【英语时差8,16】称赞英国人

Complimenting Brits William:Would we normally sort of say to people, you know, you’re a good-looking girl, you’re a good-looking guy, you’re a pretty girl? Michelle: Erm, I probably wouldn’t actually, because I think some people, especially in Britain anyway, feel quite uncomfortable when you make comments like that, I think people in Britain sometimes find it hard to take compliments. And also it’s kind of as if you’re trying to flirt¹ with them and I just think there are more subtle and better ways to do it. William: Do you think that British people actually like giving and receiving compliments? Finn: I think British people do give them but quite rarely, so when you do get a compliment from a British person, perhaps it’s quite valuable, maybe it means more than from another culture where compliments are perhaps given more freely. For me, personally, if I notice that one of my colleagues or friends has a new item of clothing or a new haircut I generally like to comment on it. Even if I don’t think it looks great I think it’s important to give that person a little boost and say “Oh you look great today, that’s a really nice haircut, it suits your face”, that kind of thing. Although Will, I’ve noticed yourself, your facial hair has changed and it makes you look really young and perhaps even taller. William: Thanks Finn. I don’t need to be any taller than I am. I’m already quite tall enough! But I notice that you’re complimenting people on their haircut and on how they’re dressing², but you’re not saying “You’re a handsome guy” or “You’re a beautiful girl”. Finn: I wouldn’t naturally walk up to a guy and say “You’re handsome”, unless I had a good reason to. I don’t know what that would be.

1 flirt   

v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者

参考例句：

• He used to flirt with every girl he met.过去他总是看到一个姑娘便跟她调情。
• He watched the stranger flirt with his girlfriend and got fighting mad.看着那个陌生人和他女朋友调情，他都要抓狂了。

2 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。