在美国如何用英语区分成基督徒和天主教徒

今天的这段对话，在讨论宗教信仰，

 

在美国如何用英语区分成基督徒和天主教徒

 

来听今天的讲解:

 

A: So, are you going to come for brunch with us tomorrow?

 

你明天要跟我们去吃早午餐吗？

 

B: What time?

 

几点？

 

A: 11:00. We'll meet at the restaurant at eleven.

 

11 点。我们 11 点在餐厅碰面。

 

B: I'm sorry. I won't be able to come then.

 

很抱歉，那时我到不了。

 

A: Why not?

 

为什么呢？

 

B: I go to Mass at 10:30.

 

我10点半去做弥撒。

 

A: Mass? I didn't know you were Catholic.

 

弥撒？我不晓得你是天主教徒。

 

B: Yes, I am.

 

我是的。

 

A: Hmm. Do you go to Mass every Sunday?

 

你每个周日都去做弥撒吗？

 

B: I try to.

 

我尽量。

 

A: I wasn't raised religiously, so I don't quite understand some things.

 

我没有宗教信仰，所以有一些事不太了解。

 

B: Like what?

 

比如什么？

 

A: Why do Christians call their leaders pastors,but Catholics call their leaders priests?

 

为什么基督徒称指导者为“牧师”，而天主教徒称为“神父”？

 

B: Oh, that's just traditional. But there is something I should tell you.

 

那只是传统。但是有件事我应该告诉你。

 

A: What?

 

什么事？

 

B: You just talked about Christians on the one hand,and Catholics on the other.But that is not the way to say it in English.

 

你刚刚区分成基督徒和天主教徒。但是英文不这么说。

 

A: Why not?

 

为什么呢？

 

B: Because Catholics are also Christians.In America, there are two main groups.There are the Catholics, and there are the Protestants.But they both follow Jesus Christ, so in English they are both called Christians.

 

因为天主教徒也是基督徒。在美国有两大团体：天主教徒和新教徒。他们都是基督徒，所以英文都是基督徒。

 

A: So you use the words Catholic and Protestantand not Catholic and Christian?

 

所以你们是用天主教和新教而不是天主教和基督教？

 

B: Yes, that's right.We Americans don't talk about Catholics and Christiansbecause Catholics are Christians too.

 

没错。我们美国人不说天主教徒和基督徒因为天主教徒也是基督徒。

 

A: It's very confusing.

 

很难理解。

 

B: I know, but it's a mistake Chinese speakers often make.I am a Catholic. All Catholics follow Jesus Christ. So of course I am a Christian.Sometimes when Chinese people ask me about my belief,they say, "Are you Catholic or Christian?"But in English that question is nonsense.It is like saying, "Are you a woman or female?"And some people might even be offended by the question.

 

我知道，但是中国人常常说错。我是天主教徒，所有的天主教徒都信奉基督，所以当然我也是基督徒。有时候当中国人问到我的信仰，他们说：“你是天主教徒还是基督徒？”但是在英文里这样问没有意义。这就好比问人“你是女人还是女的？”。有些人甚至对这种问题反感。

 

A: I see. So when I meet religious people in America,I should ask, "Are you Catholic or Protestant?" Is that right?

 

我懂了。所以当我在美国碰到有宗教信仰的人，我应该问：“你是天主教徒还是新教徒？”，对吗？

 

B: Yes. There you go.

 

对了，没错。