"It's your call."说的不是打电话,而是做决定; - @" x% u4 x5 h- L4 \# Z& j1 L, v/ l r
"I need some company."跟公司没有半点关系,而是要人陪;* T- K% n$ \+ l; C2 O* l- [* F; g
"You're so mean."指某人很刻薄,但是"To do a mean job."则是夸一个人有能力。 0 }* W2 H3 m4 B' _ M6 W/ P8 d( ]) j# s
今天,我们就说说最常用的英语多义词!" r) y2 o: h! I; A# j+ r# ^( Q
0 _" W9 c6 F. W0 y, X( b
; ~# w6 O' `1 ^5 h( E) _7 y
2 V1 N7 f; m; F# a6 ~; z! q(18:15,多义词,来自开言英语OpenLanguage) ( w' t+ X$ _$ p; d1 L 7 @# L2 }/ a. B% I. b" a5 t# r6 ^6 C$ E) M$ c
相同的词在不同的句子里,意思可能完全不一样!
0 p7 s9 G C* o1 b& Y' i7 c
“多义词”顾名思义是一个词有多个意思,但在老外看来,每个不同的意思都是不同的词。这也算是文化差异吧。 5 O* N* R ^5 k8 J ! X& R R# R" @4 l- d/ W0 S ; t8 }8 b- f8 ^2 l( t% r/ q
Every language has words with many meanings: 每种语言都有自己的多义词
Today, we’re going to talk about English words with multiple meanings that seem entirelyunrelated to each other: 今天我们要说的这些英语多义词,它们的多个意思相差甚远
These words have a primary meaning that's well-known to all, but they also have one common lesser-known meaning: 这些词最主要的意思大家都知道,但它们另外至少还有一个你可能不知道的意思
Words with multiple meanings: 多义词 (比较常见的“多义词”在英语中的表达)2 r5 T7 L% o+ M1 O
Many native speakers think of it as two different words: 很多英语母语者会把多义词看成完全不同的词% M4 a9 y7 @' h3 K
But for many English learners, they are the same word since the spelling and the pronunciation are the same: 但对很多英语学习者来说,多义词的拼法一样,读音也一样,明明就是一个词啊9 {9 Q, F$ g1 W/ \5 R! Y
4 v( r0 c; A6 |! N3 y. ~ ( V3 K- L- \# x+ i/ G
“Title”
刚打完的NBA总决赛、激战正酣的欧洲杯,都会用到"title"这个词。
Title最常见的三个意思:
1. name of a book, article and so forth: 书名、文章标题等3 T, Z9 L- n0 Z+ Z4 T: X
2. description of a position, rank, status: 职称、头衔4 N& T& |, q7 H1 b6 Z
3. championship: 冠军9 D# }, n; f2 r
, H) p% b: N i+ u# T
5 ^; _% ~: I! }) I5 VJob title: 工作职位、头衔 , E9 [2 T0 [8 N& D2 C' }Title of a book or article: 书名或文章的题目 5 w" H& D. |5 X, mIn the context of sports, title means championship: 在体育相关的文本中,title指的是总冠军1 B4 N/ Z+ S0 y* N! H
You can think of championship as something like a job title: 你也可以把总冠军看作一个像工作职位一样的头衔 9 M$ o6 A2 E' T; a+ XA person can be the president of a company while a team can be the champion of a competition: 一个人可以是公司的老总;一个球队可以是比赛的冠军(两者都是头衔) - X! `: R& |" Q; R) \: j6 s TThis year, Spain is defending their Euro Cup title: 今年西班牙是欧洲杯的卫冕球队# t. ~, ]7 @$ b7 m7 R
# I6 a5 V# D! @9 e6 y) y; x! g1 j1 T4 P
“Conference”
Conference: ! c7 u6 _3 e+ j" M% ?( |/ Q1. meeting: 会议、大会 / i5 r: o. v5 e6 L2. an association of sports teams that play each other: 体育联合会、赛区,只有NBA和NHL(全美冰球联赛)等一些赛事才分conference . Z* C; J2 s' J8 DYou can also see a conference as a meeting of teams : 你可以把体育赛事中的conference看作是一场球队的集会 0 ~; @( i" Z8 n5 }Eastern and Western Conference: 东部赛区、西部赛区 - }- }, c! ^+ l/ M4 }/ {& [" F/ z1 z* }& |) R' i9 y8 O; O0 G5 J% Q
0 T4 b! f" A7 G! c" s+ ?/ l " {* t. a$ ^: M# o+ q% X & y) i. Q# {: W; ^' D/ i. P说完体育,再说说口语中最容易造成误解的多义词! ! I1 S! A( r" r) y' X U5 i+ Q0 C- O% h/ H6 a! V
1. good, great: 好、棒 4 c8 S0 o( B: c/ d8 \- m2. money one has to pay as punishment: 罚款、罚金 (亦可作动词,表示对...处以罚款) 4 d% Q+ `1 t8 d; k0 ?0 p; c6 d% \- D( r5 j
2 E3 x- x: w: X* P% |4 O! y
"Fine" is one of the very first English words that people learn: Fine算是大家最先学的英语词之一了 5 ~) T$ |/ T3 [2 N' v9 OOne meaning of “fine” is “good”: “Fine”的一个意思就是“好、不错” 8 F% a+ s2 |9 ^* ]9 ?+ HRight now, in Shanghai, there’re so many police on the street, stopping people on their motorcycles and scooters and giving them a fine: 现在上海路上警察不少,专拦那些违反交规的骑摩托车、骑电动车的人,然后开罚款 % g8 D* o! g1 N3 w. e$ k, lI got fined today: 我今天被罚款了4 u6 x* @1 i& P
Singaporeans often say that Singapore is a very “fine” country: 新加坡人喜欢说自己的国家是一个很“fine”的国家,一语双关,一来说国家好,二来表示这个国家各种罚款很多0 Q& ]4 {) X m: h; v/ \
' e7 i/ ~2 j7 s! E, y z" [$ M
4 e- K/ {) I1 B
"Mean"
0 h# }# g8 S! l1 @Mean的几个不同含义:
intent to convey or refer to: 意思 (动词)
unkind: 不友好的、刻薄的、凶凶的 (形容词)
excellent: 出色的,口语中使用,形容技术、技巧高超, (形容词) % M4 J4 x M4 y, ~7 U
1 L* ]4 e# P6 D2 U8 {! N5 X
9 {1 F- M. Z9 N% o1 C" D# PThe word “mean” used to confuse the hell out of me: Mean这个词以前我真是搞不清, z, n6 R5 \' y# M0 s8 V* h$ v
What does the word "mean" mean?: 这个词什么意思? 8 J: K0 v4 [' B8 ]( q$ ZMean Girls: 一部美国电影,讲的是一群很刻薄的高中女欺负其他同学1 c, r8 e* W& W- R9 o7 }2 u
My mom makes a mean Lasagna: 我妈做的千层面特别好吃1 I( H" c' x& p& ?- b; A
He plays a mean guitar: 他吉他弹得特别棒; f8 |7 ^& ]2 i/ ]% I' Z9 L0 _7 u: w
When talking about a person’s skills, “mean” is a compliment that suggests he or she is high-skilled: 如果mean形容的是一个人的技巧、技能,那这个时候mean其实是说这个人做得特别好、特别棒 $ z5 q# o& f( Q. ^$ F8 qJenny records a mean podcast: Jenny的播客做的特别好* u5 P/ o0 I& S) A# L
When referring to skills, “mean” is good; when referring to personalities, “mean” is bad:讲一个人的技能、能力,用mean是褒义的;但用于形容人的性格时,mean就是个贬义词了) f2 B8 b0 q# z% \- E
- }- ]" H1 }7 c% b$ t( z0 U6 j( ^
7 `5 l$ c8 \% r0 C2 T
"Neat"
/ G1 Q: J8 Z- n6 q) E, M0 x
/ X' w, @3 l+ _9 C9 M
Neat的意思: ) z Y# _6 \2 |3 L7 U+ v1. clean and tidy: 干净整洁 1 S% x; r+ D& I, e4 w, b2. very good, cool: 极好的 * d& F) j8 D* Z9 A* E3 q" u ( P/ L9 H5 g$ Z5 X- n7 y$ t3 E & J1 w# N4 c3 F" }( kFor a lot of you who have learned the word “neat”, you might know it means “clean and tidy”: 学过neat这个词的人都应该知道neat有干净整洁的意思# R# {2 i0 a( a
But it also means "cool" in everyday spoken English: 在日常口语中,neat也有cool的意思,指特别好、特别酷$ Y6 R8 R& N7 _
"That’s neat!": 好的,不错,真棒 ~& H) L4 c- h+ _. |" v/ PYou can also replace “good” with “neat”: 也可以用neat来代替good . v. B) k0 `" k7 J( |0 ?2 r 4 ~0 B7 Y4 B F# O , T4 N$ _6 G) n j: W8 {4 w6 O! z
"Correct"
$ {. s! R( g% }0 k , r( k' D n8 C* B) DCorrect的不同含义:3 D9 C7 \/ s$ t
1. right: 正确的 (形容词)% c. ?8 O8 b$ u. e0 J0 g6 \5 ^
2. put right; make right: 修正、纠正 (动词) : B5 d; y8 ~/ p% ?+ E0 u! ]' ?' x5 w" s* s* Y# [% N/ A
9 V0 ?* r2 @+ r3 XI often get confused when I see this word on the screen of a bank machine: 我每次在ATM屏幕上看到这个词都搞不清它的意思" L0 S7 s0 i7 B7 [8 F/ E) Y" f
Does it mean "correct" as in there's no mistake? 是正确的意思? / v5 [% j: P0 G' G$ OOr does it mean since you made a mistake, you need to correct it: 还是按错了,要纠正的意思? ! E0 v+ P# W; f. l4 M6 g. `Have you figured it out?: 你最后搞清楚了吗? ! `- _8 u+ o$ c: d' {I just use the Chinese. It’s much easier: 我就直接看中文,反而比看英语轻松; o& J4 O% S5 I9 s! k3 V q
*根据语境来分辨多义词的意思是关键!6 Z# q7 \) z# s/ Z
比如截图中,写着“correct"和"cancel"这两个词,既然cancel的意思是取消,那correct在这里应该就是正确的意思。*; |' D( c( x) z' S1 G
8 c& _6 F9 Y# Z' |% [ F7 Z: f - _8 |& k: u# T! g- @7 l3 s L1 T3 i% Y& E
! R i; V) Z& K. k2 `8 E1 F
"Note"
note作为名词的主要两个意思: / s) l% L5 z6 w: w( v. m1. a piece of paper with information written on it: 纸条 : S) `9 ~2 E; z2. banknote, paper money: 纸币 6 O+ M. N" C4 W0 s ! G" o8 p2 [1 w( f7 K& C& H5 U9 W5 j' c$ H! S I6 a% Z& y) H
to write someone a note: 给某人写纸条、留便条: E/ T$ ]: {+ c u# j+ e% N ?
Some students take notes in class while some pass notes to each other: 上课的时候,有些同学记笔记,有些同学互相传小纸条6 t! c) [6 h6 I/ i. T! E
banknote: 纸币 . u7 a5 \) T: a) Vcoins and notes: 硬币和纸币 - b9 g1 O+ t* U) ^In monetary terms, notes refer to paper money: 讲货币的时候,notes指的就是纸币9 q5 x& ]% L. S% S. y
This machine can only provide five-dollar notes: 本机只提供面值5美元的纸币 4 N( H4 m* H$ i( S! @+ T' I6 C2 S*说到纸币,note在英式英语里更常用;而美国人更习惯用bill这个词。也是多义词,除了账单,还有一个意思是纸币。如: five-dollar bills五元纸币"4 F/ b+ o T) \) Y) d; Z
- b" S& F3 v7 B; E, U
% P6 z( l$ e1 i* U" Q
Company的主要两种意思: ' v* X$ X- z8 g& ^# H1. a firm or business: 公司 $ w% i$ W- ]$ W2 D) N2. the state of being with someone: 他人的陪伴2 b* H1 P6 \7 \! @+ B
2 ]" R% k4 |" m
- L3 I# M. |. F9 Q# w0 q0 \I’m very lonely. I could use some company: 我好孤单,要有人陪陪我就好了" q* T/ _. f# r2 {
Adam, you are great company: Adam, 有你陪伴真好/跟你在一起真开心 2 L, |1 x! j6 k( E3 q+ _to keep somebody company: 陪某人 e; B+ Z: {+ }
"You’re the company you keep": 近朱者赤,近墨者黑; g. E h& \# F( T9 P$ S
0 F* R# b3 b% `$ Q7 ~/ j0 F1 J% _ g
Party
) ~* I; t, g4 o4 w$ i1 A) W; P$ {
Party的意思: ) @( X& |7 _! l# |: X% r: M1. a social event: 派对 " m8 v* h# X( x) f2. a group of people: 一群人,一个团体 & ]* V7 {; Y! P. r4 x5 G1 G" O4 T) E5 c- {3 V7 N
& }8 `7 [! g' j. X1 e6 WAs you go into restaurant, the waiter/waitress might ask you “How many people in your party?”: 进餐厅的时候,服务员会问你“请问几位?” ( Q+ _; A6 L; n6 O7 pThe bride, bridegroom, groomsmen and bridesmaids are collectively known as the wedding party: 新郎新娘伴郎伴娘一行人统称wedding party 1 U& \) v5 O6 W+ JThe party after the wedding is actually called the wedding reception: 婚礼后的宴会不叫wedding party,叫做wedding reception: X6 _! o: d# y7 A
0 E: F) x/ }( k
q" w1 u! t$ w0 Q# P3 j/ ^
"Call"
4 E; E4 W6 l% z& [2 t; ?2 }, v
Call的两个意思:* G. g S7 U7 S* J+ @& P
1 }' f. J e5 E# X5 o, Y( M
1. a telephone call or to make a telephone call: 电话、打电话 1 C" l; ^% F; m% |$ w5 O6 C2. decision: 决定: `3 G# M2 C4 D, w3 A# i
! E' C A- `) A2 [, O L& |6 r" p6 A. f% i! H
You make the call/Your call: 你拿主意,由你决定# b0 \5 b8 B; c. p
That’s a good call/Good call: 好主意! ! x9 C4 J% _! m, H" V/ UThat was a terrible call: 吹得太烂了 (在看足球、篮球赛的时候经常说) 6 s! Z; b( R, {4 |Where are we going for dinner tonight?: 今晚去哪吃? - w% p5 j8 d' S1 A& }( f4 xIt’s your call: 你来决定; U4 _ B2 W- j) ^( e