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BBC Learning English : It's a joke

The Script Helen: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, I'm Helen. With me today is quite a frustrated-looking Neil. Neil, what are you doing to that mobile phone? Neil: Argh, I can't get it to make a phone call. It does everything else: it takes photos, it connects to the internet, it even irons my shirts but it won't make a call! Helen: Your mobile phone irons your shirts? Neil: No, not really, but honestly it does everything apart from the one thing I want it to do -- make a phone call. It's a joke! Helen: A joke? But you're not laughing. It can't be a very funny joke. Neil: Well if you say something is a joke in English it can also mean that it's not very good or not worthy of respect. Helen: Yes, 'joke' has a second meaning. Example: The investigation into police corruption was a complete joke. Everyone knows the officers were taking money but they were let off. The weather forecast was a total joke. It said it would be warm and sunny but it's freezing and raining. Helen: As you heard there in the example, the person described an investigation into police corruption as a joke. This doesn't mean it was funny. It means it wasn't serious. Also the weather forecast was so bad it was described as a joke. Neil: Notice that you can add words before 'joke' to make the meaning even stronger. It's a complete joke. Helen: A complete joke. Neil: It's a total joke. Helen: A total joke. Neil: It's an absolute joke. Helen: Anyway Neil, why don't you just read the instructions for your new mobile phone? Then you'll probably be able to work out how to make a call. Neil: I looked at the instructions but they're an absolute joke. Helen: Oh really? Neil: Well for a start they are in about 17 languages apart from English. Helen: What a joke! Neil: Yeah I know. Helen: Well we've heard lots of jokes in today's programme but there hasn't been much laughing. Neil: Argh, what a useless piece of ... Helen: Let's hope Neil finally works out how to use his phone. Neil: Argh, this is beyond a joke, it really is... Helen: Join us again for The English We Speak. Neil: Argh, mobiles...