【精英翻譯】的部落格

Relaxing at the End of the Day with Some Afternoon Tea　 　　來場下午茶饗宴吧！

精英翻譯社轉自http://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0062/322429/web/

Learn about this popular British tradition.
來了解一下這個廣受歡迎的英國傳統吧。

Thanks to the former British Empire, people from all around the world take part in the tradition of afternoon tea. It's the English practice of having a light snack and a cup of tea a few hours before dinner. 

 多虧了從前的大英帝國，全世界的人們都可參與下午茶的傳統。在晚餐前的幾小時，享用簡單的點心和一杯茶是英國人的慣例。
　　 This tradition was started around 1840 by Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford. At that time, dinner was served very late in the day, so she often became hungry in the late afternoon. Therefore, she started eating bread and cake with some tea in the afternoon. She introduced this to friends, and afternoon tea became popular all over the country. 

這個傳統大約在 1840 年由貝德福公爵夫人安娜‧羅素發起。在當時，晚餐都很晚才吃，所以她在傍晚常感到飢餓。因此，她開始在下午吃麵包和蛋糕並配一些茶。她將這種方式介紹給朋友，於是下午茶開始盛行於全國。

　　 Today, many people go to fancy hotels or restaurants for afternoon tea. It is easy to enjoy, but there are some rules to follow. You should always hold the teacup with your thumb and index fingers. Stir the tea softly by going back and forth instead of in a circle. You don't want to make a lot of noise with your spoon because other guests may find it rude. It is also important not to dip your cake or scones into the tea. If you can remember these rules, your next afternoon tea meeting is sure to be a success.

　　今日，很多人去高級飯店或是餐廳喝下午茶。享受下午茶很容易，但仍有一些規則要遵守。你始終要用你的拇指和食指握住茶杯。輕輕地來回攪拌茶，而不是以畫圈的方式。不要用你的湯匙製造出太多的噪音，因為其他客人會覺得這是不禮貌的。別用你的蛋糕或司康來蘸茶也很重要。如果你可以記得這些規則，下次你的下午茶聚會一定會很成功。