在美國如何用英語區(qū)分成基督徒和天主教徒

B: What time?

幾點？

A: 11:00. We'll meet at the restaurant at eleven.

11 點。我們 11 點在餐廳碰面。

B: I'm sorry. I won't be able to come then.

很抱歉，那時我到不了。

A: Why not?

為什么呢？

B: I go to Mass at 10:30.

我10點半去做彌撒。

A: Mass? I didn't know you were Catholic.

彌撒？我不曉得你是天主教徒。

B: Yes, I am.

我是的。

A: Hmm. Do you go to Mass every Sunday?

你每個周日都去做彌撒嗎？

B: I try to.

我盡量。

A: I wasn't raised religiously, so I don't quite understand some things.

我沒有宗教信仰，所以有一些事不太了解。

B: Like what?

比如什么？

A: Why do Christians call their leaders pastors,but Catholics call their leaders priests?

為什么基督徒稱指導者為“牧師”，而天主教徒稱為“神父”？

B: Oh, that's just traditional. But there is something I should tell you.

那只是傳統(tǒng)。但是有件事我應該告訴你。

A: What?

什么事？

B: You just talked about Christians on the one hand,and Catholics on the other.But that is not the way to say it in English.

你剛剛區(qū)分成基督徒和天主教徒。但是英文不這么說。

A: Why not?

為什么呢？

B: Because Catholics are also Christians.In America, there are two main groups.There are the Catholics, and there are the Protestants.But they both follow Jesus Christ, so in English they are both called Christians.

因為天主教徒也是基督徒。在美國有兩大團體：天主教徒和新教徒。他們都是基督徒，所以英文都是基督徒。

A: So you use the words Catholic and Protestantand not Catholic and Christian?

所以你們是用天主教和新教而不是天主教和基督教？

B: Yes, that's right.We Americans don't talk about Catholics and Christiansbecause Catholics are Christians too.

沒錯。我們美國人不說天主教徒和基督徒因為天主教徒也是基督徒。

A: It's very confusing.

很難理解。

B: I know, but it's a mistake Chinese speakers often make.I am a Catholic. All Catholics follow Jesus Christ. So of course I am a Christian.Sometimes when Chinese people ask me about my belief,they say, "Are you Catholic or Christian?"But in English that question is nonsense.It is like saying, "Are you a woman or female?"And some people might even be offended by the question.

我知道，但是中國人常常說錯。我是天主教徒，所有的天主教徒都信奉基督，所以當然我也是基督徒。有時候當中國人問到我的信仰，他們說：“你是天主教徒還是基督徒？”但是在英文里這樣問沒有意義。這就好比問人“你是女人還是女的？”。有些人甚至對這種問題反感。

A: I see. So when I meet religious people in America,I should ask, "Are you Catholic or Protestant?" Is that right?

我懂了。所以當我在美國碰到有宗教信仰的人，我應該問：“你是天主教徒還是新教徒？”，對嗎？

B: Yes. There you go.

對了，沒錯。