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人们常常会对自己认为会发生的事情做出预测或提出看法。但有时,我们煞有介事地说过的话 “不见得是对的”。本期 “地道英语” 节目介绍一个用来讽刺他人或自嘲的表达的含义和用法。
(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。)
Feifei
大家好,欢迎收听 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。我是菲菲。
Neil
And hello, I'm Neil. Our expression is 'famous last words'. Now, we say this when we believe something someone says will soon be proven wrong.
Feifei
Famous last words. Neil,你用过这个表达吗?
Neil
Yes. I went to a party at the weekend. I told my friend that I never forget people's names. Famous last words. I was so embarrassed because immediately after saying that, I called my friend's new boyfriend by the wrong name three times!
Feifei
原来,“famous last words” 的意思是 “说得好听,不见得,才怪呢”。比如,上周聚会的时候,Neil 煞有介事地说自己从来不会忘记别人的名字,但这可是他的 “famous last words”,因为接着他就说错了一个人的名字。你能再给我们举一个例子吗?
Neil
I went to a restaurant the other day and ordered a curry. The waiter warned me it was very hot. I said I love spicy food, and nothing is too hot for me. Famous last words!
Feifei
前几天,Neil 去餐厅吃饭点了 “curry(咖喱)”,服务员提醒他说这个咖喱很辣,但他不听,还吹牛自己特别能吃辣。结果这句话成了 Neil 的 “famous last words”。It was too spicy, wasn't it?
Neil
Yes! I couldn't even finish one mouthful. I was sweating and nearly crying – it was so spicy. Let's hear some more examples of this expression.
Examples
My grandfather says he never cries when he watches sad films. Famous last words! We watched a very sad film at the weekend and he cried a lot.
I said my cricket team would win the championship this year. Famous last words. We finished last.
Lei said he didn't need to study for his exam. Famous last words. He failed in the end.
Feifei
你正在收听的是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。如果某人说一件事情会发生,但我们知道这个人很快就会被证明是错的,那么就可以用 “famous last words” 来讽刺地说 “不见得,那倒不一定”。
Neil
Yes. We often say it when we think it will be quite embarrassing for the person when their statement is shown to be wrong. Like, for example, when I told you I was brilliant at my favourite board game, and then you beat me easily! Really embarrassing.
Feifei
没错,除了用来讽刺他人以外,我们还可以用 “famous last words” 来自嘲,意思是 “刚刚我说的事情其实不见得会发生”。
Neil
That's right! It's a form of laughing at ourselves about something we believed or predicted, and then realised we were embarrassingly wrong – like when I said England would win the football World Cup! Famous last words!
Feifei
Do you think they'll win the next World Cup?
Neil
Of course! Definitely. However, those could be famous last words! Bye.
Feifei
Bye.