释义 |
nam·by-pam·by AHD[năm'bē-pămʹbē] D.J.[ˌnæmbiːˈpæmbiː]K.K.[ˌnæmbiˈpæmbi]adj.(形容词)- Insipid and sentimental.乏味的,伤感的
- Lacking vigor or decisiveness; spineless.无生气的:毫无生气的或矫揉造作的;懦弱的
n.(名词)【复数】 nam.by-pam.bies - One that is insipid, sentimental, or weak.易感伤的人:缺乏生气,矫揉造作或虚弱的人
- After Namby-Pamby , a satire on the poetry of Ambrose Philips (1674-1749) by Henry Carey (1687?-1743) 源自 Namby-Pamby ,针对安布罗斯·菲利普斯(1674-1749年)的诗歌的讽刺,由亨利·凯瑞(1687?-1743年)著
注释- We are being very literary when we call someone anamby-pamby. This word is derived from the name of Ambrose Philips,a little-known poet who wrote verse that incurred the sharp ridicule of two other 18th-century poets, Alexander Pope and his friend Henry Carey.Their ridicule, inspired by political differences and literary rivalry,actually had little to do with the quality of Philips's poetry.In poking fun at some children's verse written by Philips,Carey used the nicknameNamby Pamby : "So the Nurses get by Heart Namby Pamby's Little Rhimes.”Pope then used the name in the 1733 edition of his satirical epicThe Dunciad. The first part of Carey's coinage came fromAmby, or Ambrose. Pamby repeated the sound and formbut added the initial of Philips's name.Such a process of repetition is called reduplication.After being popularized by Pope,namby-pamby went on to be used generally for people or things that are insipid, sentimental, or weak. 当我们评价某人namby-pamby 时,就显得文学性很强。 这个单词源于安布罗斯·菲利普斯的名字,这个小有名气的诗人写的作品曾遭18世纪另两名诗人,亚历山大·波普和他的朋友亨利·凯瑞尖锐的批评,他们的批评出于政治观点的不同及文学竞争,事实上与菲利普斯的诗的性质并无多大关系。在取笑攻击菲利普斯写的一些孩子们的诗时,凯瑞用绰号Namby Pamby : “所以护士们的芳心被Namby Pamby的小酸诗打动了”。波普接着在他1733年的讽刺长诗群愚史诗 中沿用此名。 凯瑞所创造的新词的前一部分来自Amby 或 Ambrose。 Pamby 重复了其声音及形式,但加上了菲利普斯的首字母。这种重复过程叫做重复。当namby-pampy 被波普推广后,人们逐渐用它表示乏味的、伤感的或虚弱的人或物
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