5月25日凌晨,105岁高龄的著名作家、 杨绛(资料图)
今天我们就来讨论下,英文中如何委婉地表述“死亡”。
我们中国人通常都很忌讳说“死”这个字,不同时期对“死”也有不同的说法。古代按照等级的划分有“天子死曰崩,诸侯死曰薨,大夫死曰卒,士曰不禄,庶人曰死”的说法,现在我们会说一个人“离开了我们”,“去世了”、“走了”等。
英语中除了用die这个比较直接的说法表示“死”以外,其实也有不少委婉的表达方式,比如pass away、pass on、depart、expire、perish等,这里的perish多指非正常死亡,比如perish in battle(在战争中死亡)。
1. pass away
Sadly, Georgia's uncle passed away yesterday after a short illness.
真伤心,乔治亚的叔叔昨天得了一场急病去世了。
2. pass on
I'm sorry to learn that your dear mother has just passed on.
很遗憾听到你妈妈刚刚去世的消息。
pass away 和 pass on 都是暗指过世。
3. lose one's life
一般指由于意外事故、战争等不可抗力而造成的死亡,为意外死亡。
How did he lose his life?
他是怎么死的?
4. depart
depart 也是死亡的委婉说法,意思是灵魂离开了肉体的存在去往另一个世界了。
Comrade Zhou Enlai finally departed from us.
周恩来同志和我们永别了。
5. expire
expire的意思是呼气,这里引申为呼出最后一口气,暗指死亡。
The patient expired early this morning.
这位病人今天早晨去世了。
6. perish
perish 指的是非自然死亡。
Many soldiers perish in battle.
很多士兵在战斗中死去了。
7. go to meet one’s Maker
注意这个Maker要大写,有造物主的意思,所以去见造物主了就是灵魂回归了,也就是死亡的委婉说法,就像我们也会说某人“去见马克思了”。
He knew that he came into the world with nothing and that he would go to meet his Maker with empty hands.
他知道他是一无所有的来到世上,也将会两手空空的离开人间。
英语中其他常用的"过世"的委婉说法还有:
His time has come.
He has climbed the golden staircase.
He is sleeping the final sleep.
He is resting in peace.
He has breathed his last.
He answered the last number.
He has joined the angels.
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