日韩精品久久一区二区三区_亚洲色图p_亚洲综合在线最大成人_国产中出在线观看_日韩免费_亚洲综合在线一区

您現在的位置: 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: [email protected], or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

 
英語點津版權說明:凡注明來源為“英語點津:XXX(署名)”的原創作品,除與中國日報網簽署英語點津內容授權協議的網站外,其他任何網站或單位未經允許不得非法盜鏈、轉載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請與010-84883631聯系;凡本網注明“來源:XXX(非英語點津)”的作品,均轉載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉載,請與稿件來源方聯系,如產生任何問題與本網無關;本網所發布的歌曲、電影片段,版權歸原作者所有,僅供學習與研究,如果侵權,請提供版權證明,以便盡快刪除。
相關文章 Related Story
 
 
 
本頻道最新推薦
 
Walking in the US first lady's shoes
“準確無誤”如何表達
英國新晉超女蘇珊大媽改頭換面
豬流感 swine flu
你有lottery 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,橙子用英文怎么區分?
看Gossip Girl學英語
端午節怎么翻譯?
母親,您在天堂還好嗎?

 

主站蜘蛛池模板: 伊人伊人伊人 | 欧美影院在线 | 亚洲精品1区 | 成人v | 国产午夜精品久久久 | 日韩女同一区二区三区 | 久久电影精品久久99久久 | 国产五月色婷婷六月丁香视频 | 国产在线观看一区二区三区 | 日本高清动作片www网站免费 | 天天色av | 久久免费视频一区二区三区 | 日韩成人免费在线视频 | 久久6699精品国产人妻 | 日日操视频 | 天天综合网在线观看视频 | 日产精品久久久久久久 | 极品丝袜高跟91极品系列 | 欧美一级色片 | 91麻豆国产极品在线观看洋子 | 欧美日韩亚洲国内综合网俺 | 久久久www成人免费无遮挡大片 | 天天摸天天做天天爽 | 日韩一区二区在线视频 | 亚洲成人精品久久久 | 欧美一区二区三区网站 | 欧美久久久久 | 97av在线| 欧美日韩综合精品一区二区三区 | 国产日韩一区二区三免费高清 | 午夜亚洲一区 | 91九色porn偷拍在线 | 一级做a爰片性色毛片男 | 新91| 欧美一区二区三区久久精品 | 午夜精品久久久 | av官网在线 | 日韩电影毛片 | 日本精品人妻无码免费大全 | 无码免费人妻A片AAA毛片一区 | 国产高清一国产免费软件 |