|
|
|
一名中国留学生初到美国,在机场找厕所,问老外:「Where is W.C.?」老外听不懂。一名中国太太到医院生产,洋护士问她:「Did you have a bowel movement?」她却听不懂。还有人学了几十年的英语,还不晓得英语里的「大便」、「小便」、「放屁」真正应该怎么说…… ; s6 s A) N" H' U# p4 G, r( O
+ u, I. @4 L9 g至于性毛病,更是老中难于启齿、欲语还羞的尴尬。见到洋医生,窘迫万分,不知如何开口才是,真有「犹抱琵琶半遮面」的感受。 z6 F/ G- w, z1 D7 p
, |3 b5 L6 ?$ U6 }1 Y! r
以下为一些「禁忌」(taboo)的美语之整理。毕竟这些都是咱们日常生活的一部分,说不定有一天这些「禁忌」之语还能「派上用场」呢! 0 t s+ m- @: |
* s, Q+ U5 E$ J! ~, } {
厕所
$ H, s( `/ f! ?* T& ^' u. [ 在美国一般都叫rest room或bath room(男女厕均可)或分别叫做 men‘s room 或 ladies‘ room(=powder room),不过在飞机上,则叫 lavatory,在军中又叫 latrine。至于 W.C.(water closet)仍是过去英国人用的,在美国,几乎没有人使用。 8 C/ k! V) r' ]/ e+ y) ~ D
& K* a3 J+ U! I: Y+ } 解小便
1 \ \; Q- P5 Z& t 最普通的说法是 to urinate(名词是 urination),如果去看病,护士为了化验小便,就会给你一个杯子说:「Will (could) you urinate in this cup?」医生或许也会问:「Do you have trouble urinating?」=Do you have difficulty voiding?(小便有困难吗?)
* _: v) z" W$ i& k& _5 {& M4 h2 k6 I: w: d- ` ]9 U
此外,还有其他的说法:to piss = to take a piss = to take a leak = to void = to empty。 例如:
' Z/ C/ F7 G5 {* ~! O/ p4 G# T4 o' \+ |- t0 b
* I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
( B/ G' E3 o1 a$ Z& ^ u' e9 b * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
/ E& _# ?/ j6 [! C% {2 _$ E/ } r
此外,john(j 小写时,不是男人名字)是 bath room 或 toilet 的意思(也叫 outhouse),这通常是指在户外工作场地所使用的临时或流动性厕所(有时前面也加 portable 一字)。不过也有老外把家里的厕所叫做 john。 例如: $ u, Z$ ?9 \, m
7 q' E( E/ y3 I8 g7 F' @
* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。)
, v; w+ Q) Q- _0 H% r * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) ! s8 D: _2 G" T& y! q% c8 L
* The manual labours have to use (portable) johns during their working hours.(劳动者在工作时间内需要使用流动性厕所。)
2 m+ ]4 g; U: ^+ W
( c8 \" e1 I4 M3 G" f9 E# O+ v 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: 9 \& b. g* S$ B
! P% _2 E$ }( z9 S! V6 I * The boy needs to pee. G5 Q9 t# Y: x
( t9 a# p% @5 @9 W$ Z
然而,「小便检查」又叫做 urine test,因为这里的 urine 是化验的样品(specimen)。 例如:
+ Y6 F4 p, x6 t R4 R
5 C$ b+ M# W9 o' h4 d* Do I need a urine test?
" F' B3 r0 p; v! l
9 K& c. ?& t$ b7 o$ h+ c2 P 注意:to piss off 是片语,又是指对人生气或对事物的不满。不过这是不礼貌的片语,少用为妙。 例如: : T" t0 }2 Z/ _! m8 c# o6 l
/ _9 D2 O3 d! r: X
* He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
% H* y6 e3 Y7 E, Q' z, ?8 Q * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
( S+ } q& b; \+ g) _1 W g5 m4 q3 v
如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
' |# n' O3 [ ?& n( W5 M * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) 7 W7 T9 a2 @6 N
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) V3 I5 |% i, E2 c/ f$ C
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) # R, N, M3 F& f$ @. B& U" H5 w- Q, x0 L, m
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) " ^4 y, c& n! ^+ @& B
7 v- P7 J g, o" W4 O
' {9 Q2 B; e9 S! ^) w% s 解大便
+ L; ^" n; S9 I) A$ } 一般是用 to make(或 have)a bowel movement 或 to take a shit。如果看病,医生常问:「Do you have regular bowel movement?」(大便正常吗?)(说得斯文些,就是「大肠在转动」) + `1 k5 d3 n7 [/ g# p, h
4 ^& Z1 n! `* Q& C1 ~ 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: 2 a+ D E# R- H+ Z
% v( j- Q5 E" F- E. p2 k' e
* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) 1 j! t: t( v* x5 _. E
; `; k' m: [1 X0 t5 [
不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: $ P' r0 k6 N% [2 R* e$ [
+ r6 D# t9 k" K2 S, d * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
' d* o/ [5 T( e) C9 D
l7 J- h; N) S5 G# ] 但是「大便检查」倒叫做 stool exam,因为 stool 也是一种化验的样品。 例如: $ e8 h7 o5 p& |. r6 w5 c2 L
* U6 e; I* u" v# t# N6 D" r- @7 P" g
* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
~, S$ d& `- R
( K+ N& p3 l- i% I/ s+ f* n" S8 \; R2 ~0 s6 e
放屁 9 T% G Q5 z4 ?$ d7 w* |1 T
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: " d# m: y" U5 j9 m t+ z
0 m( H. ]; i" g9 ]9 ~7 G
* 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) ! {) J8 m2 k0 G6 t
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
& d% B% `8 p4 d& q* S: ?; a * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) 8 _1 F! j% Z3 v |
* He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
4 q# U: z* N# M- ~ S9 I! \ * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) , v8 N, ] s9 S" v( f1 K! D
& _' Z0 n, c- G
至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: : X( _) H, @- T, R
6 @4 A1 Y/ w# o) y. P' x% v- ?# G
* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. 6 U$ d7 q7 @- A" V2 a) _6 i0 f
4 }, v' X9 u( K' T' m (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) & g1 D' M/ a) e/ F/ j; [! B
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) $ i3 @- U% _/ ]0 e- b* D& \4 K* O
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 # {/ k3 ^2 H' J8 Q( D4 M- r1 C
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 & j8 A+ ~3 a7 j" J3 B* M
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 6 S8 M5 n9 y8 a/ i4 l
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days. ! u: J: d. [8 D
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
& _) j; L5 H. g' a0 k6 I * He can see trace of blood and pus or mucus in his stool(或 bowel movement)(大便时可看到血丝和粘膜。) |
|