About 这个词的意思可不只是“关于”

屈联西

　　我们都知道，英语单词“about”的常用含义是“关于，有关”。不过在口语中，“about”还有一个特殊的用法。在本集《地道英语》中，菲菲和 Neil 不仅会教给大家“about”的另一个用法，还会介绍一位叫做 Mark 的神秘嘉宾。
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　　（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）
　　Feifei
　　大家好，欢迎收听BBC英语教学的《地道英语》节目。我是冯菲菲。
　　Neil
　　And I’m Neil.
　　Feifei
　　In this programme, we’re talking about… ‘about’!
　　Neil
　　About ‘about’?
　　Feifei
　　About ‘about’!
　　Neil
　　This is getting silly! We are indeed talking about the word ‘about’ – but not as it’s usually used.
　　Feifei
　　是的，我们来给大家举例说明。Is Mark about today?
　　Neil
　　Yes, I saw him this morning.
　　Feifei
　　那么也就是说刚才我在问你“Is Mark about today?”的时候，我指的并不是“Mark 这个人本身和‘today 今天’是不是有关系”，而我的意思是“Mark 在吗？Is Mark here”？
　　Neil
　　‘About’ means ‘here’, or ‘somewhere near here’.
　　Feifei
　　“Mark’s about.”的意思就是“Mark’s near here.”By the way who’s Mark?
　　Neil
　　No idea. But I know he’s near here!
　　Feifei
　　Well, that’s reassuring. Time for some more examples about ‘about’.
　　Examples
　　Hi, is Sue about? Just need to give her some files.
　　Will you be about this evening? I want to ask a big favour.
　　There’s no one about. It’s a bit scary.
　　Don’t talk like that. There are children about.
　　Feifei
　　There we are. ‘About’ meaning in or close to an area. 单词“about”除了表达我们熟悉的“有关…”的意思之外，还可以表示“在某个地方”或者“在附近”。
　　Neil
　　You know, there’s another word that behaves like this.
　　Feifei
　　You’re talking about… ‘around’!
　　Neil
　　Indeed. We could ask: “Is Mark around?”
　　Feifei
　　And we know the answer to that: you saw him this morning.
　　Neil
　　Except… I didn’t really see him. Because Mark doesn’t exist…
　　Mark
　　Hi – I’m Mark.
　　Neil
　　Ah, Mark!
　　Feifei
　　We were just talking about you!
　　Neil
　　And we were just talking about ‘about’.
　　Feifei
　　And ‘around’.
　　Neil
　　Goodbye.
　　Feifei
　　Bye.
　　Mark
　　Bye bye.