BBC地道英语:Fatherhood 与父亲身份相关的成语

William: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English. I'm William Kremer.

Yang Li: And I'm Yang Li.

William: So this Sunday is Father's Day here in the UK and in many countries around the world.

Yang Li: 没错，这个星期天就是英国的父亲节。Are you a father William or are you going to be one soon?

William: Me? No, no.

Yang Li: 看来你还不够资格来谈论父亲的身份对吧？

William: Well, I disagree. All that matters is that we can speak English! So today I thought we could look at a couple of very common phrases relating to fatherhood.

Yang Li: 让我们一起来听听下面的录音，一个女子在谈到她儿子的时候使用了一个同父亲身份有关的短语，看看你能不能听出来。

Example

Woman: And how's Jonathan?

Woman 2: Good question – I'd like to know the answer! He's ever so quiet and I never know what he's thinking...

Woman: Oh yeah.

Woman 2: Mind you, his dad's exactly the same. Like father, like son.

Yang Li: Like father, like son. 汉语里我们有句话叫有其父必有其子。

William: Exactly, yes.

William and his dad in the studio

Yang Li: 不过能不能说 like mother, like daughter?

William: Well, you can say it but it's not really a set phrase in English. 'Like father, like son' is a phrase that you hear quite a lot. And you have to use those exact words; you can't say 'Like his father, like my son' – it has to be 'like father, like son'.

Yang Li: Like father, like son. So are you like your father, William?

William: That's a good question. What do you think, Dad?

William's Dad: Well, that is a difficult –

Yang Li: Wow, 我怎么没注意到柯先生也在这里，非常高兴见到您! Nice to meet you Mr Kremer.

William's Dad: Pleased to meet you too! Yes, I like to keep an eye on William, to see what he's up to! Well, yes, in many ways I think we are alike. I think I was a good son to my father and William is certainly a good son to me so yes, I think we are alike.

William: Oh, that's a very good response Dad, well done.

Now, before we finish let's look at another phrase connected with fatherhood. This one means a long time before you were born.

Yang Li: 下面大家将要听到另一个短语，表示在一个人远远没有出生的时候。是侄女和叔叔之间的一段对话。

Example

Woman: I didn't know you used to have a motorbike!

Man: Oh yes. I had one for a couple of years... it must have been in the sixties, before you were even a twinkle in your father's eye!

William: Did you catch it? It's quite a long phrase – 'Before you were even a twinkle in your father's eye.' Or you can say, 'You weren't even a twinkle in your father's eye.'

Yang Li: A twinkle 眼睛发亮闪光，就像星星的闪烁一样。You weren't even a twinkle in your father's eye 这是个很幽默的短语意思是，你那时还没出生呢。So, there you go, two interesting phrases relating to fatherhood. Happy Father's Day!

William: Happy Father's Day!

William's Dad: Thank you!