backpedal

1.23 backpedal

英英释义:to change your opinion or not do something that you had promised to do

“backpedal”本意是“倒踩自行车的脚蹬”,常常引申表示“撤回”。它后面一般搭配介词 on, 介词后接表示某个观点、计划、建议、决定、承诺、条款等的词,是用在写作中让读者眼前一亮的好词。

搭配:backpedal on+观点,计划,建议,决定,承诺,条款

同义词:backtrack

例1:一些美国政客的竞选立场摇摆不定。比如有些人为了迎合大众支持实施减税政策,过了一段时间又决定撤销,这时就可以说:

US politicians are backpedaling on the commitment to cut taxes. (这里 backpedal on 接的是“承诺”(commitment)。)

再来看一个接决定(decision)的例句:

例2: Under huge pressure from the public, local authorities backpedaled on their decision to open a chemical factory.

backpedal 在有的语境中还相当于“收回某人的话/take one's words back”,比如:

例3:The product manager quickly backpedaled when asked to explain his proposal in detail.

backpedal 还有一个常见的同义词 backtrack,意义和用法都很相似,很多时候都可以互相替换。《经济学人》在 2016 年一篇报道总统竞选的文章中就用到了 backtrack:

“I didn’t mean to attack people in New York. I love New York.” Ted Cruz, campaigning in New York, backtracks from his sneering comments about “New York values”.

3. 怎样学会使用这个词?

1)翻译下面的句子:

在意大利时装品牌 Dolce & Gabbana 发布自己饱受争议的粗俗广告后,很多中国艺人决定不再和它合作。

After DOLCE& Gabbana, an Italian luxury fashion brands, released its controversial and low advertisement, many Chinese celebrities backpedaled on the cooperation.

粗俗和艺人不会翻译 offensive,actors。(参考翻译:After Italian fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana published a highly controversial and offensive advertisement, many Chinese actors started to backpedal on their partnership with it.)

场景:喜欢出尔反尔的人不可信。

The one who is prone to backpedal on his decisions is not trustworthy.

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