As winter descends and dark, frosty nights await, the hunt for a yuletide lover begins.
隨著冬日降臨,陰郁的漫漫霜夜即將到來(lái),又有人開始尋找圣誕季情人了。
We are now knee-deep in “cuffing season,” whereby single men and women search far and wide for a companion to keep them warm and sexually satiated during the chilly months.
我們現(xiàn)在都進(jìn)入了“騷動(dòng)季節(jié)”,單身的男人和女人到處尋找伴侶,為了在寒冷的日子里可以相擁取暖,滿足彼此的身體需求。
什么是“騷動(dòng)季節(jié)”?
Cuffing season is the term used to describe the period during autumn and winter months in which avid singletons find themselves seeking to be “cuffed” or “tied down” by a serious relationship.
“騷動(dòng)季節(jié)”指的是單身人士在秋冬季渴望得到一段能把自己“拷牢”的認(rèn)真的戀情。
According to Urban Dictionary, the cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed.
根據(jù)在線詞典Urban Dictionary,寒冷的天氣和長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的室內(nèi)活動(dòng)讓單身人士感到寂寞,因而渴求被“拷牢”。
However, come summer, said singletons are ready to abandon their adult sleepover buddy for a season of lust, not love.
但是,一旦夏日來(lái)臨,這些人又會(huì)拋棄自己的床伴,重新踏上欲望的旅程。
This pattern is more than a simple by-product of fickle millennial dating culture, it’s a common trend that's been labelled “Seasonal Dating Disorder” (SDD).
這種模式不只是千禧一代輕浮約會(huì)文化的簡(jiǎn)單副產(chǎn)品,而是一種號(hào)稱“季節(jié)性戀愛(ài)癥”的普遍現(xiàn)象。
Just like “ghosting” involves no supernatural apparitions; SDD is not a medically-recognised disorder, however, it is no less socially prevalent.
正如ghosting(玩消失)和超自然鬼魂沒(méi)有半點(diǎn)關(guān)系,季節(jié)性戀愛(ài)癥也不是醫(yī)學(xué)意義上的失調(diào),但是,這種癥狀在社會(huì)上卻很流行。
It's particularly common in twenty-something daters, notes relationships psychologist Madeleine Mason.
情感心理學(xué)家瑪?shù)铝?bull;梅森指出,這種戀愛(ài)風(fēng)氣在二十幾歲的約會(huì)者當(dāng)中尤為常見(jiàn)。
"Singles who display this type of dating pattern are unable to commit," she said.
她說(shuō):“表現(xiàn)出這種戀愛(ài)模式的單身人士無(wú)法做出承諾。”
"They use summer fun and friends as an excuse for this pattern, but in reality it is because they are unable to form lasting romantic bonds.
“他們用夏日狂歡和朋友作為這種模式的借口,但事實(shí)上是因?yàn)樗麄儫o(wú)法建立持久的情感紐帶。”
"They may have the illusion they can settle down whenever they want to, but they can’t and until they do decide they want a lasting relationship will they realise they are unable to; that’s when I’ll see them in my office," she told The Independent.
梅森告訴《獨(dú)立報(bào)》說(shuō):“他們也許以為無(wú)論何時(shí),只要自己想安定下來(lái),隨時(shí)都能做到,但其實(shí)這是種錯(cuò)覺(jué),等到他們終于決定自己想要一段長(zhǎng)久的戀情時(shí),他們會(huì)意識(shí)到自己做不到;這時(shí)候他們就開始來(lái)我這里就醫(yī)。”
Lucinda Burton-Thompson, 25, is a self-confessed SDD sufferer.
現(xiàn)年25歲的露辛達(dá)•伯頓•湯姆森坦承自己是“季節(jié)性戀愛(ài)癥”患者。
"As the nights draw in and crunchy leaves litter the streets, for some reason I always end up wanting a boyfriend,” she told The Independent.
她告訴《獨(dú)立報(bào)》說(shuō):“不知道為什么,每當(dāng)夜幕降臨,街道上散落著松脆的枯葉,我總是很想要一個(gè)男朋友。”
“There's something about autumn and winter that makes me want someone with whom to snuggle on the sofa, go ice skating and hold hands on crisp walks.
“秋天和冬天有某種東西,讓我想要一個(gè)可以在沙發(fā)上相互依偎,一起去滑冰,手牽手咯吱咯吱地踩著落葉散步的人。”
“It's great having a boyfriend through the cold months, but by the time spring rolls round I'm nearly always fed up of them, so break things off.
“寒冷的日子里有個(gè)男友感覺(jué)很好,但是每當(dāng)春天快來(lái)臨的時(shí)候,我也差不多厭煩他們了,于是就分手了。”
“There's nothing better than being single in summer -- long balmy evenings are perfect for casual fun and flings."
“沒(méi)有什么比夏日單身更愉快的了——悠長(zhǎng)芬芳的夏夜最適合隨性的尋歡作樂(lè)。”
Burton isn’t alone in her seasonal cravings.
伯頓不是唯一一個(gè)戀愛(ài)欲望隨季節(jié)而波動(dòng)的人。
Samantha Moore, a 24-year-old from Hertfordshire, has been a seasonal dater for almost a decade and confessed to being single for just one Christmas since the age of 16.
來(lái)自英國(guó)赫特福德郡的24歲女孩薩曼莎•摩爾近十年來(lái)一直都是季節(jié)性約會(huì)者,她承認(rèn)自己從16歲到現(xiàn)在只有一個(gè)圣誕節(jié)是單身的。
“Every autumn, I start looking for a new boyfriend. No one wants to be on their own during winter -– it’s depressing,” she told The Sun.
她告訴《太陽(yáng)報(bào)》說(shuō):“每到秋天,我就開始尋找一個(gè)新男友。誰(shuí)都不想在冬天孤單一人——這太令人抑郁了。”
By summer, she admits she’s ready to be single again, blaming the hot weather and its synonymously fizzing social scene for her devil-may-care attitude.
到了夏天,她坦言自己又做好了單身的準(zhǔn)備,并將自己無(wú)所顧忌的心態(tài)歸咎于炎熱的天氣和火辣的社交場(chǎng)面。
25-year-old Sian Ryan from Northampton has a similar pattern, claiming that summer “wouldn’t be the same” if she was single.
來(lái)自英國(guó)北安普敦的25歲女孩西恩•瑞恩也同樣如此。她聲稱如果自己?jiǎn)紊淼脑?,夏?ldquo;就大不相同”。
“Lads hold me back,” she said.
她說(shuō):“小伙子們讓我身心蕩漾。”
However, some singletons will “cuff” in the hope of landing a more permanent partner.
然而,有些單身人士“騷動(dòng)”是希望找到固定的伴侶。
Laura Ecclestone from Somerset admitted that she finally feels ready to settle down after lifetime of seasonal dating.
來(lái)自薩默塞特的勞拉•??藸査雇ㄌ寡?,經(jīng)歷了這么多年的季節(jié)性約會(huì),她終于準(zhǔn)備好要安定下來(lái)了。
“As summer fades, I start thinking it would be nice to have a partner to stay in, order a takeaway and watch a film with. I’ve done this for years now,” she said.
她說(shuō):“隨著夏天過(guò)去,我開始考慮,是不是有個(gè)固定伴侶更好??梢砸黄鸶C在家里,一起叫外賣,一起看電影。我有這個(gè)想法已經(jīng)好幾年了。”
是不是搞不清自己到底是“季節(jié)性戀愛(ài)癥”患者,是有一顆騷動(dòng)的心,還是二者皆有?
梅森梳理出了四條癥狀,一起來(lái)看看。
1. You can’t bear the thought of being alone over Christmas/New Years and put all efforts in the autumn to find a partner.
你無(wú)法忍受在圣誕節(jié)或新年孤單一人,因此在秋天不遺余力地尋找一個(gè)伴侶。
2. By Valentine's Day (or anywhere from three months of dating) you start to feel bored or trapped within the relationship and start finding excuses to spend less time with your partner.
到情人節(jié)前(或約會(huì)三個(gè)月后)你開始感到厭倦,被這段感情困住,于是開始找借口減少和伴侶在一起的時(shí)間。
3. The idea of being single fills you with relief after some time and you break up or act in ways to make your partner break-up with you.
約會(huì)了一段時(shí)間后,你開始覺(jué)得單身更輕松,于是你提出分手,或者故意做一些事,讓對(duì)方和你分手。
4. You have done this at least the past three years.
至少在過(guò)去三年里,你都是這么做的。
既然已經(jīng)知道自己的問(wèn)題在哪,就該出發(fā)去尋找那個(gè)能把你鎖住的人了。
Vocabulary
yuletide: 圣誕季節(jié);圣誕節(jié)期的