Wash your dirty linen in public 家丑外扬

Wash your dirty linen in public 家丑外扬

Play audio file 内容简介 R ob 说他听到邻居们在后花园谈论家里私密的事情。这到底是怎么一回事儿？幸好菲菲知道事情的原由，替 Rob 扫除了疑惑。听节目，学习一个关于“在公开场合谈论秘密”的表达。

（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。）

大家好，欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的《》节目。我是冯菲菲。

Rob

…and me, Rob. Hello! Hey , you know that expression 'to wash your dirty linen in public'?

Yes. 表达 wash your dirty linen in public 的字面意思是“在公开场合洗脏的针织品”实际要表达的意思是在公开场合毫无忌讳地谈论私密的事情，好比俗话说的“家丑外扬”。You wouldn't catch me doing that!

Rob

Nor me – I always keep private matters private - but anyway it's exactly what Daisy and Tom have been doing.

What? They've been washing their dirty linen in public – you mean they've been arguing?

Rob

Not exactly – but yesterday, they were out in the garden making lots of noise.  

Oh I see. Actually Rob I think…

Rob

…and I'm sure Daisy said something about hanging Tom out to dry.

行了、行了 Rob，你就别再猜下去了，我知道是怎么回事儿，不过咱们还是先来听几个使用这个表达的例句吧。

Examples

Tim kept discussing his brother's drinking problem at the pub but I told him not to wash his dirty linen in public.

I know he's having an affair but do they have to wash their dirty linen in public?

Don't wash your dirty linen in public, save your argument for when you get home!

Wash your dirty linen in public 的意思就是在公开场合谈论私人的秘密。不过话说，我觉得 Daisy 和 Tom 可不会在院子里谈论自己家里的事儿。

Rob

But I could hear what was going on.

Are you sure? Because I spoke to Daisy and she said their washing machine had broken down and they were actually washing their clothes outdoors, in the garden. I think the noise was just them having a laugh.

Rob

But what about Daisy saying she was going to hang Tom out to dry?

I think she meant she was going to hang Tom's clothes out to dry. 你就别再瞎操心了，and then you won't hear people washing their dirty linen in public – either literally or metaphorically!

Rob

Thanks for the advice . Bye.

Bye.