2022年11月04日 VOA慢速英语：泰勒斯威夫特歌曲中的未知和“直到”

 

Two popular singers, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, came out with a song together called Snow on the Beach. The song is about two people falling in love with each other at the same time, which is uncommon — like snow falling on a beach.
两位当红歌手泰勒·斯威夫特和拉娜·德雷一起推出了一首名为《海滩上的雪》的歌曲。这首歌是关于两个人同时坠入爱河的，这并不常见——就像雪落在沙滩上一样。
 
In this week's Everyday Grammar, we look closely at this song. While there are many grammatical structures in it, we will look at just two words: "unbeknownst" and "‘til."
在本周的Everyday Grammar中，我们仔细看看这首歌。虽然其中有许多语法结构，但我们只看两个词：“unbeknownst”和“'til”。
 
Let's listen to parts of Snow on the Beach:
让我们听听《海滩上的雪》的部分内容：
 
I saw flecks of what could've been lights
我看到了可能是光的斑点
 
But it might just have been you
但它可能只是你
 
Passing by unbeknownst to me…
在我不知情的情况下经过......
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you make it…
假装它是好的，直到你成功......
 
‘Til you do
直到你这样做
 
‘Til it's true
直到它是真的
 
Unbeknownst
不为人知
 
The word "unbeknownst" is an adjective meaning "not known or existing without knowledge of someone."
“unbeknownst”这个词是一个形容词，意思是“不知道或不知道某人的存在”。
 
"Unbeknownst" sounds very old. It has the suffix "st" which was put on the ends of some words hundreds of years ago. However, "unbeknownst" is a "newer" version of the old adjective "unbeknown."
“Unbeknownst”听起来很古老。它的后缀“st”是数百年前放在某些单词的末尾的。然而，“unbeknownst”是旧形容词“unbeknown”的“更新”版本。
 
Today it is more common to hear someone using the adjective "unknown," but from time to time you will hear "unbeknownst," just like in the Taylor Swift song.
今天更常见的是听到有人使用形容词“未知”，但有时你会听到“未知”，就像在泰勒斯威夫特的歌曲中一样。
 
So how do we use this adjective?
那么我们如何使用这个形容词呢？
 
We mostly use "unbeknownst" with the preposition "to."
我们通常将“unbeknownst”与介词“to”一起使用。
 
Something or someone is "unbeknownst to" someone else.
其他人“不知道”某事或某人。
 
Here, once again, are the lyrics of Swift's Snow on the Beach.
再一次，这里是斯威夫特海滩上的雪的歌词。
 
I saw flecks of what could've been light
我看到了可能是光的斑点
 
But it might just have been you
但它可能只是你
 
Passing by unbeknownst to me…
在我不知情的情况下经过......
 
We have the structure:
我们有以下结构：
 
"...you (passing by) unbeknownst to me."
“……你（路过）我不知道。”
 
"Unbeknownst to me" is an adjective phrase. Adjective phrases contain an adjective that describe a noun that is close to the phrase.
“我不知道”是一个形容词。形容词短语包含一个形容词，用于描述与该短语接近的名词。
 
In this part of the song, "unbeknownst to me" as an adjective phrase is actually describing the direct object, the noun of "you."
在这首歌中，“unbeknownst to me”作为形容词，实际上是在描述直接宾语，即“you”这个名词。
 
Let's look at some other examples of how we can use "unbeknownst."
让我们看一下如何使用“unbeknownst”的其他示例。
 
Her mom's wedding dress in the back of the closet was unbeknownst to her.
她不知道她妈妈在衣柜后面的婚纱。
 
Here the adjective phrase of "unbeknownst…" is modifying the noun and subject of the sentence "wedding dress."
这里的形容词短语“unbeknownst…”是修饰句子“wedding dress”的名词和主语。
 
We can also use "unbeknownst" in the beginning of a sentence:
我们也可以在句首使用“unbeknownst”：
 
Unbeknownst to many cat owners, dry cat food can make their cats very thirsty.
许多猫主人不知道，干猫粮会让他们的猫非常口渴。
 
Here cat owners do not know that dry food can make cats want water.
这里的猫主人不知道干粮会让猫想喝水。
 
Now let's consider "'til."
现在让我们考虑“'直到”。
 
‘Til
直到
The word "'til" is a shorter form of "until." We use it in everyday speech, especially when telling time or using dates.
单词“'til”是“until”的缩写形式。我们在日常讲话中使用它，尤其是在告诉时间或使用日期时。
 
We use "until" for somewhat formal writing. The word "'til" often appears in spoken language and in writing, like in songs or poems.
我们使用“直到”来进行一些正式的写作。“直到”这个词经常出现在口语和书面语中，如歌曲或诗歌中。
 
"Until" and "'til" mean "up to a certain point or event in time." They can be either a preposition or a conjunction, linking two clauses together.
“直到”和“直到”的意思是“直到某个时间点或事件”。它们可以是介词或连词，将两个从句连接在一起。
 
Let us look at how Taylor uses "'til" in Snow on the Beach:
让我们看看 Taylor 在Snow on the Beach中如何使用“'til” ：
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you make it
假装它是好的，直到你成功
 
‘Til you do
直到你这样做
 
‘Til it's true
直到它是真的
 
In all three lines of the song, Swift uses "'til" as a conjunction, linking the first clause to the second.
在这首歌的所有三行中，斯威夫特都使用“'til”作为连词，将第一个子句连接到第二个子句。
 
And it's fine to fake it + ‘til + you make it
可以伪造它+直到+你成功了
 
First clause + conjunction "'til" + second clause.
第一个子句 + 连词“'til” + 第二个子句。
 
Remember that a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. Clauses do not always contain a complete thought, like a sentence does.
请记住，从句是一组包含主语和谓语的词。从句并不总是包含完整的思想，就像句子一样。
 
We can take the three other lines and create two additional sentences:
我们可以取其他三行并创建两个额外的句子：
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til you do.
假装它是很好的，直到你这样做。
 
And it's fine to fake it 'til it's true.
可以假装它直到它是真的。
 
In these sentences, "'til" is still a conjunction, linking the first clause with the second clause to make a complete sentence.
在这些句子中，“'til”仍然是连词，将第一个从句与第二个从句连接起来构成一个完整的句子。
 
Let us look at some other examples of how "'til" can be used as a preposition.
让我们看一些其他例子，说明“'til”如何用作介词。
 
We can use "'til" just like "until" with points or events in time. Here are some examples.
我们可以像使用“直到”一样使用“'til”来表示时间点或事件。这里有些例子。
 
We have ‘til Friday to get the report done.
我们要等到星期五才能完成报告。
 
Andrew: What time is it?
安德鲁：现在几点了？
 
Jill: It's 10 minutes ‘til 6 PM or 5:50 PM.
吉尔：还有 10 分钟，直到下午 6 点或 5:50。
 
In the summer, it does not get dark ‘til later in the evening.
在夏天，直到傍晚才天黑。
 
Closing thoughts
结束的想法
 
Today we looked at two interesting words from the song Snow on the Beach by Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, "unbeknownst" and "'til." Both of these words are newer forms of much older words.
今天我们来看看 Taylor Swift 和 Lana Del Rey 的歌曲Snow on the Beach中的两个有趣的词，“unbeknownst”和“'til”。这两个词都是旧词的新形式。
 
"Unbeknownst" is an adjective and is often used with the preposition "to."
“Unbeknownst”是一个形容词，通常与介词“to”一起使用。
 
"'Til" is the short form of the word "until" and can be used as either a preposition or a conjunction.
“'Til”是“until”这个词的缩写，既可以用作介词，也可以用作连词。
 
Now it's your turn. Have you heard or tried to use these words before? Do you know any other words with similar meanings or usages?
现在轮到你了。你以前听过或尝试过使用这些词吗？您还知道其他具有相似含义或用法的单词吗？
 
Let us know in the comments!
让我们在评论中知道！