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And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在是VOA慢速英语词汇掌故节目。
On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give definitions, examples and notes on usage.
在这个节目中，我们探索英语中的单词和表达。我们会为大家解释其定义、示例和用法说明。
Today we talk about a word with an unusual history – whammy.
今天我们来谈论一个有着不寻常历史的单词——whammy。
A whammy can be a magical spell that brings bad luck.
恶咒可以是一种带来厄运的魔法咒语。
It can also be an attack or a damaging, destructive blow.
它也可以是一次攻击或具有破坏性的打击。
A blow is an incident or event that hits you hard. So, one whammy is bad. But what happens when you have two? That is called a double whammy.
“blow” 是指严重打击你的事件或事故。所以，一个厄运是不好的。但是当你有两个时会发生什么呢？这被称为双重打击。
People traditionally say they have been hit with a double whammy!”
人们传统上会说他们遭受了双重打击！
The online dictionary Merriam-Webster defines a double whammy as a combination of two usually unfavorable forces, circumstances, or effects.
韦伯在线词典将 “a double whammy” 定义为两种通常不利的力量、情况或影响的组合。
Two bad things happen at the same time to make something really unpleasant or difficult.
两件坏事同时发生，使事情变得非常不愉快或困难。
It can also mean that two bad things happen consecutively, or one after the other. The origin of the expression is unclear.
它也可以意味着两件坏事接连发生，或者一个接一个地发生。这个表达的起源目前尚不清楚。
Some guess it comes from taking the word “wham” which describes a hard punch or blow and adding a -y ending which makes it sound funny.
有人猜测这个词来源于 "wham"，这个词描述的是重拳或重击，加上一个"-y "结尾，听起来很有趣。
Others say the cartoonist Al Capp popularized the word whammy in his 1950s comic strip Li’l Abner.
其他人说漫画家阿尔·卡普在他20世纪50年代的漫画《Li’lAbner》中普及了“whammy”这个词。
A character named Evil-Eye Fleegle could stop someone by simply looking at them.
一个名叫“邪恶之眼”弗利格尔的角色可以仅仅通过看一眼别人就可以阻止他们。
The single whammy was a look with one eye, and the feared double whammy used both eyes.
单眼一瞪是“单祸”，双眼一瞪是“双祸”。
Now, let’s listen to the expression used in a sentence.
现在，让我们听一个句子中使用的表达方式。
Today, my friend Jonah lost his job.
今天，我的朋友乔纳失去了他的工作。
And then, on the way home, he fell and broke his leg. Talk about a double whammy! It has NOT been his best day.
然后，在回家的路上，他摔倒了，摔断了腿。这可真是祸不单行！真是不愉快的一天。
Here is another example of the expression double whammy.
这里还有一个表达“双重打击”的例子。
On their 3-hour hiking trip, the friends were hit with a double whammy. The first was a bad rainstorm. They were forced to take shelter in a cave. Then they realized the second bad thing. They left all their food and water in the car.
在3小时的徒步旅行中，朋友们遭遇了双重打击。首先是一场恶劣的暴雨。他们被迫在一个山洞里避难。然后他们意识到第二件坏事。他们把所有的食物和水都留在了车里。
There is another English expression that has a similar meaning – a one-two punch.
还有另一个英语表达具有类似的意思——a one-two punch(组合拳)。
The first punch is a difficult blow to take, but then the second one aims to finish the job.
第一拳让人难以承受，但第二拳的目的是完成任务。
The expression comes from boxing where one punch is quickly followed by another from the other fist, or closed hand.
这个表达来自拳击，在拳击比赛中，一只拳头迅速打出一拳后，另一只拳头或紧握的手会紧接着打出另一拳。
A boxer using a one-two punch is trying to knock out their opponent or to score points.
一名拳击手使用一二连击，试图击倒对手或得分。
Both double whammy and one-two punch are informal expressions.
“double whammy”以及“one-two punch”都是非正式表达。
One-two punch might be less popular than it once was.
“One-two punch”可能不像以前那么流行了。
But double whammy appears in some surprising places in both American and British English.
但是“double whammy”这个表达在美式英语和英式英语中都出现在一些令人惊讶的地方。
And that’s Words and Their Stories. Until next time.
这就是本期的《词汇掌故》。下次见!
I’m Anna Matteo.
我是安娜·马特奥。
