世博与文化：用英语介绍旗袍

 在世博园宝钢大舞台的中国元素展区，有一个极富老上海特色的旗袍现场展示区，其中的旗袍盘扣现场制作环节吸引了众多游人驻足。如果用英语，我们要怎样介绍这种精致的传统服饰呢？

“旗袍”在英语中有一个固定的词，不过是一个loanword，外来语，写做cheongsam，是从广东话Cantonese里来的。我们也可以拼写为qipao或者chipao：

The cheongsam is a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women; the male version is the changshan. It is known in Mandarin¹ Chinese as the qipao or chipao, and is also known in English as a mandarin gown. 

旗袍是中国一种紧身的连衣女子服饰，男子的被称为长衫。英语中也用mandarin gown来表示这种服饰。

清朝时候的旗装是很宽松的，1900年之后，在上海，旗袍的样式发生了改变：

The modernized² version is noted³ for accentuating⁴ the figures of women, and as such was popular as a dress for high society. As Western fashions changed, the basic cheongsam design changed too, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace frothing at the hem⁵. By the 1940s, cheongsam came in a wide variety of fabrics⁶ with an equal variety of accessories. 

现代版的旗袍很贴身，更能显出女子的身材，为上流社会的女性所推崇。旗袍的式样也跟随西方时尚而变化，出现了高领无袖、喇叭状袖子和黑色蕾丝泡泡镶边的款式。到上世纪四十年代，旗袍已经有很多种不同材质和配饰。

旗袍和长衫的那种标志性小立领被称为mandarin collar，a short unfolded stand-up collar style，而旗袍的那种盘扣被称为frog，或者Chinese frog，frog在这里不是青蛙的意思哦，意为一种用细绳做的扣饰：

A frog (sometimes referred to as a Chinese frog) is an ornamental⁷ braiding for fastening the front of a garment that consists of a button and a loop through which it passes.

盘扣是一种装饰性的编织状扣子，用来扣住一件衣服的前襟。

1 Mandarin   

n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的

参考例句：

• Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
• Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。

2 modernized   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的过去式和过去分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• By 1985 the entire railway network will have been modernized. 等到1985年整个铁路网就实现现代化了。
• He set about rebuilding France, and made it into a brilliant-looking modernized imperialism. 他试图重建法国，使它成为一项表面华丽的现代化帝业。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 accentuating   

v.重读( accentuate的现在分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于

参考例句：

• Elegant interior design accentuating the unique feeling of space. 优雅的室内设计突显了独特的空间感。 来自互联网
• Accentuating the positive is an article of faith here. 强调积极面在这里已变成一种信仰。 来自互联网

5 hem   

n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制

参考例句：

• The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶边需要缝一缝。
• The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折边有必要放长1英寸。

6 fabrics   

织物( fabric的名词复数 )； 布； 构造； （建筑物的）结构（如墙、地面、屋顶）：质地

参考例句：

• cotton fabrics and synthetics 棉织物与合成织物
• The fabrics are merchandised through a network of dealers. 通过经销网点销售纺织品。

7 ornamental   

adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物

参考例句：

• The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
• The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。