|
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…… 3 W U1 R/ W) [6 j. g
2 y P6 s# J" c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。 $ A: F4 l% S$ u; W9 S4 H
. c/ a8 \( A; Y% `: E
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!
8 a M* V& n) f5 D) a8 a/ h f# P
厕所
( s5 b" v ~5 x- } 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。
& R8 H+ d* D: R3 U" B' z
' N3 n; U) L. N 解小便
/ O7 h3 U2 c3 D$ G M: @ 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?) # D4 i% J- Z9 U/ w
& P! A+ a8 k4 n+ d: o* }9 f' q6 X
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: ( y ^2 R3 b3 i
3 o' E7 k5 V. a
* I need to piss = I have to take a leak. & k1 P3 h/ K/ o) T! t
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
0 u) G6 n- {, @2 W$ y% W% d) C& g; i- A- Z! l' X
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:
; T. W+ D' `) C7 I* N4 o$ a+ G$ m: [9 R% v
* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) 6 U" ?1 d: |' k% H) J
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
+ ]( ?5 [5 E1 ^, B! 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。)
5 m8 d% t( D/ a$ a) n. ~
9 L( _+ y+ Q$ U: x/ Z- O* ? 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: . t, H$ q. s6 _ k/ e5 R6 w* T
9 L/ q5 P+ p# V+ C * The boy needs to pee.
# u9 i; k- u \3 k4 d, D
$ C4 C, a5 _: k2 u+ ?+ { 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: 8 ?# G# n" A2 f' Z7 m j
5 V5 s! N* m) h7 U4 t/ u, j* Do I need a urine test?
& I( ] b5 F/ d3 P B7 |& Z! m, _3 D
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: 6 T X& X; a: ]# _4 C
0 H: D4 n. a" L' l6 J0 Q4 D- K * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
, E: y7 B! K1 v) l * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
0 v$ ^+ d% O8 w# D f- b/ Y9 H
如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说: ( z) u: I. j9 \: J% }
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
# {/ G% O2 H! R. u C" x * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) % }5 j- A) {% Y8 U) z
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
. T2 \" v, Y$ ]% i/ J0 q * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) " Q* j9 N% ~9 |4 }! l5 [
) z- P4 c/ E B9 j% g
3 F. C* }5 c" Y" }1 A8 l( @& W 解大便
9 a" O; h; Z! } 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」)
' X9 H& z4 \# l' Z# ]6 [6 a6 K. Y1 t0 ~
此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: " ]8 i4 A/ q" H. T
r8 f, l& w3 ?6 |7 B# V' J( e
* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) - ?& Z' B9 d1 K! \# c
# \& p1 `; b" J& ^ s
不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
8 b8 S1 [) k; c o4 q8 l. G. `& O: q8 Q4 Y& \' s4 }3 ]
* The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
8 q- L& H3 w; U+ `$ s0 w( M, C' `! V) A3 x# L
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 o3 j& e* |; Y+ h# ?+ d
& S4 b5 A- U* K2 R) p7 h8 Z
* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
U; H& V9 t$ h- B8 P: {
+ p/ i8 N8 q/ Q I/ P! q" x! ]* h3 J8 }6 p R0 g- p
放屁 / s3 _' v8 I1 c
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: * g$ s% y& O/ l* t
3 ^$ h$ y$ H9 I4 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?)
/ y3 C+ r; h9 c+ u! @ * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
. P% x3 P. N3 O( T * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
; P3 O+ Y, w0 N5 p * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) 8 i2 Y/ g8 o5 l0 Q
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
; q3 o9 J, g5 `$ {" ]2 C1 y( a& A$ m5 t) C
至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: ) O e: Y1 d f$ l6 P
6 F7 n) }# o5 E& E; U' Y4 A3 F, j2 _
* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
0 @( n( u) K# }- R4 y6 p; R
& f& `5 k5 n$ `& r4 o4 ^( q8 U (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) 8 r. _0 z& b9 `4 y7 u- c
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) ' k( b* M. h5 }! T: P; t$ S) @3 j
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 # y, I" L& Y! g$ \8 A
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
5 r/ d+ z \2 V# v * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 " c% s2 t% a7 c# Y _4 L/ ?$ k4 q
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days. 1 C/ H" Y% P0 n' Q7 @* h
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) 9 v) T4 e* E& }, |2 O
* 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。) |
|