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莎士比亚的戏剧《暴风雨》正在首演，剧中充满了音乐、魔幻和怪物。英王詹姆士一世和王后正一边看剧一边共进晚餐。剧中人物特林鸠罗说他的处境是 in a pickle，一指他喝得烂醉，二指他让自己陷入困境。腌菜 pickles 是各种水果和蔬菜混杂的食物，这些食材被捣碎后用醋和香料腌制而成，有时还会放点酒。现在，人们如何用腌菜这个单词来形容有人喝多了呢？In a pickle 还可以形容什么状态呢？
Narrator
It was a chilly November evening. William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, full of music, magic and monsters, is being performed for the first time. King James I and the Queen are having dinner while they watch.
King James
I do like a good play… mmm… and this meat is delicious - bring me more of that pickle… Mmmm… I love a bit of pickle with my dinner… and a nice glass of wine…
Queen
Don't you think you've had enough wine, dear?
King James
Oh do be quiet dear: I can't hear the actors. Now, Mr Shakespeare, is that a King I see on the stage?
Will
Your Majesty, that is King Alonso of Naples. He is lost on a magical island.
King James
And who is this fellow in the jester's costume?
Will
Your Majesty, that is Trinculo. He drinks a lot, and plans to murder people.
King James
A drunken jester? Murder? No good will come of it… does the King know about this?
Will
Yes, your Majesty. Now, the King is going to find Trinculo - in a drunken mess. Your Majesty might care to listen…
King James 1
Ooh yes, yes, I want to hear this, be quiet everybody.
?
Alonso
How camest thou in this pickle?
Robert Harley as Trinculo
I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.
King James 1
Hahaha! He's in a pickle! I like it, Will, very good, very good!
Narrator
We'll leave them there for now. Pickles are a very messy food, made from fruit and vegetables, crushed and preserved in vinegar and spices - sometimes with alcohol too. When Trinculo says he is in a pickle, he's probably saying that he is very drunk - but he's also got himself into a mess - a very difficult situation. Nowadays, when someone has drunk a lot of alcohol, they can say: I'm pickled - and when they've got problems, they can say: I'm in a pickle. Take The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth, who said:
Clip 1
Most of the time if I'm in a pickle I'll call one of my brothers. They've usually got somewhat uplifting advice.
Clip 2
Ooh, you're in a pickle with those bags aren't you? Let me help.
King James I
Now Mr Shakespeare, sit down and eat with us. Have some cold meat!
Servant
Anything with that?
Will
Hmmm… To pickle, or not to pickle: that is the question.
Edited by: geilien.cn
in a pickle, 这其实是延伸义，首先pickle作为名词的时候有泡菜，盐卤，腌制食品等，当放在in a pickle这个介词短语中，我们可以先联想在盐卤中，盐卤本身很闲，并不很好受，所以进行延伸，短语意思就是"[口语]非常混乱，乱七八糟；很脏；处境困难(或尴尬)".
I’m really in a pickle. I’m supposed to buy him a fur coat, but I don’t have enough money for such an item.
我真的很为难，我本应该给他买件皮衣，可我没有那么多的钱
But if you are in a pickle, you are in trouble or a difficult situation.
但是，如果你处于困境时，你就有麻烦或困难的局面。