出生时的服装。指赤身裸体,在特定场合可指节日盛装。
美国俚语。英国作家斯威夫特(Jonathan Swift,1667-1745)的书信体小说《亨佛利·克林特》(Humphrey Clinker)中有这样一句:We bathed in our birthday suit.(我们光着身子洗澡。)这里的birthday是生日,但实际上是指诞生。呱呱坠地的婴儿是不穿衣服的。因此"出生时的衣服"很容易理解为"赤身裸体"。但在一些古老的英语作品中,birthday suit是指"朝臣特意定制的,在君主过生日时穿的节日盛装"。所以使用此语时,需要讲究场合和弄清对象。千万别把"出生时的衣服"和"生日的漂亮衣服"混淆起来。据说英国人和美国人碰到一起,有时都难免在这个说法上闹笑话。有个美国青年带着来自英国的妻子,回家看望住在美国乡村的父母。做公婆的执意要在这天晚上请邻居们过来开个party庆祝一下。那天恰巧是英国姑娘的生日,她就当着公婆的面,跟丈夫商量起来:May I wear my birthday suit for the evening party?(我能穿生日服装去参加今晚的聚会吗?)两位老人听了瞠目结舌,想不通为什么这位英国姑娘要赤身裸体去出席聚会。
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