The princess diaries《公主日记》里的台词解析3

CHARLOTTE: Miss Amelia, welcome.

MIA: Hi.

CHARLOTTE: Straight ahead to your left. Her Majesty is ready for you in the library.

CLARISSE: Charlotte, take notes, will you? Amelia, circle slowly so I can evaluate the work to be done. Amelia! Does your bad posture affect your hearing? Turn.

MIA: Oh, sorry.

CLARISSE: No, no, no. Slowly, turn. Slowly. Thank you. Well, carriage, obviously. Hairstyle. Complexion... Stop! Eyes...lovely...but hidden beneath bushman eyebrows. The neck is seemly. Ears... like her father.

MIA: Really? They are?

CLARISSE: Oh, my! Who has nails like these?

MIA: Everybody.

CLARISSE: Tomorrow I would like to see clean fingers. And you will wear stockings. Not tights, not socks. And I never want to see those shoes again. When walking in a crowd, one is under scrutiny all the time. So we don't slump, like this. We drop the shoulders, we think tall, wetuck under and transfer the weight from one foot to-- No. Princesses nevercross their legs in public. Why don't you just tuck one ankle behind the other and place the hands gracefully on the knees.

MIA: Aah!

CLARISSE: Charlotte, I think it's time for tea.

妙语佳句，活学活用

在这个片段中有非常多的口语用法，尤其是表示仪态的，我们来一一解释一下。

1. Straight ahead to your left.

直走，左手边拐进去。

2. Tights

指的是(女人的)紧身袜裤，就是Mia腿上穿的黑色中袜，例如：

I want a pair of tights to go with this sweater.

3. Under scrutiny

Scrutiny 指“观察，监督”。When walking in a crowd, one is under scrutiny all the time. 这句话的意思是“当我们走在人群中时，众人都在看着我们的一举一动”，意即皇室成员总是受到关注，因此更应该注意仪态。

4. Slump

指“耷拉着肩膀”，懒散地坐着，站着，给人一种萎靡、颓废的感觉，例如：I read defeat in the slump of his shoulders.

5. Think tall

Think tall 这里的意思是“be proud, walk with dignity”，要带着皇家的威严。

6. Drop the shoulders

就是“shoulders back”，挺胸，自然就不会耸肩了。

7. Tuck under

Tuck under 这里指的是“收下巴”，若是昂着下巴，就会显得不可一世。例如：He tucked his chin into his chest.

8. Cross one's legs

Cross one's legs 是指双腿交叉，既可以指中文里的“二郎腿”，也可以指中文里的“盘膝而坐”，总是凡是交叉着腿的，英文里都叫 cross one’s legs。例如：Jean sat with her legs crossed.