Donny在北京学汉语,他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词,就会来请教他。今天是Jimmy要问的:火爆脾气。
Donny:Jimmy, 瞧瞧你的熊猫眼!
JIMMY:哼!这都要怪对门宿舍的一个疯子。夜里不睡觉,在楼道里唱歌! 害得我一宿没法睡!
Donny:Dude, that sucks!
Jimmy:Donny, 你今天可别惹我,我这一肚子火恐怕得点火就着! I'm easy to burn!
Donny:Easy to burn? Jimmy, I have to say, you've got a talent for making up English phrases.
JIMMY:好,那你说,“火爆脾气”在美语里怎么说?
Donny:You say I have a short fuse. fuse is spelled f-u-s-e. To say someone has a short fuse is to say he or she has a bad temper.
JIMMY:fuse是导火线的意思,a short fuse,很短的导火线,那还真是“一点就着”, 所以have a short fuse就是形容脾气差。
Donny:That's correct. If I were you, I'd go give that guy who sings in the middle of the night a piece of my mind!
JIMMY:give him a piece of your mind?
Donny:Yes! You can also tell him off, 都是“骂他一顿”的意思。
JIMMY:Actually, I was about to rush out of the door and tell him off, but my dorm mates stopped me.
Donny:Why?
JIMMY:我室友们说,这人平时挺好的,最近失恋了,要靠夜里唱歌来疗伤,让我别往心里去。
Donny:Your dorm mates are so nice not to take it personally.
JIMMY:take it personally? 就是往心里去,计较,对么?
Donny:Exactly. For example, your boss has a short fuse and often yells at people when they make minor mistakes...
JIMMY:哎,我来猜猜! 你说,老板脾气火爆,人家犯个小错他就大嚷大叫。那...If he gives me a piece of his mind for something minor, 同事们就会说"don't take it personally. " 对不对?
Donny:Bingo! Let's see what you've learned today!
JIMMY: 第一,火爆脾气是have a short fuse;
第二,口头教训别人是 give someone a piece of my mind, 或者tell someone off
第三,别往心里去是Don't take it personally.