在线国产一区二区_成人黄色片在线观看_国产成人免费_日韩精品免费在线视频_亚洲精品美女久久_欧美一级免费在线观看

您現(xiàn)在的位置: Language Tips> Columnist> Zhang Xin  
   
 





 
Face the music?
In this headline – Time for Facebook addicts to face the music (Times Online, UK, July 1, 2008) – why "face the music"?
[ 2008-07-04 14:12 ]


Face the music?

Reader question: In this headline – Time for Facebook addicts to face the music (Times Online, UK, July 1, 2008) – why "face the music"? Is it a common expression?

My comments: First I checked the story up. In a gist, it says: "Facebook defines itself as 'a social utility that connects you with the people around you'. This could not be further from the truth. Far from serving as an umbilical cord of friendship for the socially deprived, Facebook actively damages interpersonal relationships, harms job prospects, wastes time, and ultimately turns die-hard users totally reclusive. It leads your girlfriend to ask questions about your photos, your friends to ask questions about your girlfriend, and her friends to ask her questions about your friends. You don't need this headache, nobody does. Facebook complicates our lives."

In other words, Facebook has its drawbacks and pitfalls, according to the author, and those who use it must beware or face up to the consequences.

Why "face the music"? One listens to music, naturally. When one faces the music, it's odd – therefore, there's probably some unpleasant prospect to face (or hear). Anyways, "face the music" is an idiom, meaning one has to face the consequences of one's actions and live with them, however unpleasant the situation may be.

In searching for its origin I found that there are many different theories, some more plausible than others. Some Americans claim that it's an American expression borne out of the American army. That may very well be the case but somehow, hearing Americans claiming English expressions to be theirs feels like hearing a Japanese saying Zen is Japanese or a Korean saying Confucius is Korean. To be sure, the Japanese popularized Zen as the world knows it today and it sometimes does feel as though Koreans hold ancient cultural traditions of China in greater reverence than the Chinese themselves do. But, to claim Zen and Confucius theirs outright always sounds a little jarring to the ear – the Chinese ear at any rate.

Anyways, of the many theories regarding the origin of "face the music", I find this one most plausible. It's The Hindu (Indian newspaper) theory (August 30, 2004): "According to some scholars, it comes from a practice that was common in the British military. When an officer was court-martialed, the charges against him were read out for all to hear. The man was made to stand in front of the military band and while the charges were being read out, drummers used to tap their drums. Since the prisoner was facing the band and the drums were being played, he was literally ‘facing the music'. This practice of tapping the drums while the charges were read out gave rise to another expression as well – 'drummed up charges'."

Drummed up charges, by the way, means exaggerated or invented accusations of crime.

Finally, is "face the music" a common expression?

Yes it is, and very much so, as demonstrated by these headlines in the past months:

1. John Cuthbert: Water chief must face the music on prices as costs rise (The Independent, 21 June 2008).

2. Dr. Death decides to face the music in Australia (News-Medical.Net, June 26, 2008).

3.Croatia coach Bilic forced to face the music (Bangkok Post, June 22, 2008).

4. Copyright tough guys, Tories face the music for using song (Canada.com, February 22, 2008).

5. South Korea should face the music for funding terrorists (LA Daily News, September 11, 2007).

6. Indicted Opera Patron to Face the Music in September (ABC News, June 17, 2008).

我要看更多專欄文章

 

About the author:
 

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

 
英語點津版權(quán)說明:凡注明來源為“英語點津:XXX(署名)”的原創(chuàng)作品,除與中國日報網(wǎng)簽署英語點津內(nèi)容授權(quán)協(xié)議的網(wǎng)站外,其他任何網(wǎng)站或單位未經(jīng)允許不得非法盜鏈、轉(zhuǎn)載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請與010-84883631聯(lián)系;凡本網(wǎng)注明“來源:XXX(非英語點津)”的作品,均轉(zhuǎn)載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉(zhuǎn)載,請與稿件來源方聯(lián)系,如產(chǎn)生任何問題與本網(wǎng)無關(guān);本網(wǎng)所發(fā)布的歌曲、電影片段,版權(quán)歸原作者所有,僅供學(xué)習(xí)與研究,如果侵權(quán),請?zhí)峁┌鏅?quán)證明,以便盡快刪除。
相關(guān)文章 Related Story
 
 
 
本頻道最新推薦
 
Walking in the US first lady's shoes
“準(zhǔn)確無誤”如何表達(dá)
英國新晉超女蘇珊大媽改頭換面
豬流感 swine flu
你有l(wèi)ottery mentality嗎
翻吧推薦
 
論壇熱貼
 
別亂扔垃圾。怎么譯這個亂字呀?
橘子,橙子用英文怎么區(qū)分?
看Gossip Girl學(xué)英語
端午節(jié)怎么翻譯?
母親,您在天堂還好嗎?

 

主站蜘蛛池模板: 久久久久久亚洲精品 | 91在线视频播放 | 青青久久 | 91在线精品一区二区三区 | 一本大道综合伊人精品热热 | 欧美三级电影在线播放 | 久久99精品久久久久久琪琪 | 久久成人毛片 | 久久精品久久精品国产大片 | 国产激情精品一区二区三区 | 亚洲电影一区二区 | 亚洲色图自拍 | 国产极品美女在线精品图片 | 欧美久久一区二区三区 | 一区二区精品在线 | 午夜a级理论片915影院 | 午夜天| 国产午夜精品美女视频明星a级 | 色综合88 | 久久1区 | 日本一区二区视频在线观看 | 精品久久久久一区二区三区 | 伊人精品 | 日韩性网站 | 黄a在线观看 | 成人欧美一区二区三区黑人孕妇 | 欧美视频在线一区 | 日日夜夜天天 | 成人高清视频在线观看 | www夜夜操com | 日韩污视频在线观看 | 亚洲女同老女人女同志 | 草逼操 | 精品视频在线观看 | 国产欧美精品一区二区三区四区 | 一区二区中文 | 看羞羞视频免费 | 日韩a电影 | 成人看片免费网站 | 欧美成人精品一区二区男人看 | 亚洲成人精品 |