本义是“大声喊出”,指提高声音使远处的人听到,或引起注意。由此引申出“点名”的含义,即按名单呼叫某人,用于正式场合(如学校点名)或军事训练。进一步引申为“召集”或“召唤”,指命令某人前来执行任务,如“call out the troops”(召集军队)。在现代英语中,最常见的引申义是“公开指摘”或“揭露”,指在公开场合批评某人的不当行为或言论,尤其在社会正义语境中,如“call out racism”(公开谴责种族主义)。这一义项从“点名”演化而来,因为点名是公开指出某人,而指摘也是公开点名批评。此外,还有“要求(某人)解释”的含义,常用于要求对方澄清或证明,如“call out someone's bluff”。各义项均围绕“公开、明确地指出”这一核心。
“call out”在不同场合下语气和含义差异明显。在日常口语中,常表示“大声喊”或“点名”,如“I called out his name.”(我喊了他的名字。)在商务或正式场合,常表示“召集”或“要求解释”,如“The manager called out the team for a meeting.”(经理召集团队开会。)在新闻报道和社会活动中,常用作“公开指摘”,带有批判色彩,如“Activists called out the company for its environmental record.”(活动人士公开谴责该公司的环保记录。)在法律文本中较少使用,但在职场语境中可指“指出错误”,如“She called out the error in the report.”(她指出了报告中的错误。)文学作品中则可能保留本义,用于描写人物呼喊。
语法要点
“call out”作短语动词,通常及物,后接宾语。常见句型:1. call out + 名词/代词,如“call out the names”;2. call out + that从句(较少见),如“He called out that he was safe.”;3. call out + 宾语 + for + 名词,表示“因某事公开指责”,如“They called her out for her dishonest behavior.”。注意:若宾语为代词,需置于短语中间,如“call him out”,不能说“call out him”。此外,作名词时“call-out”有连字符,如“a call-out to the community”(对社区的呼吁)。易错点:混淆“call out”和“call”(呼叫),“call out”强调公开性。
“call out”在“公开指摘”义项上属于中性偏褒,常被视为勇气或正义的体现,但在某些场合可能被视为冒犯,需注意语境。语域上,该义项多用于非正式至中性语境,正式书面语中较少使用,而“condemn”或“denounce”更正式。常见误用:将其与“call out for”(需要)混淆,如“This calls out for a celebration.”(这需要庆祝。)应使用“calls for”。另外,在英式英语中,“call out”作“召集”义较常见,而美式英语中更常用“call up”。
常见搭配
call out someone's name
call out for help
call out the troops
call out an error
call out bad behavior
call out a lie
call out on social media
句子示例
She called out his name across the crowded room.她隔着拥挤的房间大声喊他的名字。
The teacher called out the students one by one for the attendance.老师逐一点名考勤。
The government called out the army to restore order.政府召集军队恢复秩序。
He was called out for making sexist remarks.他因发表性别歧视言论而被公开谴责。
She called out the error in the financial report.她指出了财务报告中的错误。
I call out your bluff – show me the evidence.我要求你解释清楚——拿出证据来。