The english we speak(BBC教學)第309期:To wash your dirty linen in public 家醜外揚

Are Rob's neighbours discussing personal issues in the garden where everyone can hear? Luckily Feifei is about to help clear up some confusion about a phrase that describes what they're allegedly doing.

羅布的鄰居在誰都能聽到的花園裏談論私事？幸好菲菲提供了幫助，消除了羅布對一個短語的疑惑，這個短語用來形容他們正在做的事情。

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me Feifei...

菲菲：大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語節目，我是菲菲。

Rob: me, Rob. Hello! Hey Feifei, you know that expression 'to wash your dirty linen in public'?

羅布：還有我，羅布。大家好！嗨，菲菲，你知道to wash your dirty linen in public這個表達方式嗎？

Feifei: Yes. The expression 'to wash your dirty linen in public' describes someone who talks about private matters in public — so everyone can hear them. You wouldn't catch me doing that!

菲菲：知道。這個短語的意思是有人公開談論私事，而其他人都能聽到。你不會看到我這樣做的！

Rob: Nor me — I always keep private matters private — but anyway it's exactly what Daisy and Tom have been doing.

羅布：我也不會這樣做，我一直在保護隱私，可是黛西和湯姆卻這麼做了。

Feifei: What? They've been washing their dirty linen in public — you mean they've been arguing?

菲菲：什麼？他們在公開場合談論私事？你是說他們吵架了？

Rob: Not exactly — but yesterday, they were out in the garden making lots of noise.

羅布：不完全是，不過昨天，他們在花園裏弄出了很大的噪音。

Feifei: Oh I see. Actually Rob I think...

菲菲：哦，我明白了。羅布，其實我覺得……

Rob: I'm sure Daisy said something about hanging Tom out to dry.

羅布：我確定戴茜說了要把湯姆晾在一邊的話。

Feifei: Rob, Rob. There's a simple explanation. But let's hear some more examples of this phrase first...

菲菲：羅布，羅布。這很容易解釋。我們先來聽一些例句吧。

Examples

例句

Tim kept discussing his brother's drinking problem at the pub but I told him not to wash his dirty linen in public.

蒂姆一直在酒吧裏談論他哥哥的的酗酒問題，但我告訴他不要將家醜外揚。

I know he's having an affair but do they have to wash their dirty linen in public?

我知道他有外遇，但他們一定要將家醜外揚嗎？

Don't wash your dirty linen in public, save your argument for when you get home!

家醜不可外揚，你還是等回家再吵吧！

Feifei: So the expression 'to wash your dirty linen in public' means you discuss private matters in public. But Rob, I don't think Daisy and Tom were talking about their family problems in the garden.

菲菲：這個短語的意思是在公開場合談論私事。但是羅布，我想戴茜和湯姆並沒有在花園裏談論他們的家事。

Rob: Well I could hear what was going on.

羅布：可是我確實聽到了。

Feifei: Are you sure? Because I spoke to Daisy and she said their washing machine had broken down and they were actually washing their clothes outdoors, in the garden. I think the noise was just them having a laugh.

菲菲：你確定嗎？因爲我和戴茜談過了，她說他們家的洗衣機壞了，他們一直在花園裏洗衣服。我想那個噪音是他們在笑吧。

Rob: But what about Daisy saying she was going to hang Tom out to dry?

羅布：那戴茜說要把湯姆晾在一邊是怎麼回事？

Feifei: I think she meant she was going to hang Tom's clothes out to dry. You need to mind your own business and then you won't hear people washing their dirty linen in public — either literally or metaphorically!

菲菲：我想她的意思是把湯姆的衣服晾乾。你要少管閒事，不要再聽別人在公衆場合談論私密的事了，不管是從字面意思來說，還是從比喻的角度來說都不要了！

Rob: Thanks for the advice Feifei. Bye Bye.

羅布：菲菲，謝謝你的建議。再見。

Feifei: Bye.

菲菲：再見。

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重點講解：
1. clear up 解決(問題)；消除(誤會)；揭開(謎團)；
例句：We must multiply our efforts to clear up the mystery.
我們必須加倍努力來澄清這一神祕的事件。
2. wash one's dirty linen in public 把醜事公開；使家醜外揚；
例句：The spectacle of the former naval officers washing their dirty linen in public was distinctly embarrassing.
前海軍官員們自揭傷疤的做法顯然非常令人尷尬。
3. have an affair 風流韻事；私通；
例句：She was having an affair with someone at work.
她跟某一同事有染。
4. break down （機器或車輛）出毛病，損壞；
例句：My car broke down and had to be towed to a garage.
我的汽車出故障了，得拉到修理廠去。
5. mind one's own business 沒你的事；少管閒事；
例句：I asked Laura what was wrong and she told me to mind my own business.
我問勞拉發生了什麼事，她讓我少管閒事。