Telly is the friendly, everyday British word for television.

Telly Telly is the friendly, everyday British word for television是親切、日常的英式英語，指television（電視）。

It works both ways the full word does: the machine in the corner of the room ("turn the telly off"), and the programmes you watch on it ("there's nothing on the telly tonight", "she was on telly last week").

It works both ways the full word does它跟完整的那個字一樣有兩種用法：the machine in the corner of the room指房間角落那台機器（"turn the telly off"把電視關掉），and the programmes you watch on it也指你在上面看的節目（"there's nothing on the telly tonight"今晚電視上沒什麼好看的、"she was on telly last week"她上禮拜上電視了）。

It is informal but completely respectable — ordinary British adults say it constantly at home, and it is not childish or rude.

It is informal but completely respectable這個字口語但完全得體——ordinary British adults say it constantly at home一般英國大人在家裡常常這樣講，and it is not childish or rude而且不會顯得幼稚或不禮貌。

What it is not is neutral in flavour: it sounds strongly British and slightly cosy, so it would look out of place in a formal report or a news article, and Americans do not say it at all (they say TV).

What it is not is neutral in flavour這個字唯一不是的就是「中性」：it sounds strongly British and slightly cosy聽起來很英式、有點溫馨，so it would look out of place in a formal report or a news article所以放在正式報告或新聞文章裡會顯得不搭，and Americans do not say it at all而美國人根本不這樣說（they say TV他們說TV）。

A useful pattern: with on, the article often disappears — "on telly" means broadcast, while "on the telly" can mean either broadcast or literally sitting on top of the set.

A useful pattern一個實用的規律：with on跟on連用時，the article often disappears冠詞常常會消失——"on telly" means broadcast「on telly」意思是有在播，while "on the telly"而「on the telly」can mean either broadcast or literally sitting on top of the set可以指有在播，也可以指真的放在電視機上面。