Out of the loop: The English We Speak

Feifei: Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak.
I’m Feifei and with me is Neil.
Neil: Hi there.
Feifei: Neil, what are you doing sitting down?
Neil: Presenting this programme – like we always do –
sitting in a chair.
Feifei: You clearly don’t know about our new
healthy working policy – no more sitting down –
standing up is better for you!
Neil: Oh, alright then, I’ll stand up if I have to.
Feifei: Oh, Neil! No drinking coffee in the studio.
Health and safety!
Obviously, you missed our meeting about the new
healthy working policy.
You are clearly out of the loop.
Neil: What?
There’s a loop I have to stand in now?
Feifei: No, Neil. You missed our meeting
where we discussed the new healthy working policy,
and now you’re out of the loop.
It means you don’t have,
or are not aware of the knowledge
a particular group of people do have.
In other words, you’ve missed out on something.
Neil: Oh, I hate missing out on things.
We’d better hear some examples so I can be ‘in the loop’
about this English phrase.
Examples: I’ve been out of the loop
since I went on holiday.
I didn’t know Geeta and Bilal had got engaged!
They kept me out of the loop,
so it was a shock to discover that they were moving our
sales team to Birmingham!
Please keep me in the loop if you have
any more discussions about the building work.
Thanks!
Feifei: This is The English We Speak
from BBC Learning English.
And we’re hearing about the phrase ‘out of the loop’,
which describes not having, or not being aware of the
knowledge a particular group of people do have.
The opposite is being ‘in the loop’.
But Neil, you are out of the loop.
Neil: Yes, yes, yes. You’ve made that clear.
I missed the meeting and I don’t know about this stupid
‘healthy working policy’.
Feifei: Where were you anyway?
Neil: Down at the café. You know,
having a big fry-up.
Eggs, bacon, sausages!
Delicious!
Feifei: So unhealthy!
That’s got to stop.
Come on, Neil!
Neil: Where are we going?
Feifei: We’re going for a lunchtime run
with the rest of the team.
It’s part of our new healthy working policy!
Neil: Urghh!
I think I’d rather stay out of the loop from now on.
Both: Bye!