Yang Li: Hello, I'm Yang Li. 欢迎收听《地道英语》 Authentic Real English.
Kaz: And I'm Kaz. Hey Li I'd like to introduce you to these three gentlemen...
Yang Li: Kaz 带来了三位男士,还要把他们向我介绍,很有意思...
Kaz: Li I'd like you to meet Tom... Dick... and Harry.
TDH: How do you do?
Yang Li: How do you do. 结识新朋友嘛,总是令我很高兴,不过为什么把他们带到录音室里来呢?Kaz, why do we have three guests in the studio today?
Kaz: Ah I've invited them because their names are Tom, Dick and Harry.
Yang Li: 三位客人的名字恰好是最常见的 Tom, Dick 还有 Harry, three popular English names. And are these names connected to a phrase by any chance Kaz?
Kaz: Absolutely right Li. Our phrase today is 'every Tom, Dick and Harry'.
Yang Li: 'Every Tom, Dick and Harry' 这个短语的字面意思是每个汤姆、迪克和哈里 - 不过实际意思是随便什么人- meaning everyone with a common name.
Kaz: Yes, In English if you want to talk about lots of unspecified people you can use the phrase 'every Tom, Dick and Harry'.
Yang Li: Kaz 说当这三个名字联起来时意思就很类似汉语里的张三李四王五赵六 so it's like saying 'everyone' Kaz, right?
Kaz: That's right but it's more informal and slightly humorous.
Yang Li: 这是一种通俗表达,'every Tom, Dick and Harry' 而且还带有一些幽默感。I think you should demonstrate its use Kaz.
Kaz: OK Li. Imagine I tell you something in confidence... I could ask you not to repeat it.
Yang Li: In confidence 保密地。Kaz 让我为他保密,不要外传。
Kaz: We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing about it.
Yang Li: 我们不想让所有人都知道这件事 we don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing about it.
Kaz: You've got it Li!
Yang Li: Thanks Kaz. 下面我们再听几个例句吧:
Examples:
Shhhhh! Lower your voice! We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to hear us.
Make sure you send out invitations, otherwise you'll have every Tom, Dick and Harry showing up at your party.
Whatever you do, don't tell Doug. He can't keep a secret and soon every Tom, Dick and Harry will know about it.
Yang Li: 汤姆、迪克和哈里这三个名字其实都是缩写,把一个较长的名字缩短了, 我知道 Tom 是 Thomas 的缩写,Harry 是 Harold 的缩写。But Kaz - what's Dick short for?
Kaz: Dick is short for Richard.
Yang Li: I see, 原来 Dick 是 Richard 这个名字的缩写,Dick for Richard. So what's Kaz short for?
Kaz: We don't need to know that Li.
Yang Li: Why not Kaz?
Kaz: Because we are very unlikely to ever say 'every Kaz, Dick and Harry'.
Yang Li: Very funny Kaz 我看时间到了我们要感谢我们的三位贵宾 'Tom, Dick and Harry'. Goodbye chaps!
TDH: Goodbye!
Yang Li and Kaz: 感谢收听我们下次节目再会 from me and Kaz. Bye!