地道美语:red carpet treatment 贵宾式待遇

集团老总要来，全厂上下忙个不停，又是安排会场，铺上地毯，又是准备盛宴，好不忙乎，这让我想起了一个片语：red carpet treatment(welcome).

先看一个例子：

Wherever the star went, he was given a red carpet welcome by his movie fans.

（那明星的所到之处，都受到他影迷的热烈欢迎。）.

Red carpet treatment意思是贵宾式的待遇，而red carpet welcome指贵宾式的欢迎。一般在接见重要人物时，接待单位总是铺上红地毯以表隆重和热烈，所以这种“红地毯待遇”就表示“贵宾式的待遇”了。英文老师这样解释：

In west culture, people rool out a red carpet for an important people to walk on when they arrive. For example, important people such as an embassador, a movie star or an honorable guest. So to give someone the red carpet treatmetnt means that you give them special treatment.

Let’s take a look at the following examples from the internet:

Dr. Taylor Wang, the first Chinese astronaut, was given the red-carpet treatment at his alma mater.

(中国的第一位太空人王赣骏博士在他的母校受到隆重而热烈的欢迎。)

When the president visited the foreign countries, he was given the red-carpet treatment and welcomed by a great crown.

(当总统访问外国时，他得到了隆重的款待及多数群众的热烈欢迎。)

注意，这个片语有时也用作roll out the red carpet to sb. 意思相同，上文中英文老师的解释里就这样用到。

下面来看一看今天要学习的第二个片语：when in Rome, do as the Romans do

你喜欢西方人的就餐习惯吗？在美国，他们总是先上汤，后上主菜，而在我们中国，汤却是最后一道需要上的菜，不管怎样，我们到了一个陌生的国度，总得要“入乡随俗”。对了，这就是when in Rome, do as the Romans do，即conform to the manners and customs of those amongst whom you live.从字面意义上看（literally）,这个片语的意思是当身处罗马时，要像罗马人那样做，意思就是你到一个地方时，由于文化传统的差异，你需要按照人家的风俗习惯行事。The sentence “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” means that we should obey its customs when we are entering a country.看个例子：

The differences in customs and cultures in the world are really noticeable. We should learn more about them to avoid them to avoid embarrassment(窘迫). Then, would you please remember: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

（世界上的风俗和文化的不同很值得注意。我们应该多注意一点一，以避尴尬。所以请记住：入乡随俗。）

搞不懂老美为什么老是以Rome来组成一些句子，可能是因为古罗马的发达吧，汉语中不是也有么？像“条条道路通罗马”？

注意由于这个片语实际上是一个完整的句子，所以我们可以根据句子的需要适当的加上一个成分，意思也不会改变。如：

I know you have egg and milk for breakfast at home, but now you are in another country, when in Rome, you will do as the Romans do and take coffee，please.

（我知道你在家早餐是鸡蛋和牛奶，但现在你在另一个国家，你要入乡随俗，（所以），请喝咖啡。）

结束语：目前正是西部大开发的重要时期，政府为吸引外资，对外商总是给予贵宾式的待遇（red carpet treatment）。厂里为了引进先进设备，来了几个老外洽谈，我们早上准备的几杯咖啡，不过他们懂得入乡随俗（when in Rome, do as the Romans do）的道理，坚持要品尝一下中国茶，这下可把我们逗乐了。