腐壞與污濁:讓人想閃開的髒
這一族是核心畫面的字面用法:真的髒、真的臭、真的讓人不想靠近。從食物的味道,到空氣和水的狀態,再到「把它弄成這樣」的動作。
bad-smelling · adjective · C1
Having a very bad smell or taste, often because something is rotting or full of waste.
惡臭/難吃
One way to hold it: something rotting. Meat left too long, water full of waste — the smell hits you first and your whole body says get away.
From Old English fūl "rotten, stinking, unclean, corrupt", from Proto-Germanic *fūlaz; the same root gives the verb fūlian "to rot, decay". Related to filth and to foul's cousin in other Germanic languages.
古英語 fūl 就是「腐爛的、發臭的、不潔的」,來自原始日耳曼語 *fūlaz;同一個根也長出動詞 fūlian(腐爛、變質)。也就是說形容詞和動詞其實是同一棵樹的兩根枝:一個講「東西是腐壞的狀態」,一個講「把東西弄成那樣」。跟 filth(污穢)同源。
Wiktionary, "foul" (adj. ← Old English fūl ← Proto-West Germanic *fūl; verb ← Old English fūlian ← Proto-Germanic *fūlāną "to rot, decay")
Four branches
腐壞與污濁:讓人想閃開的髒
這一族是核心畫面的字面用法:真的髒、真的臭、真的讓人不想靠近。從食物的味道,到空氣和水的狀態,再到「把它弄成這樣」的動作。
bad-smelling · adjective · C1
Having a very bad smell or taste, often because something is rotting or full of waste.
惡臭/難吃
難以忍受的人與天氣:從鼻子搬到情緒
腐壞引發的是「避開」的直覺,這一族把那個直覺保留下來,只是換了對象:不再是聞起來難受,而是待起來難受。
bad-tempered · adjective · C1
If someone is in a foul mood or a foul temper, they are very angry and likely to get angry with people around them.
壞心情
髒話:讓人聽了不舒服的語言
同樣的排斥反應搬到耳朵上:話一出口,聽的人像聞到什麼一樣退開。中文說「髒話」用的正是同一個比喻,所以這個連結對中文母語者特別好記。
obscene, rude language · adjective · C1
Rude and shocking — used about words that offend or upset other people.
下流
運動犯規:把乾淨的比賽弄髒
從「髒」延伸到「不乾淨的行為」:運動英文用 fair 和 foul 這組老對立,fair 是清、foul 是濁,所以違規和界外都歸到 foul 這邊。這不是硬拉的比喻——英文很早就有 by fair means or foul(不擇手段)這種用法,「不乾淨的做法」這層意思在運動之前就存在了。
commit a foul (sport) · verb · C1
If a player fouls another player, they hold, block, or touch them in a way the sport does not allow.
犯規
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
fouladj詞源 1/faʊl/
Covered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty.
Obscene, vulgar or abusive.
Detestable, unpleasant, loathsome.
Disgusting, repulsive; causing disgust.
obsoleteUgly; homely; poor.
Unpleasant, stormy or rainy. (of the weather)
Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.
nauticaltransportEntangled and therefore restricting free movement, not clear.
engineeringnatural-sciencesphysical-sciences(with "of") Positioned on, in, or near enough to (a specified area) so as to obstruct it.
ball-gamesbaseballgamesOutside of the base lines; in foul territory.
foulverb詞源 2/faʊl/
To make dirty.
To besmirch.
To obstruct, block, or otherwise interfere with (something), for example by clogging (a drain, gun barrel, chimney, etc) or by being in the way of (a gunshot, etc).
nauticaltransportTo entangle.
ball-gamesbasketballgamesTo make make a play, such as a strong contact with an opposing player in order to gain advantage, that is deemed by the referee to have contravened the rules.
ball-gamesbasketballgamesTo commit a foul.
ball-gamesbaseballgamesTo hit outside of the baselines.
ball-gamesbaseballgamesTo hit a ball outside of the baselines.
To become clogged.
To become entangled.
To come into contact or collide with.
foulnoun詞源 2/faʊl/
hobbieslifestylesportsA breach of the rules of a game, especially one involving inappropriate contact with an opposing player in order to gain an advantage; for example, tripping someone up in soccer, or contact of any kind in basketball.
bowlinghobbieslifestyleA (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has released the ball.
ball-gamesbaseballgamesA foul ball, a ball which has been hit outside of the base lines.
fishinghobbieslifestyleA tangle or entanglement.
資料來源:英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary(CC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。