Informal Language‏

Ever go jogging in a business suit? What about going to a job interview in pajamas? Dressing appropriately is a lot like using a foreign language in the right way. It all depends on the situation. People in America use formal English for making speeches and writing business letters. But they prefer informal language when they talk to friends. 你曾經穿著辦公的西裝慢跑嗎？或 者穿著睡衣去應徵工作？得體的穿著很 像正確地使用外國語言，都得視情境而 變化。美國人使用正式的英文作演說和 寫商務信件；但是當他們和朋友談話的 時候，則較喜歡使用非正式的語言。 Americans are fairly laid-back, both in styles of dress and in language. So to understand their culture,it pays to know something about informal language—in other words,English in blue jeans and a t-shirt.English, like every language, is always changing. New slang terms are created all the time. Often they’re here today, gone tomorrow. For instance, if you wanted to call something exciting in the 1960s, you would say it was groovy or far out. Today you might describe it as cool or even bad. 美國人不論是在穿著的風格或是語言上， 都是非常輕鬆自在的。所以要瞭解他們 的文化，就得認識他們的非正式用語， 換句話說，就像穿著牛仔褲和T恤的英 文。英語就像每一種語言一樣是一直在 變。新的俚語不斷地出現，常常今天還 在使用的，明天就被淘汰了。例如，在 一九六O年代你若要形容一件很興奮的 事，你會說很「groovy」美好的，或是 「far out」走在時代尖端的。而今天會形 容為「cool」很酷，甚至「bad」好菜 喔。 Each sub-group of American society—from teenagers to soldiers to thieves to ethnic groups— has its own slang. People who aren't a part of the “in-group” can't understand the meaning, even though the words are “English.”So it's not easy for outsiders to use slang correctly. 從青少年、軍人、小偷、到少數民 族，美國社會中每一種附屬團體都有自 己的俚語。即使它們確實是英語，但是 不屬於那個團體的人就不會明白它的意 思。因此局外人要正確地使用俚語實在 不容易。 Like many languages, American English has numerous idioms that paint word pictures. These colorful expressions come from everyday life and add spice to language. When Americans want to make a good first impression on someone, they try to put their best foot forward. That way, they won’t get off on the wrong foot in their relationship. Learning about idioms in a language and culture can be difficult, but don’t get cold feet. Just be careful when using these expressions. Otherwise, you might put your foot in your mouth. 就像許多的語言一樣，美語中也有 許多的成語，刻畫出文字的圖像。這些 多樣化的表達方式來自於每天的生活， 並為語言增添了許多風味。當美國人想 要給某人良好的第一印象時，他們會先 「伸出最好的那一隻腳」（表現較好的一 面）；如此，在他們的關係上就不會 「下錯腳」（搞砸）了。學習一個語言和 文化中的成語可能相當困難，但是也不 要「讓腳發寒了」（恐懼、受挫），只要 在用的時候小心一點就是了。否則你可 能會「把腳放進嘴巴裡去了」（說錯 話）。 Americans enjoy making things easy on themselves. Even their pronunciation is relaxed. Sounds or syllables that are not stressed are shortened or combined with other sounds. As a result, "What do you want to do?” becomes “Whaddaya wanna do?” And “I don’t know” sounds like “I dunno.”See if you can understand the following conversation: 美國人喜歡把事物簡化，甚至連他 們的發音也很輕鬆自在，不是重音的發 音或是音節，通常會被縮短或是和其它 的音相連。因此，「What do you want to do?」就變成了「Whaddaya wanna do?」而 「I don't know.」聽起來像「I dunno.」看看 你能不能聽懂以下的對話： Gene: Jeet yet? 吉妮: Jeet yet? Tim: No, ju? 提姆: No, ju? Gene: Skoeet! 吉妮: Skoeet! Now let’s translate it into regular English: 現在，我們來把它翻譯成一般的英文： Gene: Did you eat yet? 吉妮: Did you eat yet? （你吃過了沒？） Tim: No, did you? 提姆: No, did you? （還沒有，你呢？） Gene: Let’s go eat! 吉妮: Let's go eat! （一塊兒去吃吧！） School teachers probably cringe at this kind of pronunciation. But the fact is, that’s how Americans often talk in real-life situations. 學校的老師們對這樣的發音恐怕是 不敢恭維。不過事實上，通常美國人在 實際的生活中都是這麼說話的。 There’s one type of informal language that you should avoid using, however. Swear words offend many people in America. Sometimes people say “four-letter words” to express anger or pain. Many of these “curse words” are terms from the Bible that people have misused. For example, to damn means to punish forever in Hell, so “damn” and “hell” are strong curses. 然而有一種非正式的語言是你應當 避免使用的。在美國咒詛罵人的話是會 得罪人的。有時候人們會說「四字經」 來表達憤怒和痛楚。很多這類咒詛的字 眼是取自聖經，但是被人誤用的。例 如，「D a m n」該死！指的是詛咒人在地 獄裡受永遠的刑罰，所以「D a m n」和 「H e l l」都是很強烈的咒詛。 Using the names of God or Jesus without respect can also bother people. And one more thing: Stay away from “dirty words” — vulgar descriptions of sex or the human body. True, some people talk like this, but such “gutter language” should stay in the gutter. 而毫不尊重 地妄用上帝或耶穌的名字也會使人很不 舒服。還有一件事：絕對不要講「髒話」 ——對性或是人體低俗的描述。沒錯，確 實有人是那麼說話的，不過這種屬於陰 溝的「髒話」就讓它歸於陰溝吧。 Americans enjoy being informal. They like making themselves comfortable, whether it’s wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt or using informal language. So if you want to speak real American-style English, just go casual— especially if your English teacher isn't looking. 美國人非常喜愛非正式、輕鬆的感 覺。不論是藉由穿牛仔褲、T恤還是使用 通俗的語言，他們都喜歡讓自己輕鬆自 在。所以如果你想說真正的美式英語， 儘量隨意就是了，尤其是你的英文老師 沒看著你的時候。 ?Word Banklaid-back (adj) 鬆散自在的；從容不迫的 slang (n) 俚語；俗語 ethnic (adj) 民族的；人種的 in-group (n) 團體中受人注目的核心份子（此指屬於 某個團體的人） impression (n) 印象 syllable (n) 音節 cringe (v) 畏縮不前；感覺不好 swear word (n) 褻瀆的詛咒；難聽罵人的話 curse (n) 詛咒 vulgar (adj) 低俗的；沒教養的 gutter (n) 陰溝；貧民窟 The Day's Phrase   It's back to school for Luke 路克返校讀書

When I woke up this morning, I had a frog in my throat.
我早上醒來的時候，就發現我喉嚨不舒服，聲音啞了。

Enjoy one of the world's healthiest foods
為什麼茄子叫 Eggplant?

My favorite part of Mid-Autumn Festival is eating mooncakes!
中秋節我最喜歡的事就是吃月餅！

Everyone's favorite cartoon dog has a birthday today
大家最喜歡的卡通狗今天長尾巴囉

Because she came from a poor family, she didn't feel that she had to marry money in order to be happy.
因為她出身貧寒，她並不覺得要嫁給有錢人才會快樂。

The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, move a beloved tradition forward
於印度德里舉行的二○一○年大英國協運動會讓這項深受喜愛的傳統向前躍進

You want me to run in the 20 km race? Maybe 20 years ago I would have but I'm no spring chicken.
你要我跑二十公里長跑？我二十年前也許可以，但我現在不是年輕小伙子了。

I was planning on sleeping in on Saturday but as soon as I heard about the baseball game, all my other plans went out the window.
我原本打算禮拜六到睡到很晚才起床，不過我一聽說棒球賽的事，我所有的計劃都泡湯了。Beauty and wonder are served on nature's largest table
神奇美景就擺在大自然裡最大的桌子上

You don't want Frank to help you move that mirror. He's like a bull in a china shop.
你不會想要法蘭克來幫你搬那面鏡子的。他是個粗手粗腳的人。

Billy and Mark fought each other for seven years before they decided to iron out their differences.
比利和馬可已經吵了七年，才決定要消弭他們之間的歧見。

How prepared can you really be?
你能作好多充分的準備呢？

Keep your hair on, Jill. I wasn't saying that you should do anything dangerous.
比利和馬可已經吵了七年，才決定要消弭他們之間的歧見。

I hate it when you ask such pointed questions.
我討厭你問這麼尖銳的問題。