英语学了那么多年,不少小伙伴们都自以为深知歪果仁的用词喜好,分分钟就能甩出高频词精选干货不在话下。然而,说起那些英文口头禅、流行语、反复入耳的网络热词,很多老外听到它们时,内心竟然是崩溃的。
So所以说(So)……
2015年头号讨人厌的英文单词就是它了。当你同外国人交流的时候是不是老爱说:So 吧啦吧啦?恭喜你躺枪了。世纪君原以为这只不过是Chinglish,看来老外也爱用,而且还很不招人待见。来看看歪果仁是怎么这个单词的:
Currently, it is being overused as the first word in the answer to ANY question. For instance, 'How did you learn to play the piano? ' Answer: 'So my dad was in a classical music club...'
“So”这个词都被用滥了,几乎回答任何问题都能用它来开场。比如: How did you learn to play the piano?(你怎么学的弹钢琴?)答:So my dad was in a classical music club... (所以说,我爸当时在一个古典音乐俱乐部里……)
Politicians, especially, are using this word when asked a question and not answering said question.
特别是政客,都爱用这个词来回避提问。
Frequently used to begin a sentence, particularly in response to a question, this tiresome and grammatically incorrect replacement for "Like," or "Um," is even more irksome…It hurts my ears, every single time I hear it!
听着累心的一个词,比“额(Um)”、“就像(Like)”还招人厌,而且还毫不合乎语法。每每听到都深深滴伤害了我的耳朵!
Conversation
Now we are all encouraged to have a “conversation,” and everything will somewhat be magically resolved.
好像只要来次“谈话/会谈”,啥事就都顺水推舟、水到渠成了。
Over the past five years or so, this word has been increasingly used by talking heads on radio, television and in political circles to describe every form of verbal communication known to mankind. It has replaced 'discussion', 'debate', 'chat','discourse', 'argument', 'lecture', 'talk'….all of which can provide some context to the nature of the communication. Perhaps the users feel that it is a word that is least likely to offend people, but I consider it to be imprecise language that, over time, dumbs down the art of effective discourse.
近五年来,这个单词被使用的频率一路飙升,广播、电视、政治圈里,只要是人类用语言沟通的事儿都会用“conversation(谈话/会谈)”这个单词来表达。“Conversation”已经代替了“discussion(讨论)”、“debate(辩论)”、“chat(攀谈/聊天)”、“discourse(论述)”、“argument(争论)”、“lecture”(演讲)、“talk(说话/讨论/谈话)”等可以更准确体现交流的特定含义的词汇。估计是觉得“conversation(谈话/会谈)”这个单词是最中立的,最不会冒犯别人,然而却大大破坏了语言的有效性和准确性。
Problematic
A corporate-academic weasel word, according to the Urban Dictionary.
美国著名的在线俚语词典Urban Dictionary评论:“这是个听起来很考究,其实含糊其辞、不明所以的单词”。
Somewhere along the line, this word became a trendy replacement for 'that is a problem.' I just hate it.
不知啥时“Problematic”(有问题的/疑难的)开始流行,已经取代了“that is a problem.”(这是个问题)。我太讨厌这词了。
Anything that the speaker finds vaguely inconvenient or undesirable, such as an opposing political belief or bad traffic. Contrast things that are self-evidently taken to be problematic with, say, actual problems like a hole in the ozone layer or a job loss.
只要啥事稍微觉得有点儿不好表达或者不受欢迎就用这个词来形容,比如发表政治观点,又或者只是谈论交通堵塞。很多事实比如环境问题或者失业,谁都知道“是个问题”,还用“problematic”这词来形容,不是废话么?
Price Point
Another example of using two words when one will do.
另一个明明仅说一个词就能表达却偏偏要用两个单词的例子。
This alliterative mutation seems to be replacing the word ‘price’ or ‘cost.’ It may be standard business-speak, but must it contaminate everyday speech?
这个押头韵(首字母相同)的短语貌似是替代了“price(价格)”或“cost(费用)”。它是可以用于商务用语,但非得在日常用语里也这么用吗?该网友还举例:比如某医疗杂志里的这句:“Although the ‘price point’ of effective new drugs...may initially be out of reach for many patients...” (虽然这些有疗效的新药起初对很多患者来说价格太过昂贵。)这里用price(价格)不就好了,非要用price point(价格点)吗?
Secret Sauce
Usually used in a sentence explaining the ‘secret’ in excruciating public detail. Is this a metaphor for business success based on the fast food industry?
这个词经常被用来解释、爆料某件超级烦人的公众细节。难道这是基于快餐行业成功的一个隐喻么?(“secret sauce”是秘方/秘籍/秘密武器/宝典的意思,按字面意思来看即“秘密的调料”。)
It has become too frequent in business discussions. I am tired of it.
这词在商务圈儿里已经被滥用了。真烦人。
Break the Internet
An annoying bit of hyperbole about the latest saucy picture or controversy that is already becoming trite.
又一个用来吸睛却夸张到讨厌的短语,常用于形容某张艳照或某件引起争议的八卦等,其实早就是陈词滥调了。
Meaning a post or video or whatever will have so much Internet traffic that it will ‘break the internet.’ It’s being used for every headline and video. Ridiculous.
用于形容一条火爆的帖子或者视频被疯传,会“刷爆网络/朋友圈” (break the internet)。几乎所有头条或视频标题都用这个词儿。真搞笑。
Presser
This shortened form of 'press release' and 'press conference' is not so impressive.
这个“press release(媒体报道)”或“press conference(新闻发布会/记者招待会)”的简称并不能深入人心。
Not only is there no intelligent connection between the word 'presser' and its supposed meaning, this word already has a definition: a person or device that removes wrinkles. Let's either say ‘press conference’ or ‘press release’ or come up with something more original, intelligent and interesting!
Presser这个单词和它想表明的含义之间并没有什么考究的联系,而且presser这个词原本已经有“压制工”或者“压榨机”的意思了。