bullshit 廢話,胡說,無稽之談
bull(同上)
b.s.(同上)
bullshitter 說謊的人
a bunch of bull 一派胡言
a crock of bull(同上)
shoot the bull 閑聊,漫談
bullshit artist 吹牛不打草稿的人
(have a)bull session 開吹牛大會(huì),擺龍門陣
money talks,bullshit walks 有錢好辦事
Bullshit于1942年始見于英文文獻(xiàn),可以當(dāng)名詞、動(dòng)詞、形容詞。當(dāng)名詞時(shí),bullshit 及縮寫的 bull 及b.s.指“廢話”,“無稽之談”,“夸大之詞”等意;bullshitter指“胡說八道者”。作介詞或動(dòng)詞的賓語時(shí),如 a bunch(crock) of bull(一派胡言),shoot the bull (閑聊)。當(dāng)及物動(dòng)詞時(shí),如 Don’t bullshit me. (別蒙我)。當(dāng)不及物動(dòng)詞時(shí),如 The pitcher was bullshitting with his catcher.(投手與捕手閑聊)。After bullshitting for an hour,the salesman still couldn’t convince him to buy the new model. (吹了一個(gè)小時(shí)的牛后,業(yè)務(wù)員還是不能說服他買新機(jī)種)。當(dāng)形容詞時(shí),如 bullshit artist(吹牛不打草稿的人),have a bull session(開吹牛大會(huì))。此外,格言有 Money talks,bullshit walks(有錢好辦事)。此字雖在美國(guó)已廣為使用,但語氣粗俗,能免則免。
Bullshit 當(dāng)名詞
1. bullshit 夸大之話,廢話
A. “In the cockpit,there’s no such thing as bullshit,” Russell1 says over the engine noise, “When you talk to pilots,it’s another language. There’s no posturing. It’s exactly the opposite of the movie business,where 90 percent of it is bullshit.”
(Entertainment Weekly,6/14/91)
拉塞爾不顧[飛機(jī)]引擎的噪音說道:“座艙內(nèi)無所謂廢話,跟駕駛員交談時(shí),用的語言不一樣,不必裝腔作勢(shì),跟在電影界九成是夸大的話正好相反。”
注:
1. Kurt Russell 拉塞爾,為美國(guó)當(dāng)今的硬漢型電影明星。
2. bullshit 拉雜的物品
A. “I1 mean,if I find something that I love to do,like carving fucking eggshells,and I can get money for it,that’s fine. There’s no way I am gonna work at Taco Bell2 to have money to buy bullshit. I’ll get it in the garbage.”
(Esquire 雜志,2/1/94)
“我的意思是說,如果我找到喜歡做的事,像雕刻他媽的蛋殼什么的,同時(shí)能靠這個(gè)賺錢,那就好了。到速食店工作,我就不可能有錢買我想要的種種東西,我干脆到垃圾堆里去撿好了。”
注:
1. 本文系一名少女談?wù)撟约何磥頃r(shí)的訪問摘錄。
2. Taco Bell 是美國(guó)賣墨西哥式快餐的連鎖店。一般美國(guó)年輕人多嫌此類工作的待遇微薄,工作既辛苦又無前途。
A. Baby,let me tell you something. You can continue to live in your little fantasy world with your baseball cards and the autographed bullshit or whatever the fuck is it you do,but me, I got to eat and pay the rent.
(Girl 6(1996)影片中的對(duì)白)
寶貝,我告訴你:你可以繼續(xù)活在你搜集棒球明星名片和名人簽名的雜物及你做的什么夢(mèng)之類的事中,但是我呢,我得糊口,得付房租啊!
注:
1. baby,you 都是女孩子對(duì)用電話“找樂子”的男客人(male callers using phone sex line services)的稱呼。
2. me,I 則系指電話女“服務(wù)生”(a girl working as a phone sex provider)的自稱。
3. bullshitting 吹牛,夸下???,講廢話(是動(dòng)名詞或現(xiàn)在分詞)
A. Bullshitting is at the heart of all business relationships,being made up of1 several key parts—mutual selling, self-positioning, mirthless kidding, and a commitment to superficiality.
(Fortune,10/13/97)
商場(chǎng)上所有的人際關(guān)系都以吹牛為重心。吹牛有幾個(gè)重要的成分……互相推銷,表明自身立場(chǎng),開沉悶的玩笑,以及做表面功夫。
A. As my Haitian neighbors say in describing political bullshitting, “It’s all blah-blah-blah,blah-blah-blah2.”
(N.Y.Press,8/5-11/98)
我的海地籍鄰居形容政壇上的吹牛這樣說:“都是夸下??冢际呛f八道。”
注:
1. be made up of… 由……所組成。文中用being是省了句子,不用連接詞或關(guān)系代名詞,而變成現(xiàn)在分詞短語,省去形容詞從句。
2. blah-blah-blah 此為名詞,常連環(huán)疊用,意為“胡說八道”。
4. b.s. 向……說大話,向……說不實(shí)之言
A. The move1 infuriated David Mixner,a longtime Clinton friend and gay activist in Hollywood.“It’s reprehensible and cowardly,” Mixner told Newsweek, “But I won’t b.s. you. It was politically smart2.”
(Newsweek,6/3/96)
這一招激怒了好萊塢的同性戀激進(jìn)分子、并為克林頓老友的米史納,他對(duì)本刊記者說:“那一招是可鄙的,應(yīng)該受到譴責(zé),不過坦白地說,他這么做有他的政治目的。”
注:
1. the move 指美國(guó)總統(tǒng)克林頓一反常態(tài)地不支持同性婚姻的做法。平時(shí)克林頓對(duì)同性戀者表現(xiàn)得很友善。
2. politically smart 政治上的明智。多數(shù)美國(guó)人反對(duì)同性婚姻,米氏認(rèn)為克林頓此舉是為了討好民意,旨在拉票連任。
5. a bunch of bullshit 一派胡言
A. They claim that they have reliable service,no call interfearances [sic]2, no droped[sic]3 calls. This is just a bunch of bullshit! They simply lie in their ads…
(摘錄自網(wǎng)絡(luò))
他們宣稱他們的服務(wù)可靠,沒有雜音,沒有斷線。這簡(jiǎn)直是一派胡言。他們的廣告簡(jiǎn)直是騙人的。
注:
1. 本文主角抱怨在洛杉磯地區(qū)內(nèi),Sprint公司的多功能數(shù)字手機(jī)毛病多。(PCS phone—Personal Communication Services 的縮寫)
2. interfearances 原文系錯(cuò)字,正確拼法是 interferences (雜音)。[sic]表示原文如此,但有錯(cuò)。
3. droped 也為錯(cuò)字,正確拼法是dropped (斷線)。
6. a crock of bull 成堆的廢話,一派胡言
A. Where were you last night?
你昨晚在哪里?
B. I went to the library,then home to study for the finals.
我到圖書館后,就回家準(zhǔn)備期末考了。
A. What a crock of bull! I saw you at a night club dancing with your girlfriend.
一派胡言!我在夜總會(huì)看到你和女友跳舞。
B. So what were you doing there? You have finals,too!
那么,你在那里干什么?你也要期末考啊!
Bullshit 當(dāng)動(dòng)詞用時(shí)——有“閑談、說謊、騙人,拍馬屁”之意;跟隨副詞 around,有“浪費(fèi)時(shí)間、游手好閑、瞎搞(act aimlessly)”之意
1. bullshit 閑聊,拍馬屁
A. Look,he comes in here everyday. We bullshit,and he’s used my bathroom about a thousand times1. If I said no this time he’d know somethin’ was up2。
(From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)影片中的對(duì)白)
告訴你,他每天都進(jìn)來。我們閑聊,他且多次用過我的廁所。我這次如果不答應(yīng),他會(huì)發(fā)覺什么事不對(duì)勁。
注:
1. a thousand times 借“一千遍”作“很多次”解。
2. something is (was) up 代名詞+be動(dòng)詞+副詞短語,只有地點(diǎn)副詞、狀態(tài)及時(shí)間副詞(up,down,over等)可作主語補(bǔ)足語,因其有形容詞功能。up 有時(shí)有介詞功能,可加賓語。語法學(xué)家稱其為“介副詞”(particle)。例句:The war is over. (戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)結(jié)束。) Time is up. (時(shí)間到了。) The plane is in. (飛機(jī)到達(dá)。) He is down. (他倒地。)
A. “I don’t bullshit my players, and I don’t bullshit other people,” says one of the few true players’ managers2. “I’m certainly not going to bullshit myself.”
(Esquire 雜志,6/1/97)
一位少見的真正的球員經(jīng)理說:“我既不拍球員的馬屁,也不拍其他人的馬屁,也絕對(duì)不會(huì)自欺?!?
注:
1. 本文主角雷郎(Jim Leyland)以前是職業(yè)棒球隊(duì)隊(duì)員,1997年任佛羅里達(dá)州馬林魚職棒隊(duì)的球員經(jīng)理。
2. one of the few…managers 在美國(guó)職業(yè)棒球界中,球員升任球員經(jīng)理之例不多。
A. I can read the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
我會(huì)閱讀《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》及《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》。
B. You’re not bullshitting me now1,are you?
你不是在騙我吧,嗯?
注:
1. now 此處是副詞,表示勸戒(admonition)之意,而非“現(xiàn)在”。其他例如,Now listen up.(注意聽著啊!),又如Now you be sure to call. (你一定要打電話來哦!)等。
2. bullshit around 游手好閑
A. Jose Canseco1 wants to be the male Madonna. “Yeah,” he says,“in the sense of treading new areas. Somebody who’s willing to take risks,somebody who isn’t afraid to speak out, somebody who isn’t bullshitting around,somebody with some style.”
(Sports Illustrated,8/20/90)
康??芟胍?dāng)男性的麥當(dāng)娜。他說:“對(duì)啦,在闖蕩新的領(lǐng)域時(shí),[要做]一個(gè)肯冒險(xiǎn)的人,一個(gè)敢說話的人,一個(gè)不游手好閑的人,一個(gè)有風(fēng)格的人?!?
注:
1. Canseco 康??墚?dāng)時(shí)為奧克蘭運(yùn)動(dòng)家職棒隊(duì)(Oakland Athletics)的主將。
Bullshit 當(dāng)形容詞時(shí)——有“荒謬的、編造的”(false)之意
A. Do you want to change your bullshit story,sir?
(The Fugitive(1993)影片中的對(duì)白)
先生,要不要改變你編造的故事?
A. I did not sign up for this. This is someone else’s bullshit political agenda.
(Clear and Present Danger(1994)影片中的對(duì)白)
我并沒有報(bào)名參加這事,這是別人荒謬的政治陰謀。
A. Everyone hates bullshit rules and regulations,but everyone must obey them.
無聊的法規(guī)每一個(gè)人都厭惡,但每一個(gè)人都必須遵守。
Bullshit 的名詞合成語
1. bullshit artist 吹牛不打草稿的人,大忽悠
A. I can converse on any subject without benefit of knowledge or access to facts,putting forth a total picture with enormous conviction so that,at the end of the day2,you will believe I know what I’m talking about and probably want to buy some… I’m determined! I’ll schmooze3 anybody,talk on any dais,make up the whole thing as I go along—and I’ll do it as long as I can get away with it! Because I can!… I’m an enormous bullshit artist.
(Esquire 雜志,7/1/95)
我能無憑無據(jù)地談?wù)撊魏晤}目,能蠻有說服力地闡述宏觀局面,到打烊時(shí),人家會(huì)相信我所說的,也大概會(huì)想買些[我兜售的貨]……我有堅(jiān)定的毅力啊! 我可以與任何人閑談,可在任何講臺(tái)上演講,邊說邊扯,只要不被識(shí)破,我一直都要吹,因?yàn)槲視?huì)吹! ……我是一流的大忽悠。
注:
1. 該刊物專欄作家撰文諷刺工商界吃里扒外、想一步登天的作風(fēng)。
2. at the end of the day 指工商界的下班時(shí)間。
3. schmooze 原系美國(guó)猶太人使用的意第緒語(Yiddish),已被英語吸收,意為“閑聊”、“閑談”(to chat or gossip)。
2. bull session 吹牛大會(huì)
A. It1 was a wide-ranging,rough-and-tumble bull session that ended with a shouting match.
(The Washington Times,1/4/98)
這是個(gè)無所不談的場(chǎng)合,最后以吵吵鬧鬧收?qǐng)觥?
注:
1. It 指為慶祝傳統(tǒng)基金會(huì)(Heritage Foundation)設(shè)立二十五周年而開的圓桌會(huì)議。
Bullshit 的格言與成語
1. money talks,bullshit walks 有錢好辦事
A. During the past few months,there’s been a lot of tall criticizing the university1,claiming that it has sold its soul2,and that of its students,to Madison Avenue3. Pepsi. Nike. Saguaro4 Credit Union. All I have to say to protesters is,quit your whining and deal with it. Like my dad always says,“Money talks,and bullshit walks.” It’s capitalism,baby5,and this little6 country of ours runs on it.
(摘錄自網(wǎng)絡(luò))
在近幾個(gè)月期間,對(duì)本校有很多閑言閑語,說是學(xué)校出賣自己的及學(xué)生的靈魂給麥迪生大道、百事可樂、耐克公司、大仙人掌信用合作社。對(duì)抗議者,我只能說:不要再發(fā)牢騷,要面對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí)。就像我老爸常說的“有錢好辦事”。哥兒們,這叫做資本主義,咱們的國(guó)家靠它運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)。
注:
1. 本文摘錄自亞利桑那(Arizona)州立大學(xué)網(wǎng)報(bào)上一位學(xué)生的報(bào)導(dǎo)。
2. sold its soul 言下之意是學(xué)校本以學(xué)術(shù)研究為宗旨,豈能容許學(xué)校及學(xué)生接受工商界的資金、捐款,打開學(xué)校商業(yè)化之門。
3. Madison Avenue 紐約市麥迪生大道,早已成為美國(guó)廣告界的代名詞。
4. Saguaro 大仙人掌,遍布于美國(guó)西南部亞利桑那州等地。當(dāng)?shù)毓ど探缑恳源嗣刑?hào)及產(chǎn)品。
5. baby 自1960年代起流行的昵稱,表達(dá)(尤其)男性間的友好交情 (a familiar term of address between men in vogue since the 1960s)。
6. little 當(dāng)形容詞,此處僅加強(qiáng)語氣(used as an intensifier),不作“小”解。