11.13 parallel
英英释义:a person or thing that is similar to another.
解释:parallel做形容词说,是于….平行(A is parallel to B),做名词讲,本意是平行线(a pair of parallel line)
做名词引申为相似性,共性。由几何中的平行线而来,形象。
同义:similarity 表达两个事物的共同特征,resemblance
搭配: the similarity between A and B/ parallel with
Draw parallel between
Striking parallel
例1:很多年前在《英语沙龙》杂志读到现任北大光华学院金融教授 Michael Pettis 的一个访谈,主题是中美文化差异。他在回答“中国哪个城市最像纽约”的时候,是这样说的:
There are many striking parallels between Shanghai and New York City.
“striking”的意思是“明显的”,经常用来修饰 difference 和 similarity,也常用来修饰 parallel,这类常见搭配在《牛津英语搭配词典》中就可以查得到。我们可以在上面这句话的基础上,改写造句:
When many New Yorkers visit Shanghai, they can readily sense familiar parallels between Shanghai and the Big Apple.(“The Big Apple”是纽约市的昵称。)
例2:2014 年底我从美国东海岸搬到旧金山,参加了当地两个 Toastmasters Club 公众演讲俱乐部。当时有会员问我喜不喜欢旧金山,我大概是这么说的:
I love San Francisco as much as I love New York City. In terms of cultural diversity and vibrancy, I see a lot of striking parallels between the two cities.
“parallel”最常见的一个用法是“to draw parallels/a parallel between A and B”,意思是“在 A 的身上可以看到 B 的影子”。当我们想表达“A 和 B 有很大的相似之处”时,就可以想到使用“parallel”。比如:
Many foodies try to draw a parallel between Chinese noodles and Italian pasta.
Some psychologists have drawn mind-boggling parallels between video gaming and casino gamble.
翻译: 这本书主要写的是传统出版业和数字出版业之间有趣的相似性。
This book draws parallel between traditional publisher and digital publisher.
场景:学英语和学游泳有很多相同点。
There are striking parallels between learning English and swimming.