2023年02月26日 VOA慢速英语：你最近“惹恼了任何羽毛”吗？

 

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在，来自 VOA Learning English 的Words and Their Stories 。
 
Birds bring so many wonderful things to our lives. They have beautiful songs for our ears and beautiful feathers for our eyes.
鸟类给我们的生活带来了许多美好的事物。他们为我们的耳朵提供美妙的歌曲，为我们的眼睛提供美丽的羽毛。
 
Birds also add to our English expressions. You may have heard the early bird catches the worm. This saying means the person who arrives first is most likely to get what they want.
鸟类也增加了我们的英语表达方式。您可能听说过早起的鸟儿有虫吃。这句话的意思是先到的人最有可能得到他们想要的。
 
And what about birds of a feather flock together? That means people with the same interests are often together.
物以类聚又如何呢？这意味着具有相同兴趣的人经常在一起。
 
Well, today we talk about a bird expression that describes being upset, or bothering someone. When we upset others, we have ruffled their feathers.
好吧，今天我们来谈谈描述不高兴或打扰某人的鸟类表达方式。当我们惹恼别人时，我们已经激怒了他们。
 
For example, if I am often late meeting a friend, that could ruffle her feathers. It could bother her. And if someone lies to me, that will ruffle my feathers.
例如，如果我经常和朋友见面迟到，那可能会激怒她。这可能会打扰她。如果有人对我撒谎，那会激怒我。
 
Besides meaning to bother or upset people, this expression has another meaning. It also means that your action shakes things up. We use it to describe an action that changes the status quo, or the usual way of doing things.
除了打扰或扰乱人们的意思外，这个表达还有另一个含义。这也意味着你的行动改变了一切。我们用它来描述改变现状的动作， 或者通常的做事方式。
 
Sometimes, we upset more than just one person. In that case, we can say we ruffled a few feathers. For example, if a new work policy is not popular with workers, it will probably ruffle a few, or more than a few, feathers.
有时，我们不高兴的不止一个人。在那种情况下，我们可以说我们激怒了一些羽毛。例如，如果一项新的工作政策不受工人欢迎，它可能会激怒一些人，或者不止一些人。
 
In English, we have quite a few expressions that mean something similar. To drive someone up the wall, to get under someone's skin, and to get on someone's nerves all mean to bother someone.
在英语中，我们有很多表达类似意思的表达方式。把某人逼上绝路，惹恼某人，触动某人的神经都意味着打扰某人。
 
However, we do not use those expressions to describe changing the usual way of doing things. So, in that sense, ruffling some feathers is different.
但是，我们不使用这些表达来描述改变通常的做事方式。所以，从这个意义上说，激怒一些羽毛是不同的。
 
Word experts say that the use of this expression began in the mid-1800s. It comes from the fact that, sometimes, birds ruffle their feathers when they are upset. But birds also ruffle their feathers at other times, for example to keep warm or during mating season.
文字专家说，这种表达方式的使用始于 1800 年代中期。这是因为，有时候，鸟儿在不高兴的时候会弄乱它们的羽毛。但是鸟类也会在其他时间弄乱它们的羽毛，例如为了保暖或在交配季节。
 
Now, let's hear two friends use the expression.
现在，让我们听听两个朋友使用这个表达方式。
 
A: The meeting for our Ukulele Club is going to start in 20 minutes.
A: 我们尤克里里俱乐部的会议将在 20 分钟后开始。
 
B: I brought drinks and some food.
B：我带了饮料和一些食物。
 
A: And I brought copies of our new rules!
A：我还带来了我们新规则的副本！
 
B: Um … I don't think you should hand those out.
B：嗯……我认为你不应该把那些东西分发出去。
 
A: Why?
答：为什么？
 
B: Well, some members are NOT going to like them.
B: 嗯，有些成员不会喜欢他们。
 
A: What do you mean?
答：什么意思？
 
B: I mean -- these new rules are going to ruffle some feathers.
B：我的意思是——这些新规则会激怒一些人。
 
A: No way! Whose feathers are going to be ruffled?
答：不可能！谁的羽毛会被弄乱？
 
B: Well, Marjorie, for one. Your first new rule is no dogs are permitted during practice. She doesn't go anywhere without her little dog BinkyBoo.
B：嗯，玛乔丽，举个例子。你的第一个新规则是练习期间不允许带狗。没有她的小狗 BinkyBoo，她哪儿也去不了。
 
A: Well, maybe we can change that one.
A：嗯，也许我们可以改变那个。
 
B: And the dress requirement? Do you really think people want to dress in costume for performances?
B: 着装要求呢？你真的认为人们想要穿着戏服表演吗？
 
A: It'll make it more fun for the audience.
A: 这会让观众觉得更有趣。
 
B: Actually, every one of the new rules is going to ruffle someone's feathers.
B：实际上，每一项新规定都会激怒某些人。
 
A: Okay, I get it. I'll throw them away. The last thing I want to be accused of is being a feather-ruffler.
A：好的，我明白了。我会把它们扔掉。我最不想被指责的事情就是做一个羽毛褶皱者。