sharing

Open relationship

 

Bewilderment and disbelief are natural reactions to an open relationship, because we are bound by societal norms and most people in a stable romantic partnership will view their exclusivity to one another as the ideal relationship structure.

 

1. bewilderment 困惑 [be will der ment] = confusion

e.g. She shook her head in bewilderment.

 

bewilder (v.) = perplex / confuse使迷惑使不知所措

e.g. The conflicting road signs bewilder drivers all the time.

 

bewildering / bewildered (adj.)

e.g. We are bewildered by the road signs.

e.g. The road signs are bewildering

 

2. bound 束縛 / 結合 as past tense/v-pp of “bind”

e.g. Shared language and culture bind people together.

Something is bound to happen = sure that it will happen

 

bound (n./v.) 跳躍/限制

e.g., A rabbit bounded out of a bush.

e.g., Our lives are bounded by work and family.

 

It seems antithetical to say that people in open relationships are just as committed to each other as those in monogamous ones. Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada disagree with this assumption and have found that people in open relationships are just as satisfied and happy as their monogamous counterparts.

 

3. antithetical 對立的

to be antithetical to sth. 與某事物相對立

e.g., The politicians’ views seem to be antithetical to those of the government.

 

4. monogamous vs polygamous (polygamy)

e.g., A couple talked about their four-year polygamous arrangement in a newspaper interview.

 

The boyfriend said he initiated the move when he felt their six-year relationship had gone stale. After his girlfriend gave him the “infidelity pass”, he claims he had sexual relations with over 300 women and said the freedom had saved their relationship.

 

infidelity (n.) 不忠

e.g., John ignored his partner’s infidelity.

 

English in Drama - "The Open Couple" by Dario Fo

Woman: Shut up! Hands up! Face the wall. Stay like that. I ‘m going to have a word with them—then I will kill you.

收聲，舉起雙手，面向牆壁，就咁唔好郁！我有嘢同佢地講，之後我就會殺咗你！

 

have a word — (especially spoken to talk to someone quickly, especially because you need their advice about something or you want to tell them to do something)

 

e.g. Could I have a word? 我可以同你講幾句嗎？

 

e.g. I’ll have a word with Doris and see if she’ll help. 我會找Doris傾傾，看看她能否幫忙。

 

A Song For You - “Side by Side by Side”

 

Isn't it warm?

Isn't it rosy?

Side by side by side…

One is lonely and two is boring,

Think what you can keep ignoring

Side by side by side.

One's impossible, two is dreary,

Three is company, safe and cheery.

 

Side by Side by Side 來自1970年美國音樂劇 Company，是概念音樂劇首作，亦是傳奇作曲作詞人 Stephen Sondheim 成名之作之一。

 

company (n.) 作伴；陪伴；同伴

 

e.g. It was a long trip and I was grateful for his company.

旅途漫漫，我感謝有他作伴。

e.g. I enjoy my own company (= I like being alone).  我喜歡獨處。

e.g. I didn't realize you had company (= were with someone/people).

我不知道你這兒有人。

 

> be good company 是個好夥伴

 

e.g. You’ll like Rosie - she's good company.

你會喜歡Rosie的——她是個好夥伴。

 

> for company 為了有個伴，為了不冷清

e.g. I usually have the radio on for company.

我一般會開著收音機，為的是有個伴。

 

dreary (adj.) 沈悶的，單調乏味的，令人沮喪的

 

e.g. a dreary little town 沉悶的小城

e.g. She had spent another dreary day in the office.

她在辦公室裡又度過了枯燥的一天。

 

cheery (adj.) 明快的；歡快的；令人愉快的

 

e.g. She walked in with a cheery "Good morning!"

她走進來，歡快地說：「早上好！」

 

e.g. He gave us a cheery wave as we drove past.

我們開車駛過時，他愉快地向我們揮揮手。

   
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