What's a 'skeleton crew'? The English We Speak - YouTube Was ist eine „Skelett-Crew“? Das Englisch, das wir sprechen – YouTube What's a 'skeleton crew'? The English We Speak - YouTube ¿Qué es un "skeleton crew"? El inglés que hablamos - YouTube Qu'est-ce qu'un "skeleton crew" ? L'anglais que nous parlons - YouTube Che cos'è uno "skeleton crew"? L'inglese che parliamo - YouTube スケルトンクルー」って何？私たちが話す英語 - YouTube Co to jest "szkieletowa załoga"? Angielski, którym mówimy - YouTube O que é um "skeleton crew"? O inglês que falamos - YouTube Что такое "скелетная команда"? Английский язык, на котором мы говорим - YouTube Що таке "кістяк команди"? The English We Speak - YouTube 什么是“骨干人员”？我们说的英语 - YouTube 什麼是“骷髏船員”？我們說的英語 - YouTube 什麼是“骷髏船員”？我們說的英語 - YouTube

Hello and welcome to The English Hello and welcome to The English

We Speak with me, Feifei... We Speak with me, Feifei...

...and me, Roy. ...and me, Roy.

We may sound a little different - that's Wir klingen vielleicht etwas anders - das ist We may sound a little different - that's 我們聽起來可能有點不同——那是

because we are not able weil wir es nicht können because we are not able

to record in our normal studios in unseren normalen Studios aufzunehmen to record in our normal studios

during the coronavirus outbreak. während des Ausbruchs des Coronavirus. during the coronavirus outbreak.

In this programme, we have an In diesem Programm haben wir eine In this programme, we have an

expression that is used to describe Ausdruck, der verwendet wird, um zu beschreiben expression that is used to describe

the minimum number of people that are die Mindestanzahl von Personen, die sind the minimum number of people that are

required to run a business. erforderlich, um ein Unternehmen zu führen. required to run a business.

Speaking of which, there Apropos, da Speaking of which, there

are not many people working in arbeiten nicht viele Leute in are not many people working in

the train stations today. die Bahnhöfe heute. the train stations today.

No, you're right. It's because of Nein, du hast recht. Es ist wegen No, you're right. It's because of

the strikes on the trains. die Streiks in den Zügen. the strikes on the trains.

Ahh, so that's why it was hard Ahh, deshalb war es schwer Ahh, so that's why it was hard

to get a train this morning! um heute Morgen einen Zug zu bekommen! to get a train this morning!

The train companies decided The train companies decided

to run the trains on a skeleton crew! to run the trains on a skeleton crew!

What!? Skeletons driving the trains?! What!? Skeletons driving the trains?!

Is this some kind of ghost story? Is this some kind of ghost story?

I think I'll walk home! I think I'll walk home!

No, Roy! 'Skeleton crew' refers to the No, Roy! 'Skeleton crew' refers to the

minimum number of people minimum number of people

needed to run a business needed to run a business

or an organisation. or an organisation.

Ahh yes, and it's usually in times of crisis Ahh yes, and it's usually in times of crisis

or during an emergency, or during an emergency,

for example the coronavirus, for example the coronavirus,

that people run businesses that people run businesses

with a skeleton crew. with a skeleton crew.

Exactly, let's listen to these examples... Exactly, let's listen to these examples...

Due to the financial problems of the Due to the financial problems of the

company, the office will be run company, the office will be run

with a skeleton crew with a skeleton crew

for the foreseeable future. for the foreseeable future.

The Covid-19 emergency means The Covid-19 emergency means

that we will run the buses with that we will run the buses with

a skeleton crew until further notice. a skeleton crew until further notice.

A skeleton crew will be needed to keep A skeleton crew will be needed to keep

the park open over the winter months. the park open over the winter months.

This is The English We Speak from BBC This is The English We Speak from BBC

Learning English and we're talking Learning English and we're talking

about the expression about the expression

'skeleton crew', which is used to talk 'skeleton crew', which is used to talk

about the minimum number about the minimum number

of people needed to run of people needed to run

a business or an organisation. a business or an organisation.

I love the expression 'skeleton crew'. I love the expression 'skeleton crew'.

It makes me think of a pirate ship It makes me think of a pirate ship

run by skeletons. run by skeletons.

We can also use the words 'skeleton staff' We can also use the words 'skeleton staff'

with the same meaning. with the same meaning.

Well, one good thing when there's Well, one good thing when there's

a skeleton staff at work is there's a skeleton staff at work is there's

no queue for the cafeteria! no queue for the cafeteria!

Trust you to think about food! Trust you to think about food! 食べ物のことを考えるあなたを信じて！

Well, I'm just glad there aren't real Well, I'm just glad there aren't real

skeletons working at the BBC. skeletons working at the BBC.

That's just in horror stories! That's just in horror stories!

Exactly, you don't need worry about Exactly, you don't need worry about

skeletons walking around. skeletons walking around.

They're not real! It's vampires They're not real! It's vampires

you need to worry about! Ha ha ha! you need to worry about! Ha ha ha!

What!? What!?

Bye, Roy. Bye, Roy.

Bye, Feifei. Bye, Feifei.