Ostensible
“Ostensible” 指公开宣称或表面上呈现的理由、目的或身份,往往与 ulterior motive(隐秘动机)相对。the ostensible reason 即“明面上的理由”。
- “The ostensible purpose of the meeting was budget review.” (会议表面上的目的是审查预算。)
- “He was the ostensible leader, but others pulled the strings.” (他是名义上的领导,但幕后另有操盘者。)
- “Their ostensible friendship hid years of rivalry.” (他们表面上的友谊掩盖了多年的竞争。)
源自拉丁语 ostendere(展示),经 ostens- + -ible,意为“可展示给人看的、表面的”。
词根 ostens-(展示)+ 后缀 “-ible”(能够…的),副词 ostensibly 更常用。
新闻调查与政治分析中常见 “ostensible vs. real agenda”,提醒读者辨别表象与实质。
- 固定搭配: “ostensible reason” (表面理由), “ostensible purpose” (声称的目的), “ostensible leader” (名义上的领导)
- 副词: ostensibly
ostensible 像“摆出来给人看的(ostensible display)”,未必是真相。
“The trip was ostensibly for research, but everyone knew it was a vacation.” (此行名义上是调研,但人人都知道是去度假。)