吴益达
不同国家的文化里的语言文字可能不相通,握手、拥抱、鞠躬等动作的含义也千差万别,但真诚的笑容,在世界上任何地方都代表着友好与快乐。在英语中,除了laugh和smile, 你还能想到哪些表示笑的词语吗?今天我们就来聊一聊那许许多多的笑。
smile 是我们最常见的笑,是一个概括性的表述,可以表达各种心情愉悦的笑容,即面露微笑,侧重于无声。例如:
She smiled at him and he smiled back.
她冲他笑笑,他也冲她笑笑。
The best thing to do when entering unknown territory is smile.
踏入未知地带最好的对策就是微笑。
laugh这个单词也很常用,指因喜悦、愉快或轻视而出声的笑或大笑、嘲笑等,它可以是各种笑声和笑容的组合。例如:
She always makes me laugh.她老是引得我发笑。
I told him I was worried but he laughed scornfully.
我告诉他我很担忧,可他却轻蔑地一笑。
giggle指发出咯咯的笑声,较多地用于女人或孩子,且有点儿傻笑的意思。例如:
The girls giggled at the joke.女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。
She knew well enough who it was, and she suppressed a giggle.
好像知道是谁, 她忍住了不笑,也不声张。
grin表示咧嘴笑、露齿而笑,带有些淘气的意味。例如:
He was grinning from ear to ear.他笑得合不拢嘴。
She grinned amiably at us.她咧着嘴向我们亲切地微笑。
beam为书面用词,指人因心情舒畅而发出的笑,即喜形于色地笑。例如:
a beaming face笑容满面
He greeted me with a beam of joy.他笑容满面地迎接我。
At this moment, a great-looking woman came walking into the shop, smiling like a lighthouse beam.
这时有个漂亮女人走进店里,绽放出灯塔般的笑容。
sneer表示冷笑或嘲笑,是对别人不尊重的一种笑容。例如:
A faint sneer of satisfaction crossed Snape’s face.
斯内普的脸上掠过一丝得意的冷笑。
I was uncomfortable with his sneer.
他的冷笑使我很不舒服。
smirk 表示得意的笑,经常为一边嘴角上翘,有轻视和轻蔑的意味。例如:
Sherlock deduced the man’s occupation in 5 seconds and smirked.
夏洛克5秒钟就推理出这个男人的职业,他得意地一笑。
“You ask?” she replied with a smirk.
“你问我?” 她冷笑着回答说。
snicker 指窃笑、坏笑,通常为转瞬即逝的笑,偷偷地笑(手捂着嘴),这种笑不太得体,有失礼貌。例如:
I looked at Marry, on the seat next to me; I thought I had heard her snicker.
我看着在我旁边座位上的玛丽,我觉得我刚刚听见她偷笑了。
She almost smiled, but it turned into a snicker.
她几乎笑出来,却化做一丝窃笑。
【练一练】
请用括号中单词的适当形式填空。
1. When she saw me,she_____________and winked at me. (smile)
2. Tom gave a deep rumbling____________at his own joke. (laugh)
3. “We can’t____________,it’s a crime scene. Stop it,”said he. (giggle)
4. Max was____________like an idiot when telling his mum that he had won the race. (grin)
5. Jane’s entire face____________with happiness. (beam)
6. His eyes are clear now,no longer does he____________with loathing(邪惡的).(sneer)
7. His cockroach moustache seems to____________.(snicker)
答案:smiled;laugh;giggle;grinning;beamed;sneer;snicker