Things go south 跟"南下"没有半毛钱关系

接着上期,今天继续学习Joanna为你精选的美剧英语口语 ~

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

1. We've gotten off to a rocky start.

我们之间开始有信任危机

get off 除了“下车,离开”,还可以有“开始,开端,着手”意思

get off to a good start 成功地开始, 取得良好的开端

get off on the right foot一开头就很顺利

get off on the wrong foot一开头就很不顺利

rocky 基本意思是“多岩石的;坚如磐石的,坚硬的”,这里形容(局势、关系)不稳定的,不稳固的,困难重重

They had gone through some rocky times together when Ann was first married.

当安刚结婚时,他们已经一起度过了一些艰难时光。

get off to a rocky start 一般可翻译为“不稳固的,艰难的开始”。而在此剧中,结合当时语境和双方身份罪犯与警察的关系,故意译为"我们之间开始有信任危机"

Their relationship had gotten off to a rocky start.

他们的关系在磕磕绊绊中开始了。

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

2. First sign this is going south

一旦有失控的迹象

在这里go south跟“去南方"没有一毛钱关系,而是典型的美国习语指“情况变得越来越糟糕,每况愈下,变坏,

数量,质量或价值等下降”,杂志标题经常go south/head south形容。

关于这种表达有两个说法 -- 第一说美国南北战争时,北部联邦胜利,南部邦联战败。所以南部代表失败;第二种说法是根据地图“上北下南”的规定,比喻“下南”为下降的趋势,走势。

Ice-cream sales went south for winter

冬天雪糕销量下降

He has a plan up his sleeve in case things go south.

假如情况不利的话,他还有锦囊妙计。

"The stock market went south after a brief morning rally."

股票市场早上短暂上涨后迅速走跌。

顺便复习一下之前学过意思类似的表达 go sideways

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

3. He's been compromised.

他被连累了。

我们开始学的compromise是指“妥协,和解,折中”,它另外还有“连累,危及,危害,损害,使陷入危险”意思

Such conduct will compromise your reputation.

这些举动将会损害你的名誉。

The secretary said the change will not compromise national security.

大臣说这个变化不会危及国家安全。

be compromised 受连累

In any event, she was already hopelessly compromised.

无论如何,她确实已被连累了。

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

4. Hardly the time to let morals stand in the way of your upward mobility

不能因为道德问题阻止你升迁时机

stand in the way 碍事,挡道;阻挠

Tell him not to stand in the way . 告诉他别挡住我的路。

Several issues stand in the way of a Bryant deal. 还有很多问题妨碍科比的交易。

mobility指“(社会) 流动性的,(在职业、住所或社会阶层间) 自由流动性”

upward mobility 升职(即 job promotion),上进心

mobility of talents人才流动

Housing is a far bigger drag on American job mobility.

住房严重拖累了美国就业的流动性。

The increasing upward mobility of the younger generation.

年轻一代的上进心增强了。

美剧英语 | Things go south 跟

5. Took the fall

代人受罪

fall表示“跌倒,掉落”,可引申为“堕落,失足”, take the fall (for sb)固定搭配指“代人受罪,作替罪羊,背黑锅”

I took the fall for him. 我替他背锅了。

If a company has a bad performance, the CEO may take the fall.

如果公司业绩差,CEO要承担责任。


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