American English, like all languages, has countless colorful words and expressions. We call some slang. It is not always easy to explain the history of slang expressions. Some seem to develop out of nowhere. Some do not last very long or become dated very quickly.
美式英语跟其他语言一样，都有无数丰富的词汇和表达方式，我们称其中一些为俚语。要解释俚语的历史并不总是容易，有些俚语似乎不知道从哪冒出来的，有些不会持续很长时间，很快就过时了。

Other expressions, however, live on for years. We use them in our day-to-day lives, usually without knowing how they began. Today we look at one such word -- and one you may be wearing right now -- sneakers!
然而有些短语存在了很多年，我们在日常生活中会用到它们，通常都不知道它们是如何开始的。今天我们来看看一个这样的词：sneakers（帆布鞋），你可能正把它穿在脚底下。

Sneakers are a type of comfortable shoe. We wear them for sports and when we have to walk a lot. Many children wear them to school. And some adults wear them to work, especially if they must walk to work or ride a bike.
Sneakers是一种舒适的鞋子，我们在参加运动或需要走很多路时穿着这种鞋子。很多孩子穿着它们上学校，有些成年人穿着它们去上班，尤其是当他们需要步行或是骑车的时候。

Some say that the word "sneaker" is slang for a tennis shoe. Others say it comes from the old English verb "sneak," meaning to move silently and with speed. If you sneak up on someone and you are wearing sneakers they probably will not hear you. Well, unless your sneakers squeak. We all know squeaky sneakers stop silent sneaking. (Say that five times fast!)
有人说sneaker这个单词是网球鞋的俚语，还有人说它出自古英文动词“sneak”，意思是悄悄地、快速地移动。如果你偷偷地接近某人，并且又穿着帆布鞋，他们可能就听不到你走过来。好吧，除非你的帆布鞋发出吱吱的声音。我们都知道“squeaky sneakers stop silent sneaking。”

For many people, sneakers are not just for comfort -- they are also fashionable. These people choose the colors and styles very carefully to make a statement about their own personal style. And they may pay a lot of money for them!
对很多人来说，帆布鞋不仅舒适还很时尚。这些人非常仔细地挑选颜色和款式来表达他们自己的个人风格，他们可能会为此付出很多钱。

So, sneakers can be more than a fashion statement. They can also be a sign of wealth. Some schools in the U.S. even have rules about what sneakers students can and cannot wear. This prevents students from wearing extremely costly sneakers and avoids "sneaker shaming." This is when you make fun of someone because they are wearing less costly sneakers.
所以，帆布鞋不仅仅是一种时尚宣言，也可以成为豪的标志。美国一些学校甚至规定了学生可以穿和不可以穿的帆布鞋，这可以防止学生穿着极其昂贵的帆布鞋，避免“帆布鞋羞辱。”这是指你因为别人穿着更廉价帆布鞋而取笑他。

To some people, sneakers are a form of art. In fact, there is a museum in the American city of Boston just for sneakers! The Sneaker Museum celebrates the history of the sneaker and their cultural importance as works of art.
对一些人来说，帆布鞋还是一种艺术形式。事实上，在美国波士顿就有一家帆布鞋博物馆。这家帆布鞋博物馆展示了帆布鞋的历史及其作为艺术品的文化重要性。

But there are other words for these types of shoes. There are running shoes, cross-trainers and trainers. All of these fit under the same term: athletic shoes.
但是这类鞋还有其它名称，包括跑鞋、多功能训练鞋以及训练鞋。它们都有一个相同的专业名称：运动鞋。

Sometimes we just call our sneakers by their brand names -- our Chuck T's, Nikes or Adidas.
有时候我们只称呼这些帆布鞋的品牌，例如匡威的Chuck T系列，耐克或阿迪。

If you have an old pair of shoes that you always wear you might call them your beaters.
如果你有双常穿的旧鞋，我们称之为你的战靴（beaters，是指雨天或恶劣天气穿着的专用鞋）。

Now, sneakers may not be your choice of shoe. But you must admit that they are comfortable to wear. Well, if they fit correctly, that is.
帆布鞋现在可能不是你的所爱，但是你必须得承认它们穿着舒服。好吧，前提是合脚。

Maybe that is why we say, "If the shoe fits ... wear it!"
也许这就是我们为什么说：“如果鞋子合脚，就穿上它吧！”

Actually, no. That is not why we say this. We use this expression in a very strange way. Here is what it means.
实际上，这句话不是这个意思，这不是我们为何这样说的原因。我们使用这段短语的方式很奇怪，以下才是它的真正含义：

If someone says something bad about you but it is true -- you have to accept it. You cannot deny it!
如果有人说你的坏话，但是事实的确如此，你必须接受它，你无法否认。

For example, a friend of yours is always late for everything. One day, he shows up to your apartment (late, of course) and says, "Can you believe it!? My boss just fired me! She says I am always late!"
例如，你的一个朋友总是迟到。有一天，他出现在你的公寓里（当然又迟到了。），然后说：“你能相信吗？我老板刚把我开了，她说我总迟到！”

You could simply answer, "Well, if the shoe fits..."
你可以只回答：“Well, if the shoe fits…”

You do not even need to finish. Your friend will know exactly what you mean. He is always late and now must take responsibility. He must "wear the shoes" of a person who is always late, so to speak.
你都不用把话说完，你的朋友就能懂你到底是什么意思。他总是迟到，现在必须承担后果了。也就是说，他必须接受总是迟到所要付出的代价。

But do not be surprised if he leaves your apartment and never talks to you again. The expression "If the shoe fits, wear it" is somewhat rude. So, it is not exactly a nice thing to say, especially if someone has just lost their job!
但是如果他离开你的公寓，并且跟你绝交了，你也不要意外。“If the shoe fits, wear it”这句话有点粗鲁。所以，这不是一句好话，尤其是如果有人刚刚丢了饭碗。

Now, there is nothing stopping you from using this expression for good behavior...well, except for the fact that I personally have only ever heard it used for bad.
现在，你可以随意把它用于表述良好行为......好吧，除了一点，我个人只听过它用于表述不好的事情。

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期词汇掌故节目的全部内容。