unit seven in other words unit seven in other words objectives synonyms idioms proverbs slang, taboo...
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Unit SevenIn Other Words
Unit Seven In Other Words
• Objectives• Synonyms• Idioms• Proverbs• Slang, Taboo and Euphem
isms• Group Task
Thanks!
Your Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to
know about English synonyms, idioms, proverbs, slang and euphemisms;
know how to use such language appropriately in different situations;
compare the similarities and differences between English and Chinese idioms;
compare the similarities and differences between English and Chinese proverbs.
Synonyms
SynonymsThree major differences:a. Regional: autumn /fall; chemist’s /drugstore.b. Stylistic: salt/ sodium chloride (formal);
disobedient /recalcitrant; regret / remorse; support / espouse.
c. Emotional: youths/ youngsters; boy/chap/ fellow/man.
The emotional associations differ from person to person.
Synonyms
occupation -- (C) a word used especially in an official context meaning someone’s usual full-time job. (neutral word) 职业
e.g.: Please fill in the details of your present occupation.
profession -- a type of work such as teaching, medicine, or law, which requires considerable training, specialized study, and passing special examinations; and which people are usually regarded with respect 专业
e.g.: Medicine, which used to be a male-dominated profession, is now open to women as well.
Synonyms
vocation -- a special job such as a nurse, a priest or a teacher in which the person has a strong feeling to help other people, not work in the job just for money 职业 ,天职e.g.: Nursing is hard work and often low pay, but for many people it's a vocation.
business -- the general area of work that you are involved in such as buying and selling a particular type of product or service (C/U)
e.g.: line of business 行业
Synonyms
job -- (C) the particular activity that someone does regularly to earn money, especially when employed 工作
e.g.: What sort of job do you want to do when you grow up.
work -- (ordinary) work that someone does regularly to earn money, either by working for an employer or working for themselves. (U)工作 , 劳动e.g.: My brother started work when he was 12.
Synonyms
specialization -- (formal) a special area 专业领域 e.g.: The lawyer said that he was unable to help us b
ecause our case fell outside his specialization. field --(informal) an area 领域 e.g.: Our field of vision is limited by that tall buildin
g. hobby -- an activity which someone does for pleasur
e during the time that they are not working in a job. e.g.: He works in a bank, but his hobby is building
model boats.
Synonyms
avocation -- an activity taken up in addition to one’s regular work or profession, usually for enjoyment, (more formal stressing the activities second to normal business) 副业
recreation -- (a way of ) enjoying yourself when you are not working 工作之后的消遣 ;娱乐 , 玩耍
e.g.: Emma’s only form of recreation seems to be shopping.
Synonyms
pastime -- anything done to kill the time ,an activity that occupies one's spare time pleasantly, rather similar to a hobby 娱乐 ,使某人的空闲时间过得愉快的活动
e.g. : If DIY is the nation’s most popular pastime, then watching someone-else-do-it comes a close the second.
Synonyms
Now try to write the American English words next to their English equivalents following the the examples.
BritishEnglish
American English
BritishEnglish
American English
BiscuitCrackerSuspendersBracesRubbishSofaJumperVestWaistcoatTruck
NappiesLiftDustbinPetrolFlatPostTrousersPavementTubeCaretaker Janitor
DiapersElevator
Garbage canGas
ApartmentMailPants
SidewalkSubway
CrackerFirecrackerGarter吊袜带Suspenders背带GarbageCouchSweater
Undershirt
FlatcarVest
BritishEnglish
American English
BritishEnglish
American English
LorryPancakeOverall罩衫SweetRailwayGarageRingTapTower block
Chemist’sCompereTinLuggageRoll-book Candidature候选人资格Off-dutyScone Biscuit
Drugstore
Class-bookCandidacy
TruckCrepeSmock
Faucet
CandyRailroad
Service station
Call
EmceeCanBaggage
Day-off
Skyscraper
Idioms
Idioms
What’s an idiom? An idiom is a group of words in a fixed order havi
ng a particular meaning, different from the meanings of each word understood on its own.
It may have the same structure as an ordinary phrase, but it has become frozen in form.
What’s a phrase? A phrase is a group of words used together, it does
n’t have the idiomatic sense, but can be understood on its own words.
Idioms
Face the music: to accept responsibility for something that you have done wrong and you prepare yourself to be criticized or punished for it.
It probably comes from the custom in some Western armies of punishing soldiers to the sound of beating drums.
e.g.: There was no need for an explanation. We had to face the music.
Idioms Play the game: It originates from the fact that people w
ho participate in a game should obey certain rules, and now generally means to do something in a fair and honorable way. 遵守比赛规则 , 行动光明正大
e.g.: The two official opposition parties must play the game by the President’s rules.
Idioms
Play games: be not serious enough about a difficult situation, or deliberately mislead someone or make someone do unnecessary things敷衍塞责
e.g.: Don’t play games, Lisa. I know about the theft, and I know that you know about it.
be broke: without money e.g.: I can’t afford to go on holiday this year--I’m (flat) bro
ke.
Idioms
put one’s foot in one’s mouth: someone blunders by saying something he should not have.
talk shop: talk to each other about their work, which might suggest this is boring for other people who are present and who do not do the same work 说行话
e.g.: They often gather together and talk shop.
Idioms
be left holding the baby (Br.E.) be more responsible for a problem that nobody else wants to deal with. 干苦差事 , 干不喜欢干的活 e.g.: Why should I be left alone holding the baby while all the boys are sitting around and twiddling their thumbs?a wolf in sheep’s clothing 披着羊皮的狼 , 口蜜腹剑的人
Idioms on Colors
paint the town red: to go on a spree and indulge in noisy, rough behavior 狂欢 , 胡闹
e.g.: When the Leeds won the football game, all the people in the city painted the town red.
see red: lose control of oneself through anger, or indignation
catch someone red-handed: be caught red-handed red tape: unnecessary official rules and processes
which delay the getting of results 官样文章 e.g.: My passport is stuck in red tape.
Idioms on Colors
once in a blue moon: very rare and hardly happens 千载难逢地
e.g.: I only get over to Cambridge once in a blue moon and I’m never in London.
out of the blue: unexpectedly
Idioms on Colors
black and blue: badly bruised e.g.: He’s black and blue for three months. black and white: (see) complex issues in simple q
uestions of right and wrong. It is used to criticize people who treat complex things in a very simple way 非是即非 , 绝对化
e.g.: She is still seeing issues in black and white. in black and white: written proof e.g. The contract is written in black and blue.
Idioms on Colors a black look: is one that is full of anger and hate e.g.: She gave me a black look. a black sheep: a person has done something bad , e
sp. something brings embarrassment and loss of respect to the family.
a white elephant: a thing that is useless but expensive
e.g.: That office building is a white elephant, for it has been empty for a long time.
white horse (whitecaps/Am.E.): waves
Idioms on Colors
a white lie: a polite lie to stop people from being upset by the truth.
a white hope: a person or a thing which people hope will be very successful in the near future.
in a brown study: thinking deeply
Idioms on Colors
green with envy: extremely envious of something that another person has or does.
e.g. She told us that she had spent a month with her husband in Paris for their 5th wedding anniversary. Not surprisingly, we were all green with envy.
green (as grass): inexperienced or naive
green fingers: (Br. E.) a skill in growing plants，园艺能手 ; green thumb (Am.E.)
Idioms on Colors in the pink: being fit and healthy(old) e.g.: He appeared in the pink. in the black: have money e.g.: Last year, the company was back in the
black, showing a modest pre-tax surplus of $ 5 million.
in the red: owing money to someone or another organization
e.g.: His account is in the red. out of the red: pay back the debt
Idioms on Animals
Fill in the blanks with suitable words :
1. as ______as a bee 2. as ______ as a horse
3. as ____ as an eel 4. as ______ as a lamb
5. as ______ as a lark 6. as ________ as a mule
7. as ______ as a fox 8. as _______as a bat
9. as ____ as an owl 10. as _______ as a lion
11. as ______as a goose 12. as _____ as a donkey
13. as _____ as a cricket 14. as ______ as a dove
busy strong
slippery meek
happy stubborn
cunning blind
wise majestic
stupid foolish
merry mild
Please write out the possible English idioms for the following Chinese versions:
拍马屁
拜某人为师
小菜一碟
空中楼阁
帮倒忙
守口如瓶
bootlick, lick one’s boot
sit at somebody’s feet
a piece of cake
castles in air
the kiss of death
button one’s lips
Please write out the possible English idioms for the following Chinese versions:
不辞而别 画蛇添足
五十步笑百步
乱七八糟
夸夸其谈
酒后之勇
take French leave
carry coals to Newcastle
the pot calling the kettle black
at sixes and sevens have a big mouth
Dutch courage
Please write out the possible English idioms for the following Chinese versions:
an eye for an eye hide one’s light under a bushel
after one’s own heartby the skin of one’s teeth
cast/throw pearls before swine
以眼还眼不露锋芒拦路虎正合心意侥幸 对牛弹琴
lion in the way
Please write out the possible English idioms for thefollowing Chinese versions:
a fly in the ointment
wash one’s hands of
be all ears
a thorn in someone's flesh
美中不足
洗手不干
洗耳恭听
眼中钉
Please write out the possible Chinese idioms for the following English ones:
1. look for a needle in a haystack
2. at one’s wit’s end
3. six of one and a half a dozen of the other
4. much cry and little wool
Please write out the possible Chinese idioms for the following English ones:
5. draw in one’s horns
6. the man in the street
7. Where God has his church, the devil will have
his chapel； the truth grows a foot high, the evil
grows to ten.
Proverbs
Proverbs What is a proverb? Proverb: A popular, short sentence stating something
commonly experienced or giving advice or warning. Features of proverbs
It has a memorable form with traditional wisdom, handed down from previous generations.It is short, brief,direct, vivid and taken daily life.
Proverbs
Three common devices
alliteration: Practice makes perfect.
rhyme: Health is better than wealth.
a simple balanced structure: Two is company, three is none; More haste, less speed.
Proverbs
Soonest done, soonest mended. 捷足者先登。Speech is the picture of the mind.What the heart thinks the tongue speaks. 言为心声。Go in one ear and out the other. 当作耳旁风 ; 左耳进右耳出。
e.g.: The mother keeps telling the son to work harder but her words go in one ear and out the other.
Walls have ears. 隔墙有耳。 To kill the goose that lay the eggs. 杀鸡取卵 ; 竭泽而渔。
A good dog deserves a good bone.好狗应该啃好骨头 , 有功者受赏。
Barking dogs seldom bite.爱叫的狗 不咬人 ; 咬人的狗不露齿。
Every dog has his day.凡人皆有得意日。
Love me, love my dog.你若把我当朋友 , 也要把我的朋友当朋友 ; 爱屋及乌。
Teach the dog to bark. 教狗怎么叫 (意指多此一举 )
Proverbs on Dog
A cat has nine lives. 猫有九条命。 (英国迷信 , 指猫的生命力强 )
A cat in gloves catches no mice. (=Muffled cats catch no mice.) 带手套的猫捉不到耗子 ; 四肢不勤 , 一事无成 ; 怕沾污手指的人做不出什么事。
All cats are grey in the dark. (=At night all cats are grey; when candles are out, all cats are grey.) 猫在暗中都是灰色 ; 黑暗中难分丑妍。
Proverbs on Cat
Please write out the equivalent proverbs for the following proverbs either in Chinese:
It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
Where there is smoke there is fire.
Idleness is the root of all evil.
As you sow, so you reap.
Live and let live.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Please write out the equivalent proverbs forthe following proverbs in English:
天下没有不散的宴席。众人 拾柴火焰高。 亲身下河知深浅 , 亲口尝梨知酸甜。失之东隅 ,收之桑榆。甘瓜苦蒂 , 物无全美。
Please write out the equivalent proverbs for the following proverbs in English:
天下没有不散的宴席。 All good things must come to an end.
十里不同俗。Other countries， other manners.
众人 拾柴火焰高。Many hands make light work.
Reference
Please write out the equivalent proverbs for thefollowing proverbs in English:
亲身下河知深浅 , 亲口尝梨知酸甜。The proof of the pudding is in the eating.失之东隅 ,收之桑榆。What we lose on the swings we gain on the roundabouts. 甘瓜苦蒂 , 物无全美。There is no rose without a thorn.
Reference
Slang,Tabooand Euphemisms
The distinctive characteristics in English writing and speech:
English writing tend to be carefully constructed, use longer words, relies on rhetorical devices for effectiveness.
Conversational English tends to ramble, short sentences, loose construction, plenty of colloquialisms and slang.
Slang
Slang is used between people who know each other very well or who have the same job or the same interests.
It is often invented in keeping with new ideas and customs. It’s function is to make speech vivid, colorful and interesting.
Taboo Words
English and Chinese have certain areas of agreement on taboos.
Talking about sexual intercourse and certain parts of the body is taboo in both cultures.
e.g.: excreta and acts of human excretion 排泄物
Taboo Words
Nowadays those words which are related to Christian religious terms or names (Christ, God, etc.) are used as swearwords to express their strong feelings, such as Jesus Christ! Holy Mary! Oh, god!
In many languages, swearwords are taboo.
Euphemisms
Euphemisms
Some indirect expressions that enable people to avoid talking directly about something which might cause offence or embarrassment.
Euphemisms
For death
go, depart, decease, pass away, push up the daises, breath one’s last, go the way of all flesh, pay one’s debt to nature, be in heaven, be with God.
Euphemisms
For the bodyspend a penny – to relieve oneselfwash one’s hands – go to the lavatorygo to the men’s room/ladies’ room, rest room, wash room – for a toilet For physical shortcomingsplain – ugly slender – skinnyplump – fat
Euphemisms
For physical or mental handicapsnot all there – mentally subnormal; tired and emotionalin the family way – pregnantphysically handicapped – crippled
For those having low social statussanitary engineer – garbage collector
Euphemisms
Other Euphemisms
Words that sound too direct or harsh: let you go – dismiss
Government announcements or publications, in international relations, and in the military
LDCS – less-developed countriesrevenue enhancements – tax increases
Group Task
Please Watch and Comment onAmerican Movie
Silk and Iron
Silk and Iron by Mark Salzman
Mark Salzman was born in 1959 in Connecticut. At the age of seven he started to play the cello because of his mother's musical influence. At 13, Mark set out on a quest to become a Kung Fu Zen master after seeing his first Kung Fu film.
At age 16, on a whim to skip senior year, Salzman applied and was accepted to Yale University because of his ambitions to learn Chinese and study Chinese art and culture.
Silk and Iron
From 1982 to 1984 Salzman lived in China and taught English to Chinese students at the Hunan Medical College. In 1986 Mark wrote his first and most acclaimed novel about his two years in China, "Iron and Silk". From 1987 till 1989 Salzman wrote and starred in the movie version filmed in China.
Silk and Iron Questions for group discussion: What are the Chinese ways of life that made
Mark confused and frustrated during his stay in China? Why?
What are the ways Mark behaved that surprised those Chinese people concerned? Why?
Suppose you were Mark’s good friend, how would you explain to him about the Chinese surprising ways, and what advice would you give him?
Silk and Iron The Chinese ways of life that made Mark conf
used and frustrated during his stay in China:
He was called as teacher Mark.
One couldn’t do what one wanted.
He was treated as a strange foreigner but not a normal person, human being.
He was not allowed to sit with the students for lunch. He had to sit alone.
Silk and Iron The Chinese ways of life that made Mark conf
used and frustrated during his stay in China:
The lovers couldn’t stay too close nor kiss in the public.
One’s business was everyone’s business.
Ming was punished for reading too many English novels which meant that she was worshiping Western styles and things.
Silk and Iron The Chinese ways of life that made Mark
confused and frustrated during his stay in China:
He was regarded as the representative of Western spiritual pollution, no body was allowed to be with him again.
It seemed that he was playing a game but with changing rules. The rules made by the government were always changing.
Silk and Iron The Chinese ways of life that made Mark co
nfused and frustrated during his stay in China:
His martial arts master asked him to save face for him to be his good prentice.
There were different ideas about “ happiness”.
He couldn’t learn from another master without telling “Teacher Pan”in advance.
Silk and Iron
The ways Mark behaved that surprised those Chinese people concerned:
He looked strange.
He was so young to leave home.
He dared to kiss in the public.
He dared to learn from another master without informing first.
…
Thanks!