有毒！刚刚，牛津词典公布了2018年度词汇：Toxic

今天，牛津词典（Oxford Dictionaries）公布了2018年度词汇：Toxic.

Toxic这个词是什么意思呢？牛津词典在今天的Word of the Day中给出了释义：作为形容词、表示有毒的（Poisonous）。

Toxic: Oxford Dictionaries sums up the mood of 2018 with word of the year

2018 was toxic. That's the view of the esteemed Oxford Dictionaries, the British publisher that has been defining language -- and our times -- for over 150 years.

表示“受尊敬的，受敬重的”，英文解释为“respected and admired”，举个🌰：

It is indeed an honour to serve my country in such an esteemed position.

在如此受人尊敬的岗位上为我的国家服务实属一种荣誉。

It has chosen the word as its annual "Word of the Year," arguing that it's "the sheer scope of its application that has made it the standout choice," a video posted on the Dictionary's twitter page explains.

作形容词可以表示“陡峭的；近乎垂直的”，英文解释为“extremely steep; almost vertical”，如：a sheer mountain side 陡峭的山坡；

也可用于强调“（某物）之重/之大等”如：the sheer weight/size etc，英文解释为：used to emphasize that something is very heavy, large etc. 此处the sheer scope就是用于强调scope，范围之大，举个🌰：

The sheer size of the country makes communications difficult.

该国幅员辽阔，造成了通信的困难。

也可以解释为“完全的，纯粹的(pure)，彻底的”，英文释义：used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing except，举几个🌰：

I'll never forget the look of sheer joy on her face.

我永远也不会忘记她满脸喜悦的神情。

It was sheer coincidence that we met.

我们的相遇纯属巧合。

His success was due to sheer willpower/determination.

他的成功全靠自己的意志力/决心。

Strictly defined as "poisonous," Oxford Dictionaries says that its research shows that "this year more than ever, people have been using 'toxic' to describe a vast array of things, situations, concerns and events."

better, bigger, more, etc. than ever  表示“比以前任何时候都好／大／多（等等）”，英文解释为“better, bigger, etc. than at any time before”，举个🌰：

We are spending more than ever on education.

现在我们的教育开支之大是前所未有的。

"In its original, literal use, to refer to poisonous substances, 'toxic' has been ever-present in discussions of the health of our communities, and our environment," the video explains, pointing, among other examples, to the recent increase in discussion surrounding the "toxicity of plastics."

poisonous substances 有毒物质

toxicity of plastics 塑料毒性

But it adds that "toxic" has "truly taken off into the realm of metaphor, as people have reached for the word to describe workplaces, schools, cultures, relationships and stress."

/rɛlm/

书面语，表示“（知识、活动、思想的）领域，范围”，英文解释为“a general area of knowledge, activity, or thought”，如：

the spiritual realm 精神领域

the realm of politics 政治领域

表示“隐喻，暗喻”，英文解释为“a way of describing something by referring to it as something different and suggesting that it has similar qualities to that thing”，举个🌰：

She uses some wonderful images and metaphors in her writing.

她在作品中用了一些绝妙的比喻和暗喻。

也可以表示“象征”，英文解释为“something that represents a general idea or quality”，举个🌰：

The divided family remains a powerful metaphor for a society that continued to tear itself apart.

破裂的家庭仍然是一个持续分裂的社会的有力象征。

It adds the "Me Too" movement has "put the spotlight on toxic masculinity" whereas in politics more broadly "the word has been applied to the rhetoric, policies, agendas and legacies of leaders and governments around the globe."

/ˌmæskjʊˈlɪnɪtɪ/

表示“男性；阳性；男子气，阳刚之气”，英文解释为“the features and qualities considered to be typical of men”，举个🌰：

The old ideas of masculinity do not work for most men.

过去对阳刚味的看法已不适用于大多数男人了。

与之相对的词是：femininity表示“ 女性；女子气质(尤指温柔、娇小和美丽)”，英文解释为“qualities that are considered to be typical of women, especially qualities that are gentle, delicate, and pretty.”

/'retərɪk,ˋrɛtərɪk/

1）表示“辞令；巧辩；（尤指）花言巧语，浮夸之词”，英文解释为“language that is used to persuade or influence people, especially language that sounds impressive but is not actually sincere or useful”，举个🌰：

The speech was dismissed by some people as merely political rhetoric.

有些人认为这场演讲只是华而不实的政治空谈。

2）表示“修辞学”，英文解释：the art of speaking or writing to persuade or influence people.

牛津词典美国管理部门主管马丁（Katherine Connor Martin）表示，该词在这一年来更加广泛的应用，「toxic」出现更多不一样的衍生含义，如「直男癌」（toxic masculinity）、毒性化学物质（toxic chemical）等。不仅被用以讨论环境毒害、政治语言的伤害力，「toxic masculinity」更在#MeToo运动中发展出强烈的破坏力。 （ETtoday國際新聞）

注：联合报、自由时报等媒体将toxic masculinity译为：有毒阳刚味。

图为印度严重的空气污染被形容作“toxic”。

It certainly seems to have made its mark on CNN -- with around 600 news stories and opinion pieces online featuring the word in 2018 so far, popping up in articles about everything from US President Donald Trump, to conspiracy website Infowars, the national debt, Michigan's drinking water and Tide pods.

表示“密谋，阴谋”，英文解释为“a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal”，举个🌰：

He was charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

他被指控密谋进行刑事破坏活动。

相关背景：今年早些时候，国外掀起的一个非常危险的活动「Tide Pods Challenge」（吃洗衣球挑战），要求挑战者把洗衣球放进嘴里并吃掉。

Part of Oxford University Press (OUP), a department of the University of Oxford, the dictionary has, in the past, turned to neologisms to describe the zeitgeist.

/nɪˈɒləˌdʒɪzəm/

表示“（语言的）新词汇或新表意法；旧词新意”，英文解释为“A neologism is a new word or expression in a language, or a new meaning for an existing word or expression.”，举个🌰：

The newspaper used the neologism "dinks," Double Income No Kids.

这份报纸使用了新词汇"dinks"—双收入无小孩的家庭。

/ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst/

表示“（尤指文学、哲学和政治中表现的）时代精神; 时代潮流”，英文解释为“The zeitgeist of a particular place during a particular period in history is the attitudes and ideas that are generally common there at that time, especially the attitudes and ideas shown in literature, philosophy, and politics. ”，举个🌰：

In 2017, its Word of the Year was "youthquake," defined as "a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people."

去年，青年震荡（youthquake）被选为牛津词典2017年的年度词汇，指的是年轻人的行为或者影响力带来的重大文化、政治或者社会变化。

Previous years have also been influenced by the political landscape, with 2016 taking its cue from the Brexit referendum and US presidential election to choose "post-truth" as its word.

在“特朗普”当选美国总统以及英国脱欧的大背景之下，“后真相”（post-truth）被选为牛津词典2016年的年度词汇。

The year before, however, it broke with tradition to choose the "tears of joy" emoji.

2015年，emoji表情“笑cry”（tears of joy）被牛津词典评为年度词汇。

来源：CNN

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