反复尝试也不成功
Until you're blue in the face
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.
大家好，欢迎收听地道英语。
I'm Feifei and joining me today is Rob….
我是菲菲，今天和我一起的是罗布……
Errr Rob, wake up!
呃，罗布，醒醒！
Oh yeah hi everyone.
噢，嗨，大家好。
What's wrong Rob?
怎么了，罗布？
It's the kids.
是因为孩子们啦。
My house is a mess –
我家里一团糟——
toys, pencils, paints everywhere -
到处都是玩具，铅笔和绘画颜料——
and I've been trying to get them to clear everything up.
我一直设法让他们把所有东西都打扫干净。
And I guess you haven't been successful?
我猜你一直都没有成功？
That's right.
是的。
I shouted at them until I was blue in the face –
我对他们大吼，直到我的脸都青了——
but the house is still a mess.
但屋子里还是一团糟。
Rob, you don't look blue to me –
罗布，我觉得你的脸看起来不青啊——
just your normal colour.
只是正常的颜色而已。
I know that –
我知道——
what I mean is,
我的意思是，
I'm wasting my time because it won't happen –
这不会奏效的，因此我是在浪费我的时间——
whatever I say I won't get the result I want…
无论我说什么，都不会得到我想要的结果……
… which is a tidy house.
……你想要的结果就是整洁的屋子。
Hmm, so saying something 'until you're blue in the face' means
嗯，因此说某事弄得“直到你脸色发青”，意思就是说
telling someone something is a waste of time
告诉某人某件事情是浪费时间，
because nothing will happen or change.
因为什么也不会发生或者改变。
Oh dear Rob, it sounds like you have no control over your kids.
噢亲爱的罗布，听起来你好像不能控制你的孩子们啊。
You're probably right.
你大概是对的。
But I'm not alone -
但并不只是我一个人这样——
let's hear some other people who are 'blue in the face'…
让我们听听其他几个“脸色发青”的人的例子吧……
I've told him to get here on time until I'm blue in the face
我已经告诉过他要按时到这儿了，但我反复尝试也不成功，
but still he continues to arrive late.
他仍继续迟到。
He told her not to break the speed limit on the motorway until he was blue in the face
他告诉她不要在高速公路上超速，但他反复尝试也不成功，
but she still did it and guess what?
她依然我行我素，猜猜怎么样？
She got a speeding ticket!
她收到一张超速罚款条！
So saying 'until I'm blue in the face' means even though you keep saying something,
因此说“反复尝试也不成功”是指即使你一直说某件事，
nobody will listen to you.
也没人会听你的。
I know what that's like Rob.
我了解这种感受，罗布。
Really?
真的吗？
Yes.
是的。
Every time you make me a coffee I always ask you to put two sugars in it –
每次你帮我冲咖啡的时候我总是告诉你往里面放两块糖——
but you never do!
但你从来没这么做过！
Sorry pardon Feifei?
对不起菲菲，你说什么？
Err,I wasn't listening.
呃，我刚没听到。
I'm so tired.
我太累了。
Why are you so tired Rob?
你为什么这么累呢罗布？
All you did was ask the kids to tidy up.
你做的所有事情不过是让孩子们收拾屋子。
Yes but because they didn't listen to me,
是呀，但是因为他们不听我的，
I had to tidy everything up.
所以我不得不把所有东西收拾好。
Actually I can see that… you really are blue in the face –
其实我能看到…你的脸真的是青的——
look you've got blue paint there…and there… and there…
看上去你那儿是沾上了蓝色的颜料…还有那儿…还有那儿…
Arghhh!
啊！
Those damn kids!
那些可恶的孩子们！
Calm down Rob.
冷静呀，罗布。
Your face is turning red!
你的脸变红了！
Bye!
再见！