今天李華從 Michael那兒學(xué)到了兩個(gè)新詞 redneck 和 in the sticks。
M: Come in!
L: Hi Michael! 真抱歉,我沒(méi)先告訴你就來(lái)了。你的電話(huà)一直占線(xiàn), 所以我沒(méi)法打電話(huà)給你。
M: That's no big deal. I was on the phone with my friend Bob who lives in
L: 原來(lái)這樣。對(duì)了,你把你朋友叫什么來(lái)著?你說(shuō)他是什么???
M: I said he's a redneck, R-E-D-N-E-C-K.
L: 一個(gè)紅的脖子? 這是什么意思???
M: A redneck is someone from the countryside who lives a country lifestyle.
L: 所以你叫一個(gè)人 redneck就是說(shuō)他是鄉(xiāng)下人或很土氣。哎,這樣說(shuō)別人很不禮貌吧。
M: Well, maybe. If you call someone a redneck, it means you think that they are not very cultured or sophisticated.
L: 你就因?yàn)槟闩笥炎≡卩l(xiāng)下,你就開(kāi)他玩笑說(shuō)他是redneck ,未免 不太好吧。
M: I'm not really making fun of him. Some people are proud to be rednecks. Bob likes to call himself that.
L: 你說(shuō)叫他redneck,Bob他還很得意呀。那我就不懂了。在中國(guó), 大多數(shù)住在鄉(xiāng)下的人都巴不得往城里跑呢。
M: Well, the
L: 那么rednecks到底像什么呢?你來(lái)說(shuō)說(shuō)。
M: Let me see, how can I describe them? When we say someone is a redneck we mean they are from the south, and speak with a southern accent。
L: 現(xiàn)在我懂了, redneck 呢一般是指美國(guó)南方人,或者說(shuō)話(huà)有南方口音的人。不過(guò)說(shuō)真的,那些南方口音我真的聽(tīng)不太懂。
M: Also, rednecks like life in the countryside. They enjoy sports such as hunting or fishing. They like living in areas with lots of open space.
L: Hmm, rednecks他們不住在 城市,他們更享受鄉(xiāng)下的生活。
M: Exactly. Also, most rednecks have blue-collar jobs, or work on a farm. By the way, Li Hua, be careful how you use this word. Some people might get angry if you call them a redneck.
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L: 哎,對(duì)了,Michael,你那個(gè)紅脖子朋友Bob為什么事打電話(huà)給你 ???
M: Well, he asked me if I wanted to visit him this summer. I'm not sure if I really want to go though.
L: 真的嗎? 為什么你不想去呢?
M: He lives out in the sticks. There's nothing for me to do out there.
L: 他生活在那兒?The sticks 是什么地方啊?
M: Oh, when I say in the sticks, that just means in a rural area, far from a big city.
L: 噢,原來(lái)是指鄉(xiāng)下啊。哎喲,只不過(guò)離開(kāi)城市幾天,這樣你也受 不了?。?/span>
M: Well, I am used to city life. I don't know how to fish or hunt, and I really don't like farm work. I don't think I would like living in the sticks.
L: 你覺(jué)得你不適合鄉(xiāng)下的生活啊,不過(guò)偶爾去呼吸一下新鮮空氣不 是挺好的嗎?
M: I guess. Maybe I should visit him.
L: 要是有人自稱(chēng)是 redneck 的話(huà),他也許覺(jué)得生活在鄉(xiāng)下 in the sticks 也是很值得自豪的了?
M: Actually, the phrase in the sticks is not very polite. You shouldn't tell someone that they live in the sticks unless you are just joking with them.
L: 奧,說(shuō)別人 live in the sticks 并不是很好,除非你是在開(kāi)玩笑啊?
M: You are right. Usually when you say something is in the sticks you mean it is far from anything civilized.
L: 其實(shí)美國(guó)人并不懂得什么是真正的鄉(xiāng)下。就算他們住在鄉(xiāng)下好了, 只要一開(kāi)車(chē)就到城里了嘛。
M: That's true. Still, some places out in the sticks are pretty far from a big city, even if you drive a car.
今天李華學(xué)到了兩個(gè)新詞:redneck 和 in the sticks 。Redneck 是指鄉(xiāng)下人。 In the sticks 則是指遠(yuǎn)離城市的農(nóng)村地區(qū)。