陳國詩的英文分享平台

關鍵字彙：

affable/ amenity/ amiable/ august/ bland/ condescend/ cordial/ deign/ genial/ gracious/ imposing/ stoop

1. 「威嚴的」可用imposing或august（文言）：

•Her grandmother is an imposing old lady.

•The farmer was awed in front of the august Duke.

2. 名詞「親切」可用amenity，本性「親切的」可用amiable或genial，如果形容一時的行為或態度親切，則用bland：

•The hostess greeted every guest with amenity.

•Few people would remain to be amiable in the face of such an insult.

•My sister can attract friends by her amiable disposition.

•The girl is always wearing genial smiles.

•On her bland face it's hard to guess what she really thought of my suggestion.

•A bland smile is always welcome.

3. 「熱誠的」可用cordial或gracious。其中，當一個人對另一人gracious時，有時會讓受關照者覺得受寵若驚。另外，「和藹可親的」叫affable：

•He gave us a cordial invitation to his birthday party.

•We received the guest with a cordial welcome.

•She was gracious enough to show us round her home.

•He is gracious toward those around him.

•The old man was very affable to the little girl who missed her mother and could not find her way home.

4. 「放下身段」或「降低身分」做某事用condescend、deign或stoop。其中，deign尤其強調心不甘、情不願地屈就，因此高高在上的姿態其實依舊存在；stoop則意味一旦做某事，那麼所降低的就不只是階級或身分，更恐怕是人格，所以它主要用在否定句中，藉以表明對自身人格與尊嚴的維護：

•We had to wait almost an hour before he condescended to see us.

•The general condescended to eat with the soldiers.

•Some male chauvinists never condescend to help their wives with housework.

•Now that she is married to a rich and famous man, she no longer deigns to visit her former friends.

•Will such an important person deign to answer your letter?

•I'll never stoop to talk to such an arrogant man.