ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Unit 13. ON THE PHONE

Make sure you know the vocabulary of telephoning. Find the Russian equivalents of the following idiomatic expressions in BOLD TYPE.

• to ring someone; to ring someone up; to give someone a ring (all BrE only).

  Ring me when you arrive, will you? I’II give you a ring around lunchtime.

• to give someone a buzz (informal).

  I’m sorry, I have to dash now, but give me a buzz later, will you?

• to phone someone; to phone someone up; (BrE). to make a call to someone; (BrE and AmE).

  I tried to phone you at the office, but you weren’t there.

• make a call (to a place), to call someone; call someone up (mainly AmE), to give someone a call; (AmE).

  I want to make a call to the States, please. I’ve been trying to call her all day. She just isn't at home.

• You make a call from a public telephone or 'coin-box or 'telephone kiosk / box / booth (BrE) or from a pay phone (AmE).

• You telephone someone on his / her private line / business line, you make a private / business call.

• If you reverse charges / make a reverse 'charge call (BrE) the cost of the call is charged to the person you telephone.

• In AmE usage you call collect or make a collect call.

• If you make a long distance 'personal call (AmE person-to-person call) with the operator's help, you wish to speak to a specific person only and no other person. There is no charge for the call if the person named is not there.

• In the AmE you can make a long distance station-to-'station call, i.e. you will speak to any person who answers the phone.

• a 'party line; a 'shared line a telephone line which is shared by two or more people (who have their own telephones).

• a hot line a direct line between heads of governments,

• In BrE long distance calls are also called 'trunk calls. A trunk call is made by an operator who works at a switchboard, with charges according to distance.

• to reverse charges; to make a reversed charge call to charge the cost of the call to the person you telephone.

• When you telephone someone you get through, i.e. get a connection.

• If it is an operator-assisted call, the operator may say 'you're through' (BrE), i.e. ‘You are connected’. In AmE usage this means you are finished, the time you paid for is up’.

• If you do not get through it may be because the line is engaged (AmE the number is busy), i.e. someone is already speaking on that number.

• The operator may put you through (AmE connect you).

• You may be cut off, i.e. the line is interrupted and the connection is lost.

• The telephone may be out of order, i.e. it is not working because of a technical / mechanical fault. You may have a poor / bad line, i.e. you cannot hear clearly because of interference (crackling, buzzing etc) on the line.

• You may have a crossed line, i.e. you can hear other people having a conversation, talking in the background.

• The line may go dead, i.e. the connection may be lost.

• If you have no time to speak when the telephone rings, you may not take the call.

• To take a / the call means to speak to the person who is on the line / phone.

• If you cannot speak to the caller immediately the caller must hold the line, hold (AmE) or hold on i.e. wait. The call may be put on hold.

• When you end a call you hang up or you ring off (BrE only), i.e. you replace the receiver.

• If you have no time to take the call, and wish to call someone again later, you can ring (someone) 'back (BrE only), get 'back to someone (mainly AmE), or phone / call (someone) back.

• If you are expecting another important call and wish to keep the line free you have to clear the line or get the caller off the line.

• In an organisation with many telephones, the 'switchboard operator will give you the number you wish to speak to.

• He will put you 'through to the extension or will connect you with it.

• The expression be on the phone has different meanings: (1) to have a (private) telephone: Are the Jacksons on the phone yet? You can't ring Dorothy became she isn’t on the phone.
  (2) There's Mr X on the phone for you, means 'Mr X is waiting on the telephone to speak to you'
  (3) to be speaking on the telephone. I'll take a message for her. I’m afraid she's on the phone at the moment.