英国酒客的举止

so now you have a drink, but what about meeting the locals? pub-goers will indicate in unspoken ways if they are interested in chatting. concentrate on those who have bought drinks and are still loitering at the bar. those who have moved to sit at tables are probably not seeking company. look for people with "open" body language, facing outwards into the room. don' t ever introduce yourself with an outstretched hand and a big smile. natives will cringe and squirm with embarrassment at such brashness. the british, quite frankly, do not want to know your name and shake your hand——or at least not until a proper degree of mutual interest has been well established (like maybe when you marry their daughter).

　　好，你现在喝上酒了，那又怎么和当地人接触呢？上酒吧的人如果有兴趣交谈的话，会用非言语方式表现出来。注意那些已经买了酒可还在吧台前晃荡的人。那些已经离开吧台，找到椅子坐下的人可能只想独斟。找那些脸朝外，朝屋里人看，用形体语言表示“可接触”的人。千万不要伸出手来笑容满面地自我介绍。对于这种轻率鲁莽，当地人会因尴尬而战战兢兢。坐立不安。坦率地说，英国人不想知道你的姓名，也不想跟你握手——至少在相互间尚未形成某种共同利益（譬如当你娶他们的女儿为妻）之前不会。

　　talk generally about the weather, the beer or the pub and at an appropriate moment, offer to your newfound companion a drink. this exchange is key to feeling part of the pub crowd and thereby getting to know more about britain than its tourists spots. the ritual of sharing——buying rounds of drinks in turn——is of great significance. this is because the british male is frightened of intimacy, finds it difficult to express friendly interest in other males and can be somewhat aggressive in his manner.

　　可以跟人泛泛地谈天气，谈啤酒，或者谈所在的酒吧。在适当的时刻主动提出给你新找到的同伴买酒。这种相互请酒是感受自己是酒吧群体中一员的关键作法，从而可以更多了解旅游点以外的英国。轮流买酒分担费用的习俗有它重要意义。这是因为英国男人害怕亲密，他们对其他男性表示友好有困难，举止行为上多少有可能不甚和善。

　　if you are having british friends or business contracts, one of your hosts will probably buy the first round, but you should be quick to offer the next. the right time to offer to buy a drink is when their glasses are still a quarter full. the line of "it's my round——what are you having?" may not be in your phrase book, but it is one of the most useful sentences in the english language.

　　你如果和英国朋友在一起或者在洽谈商业合同，接待你的主人中有一位可能买第一轮酒，而你应该很快表示买下一轮的。在对方杯子里的酒还剩下四分之一时，就是你该提出买酒的时候了。“这轮由我买——你喝的是什么？”这句话在你的英语小册子里可能没有，但它却是英国语言中非常有用的一句话。