Neil: Hello, this is Real English from BBC Learning English, Im Neil.
Jean: And Im Jean. Hello.
Neil: In Real English, we look at words and phrases that you might not find in your dictionary.
Jean: 英语是一种十分程式化的语言，所以知道现实日常大家常常用的固定表达和俚语自然就非常有用了。
Neil: Todays phrase is snail1 mail.
Jean: Snail mail, 蜗牛邮件。What is this Neil, a special postal2 service for snails3? Sounds amazing!
Neil: No Jean, its nothing like that but it is slower than email.
Jean: OK 原来这个所谓的蜗牛邮件snail mail, 故名思意，就是比邮件 email 要慢上很多的邮寄邮件。Is snail mail just the ordinary way of sending a letter?
Neil: Thats exactly right. Listen to this.
Example
A: You know theres something seriously wrong with my email account at the moment, and you know what that means dont you?
B: What, youre going to have to send an ordinary letter to someone through the post?
A: Yes, Im going to have to use snail mail what a bore.
B: Oh snail mail I remember that.
Jean: 这段对话中说话的第二个人他说他还能记得这种蜗牛邮件，意思是说这种邮寄的邮件比起邮件来讲已经是太过时了。
Neil: So when youre email account isnt working life slows down.
Jean: It certainly does.
Neil: Lets hear that conversation again.
Example
A: You know theres something seriously wrong with my email account at the moment, and you know what that means dont you?
B: What, youre going to have to send an ordinary letter to someone through the post?
A: Yes, Im going to have to use snail mail what a bore.
B: Oh snail mail I remember that.
Jean: 所谓的蜗牛邮件是形容一般邮寄的信件的速度很之慢，像蜗牛一样慢吞吞的。而在英语当中，蜗牛这个词 snail 和邮件mail是押韵的，所以说起来也非常顺口 snail mail.
Neil: So Jean, which do you prefer email or snail mail?
Jean: I think it has to be email its just so fast.
Neil: But it is nice to get a package through the letterbox isnt it?
Jean: True. 好了，大家今天的《地道英语》节目就到这里了，time to send some snail mail I think.
Neil: Bye for now.
