这些不是赞语 - 如何认识英语讥嘲

How to recognize put downs?

上一篇我们讨论了英语一个很重要的短字 UP ，英语还有一种大家肯定要 BE UP ON 的句子。这里就顺便谈谈这种有关 DOWN 的句子吧。

北美英语讥嘲叫做 “put downs” （“放下来”）。这是一个有趣的名称。别人把您这么轻轻地“放下来”，您哪能意识到这些“放下词”其实可能是个讥嘲呢？“Put downs” 的一个特点是句子的前一半通常是褒语而后一半是贬语，因此表面上看似乎是赞语的句子仔细听候会发现它其实是一种“挖苦”的讥嘲。（也就是这个原因我们在英语相声常有看到这些 “put downs”。）

下面介绍的一些常见的 “put downs”，网友听到时必须明白，对您讥嘲的人未必怀有恶意（这很可能是朋友之间的戏谑，是否蓄意冒犯得先看言者和听者的友情和关系才能断定），不过要是您想要对别人这么说，那您可要小心，这些有可能冒犯，不客气的话是不可以对法官，警察，上司或顾客说，或轻易对陌生人说的。

You excel in making a virtue out of necessity.

I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception.

I'll never forget the first time we met - although I'll keep trying.

You’re not as dumb as you look.

Shouldn't you have a license for being that ugly?

I hear you were born on April 2; a day too late!

I'm glad to see you're not letting your education get in the way of your ignorance.

I can't seem to remember your name, and please don't help me!

Sure, I'd love to help you out...now, which way did you come in?

He is dark and handsome. When it's dark, he's handsome.

A sharp tongue is no indication of a keen mind.

Are you always this stupid or are you making a special effort today?

I don't think you are a fool, but what's my opinion compared to that of thousands of others?

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Who picks your clothes - Stevie Wonder? (Don Rickles)

You’re proof that there's life after death. (Mort Sahl on Ronald Reagan)

You’re the only genius with an IQ of 60. (Gore Vidal on Andy Warhol)

Yeah, yeah, keep talking, someday you might say something intelligent.

美国人怎样骂人？

如何对老外说“很棒”？

How many ways to say “yes”?

一个举足轻重的短字 - UP

（资料来自网络）