L3.PubTalkandtheKing’sEnglish(酒吧闲谈与标准英语)HenryFairlie(亨利·费尔利)1.Conversationisthemostsociableofallhumanactivities.Anditisanactivityonlyofhumans.Howeverintricatethewayinwhichanimalscommunicatewitheachother,theydonotindulgeinanythingthatdeservesthenameofconversation.人类的一切活动中,闲谈是最具交际性的sociable(主题句),也是人类特有的。而动物之间的信息交流,无论其方式何等复杂intricate,也是称不上交际的。1.Anditisanactivityonlyofhumans.(para1)并且它是人类特有的一种活动。Andconversationisanactivitywhichisfoundonlyamonghumanbeing.Sociable[?so???bl]adj.随和的,好交际的,友善的friendlyoragreeable,eapeciallyinaneasy,informalway(用书)intricate(adj):hardtofolloworunderstandbecausefullofpuzzlingparts,details,orrelationships错综复杂的;难以理解的,难懂的Indulge:任凭自己沉溺于……;耽于toallowyourselftohaveordosththatyoulike,eapeciallysththatisconsideredbadforyou----indulgeinsth,indulgeyourself.例:Womendonotindulgeintothesameextentasmen.deserve:值得;应得2.Thecharmofconversationisthatitdoesnotreallystartfromanywhere,andnoonehasanyideawhereitwillgoasitmeandersorleapsandsparklesorjustglows.Theenemyofgoodconversationisthepersonwhohas“somethingtosay.”Conversationisnotformakingapoint.Argumentmayoftenbeapartofit,butthepurposeoftheargumentisnottoconvince.Thereisnowinninginconversation.Infact,thebestconversationalistsarethosewhoarepreparedtolose.Suddenlytheyseethemomentforoneoftheirbestanecdotes,butinaflashtheconversationhasmovedonandtheopportunityislost.Theyarereadytoletitgo.2.闲谈的引人入胜之处就在于它没有一个事先设定好的主题。它时而迂回meander前进,时而奔腾leap起伏,时而火花四射sparkle,时而热情洋溢glow,话题最终会扯到什么地方去谁也拿不准。感觉“有话想说”的人是一个“完美闲谈”的最大敌人。闲谈不是为了争论,尽管争论常常是闲聊的一部分,不过其目的并不是为了说服对方。闲谈之中是不存在什么输赢胜负(convince说服)的。事实上,真正的闲聊高手往往是随时准备让步(lose输掉)的。他们也许会偶然间觉得该把自己最得意的奇闻轶事anecdote选出一件插进来讲一讲,但一转眼inaflash大家已谈到别处去了,插话的机会随之丧失,他们也就听之任之了。meander:n.(比喻)proceedinanaimlessway;ramble漫谈,闲聊例:Thediscussionmeanderedonforhours.讨论会漫无边际的进行了几个小时。makeapoint:explainfullywhatoneisproposing.表明一种看法,证明一个论点例:Allfight,you’vemadeyourpoint;nowkeepquietandlettheotherssaywhattheythink.好啦,你已经把话说清楚了;那就别说了,让别人谈谈看法。Conversationalist:n.健谈的人Sparkle:v.befulloflifeandwit活力和才智换发。Shealwayssparklesatparties.在聚会上,他总是神采奕奕。Glow:glowwithpride/joy/pleasure.Anecdote:[??n?kdo?t]n.奇闻轶事(关于真人真事的短小有趣的事)inaflash:suddenly,veryquickly瞬间,非常突然。Withoutanydelay例:Justwaithere.I’vbebackinaflash.就在这儿等我,我马上就回来。2.Conversationisnotformakingapoint.(para2)交谈并不是为了表明一种看法。Conversationisnotforpersuadingotherstoacceptourideaorpointofview.(说服convincing,takingsb.over)3.Infact,thebestconversationalistsarethosewhoarepreparedtolose.(para2)实际上,最好的交谈者,是那些准备输的人。Infactapersonwhoreallyenjoysandisskilledatconversationwillnotarguetowinorforceotherstoaccepthispointofview.meander(v.):wanderaimlesslyoridly;ramble漫步;闲逛conversationalist(n.):apersonwhoconverses;esp.,onewhoenjoysandisskilledatconversation交谈者;(尤指)健谈者anecdote(n.):ashort,entertainingaccountofsomehappening,usuallypersonalorbiographical轶事,逸事3.PerhapsitisbecauseofmyupbringinginEnglishpubsthatIthinkbarconversationhasacharmofitsown.Barfriendsarenotdeeplyinvolvedineachother’slives.Theyarecompanions,notintimates.Thefactthattheirmarriagesmaybeontherocks,orthattheirloveaffairshavebrokenoreventhattheygotoutofbedonthewrongsideissimplynotaconcern.TheyarelikethemusketeersofDumaswho,althoughtheylivedsidebysidewitheachother,didnotdelveintoeachother’slivesortherecessesoftheirthoughtsandfeelings.3.或许是从小混迹于(upbringingn.培养,养育)英国小酒吧的缘故吧,我觉得酒馆里的闲聊是别有韵味的。酒馆里的朋友们对彼此的生活毫不了解(involvein使牵扯到),他们只是临时的伙伴,相互之间并无深交(intimate密友,知己)。这些人之中,也许有人的婚姻面临破裂(ontherock婚姻的破坏),有人恋爱受挫,有人碰到别的什么不顺心的事儿(gooutofbadonthewrongside),但这些都无关紧要。他们就像大仲马笔下的三个火枪手(musketeer火枪手)一样,虽然朝夕相处,却从来不过问(delve发掘)彼此的私事(recess私事),也不去打探别人内心的秘密。4.Barfriendsarenotdeeplyinvolvedineachother'slives.(para3)酒吧友人没有深层次地涉及彼此的生活。Peoplewhomeeteachotherforadrinkinthebarofapubarenotintimatefriendsfortheyarenotdeeplyabsorbedorengrossedineachother’slives.(closefriends密友)intimate(n.):aclosefriendorcompanion密友,知己ontherocks:inorintoaconditionofruinorcatastrophe(婚姻)破坏的,失败的例:Tim’smarriageisontherocks.提姆的婚姻亮起了红灯。delve(v.):investigateforinformation;search发掘;调查(研究)recess(n.):asecluded,withdrawn,orinnerplace幽深处getoutthebedonthewrongside:tobecrossorgrouchy早晨起来便心情不好Loveaffair:naromanticsexualrelationship,usuallybetweentwopeoplewhoarenotmarriedtoeachother.4.Itwasonsuchanoccasiontheotherevening,astheconversationmoveddesultorilyhereandthere,fromthemostcommonplacetothoughtsofJupiter,withoutanyfocusandwithnoneedforone,thatsuddenlythealchemyofconversationtookplace,andallatoncetherewasafocus.Idonotrememberwhatmadeoneofourcompanionssayit–sheclearlyhadnotcomeintothebartosayit,itwasnotsomethingthatwaspressingonhermind–butherremarkfellquitenaturallyintothetalk.4.有一天晚上的情形正是如此。当时人们正在漫无边际地东拉西扯,从最普通的家常琐事聊得有关木星的科学趣闻。完全没有一个特定的主题。可突然间中心话题奇迹般地出现了,大伙的话题都集中到了一处。我不记得其中一个伙伴的那句话是什么情况下说出来的–不过,显然她并没有特意地准备什么,那也算不上是什么非说不可的要紧话–那只不过是随着大伙儿的话题十分自然地脱口而出的。desultorily(adv.):aimlessly;atrandom随意地;无目的地alchemy(n.):anearlyformofchemistry,whosechiefaimsweretochangebasermetalsintogold:amethodorpoweroftransmutation;esp.theseeminglymiraculouschangeofathingintosomethingbetter炼金术;变化物质的方法或魔力5.“Someonetoldmetheotherdaythatthephrase,‘theKing’sEnglish,’wasatermofcriticism,thatitmeansl