【英语趣味课堂】身体接触-Physical Contact

Nick: You've lived in three different parts of the world, so is there any difference between each part in terms of physical contact?

Cheryl: Yeah, I have lived in Hong Kong, Guam, and the U.S. Hong Kong is in Asia. Guam is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the U.S. is American culture. So in Hong Kong I think most people would not touch each other, just give each other a little bow. I find that a bow is very common in Asia. If you're very good friends, you wouldn't really hug. Hugging I think is a very American thing to do. I think you would just touch each other on the shoulder, or give each other a side embrace. A mini-hug.

 

In Guam, you would definitely greet your friends and family with a kiss on the cheek. A handshake is much too formal for island culture because Island culture is so relaxed and laid-back. You would only do a handshake with business partners or in a really formal setting, but usually a kiss on the cheek is what you receive and give when you see your family and friends.

 

In the U.S., hugging is most common I think for friends and family, but if you're not friends and family, a handshake would probably be the most common.

 

Nick: Is a handshake always the same or is there different styles of handshake?

 

Cheryl: From what I've observed, Guam has American culture so Guam handshakes and U.S. handshakes are the same. I think in Hong Kong, it's got a bit of a British background, so that's also very similar. I don't see any difference with the handshake.

 

Nick: So, what about young people? Is there a different way they interact¹ physically² with each other?

 

Cheryl: Yes, definitely. In Guam, I always see people do a fist bump³ for close buddies⁴ of theirs. Girls would definitely hug and give each other a kiss. In Hong Kong, I don't see the fist bump often. I don't think I've ever seen it at all actually, but for close friends, I think a side embrace, or a semi-embrace would happen, but mostly just some form of touch or acknowledgement of the other person.

 

I think it's also very common for people of the same sex to hold hands in Asia and just be friends. Woman and woman hold each others hand if they are very, very, very good friends, and it's apparently⁵ very normal. I don't know about a guy holding another guy's hand, but if a woman and a woman hold each other's hands, it does not signal that they are together as a couple. It might just signal that they are very, very good friends or sisters.

 

Nick: In Australia that would be very strange.

 

Cheryl: Yes, it would, wouldn't it. Even in America and Guam.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

formal setting

 

 

You do a handshake in a formal setting.

 

A formal setting is a place that has a formal atmosphere or feeling. When something is formal, it is official or highly regarded. For example, most business offices have a formal setting. The opposite of a formal setting would be a casual setting or a laid-back setting. Notice the following:

 

In a formal setting, you should not speak slang⁶.

It is a formal event, so please wear a suit.

side embrace

 

 

You give each other a side embrace.

 

To embrace is to hug or for two people to hold each other. A side embrace would be when two people have mainly only one arm around each other. A full-embrace, would be more like a hug. Notice the following:

 

The two lovers embraced for a long time.

The two men embraced awkwardly⁷.

background

 

 

It's got a bit of a British background.

 

Here, the word background means influence or history. For example, if someone has an American background, that means they have been exposed to a lot of American culture. Notice the following:

 

I was born in Nepal but grew up in Toronto so my background is more Canadian.

buddies

 

 

Close buddies

 

A buddy⁸ is a very close friend, and usually a person that you spend a lot of time with having fun. To call someone your buddy is a way of showing someone you consider then a close friend or someone you care about. Notice the following:

 

Hey, buddy. How are you doing?

This is my golfing buddy, Tim.

fist bump

 

 

They gave each other a fist bump.

 

A fist bump is like a hand shake. It is a physical contact with the hands used when greeting people. It is a very casual way of greeting friends. You would never use a fist bump in a formal setting.

1 interact   

vi.相互作用，相互影响，互通信息

参考例句：

• All things are interrelated and interact on each other.一切事物互相联系并相互作用。
• The policeman advised the criminal to interact with the police.警察劝罪犯与警方合作。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 bump   

v.（against,into）碰，颠簸；n.碰撞，隆起物

参考例句：

• I heard a bump in the next room.我听到隔壁房间传来“砰”的一声。
• He got a bad bump on his forehead.他碰得前额隆起一个大包。

4 buddies   

n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人

参考例句：

• We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句
• The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。

7 awkwardly   

adv.笨拙地；困难地；难看地；尴尬地

参考例句：

• I had been lying awkwardly and my leg had gone numb. 我一直以一种不舒服的姿势躺着，腿已经麻木了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what to say. 他尴尬地站在门口，不知道该说什么。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！