潇潇语言实验室No. 001

发布时间：2007-07-18

作者：潇潇

来源于：昂立外语网站

毕业的日子一天比一天近，收拾抽屉时看到自己的很多习作，最显眼的是老师红色的评语毕业后作文写得好也没有人给A, No one will give me a pat on the shoulder and say "well-done", 写差了也没有人给我打C, and say "Hey, you need to put in more effort!"
工作又不太需要英语，真怕自己一点一点地淡忘。

于是想起建立一个Xiaoxiao's Language Lab,回忆整理以前学过的东西，并永远保持一种学生的心态。
以前看过李敖的一本书，收集了他在狱中给他的小女儿写的80封信，信里主要是教他的女儿一些英语的典故，习语，还有一些小知识。第一次发现李敖也可以渊博而不嚣张。
若自己也可以拼凑80篇这样的小文章，也可以自诩"渊博"。
唉，其实我写东西通常只是为了排遣苦闷的情绪。
聊以为序。
－－潇潇

心情不好，就先从心情讲起吧。
MOOD：a state of the feelings at a particular time. 中文可解作"情绪"或"心情"
"心情好"叫做"be in a good mood"
"心情不好"叫做"be in a bad/lousy mood"
"没有心情去做某事"叫做"not in the mood"
"Hey, Yvonne, wanna go to the beach?"
"Tempting, but I'm not in the mood."

"情绪化" 叫做"moody"。

"笑容满面"叫做"all smiles"
"洗耳恭听"叫做"all ears"
"笨手笨脚"叫做"all thumbs"，想象一下十个手指都变成拇指，弹钢琴多不方便。

中文的"实习"该怎么说呢？
对，叫做"internship"。
在英语角经常听到一些大学生说"I went to practice in that company..."
其实英文中的实习不叫practice,可以说 "serve one's internship" 或"I worked as an intern there."
深究practice的含义，其实用practice表示"实习"是相当错误的。

practice: to do the work of a lawyer, a doctor ,etc.
而这种practice通常是指读法律和医学的人在学校苦读好些年后，通过苛刻的资格考试才有资格去执业，也就是practice，而不是像我们这样当没什么社会经历的小学徒。有资格practice的人都是很了得了。即使是法学系的学生在律师楼实习也不能称为practice，他必须通过bar examinations才有资格称自己practice。

She's passed her law examinations and is now practicing (as a lawyer).
A practicing doctor.

顺便提一下老掉牙的俗语"Practice makes perfect"－熟能生巧
其实我并不赞同"Practice makes perfect"的说法。
因为"It is not practice that makes perfect, it is perfect practice that makes perfect."
方法不对头只会越努力越觉得自己笨。

另一习语，"Practice what one preaches." （to do oneself what one advises others to do)
可以用来形容"言行一致"的人。

我们常说"It's raining cats and dogs",是因为猫狗打起架来特别凶，雨大的就像猫狗在打架，吵吵闹闹。但是人们往往会忘记最初的意思。一天正在下倾盆大雨。
妈妈："It's raining cats and dogs"
女儿："No, it's raining pigs."

"It never rains， but it pours."意即"祸不单行"。

"天看起来会下雨"叫做"It looks like rain"或"It looks as if it is going to rain."
高考常考这句话怎么说，刻骨铭心。

"as right as rain"意为身体很健康。
"Yvonne's been ill, but she's as right as rain now."

"as natural as rain"--Heineken 广告词
Also, "as natural as curiosity"
By the way, "curiosity kills the cat."
我们说猫有九条命，西方文化中也有这种说法，but sometimes curiosity is bad enough to kill a cat.

"rain or shine"(whatever happens, whether things are good or bad)－风雨不变，风雨无阻
"I will always be there for you, rain or shine."
"take a rain check on something"
rain check 其实是旧时球赛的门票（记不清是什么球），如果下雨比赛取消，可以凭rain check天气好时再看比赛。

Rain check:(American English)an act of accepting something when it is offered, with the condition that one may claim it later.
"Yvonne, can I invite you to a movie?"
"I'd love to, but I have so much to do these days, can you give me a rain check on it?"

分享到: