1789年7月14日法国人民攻占巴士底狱,这也成为法国革命开始的信号。此次革命给法国带来全新的座右铭:liberté, égalité, fraternité (liberty / 自由、equality / 平等、)fraternity / 博爱),它也引发了更为黑暗的 terrorisme (terrorism / 恐怖主义)。Terrorisme 一词也于1795年借由法语传入英语。
今日,我们大体了解一些源自法语的英文词汇,逐一标注音标并解释其复杂含义,帮助大家正确念出和掌握这些单词。
Abattoir Brit. /?ab?twɑ?/, U.S. /??b??twɑr/
屠宰场,源自法语 abattre,意为“to fell; to strike down”。
Chagrin /???ɡri?n/ /???ɡr?n/ /??aɡr?n/
失败或被羞辱时的烦恼或苦恼,英语直译为“rough skin, shagreen”。例句:Theymanaged..to..conceal their chagrin if they felt any.
Debris Brit. /?d?bri?/, /?de?bri?/, /d?bri/, U.S. /d??bri/, /??de??bri/
垃圾或遗骸散落的碎片,源自法语 débriser,意为“break down”。例句:workmen were clearing the roads of the debris from shattered buildings.
Denouement /de??nu?m??/
戏剧、电影或叙事的最后一节,其中不同线路的情节纠葛在一起,事件得以说明清楚或解决;做出决定或事情明了时某个情况的结果。该词由 dénouer / unknot 变化而来。例句:the film's denouement was unsatisfying and ambiguous。
Détente /de??tɑ?nt/
尤指两国之间敌对或紧张关系得以缓和,源自法语 détente(loosening, relaxation)。例句:During the Cold War there were periods of detente when arms control played a part in helping to enhance confidence between the adversaries.
Entrepreneur Brit. /??ntr?pr??n??/, U.S./??ɑntr?pr???n?r/
企业家,创建业务并承受财务风险以期获得盈利。由法语词汇 entreprendre(undertake / 承担)发展而来。例句:Property is the investment of choice for many of today's eager entrepreneurs.
Faux pas /f?? ?pɑ?/
社交场合令人尴尬或粗鲁的言行,直译为“false step”。例句:For example, they might be less likely to recognize that a social faux pas or insult could cause someone else offence.
Melee Brit. /?m?le?/, /m??le?/, U.S. /?me?le?/
混战,也可指混乱的一群人,是古法语 meslee 的变体,源自中世纪拉丁语 misculare(mix)。例句:Curious tourists and reporters were often trapped in the melees.’
Oeuvre Brit. /???vr?/, U.S. /??vr?/
画家、作曲家或作者的全部主要作品,英文直译为“work”。例句:Raymond Lister at Cambridge..is currently working on an oeuvre catalogue for [Samuel] Palmer.
Raison d’être Brit. /?re?z?? ?d?tr(?)/, U.S. /?re?z?n ?d?tr?/
某事物存在最为重要的原因或目的,直译成英文为“reason for being”。例句:Moreover, says Schein, the raison d'être of general management lies in getting sub-cultures to work together.
Sabotage /?sab?tɑ??/
尤指为了获得政治或军事优势故意破坏、毁坏或阻碍,源自法语 saboteur,意为“kick with sabots, wilfully destroy”。Sabots 是从整块木头中雕刻和镂空成的简单木屐,曾是法国布里多尼农民的传统鞋子。例句:‘powerlines from South Africa were sabotaged by rebel forces’。
Tableau Brit. /?tabl??/, U.S. /?t??blo?/, /?ta?blo?/
由一组模特或静态人物展示某个历史故事场景,英文直译为“picture”。例句: We make an odd tableau, the pair of us; hands in pockets, noses pressed up against the plate glass.
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