The english we speak(BBC教学)第328期:Shrinkflation 缩水式通胀

Nobody likes inflation – when prices go up - but what about 'shrinkflation'? Rob becomes a victim of this when he shares a packet of crisps with Feifei. Find out what this new word means and how it affects the things we buy.

没人喜欢通货膨胀，因为通货膨胀意味着价格上涨，那缩水式通胀呢？罗布和菲菲分享薯片时成为了缩水式通胀的受害者。请收听本期节目，了解这个词的含义以及它对我们购买物品产生的影响。

Rob: Hello, I'm Rob...

罗布：大家好，我是罗布。

Feifei: I'm Feifei and this is The English We Speak. Hold on... Rob, are you eating?!

菲菲：我是菲菲，欢迎收听地道英语节目。等一下……罗布，你是在吃东西吗？！

Rob: I am. Would you like a crisp? They're cheese and onion flavour.

罗布：对。你想吃薯片吗？是芝士洋葱味的。

Feifei: Oh go on then – oh, I see you've eaten most of them, but I'll have the last one, shall I?

菲菲：你继续吃吧，我看你已经吃掉一大半了，最后一片留给我吃，可以吗？

Rob: Actually Fefei, there weren't many crisps to start with – it's this 'shrinkflation'.

罗布：菲菲，其实本来就没有多少薯片，这是缩水式通胀。

Feifei: Shrinkflation – I guess that's the opposite of 'inflation'?

菲菲：缩水式通胀，我猜这是通货膨胀的反义词吧？

Rob: That's correct – inflation is where prices rise, or the size of things get bigger – they inflate – like a balloon. But with shrinkflation things get smaller – but not the physical size of things, it's the quantity of something.

罗布：没错，通货膨胀是指价格上涨，或者东西的量更大了，也就是它们膨胀了，就像气球一样。但缩水式通胀是指量越来越少，不是物品的物理尺寸变小，而是含量减少。

Feifei: I see. So the crisp packet is the same size, but the number of crisps in side has been reduced.

菲菲：我明白了。所以薯片的包装和原来一样大，但里面装的薯片却变少了。

Rob: That’s right. Let's hear some examples of other people using the work 'shrinkflation'...

罗布：没错。我们来听几个例句，看看其他人如何应用缩水式通胀这个词。

Examples

例句

I paid the same price for this chocolate bar as I always have, but when I unwrapped it, it was smaller – I guess that's shrinkflation!

我买这个巧克力棒时付了和平常一样的钱，但拆开包装以后，我发现巧克力棒变小了，我猜这就是缩水式通胀！

It appears lots of brands are practising shrinkflation these days, probably to cut costs and maximise their profits.

最近好像很多品牌都在缩水式通胀，可能是要缩减成本，使利润最大化。

I don't believe it! There used to be 20 biscuits in the packet, but now shrinkflation means there are only 16!

真不敢相信！以前一包有20块饼干，但是现在缩水式通胀，一包只有16块饼干了！

Feifei: So shrinkflation is where the quantity of something is reduced. Why does this happen Rob?

菲菲：缩水式通胀用来描述物品数量减少这一现象。罗布，为什么会发生这种现象？

Rob: Well, it's a marketing trick – it's so a manufacturer does not put up the price of a product, but just reduces the cost of making it by putting less inside – but we think we're getting the same amount.

罗布：这是一种营销技巧，制造商没有提高产品价格，但是通过减少含量来缩减成本，而我们会觉得我们买到的量还是一样的。

Feifei: Clever! It's the same these days with chocolate bars, packets of cereals...

菲菲：太聪明了！最近巧克力棒和袋装麦片也一样……

Rob: BBC Learning English programmes.

罗布：还有有BBC英语教学频道的节目。

Feifei: What?

菲菲：什么？

Rob: Yes, even this programme is affected by shrinkflation – there's less in it – even though our listeners might think they're getting the same amount. Come on it's time to go.

罗布：对，就连我们的节目也受到了缩水式通胀的影响，节目的内容变少了，虽然我们的听众可能觉得他们听到的量和以前是一样的。快点，该结束了。

Feifei: Really? This programme seems to go on for longer than ever.

菲菲：真的吗？我觉得这期节目比以往任何一期的时间都长。

Both: Bye!

二人一起：再见！

译文属仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载

重点讲解：
1. hold on 稍等；等一下；
例句：Hold on, please. He will be here in a minute.
请等一下。他马上就过来。
2. used to do sth. 过去常常；过去曾；
例句：I used to get them new plaything to keep them quiet.
我过去总是给他们买新玩具来使他们安静。
3. put up 提高（价格）；
例句： Their friends suggested they should put up their prices.
他们的朋友建议提高价格。
4. even though 即使；尽管；纵然；
例句：Even though he has problems, he is a good soccer player.
虽然他有很多问题，但我还是觉得他是个很好的球员。