英語中用濫的詞

每一種語言中都會有一些被稱為“陳詞濫調”的詞語，它們被大眾不厭其煩地頻繁使用，有時甚至會讓聽者聽到耳朵長繭，或是想要抓狂尖叫。那你知道英語中的陳詞濫調都有哪些嗎？一起來看看吧。

Do cliches1) and worn-out old phrases make you want to hiss2)? When someone says \"Think outside the box3)，\" do you feel like stuffing them inside a box? Are you going to scream if you hear some kid say \"like， you know\" one more time?

Here is a list of some of the most overused words and phrases that really ought to be retired.

LikeWhateverLiterally

For some reason， \"like\" is more annoying than filler words such as \"uh\" and \"um.\" Those filler words convey nervousness or low self-confidence. \"Like\" is， like， vacuous4).

You Know

This one is ALMOST as bad as \"like.\" To my dismay5)， \"you know\" is a dear friend of \"like.\" They always hang out6) together.

\"It's， like， you know...\"

Whatever

The problem with this word isn't just that it's overused. The biggest problem I have with \"whatever\" is that it expresses contempt7). It's dismissive8)， the verbal equivalent9) of rolling your eyes. Even if contempt is deserved10)， saying \"whatever\" rarely makes the speaker look good.

Literally

Ever watch Princess Bride11)? Remember when Inigo tells Vizzini， \"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.\" \"Literally\" is one of those types of words.

\"Literally\" isn't a word you use for emphasis. It's a word you use when you say something that shouldn't just be interpreted12) figuratively13). For example， if you jumped so high that you bumped14) your head， you could say， \"I literally hit the ceiling.\"

But if you say that you literally worked your butt off15)， it doesn't mean you worked really hard. It means you don't have a butt anymore.

Then again， people overuse the word \"literally\" even if they're technically using it correctly. If you drove your car into a ditch16)， you can just say so and leave it at that17). People probably don't need to hear the word \"literally\" to understand what you're saying.

Think Outside the Box

OK， time to put this business cliche back in the box now.

This buzzword18) was used to death by business executives who thought it sounded good. It promotes creative thinking， yet it has been repeated so much that it's become musty19)， flat， and uninspiring. It also sounds pretentious20).

陳詞濫調或老套過時的短語是否讓你想要發出噓聲？當有人說“跳出盒子思考”時，你是否想要把他們塞進一個盒子里？如果你聽到某個小孩又在說“那個啥，你知道的”，你是不是會大聲尖叫？

以下是一個清單，列出了人們使用過度、但卻著實應該退休了的詞和短語。

那個啥

不知為什么，“那個啥”比 “啊”、“嗯”等填充詞更令人感到厭煩。那些填充詞表露了說話者的緊張情緒或信心不足。“那個啥”是，那個啥，空洞無物。

你知道的

這個短語幾乎和“那個啥”一樣糟糕透頂。讓我郁悶的是，“你知道的”是“那個啥”的親密好友。他們經常出雙入對。

“這是，那個啥，你知道的……”

隨便

這個詞的問題不僅僅是它被人們濫用了。我討厭“隨便”這個詞的最大原因在于，它表達出了說話者的輕蔑。這個詞會讓人感覺很不屑，等同于翻白眼這個動作的語言表達。即使這種不屑事出有因，但是“隨便”這一表達很少能讓說話者顯得面目可親。

不夸張地說

看過《公主新娘》么？記得依尼戈對維齊尼說的話么？“你一直在用那個詞。我認為它并沒有表達出你想的那個意思。”“不夸張地說”就是一個這樣的詞。

“不夸張地說”不是一個用來表示強調的詞，而是當你在說某些不能僅僅只用修辭手段來闡述的事情時使用的詞。比如，你跳得太高，結果撞到了頭，你就可以說：“不夸張地說，我撞到了天花板。”

但是如果你說，不夸張地說，你把屁股都忙掉了，這并不表示你工作真的非常努力。它表示你已經沒有屁股了。

但是，人們再一次把這個詞給濫用了，盡管從語法而言他們的使用是正確的。如果你把汽車開進了一條陰溝里，你可以就這么實打實地說，然后到此打住。人們可能不用聽到“不夸張地說”這個詞，就能理解你想說的意思。

跳出盒子思考(創造性思維)

好了，是時候該把這個在商業上被用濫的詞放回盒子里了。

商業管理人士不厭其煩地使用這句時髦話，因為他們覺得它聽上去不錯。這句話能激發創意思維，但是它被重復使用的次數過多，就變得陳腐不堪、平淡無奇并且單調乏味了。而且它聽上去還顯得矯揉造作。

Vocabulary

1.cliche [5kli:Fei] n. 陳詞濫調，用濫了的套語

2.hiss [hIs] vi. (為表示嘲笑、不滿等)發尖利的噓聲

3.think outside the box: 換一種角度思考，創造性思維

4.vacuous [5vAkjuEs] adj. 沒有意義的

5.dismay [dIs5meI] n. 幻想破滅，失望；絕望；氣餒

6.hang out: <俚>廝混

7.contempt [kEn5tempt] n. 輕視，輕蔑

8.dismissive [dIs5mIsIv] adj. 輕蔑的，鄙視的

9.equivalent [I5kwIvElEnt] n. 意義相同的詞(或符號、表達法等)

10.deserved [dI5zE:vd] adj. 該受的，應得的；理所當然的

11.Princess Bride: 電影《公主新娘》，于1987年在美國上映，并榮獲1988年奧斯卡最佳音樂獎提名。

12.interpret [In5tE:prIt] vt. 解釋，說明，闡明

13.figuratively

[5fI^jurEtIvlI] adv. 用修辭手段地

14.bump [bQmp] vt. (使)猛擊；(使)沖撞；撞傷

15.work one's butt off: 努力工作，很努力地做(一件事)；work off: (通過工作、活動等)消除，去除；butt [bQt] n. <美口> 屁股

16.ditch [dItF] n. 溝，明溝，壕溝

17.leave it at that: <口>就到此為止，別再說什么(或做什么)

18.buzzword [5bQzwE:d] n. (內容空洞、主要用以在外行面前顯示自己高明的)玄妙的術語；時髦詞語

19.musty [5mQstI] adj. 過時的；陳腐的；廢棄的

20.pretentious

[prI5tenFEs] adj. 矯飾的；炫耀的；做作的

21.substitute [5sQbstItju:t] n. 【語】替代(形式)；代用詞；代用語

22.ingrained [7In5^reInd] adj. 根深蒂固的

Some words are used heavily because it's HARD to find a substitute21) for perfectly good words that convey the right meaning or tone. Other words are difficult to give up because they're so comfortably ingrained22) in our habits.

部分詞語被頻繁使用是因為人們很難找到一個完美的替代詞來傳達同樣的意思或語調。其他的詞很難被人們棄而不用，是因為它們已經在我們的使用習慣中舒服地扎根，而且根深蒂固了。