2022-08-23 Willy-nilly 乱七八糟，毫无章法

内容简介

如果做事情没有计划，杂乱无序，结果可能就会显得过于随意，乱七八糟。听菲菲和 Roy 的对话，学习一个可以用来描述这种情况的地道英语表达。

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
Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English. 这里是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。我是冯菲菲。

Roy
And me, Roy. Feifei, you look really angry. What’s wrong?

Feifei
Well, Roy. I can’t find anything in the office. Things have been moved and stuff’s just been thrown into drawers willy-nilly.

Roy
Willy and Nilly? Who are these people? And why are they throwing stuff in drawers?

Feifei
你听错了，我刚刚说 “willy-nilly”，这不是人名。“Willy-nilly” 是一个口语表达，它的意思是 “杂乱地，杂乱无序地”。咱们办公室里一团糟，东西扔得到处都是，真是不知道这是怎么回事儿！

Roy
Ah… I understand. It was Rob. He organised the office willy-nilly, and you know what he’s like – just throwing things in drawers willy-nilly, putting things everywhere willy-nilly! Making a mess willy-nilly…

Feifei
Roy, I think you’re overusing the expression. You can’t just say it willy-nilly.

Roy
Haha… very good! I see what you did there – impressive use of the expression.

Feifei
Well, if you’re impressed by that, wait till you hear another use of ‘willy-nilly’.

Examples
I’m not sure that’s art. It looks like you’ve just thrown colours on the canvas willy-nilly.

You can’t just come into the office willy-nilly. We have a set start time!

In the morning, I just put on any old clothes willy-nilly.

Feifei
你正在收听的是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。在这期节目中，我们教大家如何使用表达 “willy-nilly”。我们用 “willy-nilly” 来描述做事 “没有次序，毫无章法，从而使事物变得乱糟糟地”。

Roy
So, I guess you can’t just use the expression in a sentence willy-nilly.

Feifei
Exactly. By the way, Roy. I saw you were arranging another office Olympics – I’m sorry, I just can’t attend your silly games willy-nilly as I have to work.

Roy
But if you can’t attend them willy-nilly, perhaps you could plan for a time when you don’t have work.

Feifei
Even if I didn’t have to work, I wouldn’t take part!

Roy
Why not?

Feifei
Because those games are stupid. Bye.

Roy
Bye.