一踏入十二月份,西方国家开始洋溢浓厚的耶诞气氛,商店橱窗均以耶诞装饰布置,我们可以说:It´s the festive season.(这是充满欢乐的节日)。圣诞节是基督徒最重要的节日(Christmas is the most important Christian festival.),也可说是The season of giving(奉献的季节),是和需要帮助的人一起分享食物和礼物的日子。想邀请别人一起参加庆祝活动,可以说:Join the festivities。
对话
Marty:Why´s everyone walking around with a smile on their face? 马丁:为甚么每个人都面带笑容四处走? Brian:Marty, it´s the festive season. The time of giving. 布莱恩:马丁,这是充满欢乐的节日,是奉献的时刻。 Marty:Ah is that why all these people are rushing around loaded down with gifts? 马丁:啊,因此,所有人都拿着礼物赶来赶去? Brian:That´s right. Giving makes everyone smile. 布莱恩:没错,奉献令人快乐。 Marty:With the amount these people are spending, I bet the shopkeepers are the ones with biggest smiles. Suckers! 马丁:他们花费这么多,我想商家一定笑得最开心。真是笨蛋! Brian:Suckers! 布莱恩:真是笨蛋!
《笨蛋的笑脸》
圣诞节来了,马丁见人人乱买东西,肥了商家瘦了自己腰包,忍不住说:Why´s everyone walking around with a smile on their face? Suckers!(为甚么人人都面带微笑四处走?真是笨蛋!) Suck是「吸吮」,sucker自然是「吮奶的婴儿」,俚语用来说易上当的人,例如:He sold the fake antique to a sucker from the US(他把那件假古董卖给一个美国来的笨蛋)。「吮奶的婴儿」英文还可以叫suckling,但这个字可没有贬义,在成语out of the mouths of babes and sucklings(出自婴儿之口)里 ,还有「幼儿会说出真话」的赞美含义,例如:Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, we often hear home truths(从小孩子口中,我们往往听到刺耳的老实话)。Home truths即「逆耳的实话」。
细心的读者也许会问:the mouths of babes一语,mouths用了复数形式;上文a smile on their face一语,face却用单数形式?按a smile on their face改为smiles on their faces也无不可。众人各有一件的东西,以复数形式来说,比用单数形式更见普遍,例如:Sometimes we must not obey the dictates of our heads, but have to follow our hearts(有时,我们不可按理智办事,而须跟随我们的心)。
He´s a big fish in a small pond.(他是小池塘里的大鱼),比喻只在有限范围内才重要的人物,
例如小公司里的大老板,一旦离开了这个范围,他就变得很渺小。又例如有些小贼,只敢偷钱包,却不敢去打劫银行,可以称他做:He´s a small-time criminal.(他是个小罪犯),Small-time有「不重要」、「能力有限」的意思。相反Big-time有「非常成功」、「第一流」的意思;例如:She´s a big-time lawyer. 即是指「她是个一流的律师」。说某人Hit the big time,就是指他遇到大好时机,达到最颠峰的成就。
对话
Candy:Who´s that guy? He´s hot. Is he a celebrity? 坎蒂:他是谁啊?很受欢迎哦,是名人吗? Kate:Oh him? That´s Alvis. He thinks he´s a someone. But he´s a big fish in a small pond. 凯伊:他哦?他是阿费氏,以为自己很了不起,但他只是小池塘里的大鱼。 Candy:I don´t care. I´d jump into his pond anytime. 坎蒂:我不管,我想立即跳进他的池塘里。 Kate:No don´t. When I said he´s a big fish, I meant he´s a piranha. He´ll eat you alive. 凯伊:不行,我意思是说,他是一条水虎鱼,会生吃你的。 Candy:Yummy! 坎蒂:好吃!
《大人物和小人物》
坎蒂说阿费氏自以为很了不起:He thinks he´s a someone but he´s a big fish in a small pond. A big fish / frog in a small pond (小池塘里的大鱼 / 大青蛙)是成语,比喻在小天地里称王的人,例如:He has chosen to be the general manager of a small business rather than serve as an administrative assistant in a big corporation, believing that it is better to be a big fish in a small pond(他决定出任一家小公司的总经理,而不做大公司的行政助理,宁为鸡口,不作牛后)。
大集团里的小人物,可以叫做a little fish / frog in a big pond,例如:Though famous in Taiwan, the actress realized that she was only a little fish in a big pond when she went to Hollywood(那女演员在台湾很有名,但去到好莱坞,就发觉自己只是个小人物)。
「大人物」和「小人物」还可叫做somebody / someone和nobody,例如:
(1) If you want to be somebody when you grow up, you must work hard now(假如你希望长大后成为大人物,现在就必须努力)。
(2) I am happy to be a nobody in society(我甘心在社会里做个小人物)。
小人物其实可以很重要,就像a cog in a / the machine一样。靠齿轮(cogwheel)运行的机器,缺了一颗轮齿(cog)都不可以。所以,a cog in a / the machine (机器里一个轮齿)等于一个重要的小人物,例如:Junior civil servants are cogs in the bureaucratic machine : their work is important if repetitive(基层公务员是官僚体系里的轮齿:他们的工作可能很单调,但很重要)。
He´s such a cold fish.(他是一尾冷冰冰的鱼),Cold fish实指「冷漠的人」。也可以用:It´s hard to get to know him.(很难去亲近他)/ He´s aloof.(他很疏离)来形容这类人。相反,形容一个人为:He´s a very warm person. 就是指「他是个热情的人」。
对话
Vivian: Look there´s Brian. Do you fancy him? 维维安: 看,布莱恩在那儿,你喜欢他吗? Candice: Oh no way, he´s such a cold fish. 坎蒂斯: 噢,不可能,他很冷漠。 Vivian: After a couple of whiskeys, he really changes and is the life of the party. 维维安: 喝下几杯威士忌后,他会改变的,也使派对热闹起来。 Candice: Yeah, I know what he´s like after a couple of whiskeys, pretty frisky but he´s not frisky enough for me. 坎蒂斯: 对,我知道他喝过威士忌后会如何,蛮活泼的,但我嫌他对我不够活泼。
《冷鱼、生气、湿毛毯》
坎蒂斯批评布莱恩说:He´s such a cold fish。鱼是冷血动物,加上活在水里 ,自然给人冷冰冰的感觉,所以,态度冷淡的人,英文叫cold fish(冷鱼),例如:I don´t enjoy his company. He´s a bit of a cold fish(他待人冷淡,我不喜欢和他一起)。 中文形容冷漠的人,有「拒人千里」一语;英文也有类似说法:standoffish(一副「站开一点」的神气)。那ish有「……似的」或「带……性质」含义,例如girlish是「女孩子气的」,wolfish是「狼一样的」。Touch-me-not-ish(一副「别碰我」的神气)和standoffish同义,例如:She is not really standoffish/touch-me-not-ish, but only shy(她不是冷漠,只是害羞)。Aloof/cold(冷淡的)、unapproachable(不可亲近的)、uncompanionable(不友善的)、unsociable(不善交际的)等字,同样可以形容「冷鱼」。
维维安说:布莱恩一喝酒,就会变得生气勃勃:After a couple of whiskeys, he really changes and is the life of the party。The life of the party是成语the life and soul of the party的简写,指给聚会带来生气的人,例如:What with his songs and jokes, he was the life and soul of the party(他又唱歌,又跳舞,使聚会热闹起来)。和the life and soul of the party相反的,是a wet blanket(湿毛毯)。湿毛毯可以把火扑灭,所以,扫兴的人或物,叫做wet blanket,例如:I won´t ask him to the party: he´s always a wet blanket(我不会邀他参加聚会,他专扫人兴)。
It´s all just hot air.字面上解釋為「這全是熱空氣」,實際上Hot air指「空話」、「空談」,一些光說不練的人所說的話,就可以叫做It´s all just hot air。
另外,有些人無論大小事都喜歡吵鬧一場,則可以用His bark is worse than his bite.來形容,喻意是「他喜用言語傷人,但心並不壞」。
若遇到這兩類人也不必過份介意,大可以 Take no notice.(不用理會) 或 Don´t pay any attention to her.(別理會她)。
對話
Rachel:What do you think of Brian´s new job? 蕾切爾:你覺得布萊恩的新工作如何? Candice:It´s all just hot air. 坎迪斯:一切充滿熱空氣。 Rachel:So you think he´s lying and not really working? 蕾切爾:你認為他在說謊,不是真的在工作嗎? Candice:Of course not. I mean he´s working in a sauna parlor.He loves it. 坎迪斯:當然不是,我意思是他在三溫暖店裡工作,他喜歡的哩!
《假大空話》
坎迪斯談到布萊恩的工作:It´s all just hot air。蕾切爾說:You think he´s lying?(你認為他在撒謊?)
Hot air是「熱空氣」,常用來比喻誇張空洞的說話,例如:(1) The report on the university´s research achievements is full of hot air(那份大學學術研究成績報告,完全誇張失真)。(2) All his talk about charity is just so much hot air(他說的甚麼慈善為懷,盡是大話)。所以蕾切爾聽到hot air就想到大話。
除了誇張失真,很多官樣文章用語冗長難懂,看來高深,其實荒謬,比如盲人不直稱為blind people,卻稱為visually handicapped persons(視力障礙者);貧困家庭不叫poor families, 卻叫low-income families(低收入家庭);富翁不叫做rich people,卻叫high net worth individuals(高淨資產人士)。這樣的語言,英文稱為gobbledygook:那是模仿火雞無意義的叫聲而創的一個字,例如:The government´s White Paper on education is just gobbledygook to me(政府的教育政策白皮書,在我看來是冠冕堂皇、不知所謂)。
誇張複雜的話,假如加上模稜兩可,就可稱為doubletalk或doublespeak。例如serious and candid discussion(嚴肅坦盏挠懻摚┩褥墩f雙方意見嚴重分歧;useful and businesslike negotiations(有用、實事求是的磋商)往往是「磋商並無結果」的代名詞。What the reporters got from him was just political doublespeak即「記者從他那裡採訪到的,無非是模稜兩可的官話」。
或許你曾經對你心愛的人或對你很重要的人說過:「你是我冬天的棉被」或「你是我夏天的冰淇淋」等肉麻字句。今天多教大家一句:You are the apple of my eye.直譯是「你是我眼中的蘋果」,真正意思其實是「你是我最喜歡、最關心的人」。另一個說法是:You are the milk in my coffee.(你是我咖啡裡的牛奶),咖啡加了牛奶更好喝,比喻你令我更美好。還可說:You are that special someone.(你是那個特別的人)/ You light up my life.(你點亮我的生命)。
對話
Father:How did you end up being arrested? You were always a good kid. 父親:你怎麼會被補呢?你一向是個乖孩子。 Son:Sorry dad, I just couldn’t help it. I must have a wild streak. 兒子:對不起,爸爸,我不能控制,我的確有點放蕩不羈。 Father:But Adrian, you are the apple of my eye. I’m very disappointed. 父親:但是,阿德里恩,你是我最疼愛的人,我很失望。 Son:Well I guess this apple has gone rotten. Can you please bail me out? 兒子:我想這個蘋果已經腐壞了,你可以保釋我出去嗎? Father:No. 父親:不能。 Son:No, he didn’t say no. No dad, come on dad, I’m your son.Dad come on 兒子:不,他沒有說不。爸爸,拜託,我是你的兒子,爸爸幫幫我吧。
《珍惜瞳孔,終於…》
阿德里恩犯罪被捕,他父親說:How did you end up being arrested? You are the apple of my eye。
這個apple其實不是說「眼裡的蘋果」,而是指形狀像個蘋果的瞳孔,沒有人不珍惜自己的瞳孔,所以the apple of one’s eye就是「某某最鍾愛的人、物」,例如:She loves her children, but her youngest son is the apple of her eye(她疼愛兒女,但特別鍾愛最小的兒子)。這成語的eye一字,習慣不用複數形式。
至於瞳孔,今天還可以稱為the apple of the eye,但一般會叫pupil,例如:When there is less light, the pupil dilates(光線減弱,瞳孔就會擴大)。你也許會問:Pupil不是「小學生」麼?和瞳孔有甚麼關係?原來這個字出於拉丁文pupus(小男孩)或pupilla(小女孩)。瞳孔裡的影像看來都是小人兒,所以「小孩兒」漸漸變成「瞳孔」的意思。
現在說How did you end up being arrested?一語。End up兩字連用,是動詞片語(phrasal verb),意思是「最後成為」或「落得……的下場」,例如:
(1) He always drove recklessly, and ended up in hospital(他開車從來不顧危險,結果進了醫院)。
(2) He denied everything, but ended up confessing everything(他甚麼都否認,但最後甚麼都承認了)。End up多是指不好的結果,但也可以指好結果,例如:He worked hard, and ended up with a first-class honors degree(他十分努力,終於獲頒一級榮譽學位)。
俗语有云:「过河拆桥」,比喻达到目的后,就把曾经帮过你的人踢开,他日若有求于人时,也没有后路。所以叫别人不要自断后路,英文有句意思差不多的话:Don’t burn your bridges.(不要烧掉自己的桥)。做人应该为自己多留一点余地,所以紧记要Keep your options open.(多为自已留些选择)或Don’t paint yourself into a corner.(涂地板时,别把自己涂到角落去),以免令自己无路可退。
对话
Kate: I’m going to tell Brian exactly what I think of him. Our relationship is over. 凯伊: 我要告诉布莱恩我对他的感觉,我们的关系完了。 Candy: Not a good idea. Don’t burn your bridges. 坎蒂: 不是好主意,别断你自己的后路。 Kate: But I’ll never see him again. What harm could it do? 凯伊: 但我以后都不会再见他,有甚么害处呢? Candy: A lot. Here he is now and he’s just won the lottery. He’s loaded. 坎蒂: 很多,现在他来了,他刚赢了奖?,很富有哩。 Kate: Hey Brian! Brain Hi! (Brian gives away money to Kate) I think I’m in love! 凯伊: 嘿,布莱恩!布莱恩,嗨!(布莱恩送钱给凯伊)我想我在恋爱中!
《破釜沉舟》
凯伊说要跟男朋友绝交,坎蒂劝她说:Don’t burn your bridges. He’s loaded。 Load作动词,一般是指「装载」;loaded俗语则可解作「十分富有」,例如:One million dollars is nothing to him: he is loaded(一百万元对他来说不算一回事,他很富有)。
To burn your bridges (behind you)直译是「把(后面)的桥梁烧了」,那bridges可以改为boats(渡船)。从前罗马将领率兵出征,到达敌境后,有时会把桥梁、渡船付之一炬,要士兵知道没有退路,拚死向前。这和中国楚霸王破釜沉舟故事如出一辙。现在,to burn your bridges/boats (behind you)就是「断绝退路」的意思,例如:In submitting his resignation, he has burned his bridges behind him: he cannot possibly get his job back(他已辞呈,破釜沉舟,不可能复任了)。
还有两句表示断然行动不容反悔的英文成语,也是出自战场。公元前四十九年,古罗马大将西泽任高卢总督,犯禁率兵渡过卢比孔河(the Rubicon)进入罗马本土,这等于向主政者宣战。他过河后说:The die is cast(骰子已经掷出),和汉朝刘邦「真成一掷赌乾坤」的气慨正同。西泽不但赌胜了,还留下to cross the Rubicon(渡过卢比孔河)、the die is cast两句成语,例如:Since I have signed the contract, the die is cast/I have crossed the Rubicon. There is no going back(我已经签了合约,一切已定,无可反悔)。
要形容偶尔发生的事情,可用Once in a blue moon,例如:I only eat chocolate once in a blue moon.(我偶尔才吃巧克力)。蓝色月亮是很罕见的,所以用来比喻一些很少发生的事情。此外,也可用Few and far between,例如:Men like that are few and far between.(如此的男人真的少有),或者用As rare as hen’s teeth.(犹如母鸡长牙一样,难得一见)。
对话
Joe: Hey good looking, do you come here often? 乔: 嗨,漂亮的小姐,你常常来这儿吗? Candy: Not really. Once in a blue moon. 坎蒂: 没有,偶尔而已 。 Joe: Well there must be a lot of blue moons. 乔: 那么一定有很多偶尔哦。 Candy: Why do you say that? 坎蒂: 你是甚么意思? Joe: Well I saw you here yesterday and the day before that and the day before that… 乔: 嗯,我昨天、前天、大前天…都在这儿碰到你。
《蓝月亮》
乔问坎蒂:Do you come here often?(你常来这里吗?)坎蒂说:Not really. Once in a blue moon(不是,偶尔而已)。 Blue moon是「蓝月亮」。英语学者Vere Henry Collins在A Second Book of English Idioms一书里说,一八八三年印度尼西亚喀拉喀托火山(Krakatoa)爆发、一九二○年加拿大埃布尔达省(Alberta)森林大火期间,月亮都呈现蓝色,认为那是灰尘引起的视觉现象。无论如何,蓝月亮十分罕见,所以once in a blue moon是「偶尔一次」的意思,例如:I see him once in a blue moon(我偶尔才见他一次)。
Once in a blue moon用简单英文来说,是almost never(几乎从不)。Never(永不)的反义词是ever(从来),所以hardly ever也等于almost never:hardly即「几乎不」,和ever连用,就是「几乎从不」,例如坎蒂可以说:I hardly ever(或almost never)come here。当然,说I seldom / rarely come here也可以。
比「蓝月亮」更加难得的,大概可称为once in a lifetime,直译是「一生只有一次」,例如:Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance!(别错过这一生难得一次的机会!)至于比「蓝月亮」稍为频繁一点的,则可以说once in a while或every now and then/again,即「有时,并不经常」,例如:I used to see him regularly, but now we meet only once in a while(我从前定期和他见面,但现在只是有时见见)。
當你來到一個陌生的地方/環境,感到很不自由,有格格不入的感覺,可自我形容為:I feel like a fish out of water.(我感覺自己好像一條離水之魚),即是感到不自在和尷尬的意思。也可用I’m not comfortable.(我感到不舒服),這裡是指心理上的不舒服。其他說法還有:I don’t feel like I belong here.(我覺得自己不屬於這裡)/ I feel awkward.(我感到尷尬難為)。相反的,若你能融入這個場合,可以說:I feel at ease.(我感到輕鬆自在)。
對話
Kate: Are you enjoying the party? 凱伊: 你享受這個派對嗎? Marty: No, not really. I don’t fit in. 馬丁: 不太享受,我不能投入。 Kate: Well that’s not my fault. 凱伊: 嗯,這不是我的錯。 Marty: Oh yes it is. You told me it was a costume party. (He wears a cartoon costume) I feel like a fish out of water. 馬丁: 噢,絕對是。你告訴我這是個化妝派對 (他穿了卡通服裝),我感到格格不入。 Kate: Well you’re drinking like a fish. 凱伊: 嗯,你也喝的像魚一樣多啊。 Marty: How could you? My goodness. 馬丁: 你怎麼可以這樣說? 我的天啊。
《離水之魚》
馬丁說:I feel like a fish out of water(我自覺像離水之魚)。這成語和「涸轍之鮒」堪稱false friends。
False friend直譯是「假朋友」,用於語言學,是指外文和自己母語看來相似但意思不同的詞語。例如英文a bolt(霹靂)from the blue(=blue sky晴天)看來等於「晴天霹靂」,但「晴天霹靂」令人震驚,a bolt from the blue雖然也多指令人震驚的壞消息,但也可以指意料不到的好事,例如:When our missing son, whom we had given up for dead, suddenly came home, it was a bolt from the blue(我們本來以為失蹤的兒子已經死了,不料他突然回家,有如平地一聲雷)。學習語文,必須小心「假朋友」的陷阱。
「涸轍之鮒」和a fish out of water也不同:「涸轍之鮒」是指困境中急待救助的人,a fish out of water則是指身處陌生或格格不入於某個環境中的人,例如:He came into a large fortune, and moved house, but he felt like a regular fish out of water among the rich neighbors(他繼承了大筆財產,搬了家,但在富裕鄰居之中,感到格格不入)。
A fish out of water和the odd man / one out有點相似。在至少三人之中,假如要挑出一人,可以大家一起擲錢幣:誰的錢幣落下來,無論是正面或反面,只要與別人不同,他就是the odd man out。所以,the odd man out是「與他人不同者」,例如:I was the odd man out: I was not dressed in black(我沒有穿黑色衣服,有種「與眾不同」的不自然感)。
在街上碰见朋友,可以互相寒暄一下,问问对方:What´s new with you?(你近况如何?)其它说法还有:What´s new?(有甚么新消息?)/ What´s up? / How´s it going?(近况如何?)。在公司里,老板亦可能对你说:Bring me up to date.(把最新的消息告诉我)。如果没甚么新消息,可回复:Nothing much.(没甚么)。看见朋友好像有点不对劲,可以殷切地问:What´s wrong with you?(你没事吗?)不过,如用不太客气的语气来问,就会变成有责骂的成分。
对话
David: Hey, I thought I´d find you here. Some things never change. 戴维: 嗨,我就知道会在这找到你,有些事永远不会变。 Adrian: Oh yes they do. You´d be surprised. 阿德里恩: 不对,有些事情会改变,你会感到惊讶的。 David: So anyway, what´s new with you? Would you like a beer? 戴维: 无论如何,你近况如何?要不要喝杯啤酒? Adrian: No I would not! There´s a lot new with me, starting with the fact that I don´t drink anymore and I´m here to tell everyone that drink is evil! Starting with you. (Empties David´s glass) Demons begone! Demons begone!
举个例来说,「你不想见她吗?」或Don´t you want to see her?这个问题,你要说「是,我不想」,英文须说No, I don´t;你要说「不是,我想见她」,英文须说Yes, I do。又譬如说,「他买不起」或He can´t afford it这一句,你同意可以说No, he can´t(是,他买不起),不同意可以说Yes, he can(不对,他买得起)。由于中英说法不同,中国人误用Yes、No两字情况很普遍,必须注意。
Some things never change一语中的some things分为两字,是「一些东西」的意思,和合成一字的something不同。Something是「某物」或「某事」,没有复数形式的somethings。There is something to do是「有一件事要做」,There are some (important) things to do则是「有些(重要)事情要做」,这something和some things切勿混为一谈。
从电视上看见问答游戏节目,参加者要限时作答,通常主持人都会在限时快到的时候说:Time is running out.(时间快完了),以提醒参加者作答。当你正在忙碌工作,追赶限期时,时间好像永远不够用、不会停留等你,所以也可说:The clock´s ticking.(时钟滴答滴答的过去)或Time is not on our side.(光阴不留人)。
相反,如果时间充裕,则可以说:We´ve got all the time in the world.(我们有无限的时间)。
对话
Joe: Psst! Pass me your paper. I need you to write down the answers for me. 乔: 嘘!把你的试卷传给我,我要你替我写上答案。 Vivian: Wait! Hold on. I haven´t finished yet. Give me a minute. 维维安: 等等!住手。我还没做完,再给我一点时间吧。 Joe: Hurry it up. Time is running out. 乔: 快点,时间不多了。 Vivian: Ok, I´ve finished. Swap papers. 维维安: 好吧,我写完了,交换试卷。 Teacher: (Teacher catches them cheating) Your time is up. Principal´s office now, out! 老师: (老师当场发现他们作弊) 你们的时间结束了。马上到校长室去,出去!
《时间不多了》
乔在试场里眼看所剩时间无多,心急如焚说:Time is running out(时间不多了)。 说「时间不多了」,英文有一句成语:The sands are running out,即「沙要漏光了」。这当然是古时沙漏(hourglass)计时的用语,流传至今,例如: (1) Be quick, the sands are running out(快点,时间不多了)。 (2) It seems that the sands are running out for the President: he is unlikely to get re-elected(总统看来时日无多了:他不大可能获选连任)。
有时,这成语会用来比喻生命到了尽头。The old man´s sands of life were quickly running out即「那老人已是危在旦夕」;到他死了,就可以说:His sands had run out。
Run out有「耗尽」的意思,以消耗的东西作主词(subject);run out of则以消耗者作主词,以消耗的东西作受词,例如:Your time is running out/You are running out of time(你时间无多了)。除了时间,其它东西当然也可以run out,例如:Our money has run out/We have run out of money(我们的钱用光了)。
最后不妨谈谈另一句成语:down to the wire。Wire这里不是指铁丝,而是指赛马的终点线。Down to the wire就是「到达终点线」,往往引伸解作「直到最后」,而getting down to the wire就是「所余时间无多了」,例如:
(1) We worked right down to the wire, and finished everything(我们工作到最后一刻,并且把一切都做好了)。 (2) Hurry up, we´re getting down to the wire(快点,我们时间不多了)。
现在大多数父母都外出工作,照顾小孩和打理家务则交由女佣或保母代劳,很容易养成小孩子「饭来张口」的习惯,所以妈妈应该叫小孩子: Could you please tidy up your room?(你可以把自己的房间清理好吗?) 如果孩子的房间很整洁,可赞称说:Your room is neat and tidy.(你的房间很整齐清洁); 如果乱七八糟,可以说:Your room is a pigsty.(你的房间像猪窝一样)。 打扫房间,通常要扫地(Sweep the floor)、 用真空吸尘器清扫地毯(Vacuum the carpet)和 用鸡毛掸子(Duster) 扫走百叶窗的灰尘 (Dust the blinds)。
对话
Rita:I need some help around here. Could you please tidy up your room? 莉达:我这里需要帮忙,你可以打扫自己的房间吗? Marty:It´s ok, there´s no need. 马丁:这还可以,不需要吧。 Rita:What do you mean by “no need” ? Of course there´s a need. 莉达:甚么是你所指的「不需要」?当然有这个需要啊。 Marty:No there´s not. I´ve decided to leave it the way it is and move into the living room. Once that´s a mess, there are another six rooms I can trash. 马丁:没有吧,我已经决定不理它,并搬到客厅去。当那里也变得乱七八糟时,还有六间房让我弄脏。 Rita:Oh yeah? That´s what you think. Hurry up, clean up.Hurry up, get up. 莉达:噢,真的吗?那是你认为。快点清洁,快点起来吧。
《清理脏乱》
莉达叫马丁:Could you please tidy up your room? It´s a mess(你的房间乱极了,请收拾一下好吗?)
叫人收拾房间,英文可以说Please tidy up / clean up / pick up your room。上述三个动词词组(phrasal verb),都有「把地方打扫干净」的意思,例如:She had to tidy up / clean up / pick up after the children´s Christmas party(孩子圣诞聚会之后,她得清理一切)。留意tidy up和clean up,都可用来说个人的整齐或清洁,pick up则不可以,
例如:
(1) I quickly tidied (myself) up before attending the interview(我面试前,匆匆整理了一下仪容)。 (2) I´m covered with mud; I‘ve to clean (myself) up(我浑身泥巴,必须去梳洗干净)。
床铺不收拾好,房间怎样都会显得凌乱。收拾床铺,英文叫做to make a/the/one´s bed,例如莉达可以叫马丁:Now make your bed(快把床铺整理好)。英文成语As you make your bed, so you must lie upon it直译是「自己铺的床自己睡」,意思则是「自作自受」。
说事物一团糟,可以用mess一字,The room is a mess和The room is in a mess都是说「房间一团糟」。这个字还可用来说人:I´m (in) a mess即「我的情况糟透了」。你还可以用at sixes and sevens来说「乱七八糟」或「(头脑)混乱」,
例如:
(1) The room was at sixes and sevens(房子乱七八糟)。 (2) I was at sixes and sevens, I didn´t know what to do(我一片混乱,不知道怎样做才好)。
每個人都想擁有一個寬敞舒適的安樂窩,如果你的房子很寬敞,可以說:My apartment is spacious.(我的房子很寬敞),或者說:It’s very roomy.(它的面積很寬大),此外,也有個可愛的說法:Room to swing a cat.,地方寬敞得可以揮舞貓兒,比喻空間很大的意思。相反,如果你住在狹窄的房子,可以說:My apartment is cramped.(我的房子很狹窄)或My apartment is tiny.(我的房子很微小)。
對話
Gordon: So what do you think of my pad? 戈登: 你認為我的住所如何? Brian: It’s so cramped, how do you live here? 布萊恩: 很狹窄啊,你怎麼可以住在這兒? Gordon: Cramped? My apartment is spacious. 戈登: 狹窄?我的房子很寬敞。 Brian: There’s no way that this place could ever be called spacious. 布萊恩: 這裡沒有理由可以稱得上寬敞。 Gordon: Fine. Don’t take my word for it just ask the two circus midgets I used to share with. Maybe you’re too spacious. 戈登: 好的,別只聽我說,你可問問曾跟我同住的兩個馬戲團侏儒,或許是你個子太大了吧。
《侏儒、舞貓、居所》
戈登問布萊恩:What do you think of my pad?(你認為我的住所如何?)布萊恩說住所太小了,戈登卻不同意:It’s spacious. Just ask the circus midgets(很寬敞了。你問問馬戲團的侏儒吧)。
「侏儒」英文有midget、dwarf、pygmy三個稱呼,但dwarf的身體可能有部份畸形,midget雖是五短身材,身體各部份大小比例卻和常人無異。至於pygmy,原是指非洲、亞洲一些矮小民族的成員,但小寫的pygmy往往用作dwarf或midget的同義詞,這三個字都可作形容詞,例如:Our cat looks like a midget tiger(我們的貓看來像隻小型的老虎)。
說到貓,愛貓人大概不會喜歡一句說地方狹小的成語:no room to swing a cat(連揮舞一隻貓的空間都沒有),例如:There isn’t room to swing a cat in here。據說,從前的人練習射擊,常以貓做靶,叫人抓著貓尾揮舞;假如地方太小,自然揮舞不得。不過,另一解釋似乎較為可信:cat其實是指cat-o’-nine-tails或「九尾鞭」,從前英國當局即用九尾鞭抽打罪犯。No room to swing a cat是說,地方小得連揮鞭的空間都沒有。
最後說pad字。這是「居所」或dwelling的俚語說法。Pad本來是指「床」,後來引伸作「睡覺的地方」或「居所」,正如digs由「掘地藏身」引伸作「居所」一樣,例如:I went back to my pad/digs to turn off the gas(我回家把瓦斯關掉)。
当我们看到卖相很好的食物,总会垂涎三尺,有很想吃的冲动,可以这样形容:That looks so mouth-watering.(它看起来很好吃的样子),也可说:That looks tempting.(它看来很吸引人)或 That looks delicious.(它看来很美味)。另一个说法是: It makes me drool. (它令我流口水),Drool是「垂涎」的意思,而口水的学名叫Saliva。
对话
Candice:Look at that dish. That looks so mouth-watering. 坎迪斯:看看这道菜,它看起来很好吃的样子。 Katherine:I don´t think so. 凯思莲:我不这么认为。 Candice:Well, what about that one? Or that one? Don´t you want to eat any of these? 坎迪斯:嗯,那么这个怎样,还是那个 ? 难道你所有的东西都不想吃? Katherine:No. Plastic display food has never really done it for me. I want real food. 凯思莲:不,塑料食物永远不能满足我,我要真的食物。
《令人垂涎》
从前曹操行军,见士卒口渴难当,于是谎称前面有默林。士卒想到梅子,就「口水直流」,英文可以说:The thought of plums made their mouths water。
Water作动词,可以指眼睛、嘴里等「冒出水」的状况,例如:
(1) My eyes always water uncontrollably when I peel onions(我剥洋葱皮时,总是忍不住眼泪直流)。 (2) Her mouth is watering for chocolate(她想吃巧克力)。 (3) The aroma of strong coffee made me water at the mouth (浓咖啡的芳香,使我馋涎欲滴)。这「垂涎」的意思,可以引申说渴望得到食物以外的东西,例如:This girlie magazine will make men?s mouths water!(这本艳女杂志,会让男人垂涎三尺)。
另一个说「垂涎」的字是drool,同样可以用于比喻,例如: (1) He is drooling over the sports car on display(展出的那辆跑车,令他涎垂三尺)。 (2) Mouths drooled / We drooled as the dessert was served(饭后甜品端上来的时候,我们都垂涎三尺)。
电冰箱叫Refrigerator,简称Fridge,当它坏掉时,可以形容说:The fridge has stopped running.(电冰箱坏掉了)。The fridge is out of order / is not working / is on the blink.也都是电冰箱坏掉的意思。此时你需要找电工帮忙,可以说: I need an electrician / a repairman.(我需要个电工 / 修理工)。
对话
Candice: What´s wrong? You look like you´e seen a ghost. Did someone die? 坎迪斯: 有何不妥? 你看来好像见鬼,有人死了吗? Brian: Not someone, something. The fridge has stopped running. I´m devastated. 布莱恩: 不是某人,是东西。电冰箱坏掉了,我感到震惊。 Candice: Oh no! All that food I prepared for the weekend, it will all be ruined. No wonder you´re upset. 坎迪斯: 噢,不!我为周末准备的所有食物都没了,怪不得你如此沮丧。 Brian: Forget about the food, you can always cook some more. The boys are coming over tonight to watch the game, we can´t serve them warm beer. What are we going to do? 布莱恩: 忘记这些食物吧。你总是可再弄些别的,弟兄们今晚来看球赛,我们不能用暖啤酒招待,现在怎么办呢? Candice: Why don´t you invite your English friends? 坎迪斯: 为何你不邀请你的英国朋友来呢? Brian: Are you trying to be funny? 布莱恩: 你在说笑话吗?
《电冰箱坏了》
布莱恩见电冰箱坏了,惨然说:The fridge has stopped running。Fridge是refrigerator的简称。西方家庭除了有电冰箱,一般还有freezer,即冰柜。冰柜温度通常比冰箱低,以冷冻食物。When the fridge / freezer broke, all the food went bad即「冰箱 / 冰柜坏了,所有食物也都坏掉了」。
留意break字不一定解作「打破」或「破掉」。机器坏了,也可以叫做break,例如:The camera broke: it was too old(摄影机坏了,因为过于老旧)。此外,你当然还可以说:The fridge is out of action/is out of order / is not working / is on the blink等。
Blink本来是指迅速眨眼、瞇眼而视或灯光等闪烁,例如:(1) The sudden glare made me blink(突然而来的强光,使我瞇起眼睛)。(2) The lights were blinking in the distance(远处灯光闪烁)。蜡烛烧到尽头,烛光会闪烁不定;引伸而言,机器on the blink等于「坏了」,这里不妨再举一例:The washing machine / telephone is on the blink again(洗衣机 / 电话又坏了)。
有时,英文会用U/S或U.S.来说机器,但这不是说「美国制造」,The fridge has gone U.S.也不是说电冰箱送了去美国,而是「电冰箱坏了」。U.S.本是机器维修工人用语,是unserviceable (不能使用)的缩写,现在也用于通俗英语。The fridge is faulty / defective则是说「电冰箱有毛病」。
古代大家闺秀三步不出家门,现代已经没有这回事,不过仍有些人很恋家,喜欢躲在家里看书听音乐,这种行为英文可说:I´m a homebody.(我是个恋家的人)。这些人留在家里是最开心的,所以也可说:I´m happiest at home.(我在家里最开心)。但有些人却因为患病或有心理障碍导致足不出户,可以这样形容:She´s housebound.(她闭门不出)。如果你想约会某些朋友,但是他们总不愿出门,你也可以这样问道:Are you housebound ?
对话
Husband:Come on , let´s go out today. We´re always stuck at home. 丈夫:来吧,今天一起出门走走,我们太常留在家里了。 Wife:No, I´d rather not. I´m a homebody. You knew that when we met. 妻子:不,我不想去。我是个恋家的人,你认识我时就知道的。 Husband:Yes, but three years without going out is a bit excessive. 丈夫:对,但三年都足不出户有点太过份。 Wife:That´s so not true. I went out just six months ago. 妻子:才不是那样,我六个月前才出去过。 Husband:But then you had to. That´s when we moved in here.You´re not a homebody, you´re a lazy body. 丈夫:但那是你必需要,那次是我们搬来这儿。你不是个恋家的人,而是个懒惰的人。 Wife:Yeah, yeah. The remote… 妻子:是,是,遥控器…
《在家千日好》
中国有句古话:「在家千日好,出外一时难。」人会恋家并不奇怪。 恋家的人,英文叫homebody。这个字没有贬义,只是说某人喜欢平静的生活,例如:He is a real homebody, and would rather stay at home than travel abroad for his vacation(他十分恋家,放假宁愿留在家里,也不去外国游玩)。
Homebody有一个同义词:stay-at-home。这个字也可作形容词, 例如: (1) I am very much a stay-at-home(我是个很恋家的人)。 (2) I am a man of the stay-at-home type(我是喜欢留在家里的那种人)。
Stay-at-home和homebody都可以用来说男性或女性,但有一个词是专指男人的:family man。这个词强调的不是少出家门,而是喜欢家庭生活,和妻子、儿女在一起,例如:He is a family man, I don´t think he will accept a job that will keep him away from his wife and children for days on end(他很重视家庭生活;假如工作要他连续多天见不到妻子、儿女,我想他是不会接受的)。目前英文还没有family woman这种说法。
恋家的人,一定都会同意以下成语: (1) There is no place like home(没有地方比家更好)。 (2) East or west, home is best(行遍东西方,不如在家好)。(3) Home is home though it be never so homely(无论多么简陋,家还是家)。Homely有「简陋」的意思。
常听女孩子说:「他不是我的那杯茶」,It´s not really my cup of tea.引申为「这是我不喜欢的东西或人物」。或者可以说:I´m not into it. (我对它没兴趣)、That´s not what I like.(那不是我喜欢的)。英国人喜欢喝茶,亦很重视喝茶时间,所以有Tea break / Tea time(喝茶休息时间),Afternoon tea / High tea(下午茶)。而A storm in a teacup. 就是茶杯里的风波,比喻小事一桩。
对话
Marcus: Would you like some coffee ? 马卡斯: 你要来杯些咖啡吗? Rita: No thanks, I don´t like coffee. It´s not really my cup of tea. 莉达: 不用了,谢谢。我不喜欢咖啡,它不是我的那杯茶。 Marcus: Some cocoa? Hot chocolate? Hot water? How about some hot lemon? 马卡斯: 那可可?热巧克力?白开水?还是热柠檬汁呢? Rita: No, no, no and no. None of them are really my cup of tea. 莉达: 不不不不,这些全都不是我喜欢的。 Marcus: Then what is your cup of tea? 马卡斯: 那你到底喜欢甚么? Rita: How about a nice…cup of tea! 莉达: 一杯好茶! Marcus: Garcon, a nice cup of tea for this lady here. 马卡斯: 服务生,拿一杯好茶给这位小姐。 Rita: Thank you. 莉达: 谢谢。
《茶和木屑》
莉达说:Coffee is not really my cup of tea(我不怎么爱喝咖啡)。Somebody´s cup of tea和上一课的to have a chip on one´s shoulder都是成语,这里不妨谈谈。 英国人爱喝茶,a cup of tea俚语称为a cuppa。What I want is a nice cuppa即「我想喝杯好茶」。
不过,西方人喝茶,总不如中国人;唐朝卢仝有诗说喝茶「一碗喉吻润……六碗通仙灵,七碗吃不得也,唯觉两腋习习清风生」。正因为中国茶名闻世界,英文俚语索性把「茶」音译为char,例如:I´d like a cup of char(我想喝杯茶)。Somebody’s cup of tea常引申为「某人喜欢的事物」,多用于否定句,例如:Soccer is not exactly my cup of tea(足球这玩意,我不大喜欢)。
Have a chip on one´s shoulder(肩膀上有一片木屑)又是甚么意思呢?这成语源自十九世纪初的美国。当时一般家庭都要伐木为薪,后院自然不乏木屑。年轻人要打架,往往拾一片木屑放在自己肩上,叫对方有胆就把那片木屑拂去。所以,to have a chip on one´s shoulder是「露出想打架的样子」或「觉得自己受了委屈,愤愤不平」,例如: (1) He always seems to have a chip on his shoulder(他好像随时都准备跟人打架)。 (2) He has a chip on his shoulder because he has not been promoted despite his many years of service(他任职多年,却没有获得升迁,因此愤愤不平)。