认识这个词(基础篇)
词:norm
英英释义:the usual or normal situation, way of doing sth
例句:In China marrying young is no longer the social norm.
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
我们很熟悉“normal”,不过它的名词形式“norm”也很常见。“norm”是名词,意思是“常态” “规范” “标准”,在有的语境下还可以翻译为“见怪不怪” “稀松平常”。
“norm” 可以用单数,可以用复数,作单数时一般会用“the norm”,常用作“be/become the norm”。比如,在很多国家私生子正在变得稀松平常,就可以说:
自己的翻译:In many countries, child born out of wedlock become the norm
👉Births out of wedlock are becoming the norm in many countries.
思考:正在—-用现在进行时; 私生子——Birth out of wedlock; 非婚生——-Born out of wedlock
If a baby is born in wedlock, it is born while its parents are married. If it is born out of wedlock, it is born at a time when its parents are not married.
母语非英语国家的国际学校一直都是双语教育,就可以这么说:
自己的翻译:International schools whose first language is not English is always bilingual education.
👉 Bilingual education remains the norm in international schools throughout non-English-speaking countries.
思考:写完后发现没有用到norm, 而且通过对比,发现自己有点按照中文的思维来写了。除了用become/be the norm, 还可以用Remain the norm, 母语非英语国家的国际学校核心词是国际教育,用throughout来连接,
男性应该比女性收入高这一情况基本没变,就可以说:
自己的翻译:Males’ salaries are higher than females’, which remains the norm.
👉The social norm“men should earn more than their wives”remains unchanged.
思考“保持不变:在这里,原本是The norm 在宾语的位置,变成在主语的位置,remain unchanged = remain the norm
《经济学人》一篇关于虚拟现实和游戏的文章里有这么一句:
Immersive, 360-degree experiences, complete with touch and temperature sensations, should become the norm.
这句话的意思是:“配有触觉和温度感应的浸入式 360° 体验应该成为标配。” 就是说在未来,游戏应该是这个样子的。句子中的这些功能都是和之前的游戏相比而言的,因此句尾的“become the norm”还可以说“become the new norm”,即“成为新常态”。
最后需要注意:“normal”还有一个派生词名词“normality,它和“norm”一样都是名词,但意思有区别。“normality”的意思是正常的状态,比如印尼发生地震后,一种常态都被打破了,因此就有了生活秩序恢复正常(go back to normality)的说法;而“norm”的意思是长期形成的一种规范,它和“exception”(“例外”)相对。
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“norm”,了解它的常用搭配。
普遍接受的规范:accepted norm / established norm; 遵守规范:conform to the norm; 道德/ 文化规范:moral / cultural norm ; 偏离常态:deviate from; differ from
2)翻译下面的句子:
有创造力的人往往会挑战,甚至偏离常规,而不是固守常规。(翻译时建议参考《牛津英语搭配词典》)
Creative people tend to challenge and even differ from the norm, instead of following the rules.
参考翻译:Creative minds tend to challenge and even deviate from the norm, rather than conform to it.
思考:这里的有创造力的人没有用creative people, 而是creative minds, 固守成规翻译成:conform to the norm
4 造句
The social norm "women should take care of the children" remains unchanged.
Overseas study is becoming the norm rather than the exception in the modern world.