English 中文網(wǎng) 漫畫(huà)網(wǎng) 愛(ài)新聞iNews 翻譯論壇
    中國(guó)網(wǎng)站品牌欄目(頻道)
    當(dāng)前位置: Language Tips> 譯通四海> Columnist 專欄作家> Zhang Xin

    Between jobs?

    [ 2010-07-30 15:14]     字號(hào) [] [] []  
    免費(fèi)訂閱30天China Daily雙語(yǔ)新聞手機(jī)報(bào):移動(dòng)用戶編輯短信CD至106580009009

    Between jobs?Reader question:

    Please explain “between jobs” and the word euphemism in the following: Between jobs is a well-known euphemism for unemployment.

    My comments:

    If one is between jobs, one’s currently unemployed, out of work, or on public assistance, or what you please.

    Look at it this way. There’s a “job” one was doing for some time and he or she lost it. There’s a new “job” they’re going to take again, hopefully, some time into the future. Of these two jobs, he or she currently has none – because their current position is in between, or in the middle.

    Sound awkward?

    You bet. That’s the characteristic of euphemisms, or indirect ways of putting things in order that they sound better, so as not to be rude, unpleasant or downright shocking. Mostly speakers are trying to avoid offense. For instance, in obituaries, the recently deceased (dead) is often described as “a confirmed bachelor”, that’s an established euphemism in the West for being a homosexual. Or “he lived life to the full” often means that the man was a drunkard.

    Sometimes people use euphemisms just to be humorous.

    For instance, when addressing a friend who’s recently lost his job, you might say: “I hear you’re your own boss now.”

    The friend, put at ease, may reply: “Yes, I’m enjoying life again.”

    Euphemism is originally from the Greek word euphēmismos, “from euphēmos auspicious, sounding good, from eu- + phēmē speech, from phanai to speak” (Merriam-Webster Online).

    “Eu” suggests “praise”; to eulogize, for instance, is to praise profusely.

    Like I said, euphemisms are most often used to make certain facts more pleasant. This article (Word Games, PropagandaCritic.com, September 29, 2002) describes how the American military speak around the subject of “peace” (war) and “l(fā)iquidation” (murder):

    Since war is particularly unpleasant, military discourse is full of euphemisms. In the 1940’s, America changed the name of the War Department to the Department of Defense. Under the Reagan Administration, the MX-Missile was renamed “The Peacekeeper.” During war-time, civilian casualties are referred to as “collateral damage,” and the word “l(fā)iquidation” is used as a synonym for “murder.”

    The comedian George Carlin notes that, in the wake of the first world war, traumatized veterans were said to be suffering from “shell shock.” The short, vivid phrase conveys the horrors of battle -- one can practically hear the shells exploding overhead. After the second world war, people began to use the term “combat fatigue” to characterize the same condition. The phrase is a bit more pleasant, but it still acknowledges combat as the source of discomfort. In the wake of the Vietnam War, people referred to “post-traumatic stress disorder”: a phrase that is completely disconnected from the reality of war altogether.

    You think being one’s own boss is the pleasanter topic here.

    Agreed (^_^). Let’s, therefore, return to the state of joblessness and savor a few other euphemisms for losing one’s job. Oops, for getting laid off, I mean.

    Or, indeed, enjoying life again.

    * I’m freelancing now.

    * I’m developing a new project.

    * I’m on an extended vacation.

    * I’m working for myself now.

    * I’m going back to school.

    * I’m in the process of making a career change.

    * I’m living with my parents again.

    * I’m living off the government.

    本文僅代表作者本人觀點(diǎn),與本網(wǎng)立場(chǎng)無(wú)關(guān)。歡迎大家討論學(xué)術(shù)問(wèn)題,尊重他人,禁止人身攻擊和發(fā)布一切違反國(guó)家現(xiàn)行法律法規(guī)的內(nèi)容。

    我要看更多專欄文章

    About the author:

    Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

    相關(guān)閱讀:

    Public domain?

    Tempest in a teapot?

    Best foot forward?

    Punching bag?

    (作者張欣 中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 編輯陳丹妮)

     

     
    中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津版權(quán)說(shuō)明:凡注明來(lái)源為“中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津:XXX(署名)”的原創(chuàng)作品,除與中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)簽署英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津內(nèi)容授權(quán)協(xié)議的網(wǎng)站外,其他任何網(wǎng)站或單位未經(jīng)允許不得非法盜鏈、轉(zhuǎn)載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請(qǐng)與010-84883631聯(lián)系;凡本網(wǎng)注明“來(lái)源:XXX(非英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津)”的作品,均轉(zhuǎn)載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉(zhuǎn)載,請(qǐng)與稿件來(lái)源方聯(lián)系,如產(chǎn)生任何問(wèn)題與本網(wǎng)無(wú)關(guān);本網(wǎng)所發(fā)布的歌曲、電影片段,版權(quán)歸原作者所有,僅供學(xué)習(xí)與研究,如果侵權(quán),請(qǐng)?zhí)峁┌鏅?quán)證明,以便盡快刪除。
     

    關(guān)注和訂閱

    人氣排行

    翻譯服務(wù)

    中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)翻譯工作室

    我們提供:媒體、文化、財(cái)經(jīng)法律等專業(yè)領(lǐng)域的中英互譯服務(wù)
    電話:010-84883468
    郵件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn
     
     
    亚洲欧美精品综合中文字幕| 久久中文字幕无码专区| 五月婷婷无码观看| 免费一区二区无码东京热| 四虎国产精品永久在线无码 | 99久久无码一区人妻| 亚洲色无码播放| 色综合久久综合中文综合网| 波多野结衣AV无码| 亚洲AV中文无码乱人伦下载| 日韩三级中文字幕| 91在线中文字幕| 性无码专区| 无码AⅤ精品一区二区三区| 免费A级毛片无码专区| 精品亚洲AV无码一区二区三区| 日本一区二区三区精品中文字幕| 97无码免费人妻超级碰碰夜夜| 亚洲AV无码1区2区久久| 日韩人妻无码一区二区三区久久99 | 亚洲精品无码99在线观看| 精品无码国产一区二区三区AV| 国产成人综合日韩精品无码不卡 | 中文字幕无码久久久| 天堂√最新版中文在线天堂| 亚洲精品无码久久不卡| 国产亚洲情侣一区二区无码AV| 人妻丰满熟妇AV无码区乱| 亚洲成A人片在线观看无码不卡| 亚洲精品无码AV中文字幕电影网站 | 久久无码专区国产精品发布| 日韩免费码中文在线观看| 台湾佬中文娱乐中文| 色综合久久精品中文字幕首页| 最近免费中文字幕MV在线视频3 | 中文字幕一区二区人妻| 4444亚洲人成无码网在线观看| A级毛片无码久久精品免费| 狠狠精品干练久久久无码中文字幕| 办公室丝袜激情无码播放| 免费 无码 国产在线观看观|