lan·guage /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 English/French/Arabic etc 英语/法语/阿拉伯语等 [countableC, uncountableU]LANGUAGE a system of communication by written or spoken words, which is used by the people of a particular country or area 〔某国家或地区的〕语言;语言文字 How many languages do you speak? 你能说几种语言?
one of the best-known poems in the English language 最著名的英语诗歌之一
2 communication 沟通 [uncountableU]LANGUAGE the use of written or spoken words to communicate 语言;言语;说话 the origins of language 语言的起源
3 style/type of words 词语的风格/类型WORD, PHRASE, OR SENTENCE [uncountableU] a particular style or type of words 〔特定风格或类型的〕用语;术语legal/medical/technical etc language The letter was written in complicated legal language. 这封信是用复杂的法律术语写的。
spoken/written language The expression is mainly used in written language. 这个短语主要用在书面语中。
ordinary/everyday language He is able to explain complicated ideas in simple everyday language. 他能够用简单的日常语言解释复杂的观点。
literary/poetic language The plays are full of old-fashioned poetic language. 这些戏剧充斥着老掉牙的诗歌语言。
language of the language of science 科学术语
4 swearing 谩骂 [uncountableU] informalSWEAR words that most people think are offensive 粗话,骂人话mind/watch your language spoken (=stop swearing) 注意你的言谈;嘴巴干净点
bad/foul/abusive language 脏话/粗话/恶言
5 strong language a) ANGRYangry words used to tell people exactly what you mean 措辞强硬的话,激烈的言辞 6 computers 计算机 [countableC, uncountableU] technicalTD a system of instructions for operating a computer 计算机语言 a programming language for the Web 一种网络编程语言
7 signs/actions/sounds 手势/动作/声音 [countableC, uncountableU]WAY/METHOD signs, movements, or sounds that express ideas or feelings 〔使用手势、动作或声音的〕表达方式,交流方式language of the language of bees 蜜蜂的交流方式
the language of dolphins 海豚的交流方式
→ body language, sign language, → speak the same language at speak(11) COLLOCATIONSverbsspeak a language 说某种语言Can you speak a foreign language? 你会说外语吗?
use a language 用某种语言The children use their native language at home. 孩子们在家说母语。
learn a language 学习语言Immigrants are expected to learn the language of their new country. 移民应该要学习移入国的语言。
master a language (=succeed in learning a language well) 掌握语言nShe had had a long struggle to master the Russian language.
know a language 懂一种语言nHe had lived in Japan, but did not know the language.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + languagea foreign language 外语He found learning a foreign language extremely difficult. 他发现学外语极其困难。
the English/Japanese/Spanish etc language 英语/日语/西班牙语等She had some knowledge of the Spanish language. 她会一点西班牙语。
somebody’s first/native language (=the language someone first learned as a child) 某人的母语His first language was Polish. 他的母语是波兰语。
a second language (=a language you speak that is not your first language) 第二语言nMost of the students learned English as their second language.
modern languages (=languages that are spoken now) 现代语言nThe school has a good modern languages department.
a dead language (=a language that is no longer spoken) 不再使用的语言nShe didn’t see the point of learning a dead language.
an official language (=the language used for official business in a country) 官方语言nCanada has two official languages: English and French.
a common language (=a language that more than one person or group speaks, so that they can understand each other) 共同语言nMost of the countries of South America share a common language: Spanish.
language + NOUNthe language barrier (=the problem of communicating with someone when you do not speak the same language) 语言障碍Because of the language barrier, it was hard for doctors to give good advice to patients. 由于存在语言障碍,医生难以给予病人有效建议。
a language student/learner 语言学习者Language learners often have problems with tenses. 语言学习者往往在掌握时态方面有问题。
a language teacher 语言教师na book for language teachers
language teaching 语言教学nrecent developments in language teaching
phrasessomebody’s command of a language (=someone’s ability to speak a language) 某人对一种语言的掌握nDoes he have a good command of the language?
THESAURUSndifferent kinds of languagedialect a form of a language that is spoken in one area of a country, with different words, grammar, or pronunciation from other areasCantonese is only one of many Chinese dialects.
the local dialect
accent the way that someone pronounces words, because of where they were born or live, or their social classKaren has a strong New Jersey accent.
an upper class accent
slang very informal spoken language, used especially by people who belong to a particular group, for example young people or criminalsTeenage slang changes all the time.
‘Dosh’ is slang for ‘money’.
terminology formal the technical words or expressions that are used in a particular subjectmusical terminology
Patients are often unfamiliar with medical terminology.
jargon especially disapproving words and phrases used in a particular profession or subject and which are difficult for other people to understandThe instructions were written in complicated technical jargon.
‘Outsourcing’ is business jargon for sending work to people outside a company to do.
The letter was full of legal jargon.
techniques used in language 语言技巧simile an expression that describes something by comparing it with something else, using the words as or like, for example ‘as white as snow’ 明喻The poet uses the simile ‘soft like clay’. 诗人运用了明喻 “如陶土般柔软” 。
irony the use of words that are the opposite of what you really mean, often in order to be amusing 反语,反讽‘I’m so happy to hear that, ’ he said, with more than a trace of irony in his voice. “听到这消息可真叫我高兴。” 他说道,语气中带着重重的嘲讽。
hyperbole a way of describing something by saying that it is much bigger, smaller, worse etc than it actually is – used especially to excite people’s feelings 夸张In his speeches, he used a lot of hyperbole. 他在演讲中运用了大量夸张手法。
journalistic hyperbole 新闻报道的夸张
alliteration the use of several words together that all begin with the same sound, in order to make a special effect, especially in poetry 头韵the alliteration of the ‘s’ sound in ‘sweet birds sang softly’ sweet birds sang softly中的s头韵
imagery the use of words to describe ideas or actions in a way that makes the reader connect the ideas with pictures in their mind 意象the use of water imagery in Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ 菲茨杰拉德小说《了不起的盖茨比》中水的意象的运用
She uses the imagery of a bird’s song to represent eternal hope. 她用鸟鸣的意象来象征永恒的希望。
rhetorical question a question that you ask as a way of making a statement, without expecting an answer 反问When he said ‘how can these attitudes still exist in a civilized society?’, he was asking a rhetorical question. “这样的态度怎么能继续存在于文明社会中?” 他这句话是在反问。