人是一种有情绪的动物,有的时候兴高采烈,有的时候抑郁寡欢,有的镇定自若,有的时候忐忑不安,但无论是哪种状态,都是短暂的心理状态,很快就会恢复到正常的状态。
任何一门语言都是一种工具,是一个可以改善人的生活环境或调节人的心理状态的必要存在,人们通过它传达情感。在英语中表达情绪或心情等的表达方式数不胜数,首先要提的是基本词汇 mood 和 mind,例如:
mood:
He's always in a bad mood.
他总是情绪不好。
She's in a good mood today.
她今天心情很好。
She was in a disturbed state of mind.I could not have complete peace of mind before they returned.
对应于 mind 的一个短语 presence of mind,意为”镇定自若“,常见的用法是 have the presence of mind to do sth,那么”忐忑不安“可以是 lose one's presence of mind,例如:1. have the presence of mind to do sth 意为“镇定自若做某事“When the gunmen came into the bank, she had the presence of mind to press the alarm.The boy had the presence of mind to turn off the gas.2. lose one's presence of mind 意为”惊慌失措,忐忑不安“
I am the one who never loses his presence of mind.
注意:我们不能用 lose one's mind 或 be/go out of your mind 来表示”忐忑不安“等,因为它们意为”发疯,神经错乱“等,例如:
I'm going to lose my mind if I have to hear that song one more time!
如果我再听一次那首歌,我会失去理智的!
I think Jane's grandmother has lost her mind lately.
我想简的祖母最近疯了。
You want to go on a parachuting holiday? Are you out of your mind?
在英语中还可以用一个很贴切的习语 butterflies in one's stomach 来表示心慌意乱或忐忑不安,它的字面意思“胃里的蝴蝶”,用来比喻心情不上不下,常与 have,give 或 get 等动词连用,例如:I'm meeting her parents tonight, and I have a bad case of butterflies in my stomach.He had butterflies in his stomach as he walked out onto the stage for his dance performance.He had butterflies in his stomach while waiting for the results of his exam.It was not frightening enough to give me butterflies in my stomach, but it made me a little apprehensive.I always get butterflies in my stomach before making a speech.
就像前面提到的一样,表示心理状态或情绪的表达方式数不胜数,其中类似的表达忐忑不安的单词或短语还有很多:nervous,uneasy,troubled 和 ill at ease 等,例如:I was too nervous to speak.I was very nervous about driving again after the accident.She felt uneasy about leaving the children with them.He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about their visit.He is clearly a very troubled man.After he had committed the crime, his conscience was troubled.He always feels rather ill at ease before strangers.He looked ill at ease in the room full of reporters.学无止境,要总结归纳的还有 afraid,frightened,scared,petrified,terrified 和 panic-stricken 等等;其实学习就是这样,把类似的分门别类,形成记忆的链条。
apprehensive [ˌæprɪˈhensɪv] 意为”忧虑的;担心的“等