IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO HAVBE A TATOO?

Introduction
Do you have a tattoo? If not, have you ever felt tempted to have one? Some tattoos can be very
artistic and elaborate and are ways some people found to express their creativity and make them
unique. But tattoos can last a long time and... what do you do if you feel your ink no longer
represents how you feel about yourself? Sam and Rob discuss body art and teach you some
vocabulary.

This week's question

Vocabulary
parlour
name for a shop or room where certain businesses carry out their trade – such as a tattoo parlour, a
massage parlour or an ice cream parlour
creative person
someone who uses imagination and experiments with new ideas
express yourself
show outwardly how you feel and what you’re thinking
big business
activity that is currently popular and making lots of money
fashionable
popular at a particular time
dilute
make something less strong or less valuable

Transcript 
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript     
Rob
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, and I'm Rob.
Sam
I'm Sam. Hello!
Rob
Now, Sam, we’re going to be talking about tattoos. Are you a fan?
Sam
Of tattoos? Well, I don’t have one, but they can be quite impressive works of art.
Rob
Well, I’m not that keen on tattoos – I mean, who wants things drawn on their body?!
Sam
It sounds like you need some convincing, Rob! Maybe our discussion today will change your mind.
Rob
Maybe. But as you’re a fan of them, here’s a question for you to answer. According to the Guinness
World Records, the record for the most tattooed person in the world goes to Lucky Diamond Rich
from New Zealand. Do you know how much of his body is covered by tattoos? Is it…
a)    80%?
b)    90%? Or
c)    100%?
What do you think, Sam?
Sam
Well, it’s got to be 100% if he is the most tattooed man, surely?
Rob
Not necessarily, but, we’ll see if you’re right at the end of the programme. Now let’s talk more
about tattoos. I know many people have them. Sometimes it’s a picture of an animal, like a small
gecko, sometimes it’s words like ‘I love you’ or the name of a loved one. And then there are the
huge designs spread across someone’s back, chest or arm - like footballer David Beckham has.
Sam
Well, he’s no stranger to a tattoo parlour. A parlour is the name of the shop where a tattoo artist
draws a tattoo on you with ink and a needle.
Rob
Needles! Ouch!
Sam
OK, you need some convincing, so let’s hear from Lucie Parfitt, YouTuber and tattoo fan. Here she
is speaking on the BBC’s Smart Consumer podcast…
Lucie Parfitt, YouTuber
I’m quite a creative person and ever since I first discovered tattoos, I thought it was a really cool
way of expressing yourself. I’m quite a visual person as well, so for me it really, like, just looked
really cool and it made me think more about my own, like, personality and how I could express that
in creative ways.
Rob
Right, so, Lucie describes herself as a creative person. When you’re creative you imaginative and
like to experiment with new ideas.
Sam
Yes, Rob. And tattoos are a good way to be creative – trying out different designs and colours - it’s a
good way to express yourself.  Here, to express yourself means 'to show how you feel in a
particular way'.
Rob
OK, so some people express themselves through singing or wearing particular clothing, but here
she’s expressing herself through the images on her skin. But what happens if you want change what
you want to express?
Sam
Well, then it’s time for a new tattoo!
Rob
OK, well I know that the tattoo industry is big business now – which means it's 'popular and
making lots of money'. I’ve heard that one in five people now have a tattoo.
Sam
Not you yet, Rob! But it has certainly become a trend in recent years and it’s something tattoo artist
Lee Clements has noticed. Also speaking on the BBC’s Smart Consumer podcast, he explains why
he thinks that is….
Lee Clements, tattoo artist
The thing for me that has obviously changed massively over the last, possibly, ten years is you see a
lot of celebrities getting tattooed. With that comes the fact that you’re going to get people who want
to copy them or it becomes almost like a fashion thing, so we do see certain tattoos, sort of ,
becoming a trend and… yeah, so I guess it kind of dilutes that value a little bit, yeah.
Rob
Ah so it’s celebrities – famous, well-known people from TV, film and fashion – that have possibly
driven the trend. People want to copy them – or it’s what he says is ‘a fashion thing’, so you have a
tattoo because it’s fashionable, which means it’s 'popular at a particular time'.
Sam
And one of the down sides – the negative things – about just having one to be fashionable is it
dilutes the individuality of having one. Dilute means to 'make something less strong or less
valuable'.
Rob
Well, I’m not going to get one anytime soon – except maybe a big six on my arm to remind me that
we only have 6 minutes for this programme so I’d better reveal the answer to the question I asked
you earlier. According to Guinness World Records, the record for the most tattooed person in the
world goes to Lucky Diamond Rich from New Zealand. Did you know how much of his body is
covered by tattoos?
Sam
And I said 100%.
Rob
Well done, Sam. That is correct. He has held the certified record since 2006 of being 100% tattooed.
This includes tattoos inside his eyelids, mouth and ears.
Sam
Wow! I wonder who gets to see those!
Rob
OK well, now it’s time to recap the vocabulary we’ve discussed today starting with a parlour.
Sam
That’s the name for a shop or room where certain businesses carry out their trade – such as a tattoo
parlour, a massage parlour or an ice cream parlour.
Rob
A creative person is someone who uses imagination and experiments with new ideas.
Sam
And when you express yourself, it means you 'show outwardly how you feel and what you’re
thinking'.
Rob
If something is big business it is an activity that is currently popular and making lots of money.
Sam
And something that is fashionable is popular. And when something becomes popular it can dilute
its value or uniqueness – so it becomes less strong or less valuable.
Rob
OK, thank you, Sam.  That’s all for now but there’s plenty more on our website at
bbclearningenglish.com. If you can’t remember the address, why not tattoo it on your arm?! You
can also find us on social media and on our app. Goodbye for now!
Sam
Bye!