Cakeism “蛋糕主義”

[圖片來源：Getty Images]

內容簡介

俗話說：魚和熊掌不可兼得。兩件好事並不總是能夠同時實現。英語新詞 “cakeism” 就可以用來指這種 “想同時得到兩個好處或做成兩件好事的不現實心態或願望”。這個詞來自哪句英文諺語？聽對話，學習名詞 “cakeism” 的用法。

文字稿

（關於臺詞的備註: 請註意這不是廣播節目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能沒有體現錄制、編輯過程中對節目做出的改變。）

Jiaying
大傢好，歡迎收聽 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目，我是佳瑩。

Neil
And me, Neil. We’ve got a fairly new word for you that is about the desire to have two good things at the same time, or it can be used to say you’ve been offered two good things at the same time, when in reality that is impossible. The word is ‘cakeism’.

Jiaying
Cakeism. “蛋糕主義”？我特別愛吃蛋糕 “cake”，不過，這個詞和蛋糕有什麼關系呢？

Neil
There’s no cake here, Jiaying. Although it might be useful to think about a delicious-looking cake. If you eat it, it won’t be there any more. This is the idea behind the idiom ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it’. You can’t have two good things at the same time. ‘Cakeism’ is based on this idiom.

Jiaying
原來，名詞 “cakeism” 指 “想同時享受兩種美好事物或做成兩件好事的願望，既要…又要…”。“Cakeism” 來自一句諺語 “You can’t have your cake and eat it.（魚和熊掌不可兼得。）” 舉一個例子，我坐火車上下班，我既想享受更好的服務，又想讓車票再便宜點。

Neil
Sorry, Jiaying, it’s unlikely you’d get both! But if the railway company claims it will give you both things, that is ‘cakeism’. Let’s hear some examples.

Examples
The salesman offered me a great deal on a new phone – a better handset and a cheaper tariff – but I think that’s just cakeism!

Our boss claims we’ll get a higher salary and have fewer hours next year – it sounds like cakeism to me!

The bus company has promised an improved service and cheaper tickets – but that’s just cakeism!

Jiaying
你正在收聽的是 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目，上面我們介紹瞭名詞 “cakeism” 的含義和用法。我們用 “cakeism” 來描述 “想同時享受兩個好處或做成兩件好事的願望，但這個願望並不現實”。So, if I promised to write the rest of the scripts for you and made you some coffee, that would be cakeism, right? It won’t happen!

Neil
Maybe not, but you can make some coffee, and I’ll buy some cake, and we can talk about cakeism a bit more.

Jiaying
Sounds like a plan. Bye for now.

Neil
Bye!