词汇典故:认真了解详细的情况

Let's Get Down to the Nitty-Gritty! 词汇典故:认真了解详细的情况

Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

This is a program about the history of words and how we use them in conversation. Today we talk about the noun nitty-gritty.

Nitty-gritty is one of many rhyming compounds in the English language.

As with many rhyming compounds, nitty-gritty is informal. It is often used in casual conversation. It is a useful word that serves many purposes. When using it in a sentence, we often say “to get down to the nitty-gritty.”

One meaning of nitty-gritty is the most important part or basic truth of any situation or subject. But, if you are not a fan of rhyming compounds or if you need to use a more formal word, you can use many other English expressions.                 

For example, nitty-gritty could be the heart and soul of a matter, the gist¹ of a conversation or the essence of an argument. If you want to focus on only the most important part of a problem, you want to focus on the crux² or core.

The nitty-gritty can also mean the bottom line or reality of a situation, as in this example:

The ideas behind planning a city are so interesting. I could talk about it all day!

I agree. But the city council needs to get down to the nitty-gritty. Washington, D.C. needs more apartments close to the Metro³ for young professionals moving here.

The nitty-gritty does not have to be part of a problem. Any matter or situation can have nitty-gritty.

The nitty-gritty can also mean the practical details that need to be finished. Used in this way, you can also say the nuts-and-bolts of a task or situation.

Here is another example.

We have talked about our vacation plans all week. Enough talk!

You’re right. Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of booking flights and hotel rooms.

Nitty-gritty can also be used as an adjective. You can say someone is good at dealing⁴ with the nitty-gritty details of a problem.

In his song, “Jungle Gym,” Jack⁵ Johnson sings about New York City being nitty-gritty. This song is from the 2006 movie Curious George.

It's a jungle gym

The city's nitty gritty but it's so much fun

We can take a ride go tell everyone

It's a jungle gym.

As with many words, the origin of nitty-gritty is unclear. Even though it is commonly used, some word experts have debated about the political correctness of “nitty-gritty.”

Some word historians say that nitty-gritty refers to the debris⁶ – or remains⁷ -- left on the floor of slave ships. This reference may make the word offensive to some people.

However, there is no written proof that nitty-gritty originated on the floors of slave ships. Many word historians say that the claim is an example of a mythical⁸ word origin trying to become fact.

British word experts have also researched the origins of “nitty gritty.” Word historians on the British website The Phrase Finder say that nitty-gritty first appeared in 1937 as a musical composition. The song ‘That Nitty Gritty Dance’ was copyrighted by Arthur Harrington Gibbs.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary says nitty-gritty was first used in 1956. The Online Etymology⁹ dictionary claims it was first used in the early 1960s, mainly by black jazz musicians.

But no one really knows for sure. What we do know is that these dates place the origin of the word long after slave ships and slavery in America.

We also know singer Shirley Ellis recorded “The Nitty Gritty” in 1963. It was a popular song and dance.

Let’s listen to Shirley and get right down the real nitty-gritty.

Words in This Story

gist - n. the main point or part

essence - n. the basic nature of a thing : the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is

crux - n. a main or central feature (as of an argument)

mythical  - adj.  based on or described in a myth : existing only in the imagination

1 gist   

n.要旨；梗概

参考例句：

• Can you give me the gist of this report?你能告诉我这个报告的要点吗？
• He is quick in grasping the gist of a book.他敏于了解书的要点。

2 crux   

adj.十字形；难事，关键，最重要点

参考例句：

• The crux of the matter is how to comprehensively treat this trend.问题的关键是如何全面地看待这种趋势。
• The crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.问题的要害是人们的态度转变了。

3 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

6 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 mythical   

adj.神话的；虚构的；想像的

参考例句：

• Undeniably,he is a man of mythical status.不可否认，他是一个神话般的人物。
• Their wealth is merely mythical.他们的财富完全是虚构的。

9 etymology   

n.语源；字源学

参考例句：

• The hippies' etymology is contentious.关于嬉皮士的语源是有争议的。
• The origin of OK became the Holy Grail of etymology.OK的出典成了词源学梦寐以求的圣杯。