【又中又英】Gobsmacked

作者：Alice的学习笔记

原文

Every morning I listen to English and Chineseradio news, watch English and Chinese TV news, and read English newspapers. Iwish I could read Chinese newspapers but I can’t read or write Chinese. I choseto learn another language during my school days. My bad. While readingEnglish newspapers last week I came across a word I have not used in a longtime. The word was gobsmacked.

I don’t think many Hong Kong people knowthis word. It is a British slang word. I like this word because it sounds funnybut has a simple meaning. The expression “my bad” is an American slangexpression.I don’t think many Hong Kong people know thisexpression too. It sounds like bad grammar but grammar is not important forslang words or expressions. The expression “my bad” is used when peopleaccept they are wrong or something is their fault. I was wrong not to havelearned Chinese. It was my bad but I can’t change that now. The British slangword “gobsmacked” sounds complicated but it simply means you are sosurprised or astonished that you are lost for words. The expression“lost for words” means you are so surprised or shocked you don’t know what tosay.

For example, some people are lost for words orgobsmacked at award ceremonies when they win even though they didn’t expect towin. As a Hong Kong-born, I am lost for words at how the national security lawhas changed Hong Kong. There are many things I admit were my bad. I didn’t join gatherings with school friends because I was busy with work. But I wasgobsmacked when they said they understood I had a busy schedule. I have saidmany times before Hong Kong teachers and people should not regard learningEnglish as learning grammar. Britain’s royal family members use correct grammarbut Hong Kong people are not part of Britain’s royal family. Learn grassroots English, especially if you decide to emigrate to Britain.

单词、短语

• my bad
  我的不是！是我不好！
        I'm sorry—my bad.
        对不起，我错了。

• gobsmacked
  目瞪口呆的；瞠目结舌的，英文解释会比较好理解：If you say that you were gobsmacked by something, you are emphasizing how surprised you were by it.
        He was gobsmacked when he heard of the redundancies.
        当他听到裁员的消息时惊得目瞪口呆。

• lost for words
  （因感到震惊、惊讶、震撼等）说不出话来。
        Mary was lost for words when she was awarded the prize.
        玛丽被授予该奖项的时候激动得说不出话来。

• gathering
  聚集；聚会；集会。
        a select gathering of 20 or 30 people
        20 或 30 个特邀人士的聚会。

• the grassroots
  （尤指一个政党内的）基层民众；平民百姓，草根阶层。
        The feeling among the grassroots of the Party is that the leaders are not radical enough.
        这个政党的广大基层党员感到他们的领导行事不够彻底。

• emigrate
  移居外国（侧重于自己的国家），英文解释为：to leave your own country in order to live in another country。

翻译

原文作者：Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
中文翻译：七刻

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以上就是今天的内容。