2022年11月06日 VOA慢速英语：“润滑某人的手掌”有多脏？

 

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在，来自美国之音学习英语的单词和他们的故事。
 
On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples and notes on usage.
在这个节目中，我们探索英语中的单词和表达方式。我们给出了使用示例和注释。
 
Today we talk about something that sounds dirty because it is – to grease someone's palm.
今天我们谈论一些听起来很脏的东西，因为它是——给某人的手掌抹油。
 
When we grease someone's palm, we give them money, or something else valuable, to get what we want. Simply put, it is an act of bribery. For example, if someone greases a government official's palm, the person secretly gives money to the official in order to get something they want.
当我们在某人的手掌上涂上油脂时，我们会给他们金钱或其他有价值的东西，以得到我们想要的东西。简而言之，这是一种贿赂行为。例如，如果有人给政府官员的手掌抹油，这个人就会偷偷给官员钱，以得到他们想要的东西。
 
You may also hear this expression used with the word oil instead of grease.
您可能还会听到这个表达方式与“油”而不是“油脂”一词一起使用。
 
Grease and oil help some machines work smoothly. Grease and oil are both black, slippery materials. They prevent friction when pieces of machinery touch or rub together.
油脂有助于某些机器顺利运行。油脂和油都是黑色的、光滑的材料。当机器部件接触​​或摩擦在一起时，它们可以防止摩擦。
 
You could argue that bribing people to get what you want works the same way. It makes a process work better – at least for the person doing the greasing.
你可能会争辩说，贿赂别人以获得你想要的东西也是如此。它使一个过程更好地工作——至少对进行润滑的人来说是这样。
 
Now, sometimes when we grease someone's palm, it is not as serious as bribery.
现在，有时我们在某人的手掌上涂油，这并不像贿赂那么严重。
 
If you have ever secretly put money into someone's hand or palm for the purpose of getting a favor from them … you have greased their palm. But don't worry. Palm-greasing is not always illegal. Sometimes it just simplifies a process or helps avoid a long wait. Other times it gives you access that may be denied to others.
如果你曾经为了得到某人的帮助而偷偷把钱放在某人的手或手掌上……你已经给他们的手掌涂上了油脂。但别担心。棕榈油并不总是违法的。有时它只是简化流程或帮助避免长时间等待。其他时候，它为您提供可能被其他人拒绝的访问权限。
 
For example, at a restaurant you could give someone money to get a better table. You could also give money to a tour guide to see areas closed to others.
例如，在一家餐馆，你可以给别人钱来换一张更好的桌子。你也可以给导游钱，看看对别人不开放的区域。
 
I once had a friend who would often grease her little brother's palm when her boyfriend visited. This little bit of palm-greasing guaranteed that she and her boyfriend would have some privacy. Her little brother kept his word, and her parents never knew about the boyfriend's visits.
我曾经有一个朋友，她男朋友来访时，她经常给她弟弟的手掌抹油。这一点点手掌上的油脂保证了她和她的男朋友会有一些隐私。她的弟弟信守诺言，她的父母从来不知道男朋友的来访。
 
These examples of palm-greasing may be secret but they are not illegal. They simply make something happen more quickly or easily.
这些涂棕榈油的例子可能是秘密的，但它们并不违法。他们只是让事情发生得更快或更容易。