Some people say that life without music would be like life without air. Music is certainly a vital part of any culture. Music, together with language, is what distinguishes cultures and habits. So it’s only natural that idioms would be created around the theme of music.
有些人說(shuō)沒(méi)有音樂(lè)的人生就像沒(méi)有了空氣。音樂(lè)是任何文化中至關(guān)重要的一部分。音樂(lè)和語(yǔ)言一起,把不同的文化和習(xí)俗區(qū)分開(kāi)來(lái),所以很自然地就產(chǎn)生了關(guān)于音樂(lè)主題的習(xí)語(yǔ)。
Here are some examples of how they are used in English:
以下是音樂(lè)相關(guān)的習(xí)語(yǔ)在英語(yǔ)中應(yīng)用的例子:
1. Elevator Music – Pleasant and sometimes annoying music that is played in public places
? ?Elevator Music——在公共場(chǎng)合播放的愉快的、有時(shí)是惱人的音樂(lè)
“Apart from finding shopping malls boring, Keith finds the elevator music that is played particularly irritating”.
“除了覺(jué)得購(gòu)商場(chǎng)無(wú)聊之外,基斯還覺(jué)得公共場(chǎng)合播放的音樂(lè)特別煩人?!?/p>
2. Ring a bell – If something rings a bell it reminds you of something even though you cannot remember it very well.
?? Ring a bell——某件事讓你想起了什么,盡管你記得不是很清楚。
“Yes, the song rings a bell but I am not sure exactly where I’ve heard it before”.
“是的,我對(duì)這首歌有印象,但是我不記得我在哪里聽(tīng)到過(guò)?!?/p>
3. For a song – when you buy or sell something very cheaply
?? For a song——買(mǎi)或者賣(mài)出非常便宜的東西。
“I bought this car for a song”.
“我以極低的價(jià)格買(mǎi)了這輛車(chē)。”
4. Like a broken record - someone who repeats the same thing over and over again (very annoying)
?? Like a broken record——重復(fù)某件事的人(特別煩人)
“I’ve understood you want me to clean the bathroom. Stop going on like a broken record!”
“我知道你想要我去打掃浴室。別再像個(gè)壞掉的唱片機(jī)那樣喋喋不休了!”
5. Blow your own trumpet - boasting about your talents and successes
?? ?Blow your own trumpet——吹噓自己的才能和成功
“Sometimes it is not a bad thing to blow your own trumpet. After all, if you don’t, who else will?”
“有時(shí)候自吹自擂也不是見(jiàn)壞事。畢竟,如果你不這么做,還有誰(shuí)會(huì)這么做?”
6. Jam session - playing improvised music in an impromptu setting. This could happen at a dinner party with friends.
?? Jam session——在沒(méi)有預(yù)先準(zhǔn)備的場(chǎng)合下彈奏即興音樂(lè)??赡馨l(fā)生在和朋友的晚宴上。
“After dinner, Tom and Harry got their guitars out and started a jam session. It was wonderful.”
“晚餐之后,湯姆和哈里拿出了吉他,即興演奏了一段。真是太棒了?!?/p>
7. Call the tune – to be in a position of authority to give orders and make important decisions
?? Call the tune——位于權(quán)威地位,下達(dá)命令,做出決策。
“Peter was always the person who called the tune in our team.”
“彼得總是我們隊(duì)伍里那個(gè)發(fā)號(hào)施令的人?!?/p>
(There is also another idiom “to call the shots” that has a similar meaning)
(另一個(gè)詞組to call the shots意思相同)
8. Blow the whistle – to report an illegal or unacceptable activity to the authorities.
?? Blow the whistle——向權(quán)威部門(mén)舉報(bào)不合法、不能接受的行為。
“Janet came under a lot of pressure from her colleagues when she blew the whistle on what was going on in the bank.”
“珍妮特在同事那受到很大壓力,因?yàn)樗e報(bào)了銀行了發(fā)生的事。”
(a whistle blower is the noun – “more recognition needs to be given to the courage it takes to be a whistle blower“.)
(whistle blower是對(duì)應(yīng)的名詞——“應(yīng)該對(duì)舉報(bào)人的勇氣給予充分重視”)
9. Music to one’s ears – to hear exactly what you want to hear
?? Music to one’s ears——聽(tīng)到你想要聽(tīng)和喜歡聽(tīng)的內(nèi)容
“The ringing sound of the cash tills is music to my ears!”
“現(xiàn)金的叮當(dāng)聲對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)就像天籟?!?/p>
10. Face the music - accept punishment for something
?? Face the music——承擔(dān)某事的懲罰
“There’s not a lot we can do, so we are going to have to face the music.”
“我們能做的不多,所以我們不得不承擔(dān)后果?!?/p>
(來(lái)源:滬江英語(yǔ),編輯 Helen)