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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……
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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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4 n4 c6 S8 S- u8 b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
/ L' B' b! N2 m% X0 E7 |, u 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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1 d. @$ @! A" Z 解小便 5 ^! |" o3 z% Q4 _" D. q) \/ Y
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?) 6 u+ `; E/ U, p5 E2 y4 x
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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: ! ` }- v0 L5 e3 V' M$ h
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* I need to piss = I have to take a leak. ! m' A& z7 \& C0 `3 T
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
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5 w. R9 b$ @" c* X% m5 u4 w* 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:
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* a [! X0 f' w' W$ R4 Q * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。)
3 s$ m" w3 X% b7 I$ w$ |" g * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 0 w) Z3 U9 g+ x- e7 h9 b4 v
* 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。) 2 Z) w K0 o: p/ ~0 f. |1 y' w
/ b4 e- Z; b4 l 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: 2 E3 i6 s3 c. V- Q' y* |1 v* F
# J5 a# |; h3 I0 `- [; m * The boy needs to pee. 9 v. m/ ~; S C/ b/ i+ Q. _
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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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* \6 A% m5 x) P) v6 ?' c* Do I need a urine test? - x( W6 d! t; _# P/ B S e; R
' |" V" ^3 `; s% R) ]9 T- X 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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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry. 0 T: F: V, M6 d
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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1 p O& X+ d1 |5 {" B6 s/ ? 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
2 I, q6 O {$ c9 t * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
7 c6 g% R0 a; A5 r * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) 9 f6 X& g, O0 a) a g! ]4 X. P
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) / @9 _$ E* f1 o) v. p
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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# m: |9 m7 `9 ?) R/ z- v. z" Y y% @* S 解大便 3 i3 \" h" x5 B, B- M
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」)
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/ f b' L% |; G0 ~( @ 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: ; k/ Z$ v+ t3 M
% Z& U1 J! [! y * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) + ]: y! W b) s: ?" y8 b# U7 I
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不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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. o1 C. E* }$ \$ y8 z * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) : E" h C" R8 f! g5 p8 p
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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:
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* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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8 X: {6 Y; w* k. z- X 放屁 ( `4 y/ J @7 ?1 t/ z) I% ?
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: * u" v% j! M h7 }+ |
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* 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) # B! f8 }; }5 u% O3 ~
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
% j8 h/ O- ]- j; W * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
" s" o- h: U1 U8 |7 d5 ^* @6 f' w * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
+ [6 p& P+ p! U; M% } * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) * j' @5 _9 m' C6 P' S" t, H: r8 |
, p0 N1 t. S" @ M0 q6 t 至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如:
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4 b6 l% x B8 k7 q* k8 M2 @ * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. 5 F7 A7 Y' T# [( w4 |
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) / m8 H( t) q$ z9 |1 _" z" R
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) ) Y( s# i3 @8 h, Q
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 / V* l4 E' ^+ M& w& f, R3 K" t+ F& j2 [
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 . V! D$ K% a% `2 L1 S) L$ P
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
+ Y9 \0 A; Z3 c" z' N0 _! d- b" y * He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
8 o2 e- M: E" C8 c3 u2 a: N * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) 0 M V' Y W" |8 p
* 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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