每日一词 146 | laggard

1. 这是个什么词?

词:laggard

英英释义:a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others

例句:This cut-throat contest is not for losers and laggards.

2. 为什么选这个词?

“laggard”是可数名词,意思是“落后者”,从动词 lag(落后)衍生而来。这个词是《经济学人》的常客,可以指一个人、一家公司、一支球队、一个国家。来看几个例句。

这项比赛竞争激烈,不适合失败者和落后者,就可以说:

This cut-throat contest is not for losers and laggards.

中国男足一直落后,让很多国人觉得非常尴尬,我们就可以说:

The Chinese national football team has long been a laggard, an embarrassment to many Chinese.

来看看《经济学人》文章中用到的几处 laggard:

a) Britain’s economy has gone from a leader to a laggard internationally, as GDP growth has slowed sharply.

想表达“从领头羊变成了落后者”就可以直接用“go from a leader to a laggard”这一表达。

b) Indeed, half a millennium ago Europe might justly have been considered a laggard.

c) On its current path, the country will remain a growth laggard. 在目前的发展道路上,该国仍将是一个增长落后的国家。

这句中,注意 growth 虽然是名词,但也可以用来修饰 laggard。这个用法在有的字典中查不到,不过在地道英文中还是可以看到的。我们在阅读中可以多注意积累类似的名词作修饰语的用法。

3. 怎样学会使用这个词?

1)翻译下面的句子:

这个国家的经济一度落后,不过现在已经开始迎头赶上了。

Once a laggard, the economy of this country is now catching up.

(参考翻译:Once a laggard, the economy of this country is starting to catch up. 或 )

2)造句 :

Long a laggard, our town's economy is beginning to pick up.

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