|
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……
& z- O4 r2 [8 E( d7 Y& k" ~
) R0 }( m: l& y) n2 h9 |7 l' \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。
, ^/ O; q) S" j& U0 W) U& [8 ?0 b* w; d m
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!
3 j4 {5 e, i; r0 N% u* v( _1 a, @" W% M& w
厕所 8 m1 q1 q/ o. c0 _+ p
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。 - @5 W" z1 ?8 T& b' E$ F
, A7 r0 @) |* v3 R
解小便
& b- b5 x; v% b x 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 S$ I, g |; w0 G! I0 Q& K
( t6 B) t& X! N 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:
+ L$ J/ S) \ Z
3 K n8 f. X( O% ?6 [2 r * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. ' L: B4 y% e( J' Q4 z, x4 L x
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) / s/ W9 o0 o) w# l
) c5 T1 M3 V, i 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: / J( s5 v, \4 b* v# I
/ `! `; o4 k% Z. H V" y" V6 v
* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) ( N. a G: C& N8 B4 X
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
4 n' y- p! W+ ] * 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。)
4 Z8 B! i8 L' i! @. E5 G: D; N* F/ |8 {3 O6 F8 P
不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: ) U9 z. _3 X ^5 _5 E
" ?' E8 I! X* f. v, c * The boy needs to pee.
. r1 T6 q5 R6 b* f6 X# Y0 s& T- @) f- j4 T
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: . `* L7 P2 p9 ]- h0 u B
n- b- I% |8 o3 }
* Do I need a urine test?
$ n. L/ ]; p) U% K: K4 Q& u1 C: s
& n+ K# J5 M7 r+ Y/ D! t+ }+ b 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:
4 A, r9 P9 M3 I9 T1 W; b+ d+ x
1 J, U) u: [' o+ ?% V5 Z * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. , l! l4 Z: K b, \9 m. P; [
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) 4 W. `2 {7 m c! I; O: ]0 A
* ]' d" E, H) W4 b+ D
如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
9 [/ E' R0 `* |' C * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) / c# u' n, U: D: K7 t5 [
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) , Q* Y$ S& C% r
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
% U0 V* e, D4 H9 X6 ~; x8 `1 ^ * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
7 Q- |6 O! F. m0 G
* i6 ^$ d2 M7 w
! T7 T3 e Z( g! b. ]# y0 a 解大便
8 x" h4 Y# x3 J0 Y7 D8 w, ] 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」)
- y; P/ M; } i9 |( S" C/ Y
/ O0 ]# ^( J/ r7 Z 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如:
8 ^8 x% M8 u/ M5 R5 ?7 [8 O
, T5 B5 W3 O# G * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
6 M \# K, T: \+ M" v' H
' i- a% S7 F# } U/ G, O 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: 5 t- {+ N8 H `0 H" m; O
7 K% ]1 V( x1 S& n
* The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
- w5 i4 r4 v* ]4 E. x
6 T f: x& Y+ K- G+ h, S v5 x 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: 1 O* y r/ u1 q% Z
( A& N& ~2 ? g: O8 c# a
* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
$ O$ P0 _) D0 w! a& H! q: k0 c- H! h. H/ O/ h
& M; r$ j7 s! r2 {$ J4 h5 M
放屁 6 M& i# z% a. ~6 y% N" S
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 7 y0 ]! K7 n; I4 R% y3 \' u
5 g( d2 K2 g& Q, c! `+ N$ z$ }! P
* 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
- W+ y- w/ r3 X7 Y* y4 \ * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
( Y# V$ p( t; _! S& D * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) ; V3 H& r% k; r* k0 e; 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。) $ O) c6 Q( {& a0 u4 c2 H0 A
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
$ |. k; R- {- { U3 n( t0 \5 D! a4 b. P
至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: 3 y6 I& E$ S4 U% o$ u6 ~4 `) E
; O5 y" k- y( J) M
* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
' ?( P' d5 j! b% I8 b6 }3 K( n2 t2 @- }7 `$ h
(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) ( I) U f8 `) U7 z) H! }: L8 P
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) ) f3 ^! j' v9 J1 k4 @+ C, V" ?
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 ( [3 ^( j9 i5 [ Q* h& e& i" W
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
% H! S, l. @8 H$ m6 C; Q' ^4 ` * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
. v# h, u* u: L) N * He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
- v# _" p6 s! v, Z1 Q) z& i * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
8 q( D+ u; k* ` * 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。) |
|