| 词组 | aroma |
| 释义 | aroma In the world of the usage writer aroma always suggests a pleasant odor—Copperud 1980, Bernstein 1965, and Bryson 1984 tell us so. Evans 1957 is a bit more cagey; he says that our forefathers, much given to euphemism and jocularity, tended to use it otherwise, but recommends hewing to the pleasant smell line. Copperud also notes the existence of facetious use. Perhaps the sense of smell is the most plebeian of the senses, or perhaps the nose is sooner aware of unpleasant odors than pleasant ones, but in any case the words associated with olfactory sensations tend to acquire less pleasant connotations over time. Aroma has pretty well resisted this tendency; it is most often used of pleasant smells: • ... spiced among these odors was the sultry aroma of strong boiling coffee —Thomas Wolfe, You Can't Go Home Again, 1940 • ... the pleasing aroma of fresh produce —The Lamp, Summer 1971 It may have, in technical contexts, an entirely neutral use: • The aroma of a loaf should not be strong, sour, or gassy as a result of underbaking —Frank J. Gruber, Baker's Digest, February 1955 The euphemistic and humorous uses also continue; they are not as frequent as the pleasant smell uses: • ... the critical scene in the comedy is set off by the gruesomely strong aroma of the old dog, who has eaten ... too much fish —Christopher Morley, Book-of-the-Month Club News, May 1948 • ... the particular meadows smell for which Secaucus is celebrated—a blend dominated by the pungent aroma of pigs —John Brooks, New Yorker, 16 Mar. 1957 The foregoing examples all refer to real odors. Unremarked by the commentators is the considerable figurative use of aroma for a distinctive quality or atmosphere. In this use aroma is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral as the context dictates: • ... an atmosphere, impalpable as a perfume yet as real, rose above the heads of the laughing guests. It was the aroma of enjoyment and gaiety —Stella Gibbons, Cold Comfort Farm, 1932 • "... And by now it is all beginning to lose its eccentric charm, Nathan, and is taking on a decidedly paranoic aroma " —Philip Roth, Atlantic, April 1981 • The aroma of the continental tradition hangs about the sayings —John Dewey, Freedom and Culture, 1939 Figurative use is at least as common as use for an actual smell. Aroma in its current meanings is a relatively recent word, not attested until the early 19th century. It first meant "spice" and then "the distinctive odor of a spice." When it connotes a pleasant smell, aroma is more often associated with food than any other single source of odor. |
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