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地道英语

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Mind your p's and q's 注意你的言谈举止

Episode 191210 / 10 Dec 2019

[图片来源：Getty Images]

内容简介

Neil 要做一个重要的演讲，但是菲菲为什么提醒他要特别注意字母 “P” 和 “Q” 呢？听节目，学习短语 “mind your p’s and q’s”——它可以提醒我们在正式场合要注意礼节。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Feifei
So, tonight’s the night, Neil. How do you feel?

Neil
A bit nervous, but mostly excited. I’ve been practising my speech all morning.

Feifei
Just go out there, smile, and don’t forget: mind your p’s and q’s!

Neil
Eh? I know how to spell, Feifei.

Feifei
You know what I mean!

Neil
Don’t worry! I won’t offend anyone.

Feifei
这集 “地道英语” 节目里，我们要教大家如何使用表达 “mind your p’s and q’s”。当我们告诉一个人 “mind your p’s and q’s” 的时候，我们实际是在告诉这个人要注意礼貌，注意自己的言谈举止。

Neil
Feifei, I’m always on my best behaviour. Now, let me practise my speech.

Feifei
And I’ll play some examples.

Examples
Gang, Gang, Gang! How many times have I told you to mind your p’s and q’s when you’re with your grandparents? Grandma doesn't like that kind of language!

Last week’s meeting with our new clients was super frustrating. But I had to mind my p’s and q’s. As they say, the customer’s always right!

Lan always says the first thing that comes into her head. I just hope she minds her p’s and q’s at lunch today.

Feifei
这里是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。在这集节目中，我们教给大家的表达是 “mind your p’s and q’s”。So Neil, finished practising your speech?

Neil
Not yet. I’ve been distracted by today’s phrase. I’ve been looking it up online.

Feifei
And?

Neil
Nobody agrees where it came from. There’re so many theories. One is that printers back in the 19th Century used to get confused between the small letters p and q.

Feifei
They do look similar! So they had to mind their ps and qs. Makes sense.

Neil
And there’s another about bartenders in 17th Century England. They used to serve beer in measures called pints and quarts. Pints with a ‘P’ and quarts with a ‘Q’. When a customer was drinking too much…

Feifei
… They were told to mind their pints and quarts? Their p’s and q’s? Yes, makes sense too.

Neil
And there’s another…

Feifei
Neil?

Neil
Yes?

Feifei
Your speech is in one hour. Shouldn’t you be practising?

Neil
Oh! So it is.

Feifei
And… Mind your p’s and q’s!

Neil
OK, bye!

Feifei
Bye.

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