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Alice in Wonderland

State of the Union Address 2007 (Part 1)

1. You and I serve our country in a time of great consequence.

consequence 不仅有“结果”的含义,还有“重要”的意思。前一个的习惯用法是in consequence(后跟名词性表结果的短语)或者in consequence of(后跟名词性表原因的短语);后一个的用法如例句所示,of consequence,放在名词后相当于形容词。

2. We will work for a prosperity that is broadly shared, and we will answer every danger and every enemy that threatens the American people.

share这个动词属于看得懂用不出的。它在这里可以翻译为“共同企盼”。似乎凡是表示“共有”意思的时候,都可以用share这个词:不论是share an apartment with your friend还是这里的share a prosperity of the country。难怪都说英文是down to the earth的语言,没大没小,没轻没重的。

answer虽然是个active word,但是用在这里力度明显不足。不过再深思一下,也许是给“敌国”留些余地,不能把话说太重了。要往重了说,有counterattack,有retort。说的时候痛快,怕是事后不好应付。

From Seinfeld To Adjectives.

George: I got it. You wanna get her something nice? How 'bout a music box?
Jerry: No, too relationshippy. She opens it up, she hears that Laura's theme, I'm dead.

George: Okay, what about a nice frame? With a picture of another guy in it. Frame says I care for you, but if you wanna get serious, perhaps you'd be interested in someone like this.
Jerry: Nice looking fellow.

George: What about candle holders?
Jerry: Too romantic.

George: Lingerie?
Jerry: Too sexual.

George: Waffle maker.
Jerry: Too domestic.

George: Bust of Nelson Rockefeller.
Jerry: Too Gubernatorial.

看这段的时候很让我有一种如沐春风之感(当然,以上文字可不是我听写下来的首先声明,是从网上的script里择出来的)。之所以high,是觉得 Jerry一系列形容词用得漂亮。不愧是个靠嘴皮子吃饭的家伙。原来上新东方,尤其是托福听力的时候,老师总是强调“小词”的对理解对话重要性,基本上是那些连在动词后面的介词,比如in, on, with, up等等。来到美国才发现,其实做到听懂最重要的是名词和动词,而要真正体会话语中的细微感情色彩,形容词是关键。比如上学期一个刚刚从florida过来的年轻faculty经常喜欢说一些土话。偏赶上一段时间,每到那门课的上课时间,老是阴雨绵绵。于是老听他在讲课前抱怨这里的天气非常lousy,让人不想出门,不想工作。我一开始没有深究,就想当然地认为是在说天气潮湿,这个lousy就是wet或者rainy的意思。后来说得多听得多了,有一次禁不住细查了一下:原来这个lousy是个俚语,有unpleasant, unacceptable的含义,多强烈的感情色彩啊。要是单单理解成描述客观天气状况的形容词,大意不会有出入,但是语言传达出来的神韵就无从领略了。
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