|
|
|
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……
' m9 J) h7 @3 B% ?3 H9 f& b
* X' D% E: p0 Y6 |; Z- w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。
$ b% `9 ~& F# _4 C3 O4 Z
! w& ? ~: C) ?1 G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!
/ b% O8 T6 G2 N5 o( A" E
/ N. z r8 W% X5 m& X6 d 厕所
3 Z( h7 k) C. @. r& I2 M" V 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。
b, T- U" N3 L& K
2 a- V- M( I* p$ J/ S) T9 t 解小便
1 ~+ W9 I5 O$ j2 f. V; \ 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?)
5 G5 X# m( @. H* Z$ F
1 \, Q% O x7 G0 @$ I B; P U; v 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:
" M# i, e5 Y9 ^; s! o; R0 ^
2 p2 N! Z* D* V2 h" K * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. 3 d9 V3 {- |, D% T- ~8 Z
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
* ~$ |8 U6 K. d# F# `# ~0 U* c/ }) K ]
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: 2 B/ e# `" D' _+ y8 J6 i' F. I
5 J2 c4 s! ~, ?& r1 ` * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) / u# f1 S3 }1 w8 \7 d* f" ^
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
( K# k$ G3 x9 U) p2 [: a * 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。)
6 I- R9 u/ `& J5 ~0 h2 ~+ U1 x0 y# Q: O, v1 Y5 R; t
不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: D4 o$ I' c) T' T, |
0 C6 r$ h/ F( e1 S
* The boy needs to pee.
' I$ I2 m. X, l5 B
; J, `$ _. M7 F( ?* w1 A+ O 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:
3 i) h7 ~, q" a% Z" g9 H, X# l4 |3 ^+ k' ~" F) }
* Do I need a urine test? 9 j% t& p1 u; o0 [+ G
b$ p0 x5 R: {9 c3 [) g, V7 p0 h
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: 5 [! y q( o+ m/ }& J4 R, ^
' ^- p7 w; t; Y! u1 K# L. W * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
( `' e, X0 c2 ? {* W * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
+ \! k' L' q; T4 j+ @+ i4 X
1 o& a- j1 v) E+ h* ] 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
+ m: Q, H5 S" U * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) ! ?! e& Z1 l- n9 t ^( q
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
' J1 P h; k9 ~ * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) ) H- u' E( u$ [+ C
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) 6 [4 \( u4 J9 X; d# U
' B/ g# `4 w5 }. E9 M
7 k. y& B. ^8 ~3 y F K( g
解大便
% S5 v& }# O0 Y$ t 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」)
$ N% C) O9 G* r3 R& d) p( Z8 P9 W2 I% I: t' e
此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: ' s5 f5 ]; i; f) I
3 q9 c. B$ E- y% [1 j
* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
: b0 f) f6 W- X* Y5 E( r) k7 }2 L7 X: t U$ p7 e# }
不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
7 w9 z: b! a0 V$ p; u( X/ f0 p& N
! k) u$ H A' W$ C) N- B * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
, _$ a& Q6 s* C- _/ x8 b. a
" t2 a; L4 J2 n. f: J3 ~3 k 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:
0 a7 t; J/ ? A9 c# e
/ B1 {; V1 L; ?& S$ ?/ \3 a4 G * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
$ {& ~. u" G& u& a) o/ e( X7 j1 ]8 x
: o- s% O- ]( P5 y8 ~% m6 f3 o. V
放屁 . }/ `0 L% u$ Y! w: ^' M. Y) H
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
- I4 B4 H: t) p
' G% _" C1 z2 p$ c1 X. _1 Z * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
+ s0 M% A# L+ I" Z. L * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) " q1 j {2 ^. d9 {
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) f. W- t9 h/ t2 `
* He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
* p8 ]9 s1 I2 d/ Q * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
: t O1 i F4 j; r. O" y3 @7 n9 N4 e5 N/ V# A; J$ W
至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如:
: F4 s' N `' s# o$ J
6 d! s2 C) u" t9 M0 q6 o9 W * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. / H5 R4 @9 Y. y+ A- m$ U
. l( B- }( P$ x( ~# C) ?& e8 g
(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
! k+ K- I! x' G- n! U * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
9 L; Y6 a, A8 s- S% m& x * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 + H: S$ L9 H: q+ P* k) o
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
$ a) L" d' D, |! V$ Y5 F * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 I5 y8 D' v, [% w. x, N
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
) \. n `! A1 A1 |1 o * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) + r1 m% b: ~7 l
* 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。) |
|