| Rob: | Hi Helen. I thought I would pop round to talk to you about today's Authentic Real English but ... err ... it looks like you're busy ... what are all these police cars doing here? |
| Helen: | Quick, come in, shut the door ...
... now this is very serious. There has been a murder. |
| Rob: | What? |
| Helen: | A murder! I know it's not very nice ... but to be honest the police can't find any blood or a body. It's like a murder mystery. |
| Rob: | Hmm, we need to do our own investigation. So what exactly happened? |
| Helen: | Well, my friend came to see me this morning. |
| Rob: | I see. |
| Helen: | And we were having a nice chat when she said I could murder a coffee and then she disappeared and I haven't heard from her since. |
| Rob: | Right. Well Helen, relax, I think she's still alive and everything is ok. |
| Helen: | There's no murder? |
| Rob: | No murder. When people say they could murder something it's an informal way of saying they are starving or thirsty and are desperate to have something to eat or drink. |
| Helen: | But murder is a strong word. |
| Rob: | Yes. It stresses how desperate someone is for something. A direct translation would mean you are so desperate for something you would kill it! But in reality, we don't go that far. |
| Helen: | Thank goodness! |
| Rob: | Here are some more examples: |
| It's been a really tough day at work, I could murder a beer or two—anyone want to join me at the pub? |
| I'm starving, I could murder a curry. |
| Helen: | It's amazing what people will commit murder for!! But in reality when we would murder for something, we just have a desperate need for something. |
| Rob: | People also describe a situation or a feeling as murder—but again there is no killing involved—they are just trying to explain that something is bad or uncomfortable. |
| Helen: | So the word murder is also used to emphasise a bad situation or uncomfortable feeling. Such as Rob? |
| Rob: | Such as in these examples: |
| Running a marathon is murder on my knees. |
| I've been decorating all day and my back is murder. |
- Don't go on the London underground during the rush hour, it's murder!
| Rob: | So by saying 'it's murder' he means it's awful; it's terrible. Anyway Helen, now we know there's not been a real murder, I think we should tell these policemen to go home now. |
| Helen: | Good idea. Excuse me ... there's been a terrible misunderstanding. There's not been a murder so you can all go home. |
| Policeman: | Oh right. So we've been wasting our time then? But hold on ... I think there might be another murder soon. |
| Helen: | Oh, why's that? |
| Policeman: | Well, I could murder a cup of tea! |
| Helen: | Of course. |
| Rob: | I'll put the kettle on. |
Helen & Rob: Bye.
| Policeman: | Milk, two sugars please! |
