[00:00.28]Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. My name is Rob.
[00:04.14]And hello, my name is Helen.
[00:06.60]Hold on Helen, hold on. We can't hear you properly. I think your microphone is playing up.
[00:10.50]Playing up?
[00:11.23]Sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
[00:12.78]Let me just push this button. Oh There! Hello. Now, you said the microphone was playing up?
[00:19.84]That's right. It wasn't working properly. If something isn't working as it should be, we sometimes say it's playing up.
[00:26.28]Up – not down?
[00:28.19]Nope. Playing down is a different expression that means something totally different.
[00:32.64]OK. So as the picture on my TV at home is flickering, I can say my TV is playing up?
[00:39.57]Exactly. Let's hear about some other things that are playing up.
[00:44.95]I don't think I'll be able to give you a lift to work today, my car's been playing up.
[00:51.50]Oh,my phone keeps playing up. Every time I dial a number, it just switches itself off.
[01:00.88]That sounds like my phone! So if something isn't doing what is should do then it's misbehaving?
[01:07.46]Ha Ha! Well, you could say that. It's just like people. When they misbehave we can say they're playing up. Like this…
[01:15.30]Sorry but I'm going to be late. The children have been playing up and I've still got so much to do.
[01:22.46]BBC Learning English.
[01:25.79]Oh,children are very good at playing up;it's usually because they want attention.
[01:31.46]Now, Helen, could I have your attention now please .
[01:33.95]Because playing up is also something you can say to describe a part of your body that's not working properly.
[01:42.50]Ow! Ow! I'm going to have to lie down; my back's playing up again.
[01:51.31]Count me out of this weekend's football match; my leg's playing up so I need to rest it.
[01:57.81]So it seems playing up refers to anything that's not working or behaving as it should.
[02:03.80]Now Rob, my leg's also been playing up so I wonder if you could give me a lift home in your car?
[02:10.60]No way - oh it looks like my microphone's playing up now!
[02:14.11]No, Rob, it's you who's playing up - now switch it back on!
[02:17.87]Oh, Oh, OK. Then, Helen!
[02:20.15]Let's go then. Bye!
[02:21.78]Bye.