|
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…… ) ^5 L& n \( V# z
# z- g" `. f- ^: k' w- k至于性毛病,更是老中难于启齿、欲语还羞的尴尬。见到洋医生,窘迫万分,不知如何开口才是,真有「犹抱琵琶半遮面」的感受。
# j# { o/ m4 {2 s, K$ X" L
8 x V6 t7 l k7 [以下为一些「禁忌」(taboo)的美语之整理。毕竟这些都是咱们日常生活的一部分,说不定有一天这些「禁忌」之语还能「派上用场」呢! * f1 F& B! i2 _8 O1 K) f0 s
' I- m/ B8 g; c8 A& n* D8 ] 厕所 & u: ^% k: S4 p1 h( W
在美国一般都叫rest room或bath room(男女厕均可)或分别叫做 men‘s room 或 ladies‘ room(=powder room),不过在飞机上,则叫 lavatory,在军中又叫 latrine。至于 W.C.(water closet)仍是过去英国人用的,在美国,几乎没有人使用。 1 \0 m, G9 Z8 @. K) n8 c6 k
: _6 U: y' c) j8 a# B
解小便 3 q% D2 Y/ }$ l' q0 o: Y9 u/ Y+ s
最普通的说法是 to urinate(名词是 urination),如果去看病,护士为了化验小便,就会给你一个杯子说:「Will (could) you urinate in this cup?」医生或许也会问:「Do you have trouble urinating?」=Do you have difficulty voiding?(小便有困难吗?) 1 t: I4 V2 P# x/ W( F3 [% c
+ y: F4 A9 e' r' r' r
此外,还有其他的说法:to piss = to take a piss = to take a leak = to void = to empty。 例如: + L9 ], g6 Q, z1 l3 j4 N! E
8 K0 S( t: J0 Z" z
* I need to piss = I have to take a leak. ; ^+ t$ Z; h* Y. i" F' B
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) 5 I3 {; r+ L, X" i. ~+ Y9 I5 \
4 e/ h6 P# j Y5 z 此外,john(j 小写时,不是男人名字)是 bath room 或 toilet 的意思(也叫 outhouse),这通常是指在户外工作场地所使用的临时或流动性厕所(有时前面也加 portable 一字)。不过也有老外把家里的厕所叫做 john。 例如:
* o" G: B# u) f# V% z' R' X0 \) o4 J; `; J- w
* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) 4 a0 K# ?0 h2 T$ ^( V, `2 q
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 3 A8 Z1 }5 @9 ? C
* 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。) . _" ^) \' m' l+ U7 L2 O
/ H1 J8 Z8 Y$ U/ A1 u
不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: @: j0 ~7 I. T$ h( A4 M) J
0 M9 b! C7 F0 e6 _ A: T& m# B8 R, Y * The boy needs to pee. ) \! ~2 S$ f6 \7 `2 x! B
5 U' h6 ?2 r+ o& q/ q* ? 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: \! `( T5 r1 _' @& d
$ w- i* y& F/ G' @/ f- }3 c
* Do I need a urine test? # T/ V& y$ |0 ?7 ~% M9 i+ K
) [2 \: b; O) l! X& A) i' y
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:
$ y2 g% h7 V; j8 y
! z" d# C& P9 ]" v/ { * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. ' ^# b/ [) _& a
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) ) P, w2 X# X+ A
2 I( `& B7 o: g4 {
如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说: 5 b0 N! F3 P6 b/ }# a0 A+ r
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
" k6 |+ T- O5 n/ G6 g: A: o. r * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
4 X" c& n, d- W * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) 1 Y' a' c; L+ j1 J
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
* \8 X- d& U6 F$ j
0 p$ [" Q2 X g3 N
6 m! o' j/ z N( h6 J 解大便 : ~ x9 Y& `0 s* }5 y% T8 p0 O' }
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」) : e3 ?5 g; J" G$ n$ `4 h
& v2 \7 H( L: S _5 H- }8 b+ k
此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如:
' r! x/ M( Q. H* |, L8 B8 I& F0 \) N# _/ M- `7 j; V
* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) % t+ ^8 H/ f3 @$ O$ X( Z
) r+ k% _2 \' e) p" N- y! y 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
! x: X7 I+ Z' i9 U; W8 q2 b+ L
, G! V, e, [, T" L2 E+ g3 i' V * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) $ m ~; L& o, e( n# a8 X) ^+ H# o
0 \% b' p( A' ]. P7 C& j! Z
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 W/ n! G% h% Y0 k2 r$ p0 h2 G
) U5 X0 ^6 u+ J, ` { * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
! _! J# x4 E7 H
1 L0 u$ Z) b" i* K; ?% R; |+ N$ u* T# d0 J# S q4 r" n# r
放屁
; @) V3 S! `, ^) y, B 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
& ^- P* H! g3 y/ }
( U' {7 c" J7 Z# a G' J- Y- m * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) 3 W v3 P8 t) b+ C
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
, x- O$ R1 d) q9 U7 ~2 `( s * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
5 C( S8 U8 D- P+ U2 [* H2 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。)
8 R) F3 T7 s, c& s6 n( p * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) - {8 W/ y; H- \1 |- B
7 ^ j& R8 r# E
至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: , O4 k/ s1 I9 g% {4 D" h+ R
% S! F7 N6 \3 { C5 h! a
* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
5 R& X: C' ?3 E3 H6 t' y
- u+ d; n. ?2 z: b q (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) : F: f) M# P8 D' O& c
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) , D4 {7 S& ?; z3 m9 _- n
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 0 { ]5 V! E( u: A8 }- R+ v! ?
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 5 I) g( e. n& ~
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
; T0 {+ b+ @9 |% r3 E$ j( L * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. . ?' {0 J; h2 u
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
& L9 w( J$ d& F * 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。) |
|