我们今天来讲几个描绘不同言谈方式的习惯用语。第一个是: talk in circles。Circle意思是园圈,中文也有“说话绕圈子”的说法,意思是说话不直截了当,迷惑听话的人。
我们通过个例子来体会英文talk in circles是不是含义相同。我们知道要是一名辩护律师承办证据不利于当事人的案子,那他作辩护时就可能会采取迂回战术,以混淆法官和陪审团的视听。下面这段话正是这样的例子。
例句-1:He was caught standing over the victim with a smoking gun. His lawyer talked in circles trying to confuse the jury. But they still remembered that smoking gun and found him guilty.
例句-2:Someone asked the candidate whether he'd vote to cut our taxes. He gave the crowd a lot of double-talk which left us arguing afterwards whether his answer was yes or no.
例句-3:Joe, we get enough shop talk at the office, so let's just relax tonight, okay? Now excuse me: I'm going over and get acquainted with that lovely girl in the green dress.
显然很多人都会同意他的话。他们会说: 谈工作得在该谈的地方,也就是办公室里谈。最后再学个说又一种谈话的习惯用语: talk of the town。大家也许都熟悉town这个词。它是城镇,要是某个话题传得沸沸扬扬,满城风雨,那一定是件激起人们强烈好奇心的事儿了。
我们听个例子来体会talk of the town这个习惯用语的含义是什么。说话的人正打长途电话给一个搬到外地去住的老朋友,Pete。
例句-4:Pete, want to hear the talk of the town these days? The president of out bank ran away with a pretty young cashier and two million dollars of the bank's money. It's all people talk about.