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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…… , @ C" f1 c' D! K! S5 ~. X
1 U- s, c3 ^% S) l* X' 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。
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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!
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厕所
3 n8 C& f! f. q% F: @ Z' G P& L 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。
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解小便 * g# Z' @, H0 o: w# _
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?) , {8 v2 k7 u. l; F7 e
; H, D7 ~( Z' [9 M% Z1 l 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: * ]8 t- ]* P) F. V
% W, |% k* t) T+ I * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. 2 Y2 u: z" [. @8 x8 _9 Q) D
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
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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: . Z, s% F$ P! [; P" z2 j. a: l
. P& N, |% ?+ z. T3 B * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) ) g) f9 V, D; h8 B% a0 L0 @
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) % I- e0 M" b6 Q+ z2 b3 m' M1 E* Q7 S
* 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。)
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如:
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) S8 S) p4 W" f" U# p! ]1 ^4 d * The boy needs to pee.
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$ I- `. c0 V. a+ X 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:
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* Do I need a urine test?
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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:
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- h; [0 x& g& d% Z( o5 p- t * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
& f4 s* l4 p, `+ H * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
, h3 O* L7 }' ?, p ~! Y * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
, ]9 {9 j. U! }" ] * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
3 |, T6 I/ Y1 l( }2 K: \$ ^ * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) : E% n& u3 r+ |* l V% D
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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* N$ F$ g- \7 x 解大便
* m6 L$ y, y& {. Q/ j0 Q 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」) ! [/ W9 _* @. O$ @+ f
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此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: . M+ t" }5 z" I2 D( A# L7 p9 l
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* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) , w- X9 G" b" ?! R
5 e1 a( @ n$ Q+ ~/ k 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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+ A( B& ]7 u5 s* U" ^' ? * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) X) [" f: i' E8 P1 e# z- k
: A( r$ }# ?, B0 O$ V 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: 3 }) @ [# B7 ?9 c, N1 q; I
2 Y& ~. D5 C1 b8 R4 T8 e( ` * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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% e% ]; I1 b! K- W 放屁
- K' Q m# Z+ ]: S3 \$ S5 D 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
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, K" ]7 o4 a" E2 v% T * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) ' c- g! }1 K* [* c. }, ~2 u
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
' Z; s+ L$ D" N+ q! M * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
4 L1 }( @* R5 G * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
/ ]% Q. y: D, v I * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: . ~+ u9 H2 x- [7 M+ h0 @
0 \# l. C; W9 S5 q; @) g7 n" v * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. ( L4 x0 y7 H3 F! {
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
% p- S, @+ a) q" v$ p; c! Y+ T * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) & s0 W+ z8 F" i9 f+ E
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 4 q; q6 J- k/ n2 T$ Q
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
' m1 s9 J1 ? o6 d' ^6 s" E* s" z * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 0 l& i7 t" Y5 g! y; l
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
$ [) w! \1 j4 i8 t * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
|5 [" G; K/ y3 T( s) i: X * 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。) |
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