近日，特朗普总统在采访中再爆“金句”，一句“It is what it is”（情况就是这样）引发广泛吐槽。

当地时间2020年8月3日，在接受Axios on HBO节目主持人乔纳森·斯旺采访时，特朗普坚称，美国疫情尽在控制之中（it's under control）。

对此，主持人反问，每天死1000多名美国人，这也能叫“控制”？

"How? A thousand Americans are dying a day," Swan said.

“怎么就在控制下了？每天有1000多名美国人在死去。”

面对主持人的反问，特朗普用五个字进行了回应——“It is what it is”（情况就这样）……

"They are dying, that's true. And it is what it is," Trump said. "But that doesn't mean wearen't doing everything we can. It's under control, as much as you can control it."

特朗普这句“It is what it is”一出口，立刻引发广泛吐槽。

CNN主持人安德森·库珀表示被特朗普这番言论“震惊了”（astonished），他在当地时间5日的节目中对此进行了一番犀利点评：

It is what it is. It would be a cruel and heartless thing to say, if it came from any individual. But it didn't. It came from the most powerful office-holder in the world.

情况就这样。即便是一个普通人说出这样的话，都显得很残酷无情。但说这话的并不是普通人，而是世界上最有权势的国家领导人。

他无不讽刺地说，“情况就这样了，还能怎么办……”（It is what it is. What are you gonna do？）

这句话为何令人反感？

特朗普说的“It is what it is”为何会引发普遍反感呢？这还要从这句话的意思和实际用法说起。

Urban Dictionary网站对这一短语解释为：“看似只是说了显而易见的事儿，实则传递出了一种无能为力。”

A phrase that seems to simply state the obvious but actually implies helplessness.

Dictionary.com网站解释称，“It is what it is”用来形容“人们认为无法改变，只能接受的令人失望或颇具挑战的局面。”

It is what it is is an expression used to characterize a frustrating or challenging situation that a person believes cannot be changed and must just be accepted.

看了上面两个词典的解释，也就更能理解为什么特朗普在谈论美国疫情死亡人数时，一句“It is what it is”会引发广泛吐槽了吧。

“It is what it is”怎么来的？

It is what it is究竟起源于何时何种情况下并不能确定，但根据《纽约时报》，该短语最早有记载的使用是在上世纪40年代末。

当时J.E. Lawrence在文章中用“It is what it is”描述内布拉斯加州在美国边疆开发时期（frontier-era）所面临的困难：

New land is harsh, and vigorous, and sturdy. It scorns evidence of weakness. There is nothing of sham or hypocrisy in it.It is what it is, without apology.

新土地是艰苦、充满活力且强健的。它蔑视一切软弱的证据。这片土地上没有佯装和虚伪。就是这样的情况，没有任何歉意。

进入21世纪以后来，It is what it is越来越流行。

2004年《今日美国》上的一篇文章指出，这句话成为体育领域谈论比赛失利时的流行语。

A 2004USA Todayarticle by Gary Mihoces, titled “It is what it is,” pointed out that the phrase had become popular in sports about losses.

也是在2004年，这句话出现在了政治领域。当年大选日，面对竞争对手克里票数领先的情况，时任美国总统小布什告诉助手：“It is what it is”（就这样了）。不过后来，小布什成功连任。

It is what it is was noted in politics in 2004, when, according to The New York Times, President George W. Bush responded to an aide telling him his opponent John Kerry was leading the polls with, "It is what it is."

这个表达除了在体育、政治领域被经常使用外，也在商业、军事、心理学等方面也有着广泛使用。甚至有歌曲和电影以该短语做名称。

Besides sports and politics, it is what it is has also seen exhaustive use in business, the military, and psychology. It's also titled songs and even a 2001 film.

Dictionary.com就总结说，从各类语境来看，“It is what it is”被视作“口头耸肩”，传递出一种面对无法改变局面，就听天由命接受的信号。

Throughout these contexts, it is what it is is used as a kind of verbal shrug signaling resigned acceptance of an unchangeable situation.

一般情况来说，当人们认为真实情况太困难或非常耗时，就会拿这句话当借口。

Often times, according to critics ofit is what it is, the phrase is used as an excuse by people who think the real solution is too difficult or time-consuming…

当然语言也不断发展，具体的意思还是要放到相应的语境中去理解。

小伙伴们不妨在评论区用“It is what it is”来造句试试吧。

出处：中国日报网 @双语新闻