ESL Podcast 698 – Making Ethnically or Racially Offensive Remarks

　　Mike: Did you hear what Dan said? He called me a mick. What decade is he living in?
Patti: He’s just ignorant. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to be offensive.
Mike: Well, I take offense¹. And to add insult to injury, did you hear what else he said?
Patti: What?
Mike: He said that he was speaking on behalf of the Irish in the community when he said he liked the plan. How dare he speak for other people? It’s presumptuous².
Patti: He was trying to make a point and probably just got carried away. I agree that what he said could be insulting, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
Mike: You can be magnanimous if you want to be, but I know an ethnic³ slur⁴ when I hear one.
Patti: It wasn’t an ethnic slur. It wasn’t the politically correct term, that’s all. He’s a little behind the times.
Mike: Behind the times?! He’d have to live to 150 to catch up to the present!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

2 presumptuous   

adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的

参考例句：

• It would be presumptuous for anybody to offer such a view.任何人提出这种观点都是太放肆了。
• It was presumptuous of him to take charge.他自拿主张，太放肆了。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 slur   

v.含糊地说；诋毁；连唱；n.诋毁；含糊的发音

参考例句：

• He took the remarks as a slur on his reputation.他把这些话当作是对他的名誉的中伤。
• The drug made her speak with a slur.药物使她口齿不清。