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地道英语
Bite your tongue 缄口不语
内容简介
有时候你有一些想法，不过这些想法要是说出来可能会冒犯他人，因此最好忍住不说。主持人佳莹和 Rob 教你一个在这种情况下可以使用的表达。听他们的对话。
文字稿
（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）
Jiaying
大家好，欢迎收听 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。我是佳莹。
Rob
… and hello, I'm Rob.
Jiaying
Rob, what are you doing?
Rob
I am biting my tongue!
Jiaying
Rob! 虽然 “bite your tongue” 是这期节目中要教给大家的表达，但不需要真的 “bite your tongue（咬舌头）”。
Rob
Oh, phew! Biting my tongue was painful, and it was very hard to speak.
Jiaying
这就是为什么我们用 “bite your tongue” 来表示 “缄口不语”。当我们 “bite our tongue （咬着舌头）”，闭起嘴不说话的时候，我们是在阻止自己说一些可能会冒犯别人或让别人难过的话。当然，我们也可以对别人说 “bite your tongue”，意思就是 “忍住别说，保持沉默”。But, Rob, we don't physically bite our tongues.
Rob
Right. So, for example, I shouldn't tell someone they've put on weight? I should bite my tongue?
Jiaying
Exactly. Just like the people in these examples…
Examples
I wanted to tell him his new shirt looked awful, but I decided to bite my tongue!
I know the food's not great, but please bite your tongue and just eat it.
I had to bite my tongue when my friend kept bragging about her 'great' exam results.
Jiaying
你正在收听的是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。我们正在学习表达 “bite your tongue” 的用法。在日常交流中，我们想表达 “忍住不说，保持沉默” 的时候，就可以说 “bite your tongue”。So, Rob, we shouldn't tell people we think they've gained a bit of weight, should we?
Rob
No, we should bite our tongue.
Jiaying
Good. And I will bite my tongue about your weight.
Rob
Excuse me? What about my weight?
Jiaying
Sorry, Rob, I am biting my tongue.
Rob
Hmm. Maybe saying nothing at all is better than saying something. Now, do you fancy a biscuit?
Jiaying
Thanks, Rob.
Rob
Bye. Ouch, I've bitten my tongue!
