俗語:“話中有話,別當(dāng)真!”
[ 2006-10-27 09:30 ]
讀諷刺大師的作品,比如讀契訶夫、讀馬克·吐溫,若能讀出話里玄機(jī)實(shí)為一種享受,否則,你還真有點(diǎn)找不到北。為什么?話中有話唄!沒聽說過“厚道的文化人始終少見”,罵你、捉弄你還讓你以為他在夸你、恭維你。
英語中,如是文字、如是話語,可用“tongue in cheek”來形容。比如,不得人緣的Mike被John鼓動(dòng)著,要去競(jìng)選學(xué)生會(huì)主席。明擺著耍人嘛!好心的你這時(shí)可告訴Mike:“Don' t be fooled by John's complimentary words. They were all said with tongue in cheek.”(別讓他的恭維話給糊弄住,那些話可當(dāng)不得真.)
“Tongue in cheek”最早出現(xiàn)于19世紀(jì),據(jù)說,源于日常生活中人們的“吐舌頭”。其實(shí),一直到現(xiàn)在,我們也有這樣的“鬼臉” —— 開了玩笑后,別人還沒辨出真假的當(dāng),你把舌頭伸出來,伸左、伸右伸哪個(gè)方向都可以,反正伸到了臉上,告訴對(duì)方,“逗你玩兒呢,別當(dāng)真!”
再看個(gè)例句:Be careful in reading G. B. Shaw. He often had his tongue in his cheek.(讀肖伯納的作品可得注意,他常常話中有話。)
口語:“鬼才知道東西跑哪兒了!”
(英語點(diǎn)津陳蓓編輯)
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