2022年11月04日 VOA慢速英語：泰勒斯威夫特歌曲中的未知和“直到”

 

Two popular singers, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, came out with a song together called Snow on the Beach. The song is about two people falling in love with each other at the same time, which is uncommon — like snow falling on a beach.
兩位當(dāng)紅歌手泰勒·斯威夫特和拉娜·德雷一起推出了一首名為《海灘上的雪》的歌曲。這首歌是關(guān)于兩個(gè)人同時(shí)墜入愛河的，這并不常見——就像雪落在沙灘上一樣。
 
In this week's Everyday Grammar, we look closely at this song. While there are many grammatical structures in it, we will look at just two words: "unbeknownst" and "‘til."
在本周的Everyday Grammar中，我們仔細(xì)看看這首歌。雖然其中有許多語法結(jié)構(gòu)，但我們只看兩個(gè)詞：“unbeknownst”和“'til”。
 
Let's listen to parts of Snow on the Beach:
讓我們聽聽《海灘上的雪》的部分內(nèi)容：
 
I saw flecks of what could've been lights
我看到了可能是光的斑點(diǎn)
 
But it might just have been you
但它可能只是你
 
Passing by unbeknownst to me…
在我不知情的情況下經(jīng)過......
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you make it…
假裝它是好的，直到你成功......
 
‘Til you do
直到你這樣做
 
‘Til it's true
直到它是真的
 
Unbeknownst
不為人知
 
The word "unbeknownst" is an adjective meaning "not known or existing without knowledge of someone."
“unbeknownst”這個(gè)詞是一個(gè)形容詞，意思是“不知道或不知道某人的存在”。
 
"Unbeknownst" sounds very old. It has the suffix "st" which was put on the ends of some words hundreds of years ago. However, "unbeknownst" is a "newer" version of the old adjective "unbeknown."
“Unbeknownst”聽起來很古老。它的后綴“st”是數(shù)百年前放在某些單詞的末尾的。然而，“unbeknownst”是舊形容詞“unbeknown”的“更新”版本。
 
Today it is more common to hear someone using the adjective "unknown," but from time to time you will hear "unbeknownst," just like in the Taylor Swift song.
今天更常見的是聽到有人使用形容詞“未知”，但有時(shí)你會(huì)聽到“未知”，就像在泰勒斯威夫特的歌曲中一樣。
 
So how do we use this adjective?
那么我們?nèi)绾问褂眠@個(gè)形容詞呢？
 
We mostly use "unbeknownst" with the preposition "to."
我們通常將“unbeknownst”與介詞“to”一起使用。
 
Something or someone is "unbeknownst to" someone else.
其他人“不知道”某事或某人。
 
Here, once again, are the lyrics of Swift's Snow on the Beach.
再一次，這里是斯威夫特海灘上的雪的歌詞。
 
I saw flecks of what could've been light
我看到了可能是光的斑點(diǎn)
 
But it might just have been you
但它可能只是你
 
Passing by unbeknownst to me…
在我不知情的情況下經(jīng)過......
 
We have the structure:
我們有以下結(jié)構(gòu)：
 
"...you (passing by) unbeknownst to me."
“……你（路過）我不知道。”
 
"Unbeknownst to me" is an adjective phrase. Adjective phrases contain an adjective that describe a noun that is close to the phrase.
“我不知道”是一個(gè)形容詞。形容詞短語包含一個(gè)形容詞，用于描述與該短語接近的名詞。
 
In this part of the song, "unbeknownst to me" as an adjective phrase is actually describing the direct object, the noun of "you."
在這首歌中，“unbeknownst to me”作為形容詞，實(shí)際上是在描述直接賓語，即“you”這個(gè)名詞。
 
Let's look at some other examples of how we can use "unbeknownst."
讓我們看一下如何使用“unbeknownst”的其他示例。
 
Her mom's wedding dress in the back of the closet was unbeknownst to her.
她不知道她媽媽在衣柜后面的婚紗。
 
Here the adjective phrase of "unbeknownst…" is modifying the noun and subject of the sentence "wedding dress."
這里的形容詞短語“unbeknownst…”是修飾句子“wedding dress”的名詞和主語。
 
We can also use "unbeknownst" in the beginning of a sentence:
我們也可以在句首使用“unbeknownst”：
 
Unbeknownst to many cat owners, dry cat food can make their cats very thirsty.
許多貓主人不知道，干貓糧會(huì)讓他們的貓非常口渴。
 
Here cat owners do not know that dry food can make cats want water.
這里的貓主人不知道干糧會(huì)讓貓想喝水。
 
Now let's consider "'til."
現(xiàn)在讓我們考慮“'直到”。
 
‘Til
直到
The word "'til" is a shorter form of "until." We use it in everyday speech, especially when telling time or using dates.
單詞“'til”是“until”的縮寫形式。我們在日常講話中使用它，尤其是在告訴時(shí)間或使用日期時(shí)。
 
We use "until" for somewhat formal writing. The word "'til" often appears in spoken language and in writing, like in songs or poems.
我們使用“直到”來進(jìn)行一些正式的寫作。“直到”這個(gè)詞經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在口語和書面語中，如歌曲或詩歌中。
 
"Until" and "'til" mean "up to a certain point or event in time." They can be either a preposition or a conjunction, linking two clauses together.
“直到”和“直到”的意思是“直到某個(gè)時(shí)間點(diǎn)或事件”。它們可以是介詞或連詞，將兩個(gè)從句連接在一起。
 
Let us look at how Taylor uses "'til" in Snow on the Beach:
讓我們看看 Taylor 在Snow on the Beach中如何使用“'til” ：
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you make it
假裝它是好的，直到你成功
 
‘Til you do
直到你這樣做
 
‘Til it's true
直到它是真的
 
In all three lines of the song, Swift uses "'til" as a conjunction, linking the first clause to the second.
在這首歌的所有三行中，斯威夫特都使用“'til”作為連詞，將第一個(gè)子句連接到第二個(gè)子句。
 
And it's fine to fake it + ‘til + you make it
可以偽造它+直到+你成功了
 
First clause + conjunction "'til" + second clause.
第一個(gè)子句 + 連詞“'til” + 第二個(gè)子句。
 
Remember that a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. Clauses do not always contain a complete thought, like a sentence does.
請記住，從句是一組包含主語和謂語的詞。從句并不總是包含完整的思想，就像句子一樣。
 
We can take the three other lines and create two additional sentences:
我們可以取其他三行并創(chuàng)建兩個(gè)額外的句子：
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you do.
假裝它是很好的，直到你這樣做。
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til it's true.
可以假裝它直到它是真的。
 
In these sentences, "'til" is still a conjunction, linking the first clause with the second clause to make a complete sentence.
在這些句子中，“'til”仍然是連詞，將第一個(gè)從句與第二個(gè)從句連接起來構(gòu)成一個(gè)完整的句子。
 
Let us look at some other examples of how "'til" can be used as a preposition.
讓我們看一些其他例子，說明“'til”如何用作介詞。
 
We can use "'til" just like "until" with points or events in time. Here are some examples.
我們可以像使用“直到”一樣使用“'til”來表示時(shí)間點(diǎn)或事件。這里有些例子。
 
We have ‘til Friday to get the report done.
我們要等到星期五才能完成報(bào)告。
 
Andrew: What time is it?
安德魯：現(xiàn)在幾點(diǎn)了？
 
Jill: It's 10 minutes ‘til 6 PM or 5:50 PM.
吉爾：還有 10 分鐘，直到下午 6 點(diǎn)或 5:50。
 
In the summer, it does not get dark ‘til later in the evening.
在夏天，直到傍晚才天黑。
 
Closing thoughts
結(jié)束的想法
 
Today we looked at two interesting words from the song Snow on the Beach by Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, "unbeknownst" and "'til." Both of these words are newer forms of much older words.
今天我們來看看 Taylor Swift 和 Lana Del Rey 的歌曲Snow on the Beach中的兩個(gè)有趣的詞，“unbeknownst”和“'til”。這兩個(gè)詞都是舊詞的新形式。
 
"Unbeknownst" is an adjective and is often used with the preposition "to."
“Unbeknownst”是一個(gè)形容詞，通常與介詞“to”一起使用。
 
"'Til" is the short form of the word "until" and can be used as either a preposition or a conjunction.
“'Til”是“until”這個(gè)詞的縮寫，既可以用作介詞，也可以用作連詞。
 
Now it's your turn. Have you heard or tried to use these words before? Do you know any other words with similar meanings or usages?
現(xiàn)在輪到你了。你以前聽過或嘗試過使用這些詞嗎？您還知道其他具有相似含義或用法的單詞嗎？
 
Let us know in the comments!
讓我們在評論中知道！