哥布林的形象经常出现在魔幻类的电影中,比如《魔戒》里的 Gollum(古鲁姆): 还有《哈利波特》里巫师银行古灵阁中的员工: 哥布林还是游戏“魔兽世界”里最大的中立势力,他们唯利是图、非常聪明,是出色的发明家和工程师: 不过哥布林在魔兽里的设定偏破坏性,“失控爆炸”是哥布林工程学产品的一大特性,他们有一句非常著名的台词: I advise you not to get so close to that boiler, it hasn't exploded today(我劝你不要这么接近那个锅炉,它今天还没有爆炸) 咱们再回到牛津词典,看看“Goblin mode”(哥布林模式)的定义: ‘Goblin mode’ – a slang term, often used in the expressions ‘in goblin mode’ or ‘to go goblin mode’ – is ‘a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.’ 先梳理一拨里面的关键单词: 1.slang term: 俚语2.unapologetically: adv.不认错地、不道歉地、肆无忌惮地3.self-indulgent: adj.放纵自己的;任性的4.lazy: adj.懒的5.slovenly: /ˈslʌvnli/ adj. 邋遢的6.greedy: adj.贪婪的7.social norms:社会规范8.social expectation: 社会期待 译:Goblin mode”是一个俚语,常用于“in goblin mode”或“to go goblin mode”等表达中,指“一种肆无忌惮的自我放纵、懒惰、邋遢或贪婪的行为,这是违背社会规范或社会期望的。 英国《卫报》刊登了这篇文章: 标题叫做:Slobbing out and giving up: why are so many people going ‘goblin mode’?(偷懒和放弃:为什么这么多人进入了“哥布林”模式) 文章列举了这么一个场景: …spending the day in bed watching 90 Day Fiancé on mute while scrolling endlessly through social media, pouring the end of a bag of chips in your mouth; downing Eggo toaster oven waffles with hot sauce over the sink because you can’t be bothered to put them on a plate. Leaving the house in your pajamas and socks only to get a single Diet Coke from the bodega. 译:一整天时间躺在床上浑浑噩噩地刷剧,同时无休止地浏览社交媒体,把一包薯片剩余的部分倒进嘴里;把抹了辣酱的华夫饼直接倒在水槽里,因为你懒得把它们放在盘子里。穿着睡衣和袜子出门只为了从杂货店买一杯健怡可乐。 这的确有点像生活在洞穴里的邋里邋遢的小妖怪... 我想起了前些年爆火的动画片《哪吒》里的桥段,哪吒被陈塘关百姓误解后,便进入到一种 Goblin mode,整日摆烂,口中念念有词: “我是小妖怪,逍遥又自在。杀人不眨眼,吃人不放盐。一口七八个,肚皮要撑破。茅房去拉屎,想起忘带纸。生活你全是泪,没死就得活受罪。越是折腾越倒霉,越有追求越悲催。垂死挣扎你累不累,不如躺在床上睡。”