文档介绍：“俗气、老套”
在HBO(Home Box Office)的一出经典剧目《六英尺下》(Six Feet Under)里面,剧中人Claire有这样一句台词:I don't like it. It's tacky['tæki]. tacky,美国人习惯用这个词来表示某样东西很花哨,没品味。
还有个很口语化的词,corny['kɔ:ni],也可以表示老套。在美剧真人秀《学徒》(The Apprentice[ə'prentis])第一季第一集,当几位男士给自己的公司命名为"Versacorp"之后,Nick说了句:"It's corny",以表达他对公司名字的不满。这么陈腔滥调的,怎么能让大名鼎鼎的Donald Trump喜欢呢?
Corny还可以用来表示"肉麻、夸张"。如果一个人太煽情,一点点小事便可以泪流满面,那么,他就是太corny了。"Oh, gee! What he said is so corny. I can't stand it anymore."
“俗气、老套”
1. 那个颜色很俗气,求求你,别再穿了。 2. "Oh, gee! What he said is so corny. I can't stand it anymore."
2. 天呢,他说的太肉麻了,我受不了了。
color is tacky. Please, don't wear it any more!
"除非太阳从西边出来"
汉语里,若觉得某一建议荒诞、离奇或根本不可能实现,我们常常会反讥对方:“啊,除非太阳从西边出来!”。
英语中,类似的意思可用俚语“There's a pig flying by!”(字面意:猪飞了起来)来表达。
据辞源介绍,俚语Pigs might fly或There's a pig flying by源于苏格兰谚语“Pigs fly in the air with their tails forward.”(猪在空中倒着飞;比喻意:绝对不可能发生)。
"除非太阳从西边出来"
让他请我们吃晚饭?除非太阳从西边出来!”
He'll invite us for dinner? when pigs fly!
“青菜萝卜,各有所爱”
中国谚语的表达方式:One man's meat is another man's poison. 萝卜青菜,各有所爱。
在欧美人口中,与"青菜萝卜,各有所爱" 同义的表达也挺多的,常用到的一个是"to each his own",它的意思就是"不同的人有不同的看法和品味,无所谓谁对谁错"
“青菜萝卜,各有所爱”
那些喜欢喋喋不休,力图把自己的观点强加给别人的人总是很讨厌吧?不用怕,给你一块挡箭牌吧,用"To each his own",等于委婉地跟对方说"你有你的想法,我有我的意见,我不会跟你争的"。比如: Jack: I'm going to catch Curse of the Golden Flower this weekend. 这个周末我准备去看《满城尽带黄金甲》。 July: Are you kidding me? Curse of the Golden Flower is boring as hell! The Departed is so much better! 开玩笑吧?《满城尽带黄金甲》无聊死了,《无间道风云》不知道好看多少呢。 Jack: Well, to each his own. I'll stick with Curse of the Golden Flower. 萝卜青菜,各有所爱。我还是想去看《满城尽带黄金甲》。
“青菜萝卜,各有所爱”
"To each his own"的这个用法与"for what it's worth"类似, 意思也是说"我所说的只是个人意见,不一定对你有帮助,听不听由自己决定",
这个相对委婉的表达在一定程度上起到了铺台阶的作用,可以避免双方尴尬。如:
Justin: I love this tie! What do you think? Look good on me?
我很喜欢这条领带!你觉得怎么样?我戴上好看么?
Andrew: For what it's worth, purple doesn't really fit you.
“青菜萝卜,各有所爱”
A:你觉得我的新裙子怎么样?漂亮么! B:如果是我就不会选黑色的了。不过,各人品味不同啊,穿在你身上就不一样了。
do you think of my new dress? Is it beautiful?
'd never choose black, but to each his