魏晉時代，富貴人家喜歡斗有錢斗奢華。當(dāng)時有七月七日曬衣習(xí)俗，貧寒的名士阮咸見達(dá)官貴人都趁這機(jī)會炫耀紗羅錦綺，于是以“未能免俗”為名，用竹竿挑一短褲在院子里曬，“人或怪之”（《世說新語·任誕》）。他們感到奇怪是很自然的事:家無錦衣這樣的“丑事”，一般人是不會外揚(yáng)的。
在英國，“人或怪之”的會是wash one's dirty linen in public.按linen是亞麻布造的衣物，“當(dāng)眾洗骯臟衣物”，對英國人來說，等于家丑外揚(yáng)了，例如:
Diana openly dwelled on her extramarital relationships with such gusto that she evidently had no scruples whatever about washing her dirty linen in pubic.
戴安娜公開詳談自己的私情，談得那么津津有味，顯然是完全不怕家丑外揚(yáng)的了。
在英國，“人或怪之”的會是wash one's dirty linen in public.按linen是亞麻布造的衣物，“當(dāng)眾洗骯臟衣物”，對英國人來說，等于家丑外揚(yáng)了，例如:
Diana openly dwelled on her extramarital relationships with such gusto that she evidently had no scruples whatever about washing her dirty linen in pubic.
戴安娜公開詳談自己的私情，談得那么津津有味，顯然是完全不怕家丑外揚(yáng)的了。