流行美语 第 48 课

今天李华从 Michael 那儿学到了两个新词 redneck 和 in the sticks。

M: Come in!
L: Hi Michael! 真抱歉，我没先告诉你就来了。你的电话一直占线，所以我没法打
电话给你。
M: That's no big deal. I was on the phone with my friend Bob who lives in Georgia. He
is such a redneck!
L: 原来这样。对了，你把你朋友叫什么来着？你说他是什么啊？
M: I said he's a redneck, R-E-D-N-E-C-K.
L: 一个红的脖子？这是什么意思啊？
M: A redneck is someone from the countryside who lives a country lifestyle.
L: 所以你叫一个人 redneck 就是说他是乡下人或很土气。哎，这样 说别人很不
礼貌吧。
M: Well, maybe. If you call someone a redneck, it means¹ you think that they are not
very cultured or sophisticated².
L: 你就因为你朋友住在乡下，你就开他玩笑说他是redneck ，未免 不太好吧。
M: I'm not really making fun of him. Some people are proud to be rednecks. Bob likes
to call himself that.
L: 你说叫他redneck，Bob 他还很得意呀。那我就不懂了。在中国，大多数住在
乡下的人都巴不得往城里跑呢。
M: Well, the U.S. is different. Being a redneck doesn't mean being poor or uneducated.
It is a way of living, I guess.
L: 那么rednecks 到底像什么呢？你来说说。
M: Let me see, how can I describe them? When we say someone is a redneck we mean
they are from the south, and speak with a southern accent。
L: 现在我懂了，redneck 呢一般是指美国南方人，或者说话有南方 口音的人。
不过说真的，那些南方口音我真的听不太懂。
M: Also, rednecks like life in the countryside. They enjoy sports such as hunting or
fishing. They like living in areas with lots of open space.
L: Hmm, rednecks 他们不住在 城市，他们更享受乡下的生活。
M: Exactly. Also, most rednecks have blue-collar jobs, or work on a farm. By the way,
Li Hua, be careful how you use this word. Some people might get angry if you call
them a redneck.
L: 哎，对了，Michael，你那个红脖子朋友Bob 为什么事打电话给你 啊？
M: Well, he asked me if I wanted to visit him this summer. I'm not sure if I really want
to go though.
L: 真的吗？为什么你不想去呢？
M: He lives out in the sticks. There's nothing for me to do out there.
L: 他生活在那儿？The sticks 是什么地方啊?
M: Oh, when I say in the sticks, that just means in a rural³ area, far from a big city.
L: 噢，原来是指乡下啊。哎哟，只不过离开城市几天，这样你也受 不了啊？
M: Well, I am used to city life. I don't know how to fish or hunt, and I really don't like
farm work. I don't think I would like living in the sticks.
L: 你觉得你不适合乡下的生活啊，不过偶尔去呼吸一下新鲜空气不 是挺好的
吗？
M: I guess. Maybe I should visit him.
L: 要是有人自称是 redneck 的话，他也许觉得生活在乡下 in the sticks 也是很值
得自豪的了？
M: Actually, the phrase⁴ in the sticks is not very polite. You shouldn't tell someone that
they live in the sticks unless you are just joking with them.
L: 奥，说别人 live in the sticks 并不是很好，除非你是在开玩笑啊？
M: You are right. Usually when you say something is in the sticks you mean it is far
from anything civilized⁵.
L: 其实美国人并不懂得什么是真正的乡下。就算他们住在乡下好了，只要一开车
就到城里了嘛。
M: That's true. Still, some places out in the sticks are pretty far from a big city, even if
you drive a car.

今天李华学到了两个新词：redneck 和 in the sticks 。Redneck 是指乡下人。In the
sticks 则是指远离城市的农村地区。

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 sophisticated   

adj.老练的，精密的，尖端的，高雅的

参考例句：

• She has become very sophisticated since she went to live in London.移居伦敦后她变得世故多了。
• This is a very sophisticated machine.这是一台非常精密的机器。

3 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

4 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

5 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为