英語の記事を毎週読むのが英語上達に役立つvol.852
英語の上達には勉強ではなく、日々英語を使うこと。
これが一番です。
多くのラーナーさんの悩みがボキャブラリーをなかなか覚えられないということですが、
でも単語を単語帳を作って覚えるというのはめちゃくちゃ大変な割に効果は限られています。
では、ボキャブラリーを増やすには、どうしたらいいのでしょうか？
それは簡単です。
毎日に英語を使い、慣れるのが一番です。
DCECのブログを活用して英語に触れてください。
----------------------------------------------------------
■Soft Words
J - Janice, R - Rei
A GV and a learner talk about euphemisms.
R: How do you talk about sensitive topics in English?
J: Sensitive topics? Like what?
R: Like the subject of death or dying. How do you bring it up
in a tactful way?
J: Oh, I see. Well...if someone died, you can also say they
passed away.
R: Really? Hmm, that does sound better…Alright.
What about if someone loses their job?
J: Well, you can say that they were let go or that they had
a career transition.
R: Okay, I think those expressions are quite useful.
J: These expressions are called euphemisms. They try to make
heavy topics less uncomfortable for people. But not all of them
are polite.
R: Really? Even regarding very delicate matters?
J: Yes. For example, ‘kicking the bucket’ and ‘biting the dust’ are
also euphemisms for death. But you shouldn’t say that to someone
whose relatives died recently. It would be very rude.
R: Yeah, those sound very inappropriate. But why do people use
them, then?
J: Maybe to make light of otherwise heavy topics. Some people use
humor to cope with sad events.
R: To each their own. Personally, I would never use those.
J: Well, euphemisms are not limited to sensitive topics. There are some
expressions for embarrassing situations, too. For example, breaking
wind means to...uh ... release gas from the nether regions of your body.
R: ...That entire sentence sounds like a euphemism. I don’t really understand...
J: Alright, then. It means to fart.
R: Ah, I see. (long pause) Well, it’s a normal bodily function. It’s nothing
to be ashamed of.
An even longer pause.
J: And that’s why we need euphemisms. ‘Breaking wind’ sounds a lot less
awkward than ‘farting,’ doesn’t it?