你问我答
描述性格的常用英语表达
内容简介
一位听众想知道除了 “outgoing(外向的)” 和 “shy(害羞的,内向的)” 之外,还有哪些常用的表达可以用来向他人介绍自己的性格特点。其实,许多和描述性格 “personality” 有关的表达都和能量 “energy” 有关。此外,英语中也有不少常用表达能帮助我们介绍自己的情绪 “emotion” 有哪些特点。本期 “你问我答” 节目中,主持人 Georgie 和步理通过介绍自己来讲解一些英语中常用于描述性格的表达。
文字稿
(关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。)
Buli
大家好,欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的 “你问我答” 节目。I'm Buli.
Georgie
And I'm Georgie. We've got a question from one of our listeners.
Question
People around me always talk about their personality types in daily conversations. I want to know how to introduce my personality type to others in English. For example, when talking about introversion and extraversion, besides saying "I'm outgoing." or "I'm shy.", what other vocabulary or expressions can be used? Thank you!
Buli
这位听众想要知道,如何在英语中向他人描述自己的性格。除了 “I'm outgoing. 我很外向。” 和 “I'm shy. 我比较腼腆。” 之外,还有哪些常用的单词和表达呢?
Georgie
Great topic! We all have different personalities, so it's important to have interesting vocabulary to use in conversation. Let's go through some common characteristics, and if you relate to them, you can try using the sentences. And if you don't, you might hear others use the words or phrases so this will help you recognise them.
Buli
没错,虽然英语中描述性格的表达有很多,但我们确实有时不知道该用哪些表达来准确地描述自己的性格。那么首先,我们就来学习一些和 “性格内向或外向” 有关的表达。在英语中,性格的 “内向” 和 “外向” 通常和 “能量” 这个概念联系起来。比如,我们可以说内向的人常常通过独处获得能量 “gain energy from spending time alone”。而外向的人则通过与他人相处获得能量 “get energy from being around others”。接下来我们来听一组例句。
Examples
I prefer solitary activities because I feel recharged when I spend time alone.
(我更喜欢独自一人的活动,因为我在独处时精力可以得到恢复。)
Too much social interaction drains my energy – my social battery runs out fast!
(太多的社交互动非常消耗我的能量。我的社交电池很容易就被耗尽!)
Buli
在上面的例句中,我们可以注意到一些和 “能量” 相关的表达很常用于描述内向的性格。比如,“drain(快速消耗)”、“recharge(补充能量或精力)” 和 “social battery(社交电池,比喻用于社交的全部能量或精力)”。
Georgie
Now, for extraverts, you can use words like 'energised', but another useful phrase for an extravert is 'social butterfly', which means someone who is socially active. Let's listen to two other examples.
Examples
I feel energised when I'm around other people.
(和他人在一起时我会感到能量满满。)
She's a social butterfly – she's the kind of person who thrives in social situations.
(她简直是个交际花。她是那种在社交场合如鱼得水的人。)
Buli
以上例子中的 “energised(充满能量的)” 和 “social butterfly(交际花)” 都是常用于描述性格外向的表达。除了性格上的内向和外向,我们还可以从 “spontaneity(自发性,即时性)” 上来描述一个人。如果我们说某人是一个 “spontaneous person”,意思就是 “他做事自然随性,不按部就班”。Georgie, are you a spontaneous person? Or do you prefer to be organised?
Georgie
Oh, I'm definitely more spontaneous – I like to go with the flow. 'Go with the flow' means I let things happen instead of controlling things. You could also use the expression 'play by ear', which means to respond spontaneously to a situation. Let's hear some other examples.
Examples
I don't like rigid schedules. I prefer to play by ear and see where the day takes me.
(我不喜欢遵守严格的固定日程。我喜欢随机应变,看看生活会把我带向何方。)
I like living in the moment and making last-minute plans depending on how I feel.
(我喜欢活在当下,随着自己的心情制定临时的计划。)
Buli
Oh, that sounds awful to me! 以上例句中提到的 “go with the flow(顺其自然)”、“play by ear(随机应变)” 和 “live in the moment(活在当下)” 都是和形容一个人 “spontaneous(做事自然随性,不按部就班)” 相关的短语。不过,如果你和我一样是一个喜欢提前做好计划的人,就可以这样形容自己:“I leave nothing to chance; I prefer to be prepared for every possibility. 我绝不听其自然,我更喜欢为所有可能出现的情况做好准备。”
Georgie
We're all different, and that's OK! Now, what about our emotions? Some people might be easily affected by their emotions, others maybe not. What kind of words can we use, Buli?
Buli
在描述性格时,“emotions(情感,情绪)” 也是很重要的一方面。如果你是一个情绪比较稳定的人,就可以说自己是 “unflappable(镇定的,临危不乱的)”。类似的表达还有 “cool, calm and collected(沉着镇定,处事泰然)” 和 “level-headed (镇定的,沉稳的)”。来听两个例句。
Examples
It doesn't matter what's going on around him, he's always cool, calm and collected.
(不管他周围发生什么事,他总是显得沉着镇定。)
She's unflappable in a crisis – she always knows what to do and just gets on with it.
(她面对危机总是临危不乱,知道自己需要做什么并且付诸行动。)
Georgie
Whereas, someone who is emotionally affected by stressful situations could be described as 'easily overwhelmed' or 'an overthinker'. Another way of saying 'get stressed' is 'get worked up'.
Buli
没错。如果一个人的情绪容易受到外界影响,容易感到压力或焦虑 “get stressed” 或者 “get worked up”,我们就可以用 “easily overwhelmed(容易因为受到压力而不知所措)” 或者 “an overthinker(一个容易过度思考的人)” 来形容。来听一组例句。
Examples
I sometimes get worked up over small things.
(我有时会因为一些小事生气。)
I spend hours analysing the smallest decisions – I'm a bit of an overthinker.
(我会花上几小时来推敲最细枝末节的决定。我有点容易过度思考。)
Buli
最后让我们来复习一下吧。许多和形容 “性格内向或外向” 有关的表达都和 “energy(能量)” 有关。比如,我们可以说社交活动 “drain(快速消耗)” 或 “recharge(补充)” 我们的 “social battery(社交电池,比喻用于社交的全部能量或精力)”;我们可以用 “social butterfly(交际花)” 来形容一个性格外向的人。一个 “spontaneous person(随性的人)” 可能会喜欢 “go with the flow(顺其自然)” 或 “play by ear(随机应变)”;而还有人会选择 “plan in advance(提前计划)” 或者 “leave nothing to chance(绝不听其自然)”。
情绪高度稳定的人可以是 “unflappable(镇定的,临危不乱的)” 或者 “level headed(镇定的,沉稳的)”;但如果一个人的情绪容易受到外界影响,我们就可以说他是 “easily overwhelmed(容易因压力而不知所措的)”,或者是 “an overthinker (一个容易过度思考的人)”。
Georgie
Now you have a range of vocabulary to describe yourself and understand others better!
Remember, if you have a question about the English language you'd like to ask us, please send us an email. Our email address is: questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk
Buli
你也可以通过微博向我们提问。我们的微博账号是 “BBC英语教学”。Bye, everyone.
Georgie
Bye!