family, dwelling, home, house, residence
这五个词都有“家,家庭,家宅”的意思。它们的区别在于:home指某人出生以及成长的环境或与某人一起居住的地方; dwelling为文学用语,用以同商店、办公室及其他建筑物相区别的住宅; family指的是家庭成员,与居住地无关; house强调人们居住的建筑物本身; residence常指周围大片土地的宅邸,也可指普通的房屋,尤其是自己的住宅。例如:
There's nothing like home.哪儿也没有家里好。
Their clothes were in rags and their dwellings were small and poorly furnished.他们衣衫褴褛,住房狭小,家具简陋。
Because our family is happy and healthy we reckon ourselves fortunate.因为我们一家人幸福健康,我们认为我们是幸运的。
She offered to help Rose in house keeping when I was not here.我不在时,她主动帮助露丝料理家务。
Buy a house, build a home.买一所房子,安一个家。
The President's residence is the White House in Washington,D.C.总统的官邸是华盛顿特区的白宫。
in a family way, in the family way
在英式英语中, in a family way作“不拘小节”解, in the family way作“怀孕”解; 而在美式英语中, in a family way和in the family way都作“怀孕”解。例如:
She spoke to me in a family way.她与我说话不拘礼节。
It makes folks happy to see a girl in the family way.人们看到女孩怀孕了会感到高兴。
Sue and Liz are happy because their mother is in the family way.苏和利兹都很高兴,因为妈妈就要生孩子了。
下面两个句子的意思不同:
How are your family?
家里人都好吗?
How is your family?
全家好吗?
如果侧重家里的每个人,则用“are”; 如果侧重全家,则用“is”,但在回答时都应用are。
My family〔They〕 are all well.全家都好。
下面两个短语的意思不同:
a teacher family 一个教师之家(全是教师)
a teacher's family 一位教师的家(主人是教师)
下面两个句子的意思不同:
He is family man.
他是有家室的人。
He is a man of family.
他是出身名门望族的人。
