很多人身處陌生的環境,例如移民他鄉或新的工作,便會感到渾身不安。 I´m trying to find my feet. 一語直譯是 「我正在尋找我的雙腳」,其真正含意是「我正在努力適應新環境」,也可以有其他類似說法:I´m trying to orientate myself. (我引導自已朝向正確方向) / I´m trying to settle in.(我嚐試安定下來) / I´m learning the ropes. (我正在學習新事物) 。
對話
Gordon: US 8, UK 42. Ferrare Cavallo. Heel…(Lying on couch & examining a pair of shoes) 戈登: 美國碼8號、英國碼42號、意大利真皮、鞋後跟…(躺在沙發並反覆觀看一雙皮鞋) Katherine: Hurry up! You´ll be late for work. What are you doing? 凱思蓮: 快點!你快遲到了,你在幹甚麼? Gordon: I´m a little bit worried about my new job. I´m trying to find my feet. 戈登: 我只是有點擔心新工作,我正嘗試適應新環境。 Katherine: That´s the trouble then you deserve the boot. 凱思蓮: 問題就是這裡,你該被解僱。 Gordon: Why ? 戈登: 為甚麼? Katherine: You work in a shoe shop and if you don´t even know where your feet are, then there´s no future for you there. Now get a move on before I put my foot in your… 凱思蓮: 你在鞋店工作,但居然不知自己腳踏何地。呆在這裡是沒有前途的,你再不動身,我就把腳塞進你的… Gordon: Alright, alright, I´m leaving. 戈登: 好的,好的,我馬上出門。
《腳的成語》
戈登在鞋店找到工作,卻懶洋洋躺在沙發上不上班,拿著鞋反覆觀看,說I´m trying to find my feet;凱思蓮對他說:You deserve the boot. Now get a move on before I put my foot in your...。
Your 之後應是mouth一字。To put one´s foot in one´s mouth是成語,意思是「說了不得體的話」或「不自覺的說了令人難堪、不滿的話」,例如:You put your foot in your mouth when you said to him that homosexuals were “perverted animals”. He is gay(你不應該跟他說同性戀者是「變態動物」。他有斷袖之癖)。凱思蓮那一句,當然不是指說錯了話,只是套用和腳有關的成語警告戈登:「你再不動身,我就把腳塞進你嘴巴裡!」
You deserve the boot直譯是「你應得到長靴」。成語to get the boot是「被炒魷魚」或「被驅逐」,to give someone the boot則是「炒人魷魚」或「把人驅逐」, 例如: (1) The boss has given him the boot for his rudeness to customers(老闆見他對顧客無禮,就炒他魷魚)。 (2) If you are not decently dressed, you may get the boot(假如你衣著不得體,可能會被逐離出場)。
最後說to find one´s feet。「找到自己雙腳」本來是指嬰兒學會獨立走路,引申解作「能夠獨立處事」或「習慣新環境」, 例如: Our boy gradually found his feet at the kindergarten(我們的兒子漸漸習慣幼稚園的環境)。To stand on one´s own (two) feet則等於獨立:To stand on my own feet, I must get a job即「要獨立,我必須先找到工作」。
He´s such a card. (他是个有趣的怪人) ,这种人可能是个怪人或喜欢做逗人发笑的事情。 在每套扑克牌(Card)里,必包括绘有丑角的Joker牌。古代西方皇宫常设有小丑表演,为皇室成员提供娱乐。所以可形容这类人为 He´s a joker in the pack.,或者说 He´s jovial. (他是个开心果)。至于把人形容为:He´s a laughing stock. (他是众人的笑柄),就含有负面意思 。
对话
Lisa: Look at Brian, he´s always such a laugh. He´s such a card. 莉莎: 瞧瞧布莱恩,他常常引人发笑,是个有趣的怪人。 Candy: Really ? 坎蒂:当真? Lisa: Oh yeah. He really is the joker of the pack. 莉莎: 噢,是的。他的确很难捉摸。 Candy: Well I don´t think he´s playing with a full deck. He´s the king of insane. 坎蒂: 嗯,我认为布莱恩头脑有问题,他是张疯狂的王牌。
《纸牌成语》
莉莎说布莱恩:He´s such a card. He really is the joker of the pack。坎蒂说:I don´t think he´s playing with a full deck. He´s the king of insane。
Pack、deck都是指「一副(纸牌)」,你可以说a pack / deck of cards。俚语往往以card说古怪或有趣的人,例如:You´re a card; you keep everyone amused(你真有趣,令大家笑开怀)。
纸牌中有坎蒂说的国王(king)牌,也有丑角牌,叫joker,上面会画个jester或fool,即古代西方王侯家中专责逗笑的小丑。丑角牌有时可以当作最大的王牌或任何点数的牌,所以,the joker in the pack是指「影响或行为出人意料者」,例如:He´s the joker in the pack. You never know what he´ll do next(他很难捉摸,你永远不知道他接下来会做甚么)。莉莎那两句话是说:「布莱恩这人很有趣,你绝对想不到他会干甚么。」
坎蒂却不大欣赏布莱恩。俚语to play / operate / deal with a full deck,直译是「用一副完整的纸牌来玩」,意思是「诚实的」、「不欺诈的」或「头脑健全的」、「有普通智慧的」,一般会用于否定句,即not to play with a full deck(不诚实的、头脑不健全的),例如:He tried to make me believe that he was playing with a full deck(他想让我相信他没有使诈)。坎蒂那两句,则是取「头脑不健全」的意思:「我认为布莱恩头脑有问题,是张疯狂的王牌。」
做人太心直口快,在不当的时候冲动乱说话,很容易得罪别人,所以要懂得在适当时候「保持缄默」:I had to bite my tongue. (我只好咬着我的舌头 )/ I had to hold my tongue.(我要按着我的舌头), 也可直接说:Stop myself from saying something.(阻止自已说出某些话)。不想令人难堪,有时要强忍不说真相,但有些情况却是因想不起而说不出口,可以这样形容:It´s on the tip of my tongue. (话到嘴边或几乎想起)。
对话
Candy: Guess what. Vanessa just told me that she´s in a pageant. 坎蒂: 猜我听到甚么,凡内莎刚告诉我她去选美。 Lisa: She told me the same thing. What could I possibly say to that? 莉莎: 她同样也告诉过我,我对此有甚么好说呢? Candy: That´s right. Imagine her in a pageant. I had to bite my tongue. 坎蒂: 对,一想到她去选美,我只好不说话。 Lisa: Forget you. Somebody should bite her tongue… right off. That would stop her lies. (Vanessa approaches) Hi Vanessa, you look great. (They are as fake as Vanessa is) 莉莎: 算了吧,有些人应咬断自己的舌头,以免说谎。(凡内莎走近)嗨,凡内莎,你美极了。(两人如凡内莎般虚假 ) 。 Candy : Yeah, I told you, you looked great. Look at your hair, it´s so gorgeous. 坎蒂: 是啊,我之前就说过,你真的很漂亮,瞧瞧你的秀发,真亮丽。 Lisa: Oh your hair and your physique. 莉莎: 噢,你的秀发,还有你的身材。
《失言和说谎》
莉莎听说凡内莎参加选美,很不以为然:What could I possibly say to that?(我对此有甚么好说呢?)坎蒂说:I had to bite my tongue(我只好不说话)。 舌头(tongue)是说话用的,「失言」就叫做a slip of the tongue,例如:I should have said “Dr Chen” instead of “Mr Chen” : it was just a slip of the tongue(我应说「陈博士」而不是「陈先生」:那是一时说错了)。为免失言,最好bite one´s tongue(把舌头咬着);所以,这成语是「保持沉默」的意思,例如:I was going to tell him, but I bit my tongue when I saw you wink at me(我本来要告诉他,但看见你向我使眼色,就忍住不说)。留意吃东西时,不慎咬到舌头,英文也叫做to bite one´s tongue。
但有时舌头未及时咬住就失言了,使人恨不得bite one´s tongue off(把舌头咬断):加off一字,有「后悔失言」的意思,例如:When I saw how she was hurt by my inadvertent remark, I could have bitten my tongue off(我见自己一句无心的话令她那么难过,深悔失言)。莉莎说Vanessa should bite her tongue right off to stop her lies(凡内莎应自己咬断舌头以免说谎),则当然和「后悔失言」无关,只是照字面意思用字。
其实莉莎说话也不老实。她在凡内莎面前大赞凡内莎漂亮,这种行为叫做with (one´s) tongue in (one´s) cheek,即「说话不老实」或「话中带刺」,例如:Lisa praised Vanessa with her tongue in her cheek(莉莎言不由衷的赞美凡内莎)。
称赞别人打扮新潮,可以说:You always look so trendy或You always look so fashionable(你总是看来很时髦新潮 )。那些潮流一族英文叫做The in-crowd,勇于创新潮流的人叫A trendsetter,而追随潮流者则称为A trend follower。
对话
Joe:I really admire your dress sense. You always look so trendy. 乔:我很欣赏你的衣着品味,你穿着总是那样入时。 Anna:Thank you, I try to stay ahead of the trends obviously it works. 安娜:谢谢,我尝试走在潮流尖端,明显地它很奏效。 Joe:How do you do it? Do you fly to Paris every season? 乔:你怎么做到的?每季都飞去巴黎吗? Anna:No, I´m a model. I always keep the clothes from backstage after a show. Thanks for the compliment. 安娜:不,我是模特儿,做完时装秀后我总会保存那些衣服,谢谢你的赞赏。
《品味与潮流》
乔告诉安娜:I really admire your dress sense. You always look so trendy(我很欣赏你的衣着品味,你穿衣总是那样入时)。
Dress sense是对衣着的品味。有些人一身名贵衣服,但由于和年纪、身材、相貌等不配合,非常难看,就是因为没有品味。你可以说:To be beautifully dressed, you don´t need lots of money, but you must have a good dress sense(要穿得漂亮,不必很有钱,但必须有衣着品味)。
Trendy是俗语,意思是「时髦的」或「赶时髦的」,有时带贬义,例如:(1) She spends thousands of dollars on trendy clothing every month(她每个月都花几千元买时髦衣服)。(2) Somehow it seems to me that trendy people have no ego(我总觉得赶时髦的人似乎没有自我)。Trendy还可作名词,指赶时髦的人;这样的人也可叫swinger,例如:You can hardly recognize in him the trendy/swinger he was thirty years ago(在他身上,很难看到三十年前那个时髦家伙的影子)。
说到潮流,有一个字不可不识:vogue。这个字和fashion同义。「入时」是in vogue/fashion,「过时」是out of vogue/fashion。说潮流兴甚么,可用for字带出,
例如: (1) Clothes that are in vogue/fashion this year may go out of vogue/fashion next year(今年流行的衣服,明年就可能不流行了)。 (2) I don´t like the vogue for unisex clothes(我不喜欢服装男女不分的潮流)。
时下年青人很喜欢街头时装,如果你也是其中之一,可自我形容说:I love street fashion(我爱街头流行时装)。滑板族、嬉哈族和庞克族等都算是Street fashion的代表。喜欢美国嬉哈文化(Hip hop fashion)的人通常会穿低腰裤(Low-slung trousers),戴有图案的头巾(Bandana)和闪烁的手饰(Bling)。至于70年代在英国流行的庞克族(Punk rock),他们喜欢穿苏格兰格子裤(Tartan trousers)和剪像刺猬的发型(Mohican)。
对话
Rachel:You always look so badly dressed. What´s up with that? 蕾切尔:你常穿得很糟,为甚么会这样? Joe:You are just a snob. I love street fashion. 乔:你真是个势利小人,我爱街头流行时装。 Rachel:That is not fashion from the streets. You have to realize that. 蕾切尔:那不是街头时尚,你要知道喔。 Joe:It is so. It´s just that the street I get my inspiration from is skid row. 乔:这是啊,只是我是从贫民区街头得到的灵感而已。 Rachel:Ok. 蕾切尔:是呀。
《贫民区时尚》
蕾切尔说乔衣着难看,乔说:This is street fashion. The street I get my inspiration from is skid row(这是街头流行时装。给我灵感的是贫民区)。
Skid row指城中低级店铺林立、杂乱肮脏的贫民区。Skid作动词,指「滑行」,常用来说车轮不受控制的打滑,例如:The car skidded on the ice(汽车在冰上不受控制的打滑)。Skid作名词,指铺在地上供重物运输时滚动、拖行的圆木、木板等;用这些圆木、木板铺成的滑道,叫skid road。负责搬运重物者一般是穷人,所以skid road渐渐变成skid row。The authorities are determined to clean up skid row即「当局决心整顿肮脏杂乱的贫民区」。
跟随贫民窟街头的服装时尚,衣着自然难看;但即使跟随所谓高级服装时尚,往往也很难看,所以,英文有fashion victim(时装受害者)一词,指衣着时髦而难看的人,例如:Many women are unknowing fashion victims(很多女人都不知道自己因追求服装时尚而穿得十分难看)。
此外,还有fashion plate。这本来是指时装的图样,往往引申作「衣着入时的人」,例如:He is a fashion plate. Just look at him, and you can tell what the latest fashion is(他是个时装潮流样板。看看他,你就知道最近流行穿甚么了)。Fashion plate的衣着未必难看,跟fashion victim不同。
假若朋友約你去燒烤,你竟穿晚裝赴約,朋友會對你說:You look over-dressed.(你穿得太華麗)或It´s too dressy.(過於講究/華麗)或It´s too fussy.(過份裝飾)。相反,假若穿得太過隨便出席隆重宴會,別人會批評你說:You look under-dressed.(你穿得太隨便)。此外,對於那些一把年紀卻「裝可愛」的人,可以對他們說:You look like mutton dressed as lamb.(你像一頭扮成小羔羊的老羊),就是諷刺人家扮青春。
對話
Brian: Honey, you look over-dressed. 布萊恩: 蜜糖兒,你穿得太華麗了。 Rachel: No I don´t. Everyone dresses up at these events. 蕾切爾: 不會,每個人都盛裝出席這些場合。 Brian: But do you really need all that jewelry and all those fancy clothes? 布萊恩: 但你真的需要那些珠寶和這些昂貴的衣服嗎? Rachel: Of course, this is a fashion show, I have to look the part. 蕾切爾: 當然啦,這是時裝秀,我要配合打扮。 Brian: But it´s a sportswear collection. Go and change, now! 布萊恩: 但這是邉臃阋F在去換衣服吧!
《盛裝》
蕾切爾盛裝出席簡單的邉臃悖y怪布萊恩說:You look overdressed。 Overdress是「穿著隆重得與所出席場合不相稱」,反義詞是underdress,例如:(1) Don´t overdress (yourself), wear something simple but decent(衣著別太過隆重,只須簡單而得體)。(2) Without a dress handkerchief, I felt underdressed(我沒有禮服手帕,自覺寒傖)。
說衣著隆重,英文有兩句常用成語。
一是to be dressed up to the nines,直譯是「穿到第九」。第九和盛裝有甚麼關係?有人說,the nines是the eyes之訛;「衣服穿到連眼睛都幾乎蓋著」,就是盛裝了。也有人說,十級評分制之中,到第九級已近乎完美。無論這兩個解釋哪一個正確,to be dressed up to the nines即「一身盛裝」,例如:I guess he is going to attend a job interview: he is all dressed up to the nines(他穿得那麼隆重,我猜是要參加求職面試)。
另一句常用成語是to be dressed to kill。Kill這裡有「使人傾倒」、「使人著迷」的意思,to be dressed to kill即「刻意穿得很帥,要別人心生愛慕」,往往有「希望吸引異性」含義,例如:Whose affections do you think that dandy is trying to win? He is dressed to kill tonight(你認為那花花公子想贏得誰人芳心呢?他今晚穿得特別講究)。Dandy是講究打扮的男人,也可稱為fop。
到裁縫店訂作衣服時,裁縫師會問你:Can you give me your measurements?(你可以把你的尺寸告訴我嗎?),如果你不太清楚,要勞煩他替你量身,他會對你說:Can I take your measurements?(我可以替你量身嗎?)。量身通常要量三圍,女性的胸圍叫Bust,男性胸圍叫Chest,腰圍(Waist)、臀圍(Hips)。除了三圍外,也有領圍(Neck size),在訂作西裝、中式長馬褂(Cheong-sam)或婚紗(Wedding dress)時需要的。
對話
Darrell: Hi. Can you give me your measurements? 達仁: 嗨,你可否告訴我你的尺寸? Candy: I can´t remember them offhand. You´ll have to measure me. 坎蒂: 我一時間想不起來,要麻煩你替我量度。 Darrell: With pleasure. 達仁: 這是我應該的。 Candy: So how long have you worked here? I haven´t seen you at the shows before. 坎蒂: 你在這裡工作多久了?我從未在表演裡見過你。 Darrell : Oh I don´t work here. I was just waiting for my girlfriend. She´s in the show too. 達仁: 噢,我不在這裡工作,我只是在等我的女朋友,她有參與表演。 Candy: Security! 坎蒂: 保全!
《三圍和胸部》
達仁問坎蒂的三圍數字:Can you give me your measurements?女性的三圍,英文還有一個說法:vital statistics。
Vital statistics本來是「生命統計」,指出生、結婚、死亡等關乎人口的統計。但vital除了解作「生命的」還可解作「極重要的」;以vital statistics來說女性身材「極重要的數字」,當然有戲謔意味,例如:Her vital statistics are 36-24-36(她的三圍是36-24-36)。
從前,所謂上流社會連雞胸肉都諱言breast。英國首相邱吉爾曾經作客美國,宴會上說May I have some breast?(給我些胸部好嗎?)不料女主人板著面孔說:Mr. Churchill, in this country we ask for white meat(邱吉爾先生,敝國人會說白肉)。第二天,邱吉爾送她一朵胸花,附字條說:I would be most obliged if you would pin this on your white meat(假如你把這個別在你的白肉之前,將是我的莫大榮幸)。今天,breast已經不是「禁字」,但一般量胸圍,Women are measured round the bust而不是the breasts。
当你看中橱窗里人体模型身上的衣服时,可对售货员说:I´d like the one on the dummy.(我想要人体模型身上的那件衣服)。真人模特儿叫Model, 而 Dummy除指「人体模型」,也可解作「呆子」或「婴儿吃的奶嘴」,不想令人误会,可改用Mannequin(假人体模型)。橱窗陈列英文叫Window display;橱窗布置叫Window dressing。 对话 Brian: I´d like to buy a shirt please. 布莱恩: 麻烦你,我想买件衬衫。 Vivian: Certainly. Which one from the collection would you like? 维维安: 当然可以,你喜欢这个系列中的哪一件呢? Brian: I´d like the one on the dummy. 布莱恩: 我想要人体模型上的那件。 Vivian: Dummy? We don´t have any dummies here, this is a fashion show. 维维安: 假模特儿?我们这里没有人体模型,这是时装秀。 Brian: No, I meant that guy over there. Actually, I´ve always thought that male models were kind of stupid. I´d like it in red. 布莱恩: 不,我意思是在那边的家伙。其实我总觉得男模特儿是呆子,我想要红色的。
《模特儿和人体模型》
布莱恩说想买衬衫:I´d like the one on the dummy。维维安以为他要假人身上那款衬衫,但布莱恩却是要男模特儿穿的那一款:I´ve always thought that male models were kind of stupid(我总觉得男模特儿是呆子)。 Kind of或sort of是「有些」的意思,是口头用语,常略作kinda或kinder、sorta或sorter,其后多用形容词(adjective),有时也用动词,例如:(1) I´m kind of/sort of tired. I need a rest(我有点累,要休息一下)。(2) I kinda/sorta like him(我有些喜欢他)。
Dummy一字,出自dumb(哑的),可以指「人体模型」,俗语也以dummy指「聋哑者」或「呆子」,例如:Why don´t you say anything? Are you a dummy?(你为甚么一言不发?你聋哑了吗?)布莱恩称男模特儿为dummy(呆子),使维维安误会了,是因为一字多义。
展览时装,不用dummy,就用model。Model可以指男性或女性模特儿,但模特儿行业几乎已成为女性专有,男性往往要冠以male一字,以免误会。I saw a male model(我看见一个男模特儿)一语,省略male,你一定会以为是女性。
从前,时装模特儿叫做manne-quin。这本来是法文,但一般会按英文拼法读作MANNikin。现在,模特儿多称model,于是mannequin渐渐由真人沦为假人,和时装店里的dummy没有分别,例如:This suit looks good on the mannequin/dummy(这套西装穿在假模特儿身上很好看)。
冬季來臨,又是女士們出動添置冬裝的時候,I need to shop for my winter wardrobe.解作「我需要購買冬季衣服」。很多女士都喜歡購物,但如果過份迷戀,就會變成購物狂(Shopaholic),對某一事過份沉迷而成狂,除了Shopaholic外,也有Workaholic(工作狂)和Alcoholic(酗酒的人)。此外,當我們不開心的時候用購物來慰藉自己,這種行為叫做Retail therapy(購物治療)。
對話
Rachel:Oh, I´m glad we came to this show. I need to shop for my winter wardrobe. 蕾切爾:噢,真高興我們來看這個秀,我需要購買冬裝。 Vivian:Well then you´re in the wrong place. 維維安:那麼你來錯地方了。 Rachel:No way. This is a fashion show isn´t it? It´s nearly winter now so why am I in the wrong place? 蕾切爾:不會吧。這不是時裝秀嗎?而且現在快要冬天了,為甚麼我來錯地方? Vivian:Fashion works six months ahead so this is the spring / summer show. Unless you´re planning to wear a bikini all winter, I suggest you go to a boutique。 維維安:時裝秀領前潮流六個月,所以這是春 / 夏季時裝展,除非你打算整個冬天穿比基尼泳裝,否則我建議你去時裝店。
《季節和衣服》
冬天來了,蕾切爾說:I need to shop for my winter wardrobe(我需要買冬裝)。 Wardrobe的本義是「衣櫃」,是可數名詞,例如:We bought two wardrobes(我們買了兩個衣櫃)。引申其義,wardrobe可指一個人的所有衣服,例如:(1) She has a large(或an extensive)/small(或limited)wardrobe(她有很多/很少衣服)。(2) His wardrobe includes a pair of white trousers(他的衣物之中有一條白褲子)。 冬裝、夏裝等,除了叫winter wardrobe、summer wardrobe,也可以叫winter clothes / clothing、summer clothes/clothing。Wardrobe和clothes、clothing的分別,是clothes、clothing可以指個人身上的衣服,wardrobe則不可以,例如以下這句就不可用wardrobe一字:I changed my clothes / clothing for the dinner party(我更換衣服準備出席晚宴)。
然則clothes和clothing有沒有分別?一般這兩個字是通用的,主要分別在於clothing著重整體的衣服,clothes則著重身上各式衣服。例如I saw a woman in trendy clothes / clothing一語,是說「我看見一個衣著入時的女人」;但clothing泛指全身衣服,clothes則著重衣服的配搭,包括上衣、裙子、鞋子等。 春夏秋冬衣服之外,兩個季節之交穿的衣服叫甚麼?你可用between-season一詞來說,例如:You need some between-season clothing as winter gives way to summer(寒去暑來的時候,你要一些適合冬夏之交穿的衣服)。
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」。