: | Well, thanks Li! I'm just going to bounce. |
| Li: | Hey, William, wait, wait! What do you mean? What did you say just now? |
| William: | I'm just going to bounce; I'm going to leave. |
| Li: | I think we need to hear another example of that phrase. |
|
| Man: | Hey Tom—where are you going? The party's just getting started! |
| Man 2: | Ah sorry dude, I gotta bounce. I'm on an early shift tomorrow. |
|
| Li: | In that clip we heard someone saying he had to leave a party. |
| William: | Yes, that's right. He said "I gotta bounce". |
| Li: | To bounce usually means for something to go up and down. But where does this slang usage come from, William? |
| William: | Well, 'bounce' meaning 'to leave' comes from the USA and it's urban slang, so it's something that young cool kids might say. |
| Li: | Not you, then. |
| William: | What do you mean? |
| Li: | Well you're not young or cool. You are a middle-class Englishman in his thirties. |
| William: | Li, that's not fair! I listen to hip hop. And one of my jumpers has a hood. |
| Li: | Anyway, we have talked about a phrase now. So if you like, you can bounce now. |
| William: | Right. Bouncing. |
| Li: | Now that he's gone let's relax with some nice music ... |
