细说英语粗话:28. Dimwit

28. Dimwit

 dimwit 笨蛋，傻瓜，无大脑之辈

 dimwitted 笨的，愚蠢的，脑筋不灵的

Dimwit一字于1922年初始见于英文文献，仅当名词及形容词用。当名词时，指脑筋迟钝的人、笨人；当形容词时，指笨的、不聪明的，通常形容 ideas，men，women等名词。语气损人，仕人淑女少使用。

Dimwit 当名词用

1. dimwit 笨蛋、傻瓜(自贬，贬人)

A. The author1 goes out of the way2 to describe to us dimwits the meaning of the word jejune.3 This book is description enough4.

(Denver Rocky Mountain News，9／7／97)

该作家对咱们笨蛋阐释jejune一字含义，实多此一举，这本书本身已足以代表［该字的］内涵。

注：

1. 本文节录该报对Michael Walsh所著的Exchange Alley(交换巷弄)小说的书评。

2. goes out of the way 以“绕道”喻“多此一举”。

3. jejune 干燥无味的，不成熟的，平凡的。

4. This book is description enough. 不言自明，系讽刺说法。

A. There’s trouble brewing over the Milwaukee1 stadium plan put forth by Gov. Tommy Thompson. Every dimwit，naysayer2. and a few nitwits in the Legislature have begun carping. They should put their plan where their mouths are3.

(Wisconsin State Journal，9／2／95)

威斯康辛州州长汤普森提出的密尔瓦基棒球场计划将遭抵制；每一个笨蛋、唱反调者以及州议会的几个傻子已经开始吹毛求疵。他们不应该光说不练。

注：

1. Milwaukee 威州东南一城市。

2. naysayer 指凡事采取消极看法或持反对意见者。

3. put their plan where their mouths are是put their money where their mouths are(嘴巴说得漂亮，就该掏腰包)，本句是由俗语变化而成的。

A. Beyer2 plays Jazz，a wannabe3 talk-show host. Jazz isn’t very bright. She goes to an interview／audition and is crushed and angry when she’s told she was supposed to bring a demo tape4 with her. Say what5? “Can’t you shoot6 my sample show now?” The guy interviewing this dimwit is amazingly patient.

(Denver Rocky Mountain News，9／11／98)

贝雅扮演爵士，梦想成为出名的脱口秀主持人。不过，爵士脑筋并不太灵光，她去面试时，获悉本应自备一卷示范录像带。她又失望又生气，说什么，“你现在不能拍我的样本秀吗?”给她面试的那个家伙出奇地耐着性子。

注：

1. 此节录自该报Let’s Talk About Sex(谈性爱)的电影评论(movie review)。

2. Beyer 贝雅，为该片的女性导演兼编剧家。

3. wannabe是want to be的快说。特指羡慕名人也梦想成名，却没有那个本领的人。

4. demo tape 示范录像带。demo乃demonstration的简写，媒体用以筛选报名者。

5. say what?是What did［she］say(说什么?再说一遍)的口语化，为美国年轻人的口头禅，表示“深疑”(incredulous)之意。

6. shoot 拍摄(照片)。

Dimwit 的形容词dimwitted

1. dimwitted 愚蠢的，笨的

A. “Aren’t you a specialist?” I asked，incredulity and panic creeping into my voice.

我以逐渐怀疑又恐慌的口气问，“您是专科大夫吗?”

B. “Oh，no.”he said，laughing，as though the joke were on1 the dimwitted soul2 who actually believes our present health care system would provide patients with condition-approphate physicians.“I am a generalist.”

(L.A.Times，Ventura County Edition，8／2／98)

他笑着说：“才不呢，我是全科医生”，［口气］像是［我］真的相信我们现有的医疗制度让病人看专科医生，真是愚昧得可笑。

注：

1. as though the joke were on(somebody) 像是把……当成笑柄，是虚拟语气。

2. soul 指文中看眼疾的女性病人自己。

A. It takes no brains to watch women in bikinis play sexy， treacherous games with dimwitted men—and each other.

(The Tampa Tribune，9／11／98)

观赏比基尼女郎与愚昧男士玩性感又冒险的把戏是不费脑筋的。

注：

1.节录自该报对 Wild Things 2(《狂事》第二集)的电影评介。