英语习语所用设喻形象对比趣谈
汉语中习语大致指人们习惯使用的成语典故,引语,俗语,歇后语和谚语等的集合体; 英语中的习语大 致可以包括一些 proverbs,sayings, colloquial phrases, allusions,一些idioms和slangs。 通过对英汉习语对比学习,我们不仅能了解不同文化中语言的民族性特色,而且能从不同的设喻形象中获 得乐趣,觉得这样的学习不是苦差事,并且还能使记忆深刻,理解到位,使用地道,甚至对英汉互译也有帮助 。 笔者本着趣味性和使用性的原则,试着从一个hay stack 中找出几根 needle来,算管中窥豹吧,以下从四 个方面举例说明。 一.英汉习语所用设喻相似而意义相近的 Great minds think alike.英雄所见略同; Courtesy costs nothing.礼多人不怪; Lovers' quarrels are soon mended.夫妻无隔夜仇; The higher up, the greater the fall. 攀高跌重: know something like the palm or back of one's hand 了如指掌; constant dropping wears the stone 滴水穿石; fish in troubled water 混水摸鱼; Great oaks from little acorns grow. 合抱之木,生于毫末; pour oil on the flame 火上加油; Give somebody an inch and he'll take an mile. 得寸进尺; lie down on the job. 磨洋工; Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁; Walls have ears. 隔墙有耳; The tailor makes the man. 人靠衣服马靠鞍; a yes man 应声虫(跟屁虫); at one's wit's end 才穷智尽; hang by a thread 千钧一发; plain sailing 一帆风顺; follow in sb's footsteps 步人后尘; bite off more than one can chew 贪多嚼不烂; The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 心有余而力不足; wash one's hands of 洗手不干; Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 情人眼里出西施; run sb. to earth 钻入地缝也要抓到某人; skin deep 肤浅。 以上此类由于设喻形象相似,因而最容易掌握,我们平时学习中要注意积累。 二.英汉习语所用设喻形象各异,意义却相近的 When a man is going downhill, everyone will give him apush. 墙倒众人推; silken tongue 巧舌如簧; a flash in the pan 昙花一现; don't cry over spilt milk 生米已成熟饭; put all one's eggs in one basket. 孤注一掷; hold a wolf by the ears 骑虎难下; between the devil and the deep sea 进退维谷; kick the bucket 翘辫子,蹬腿儿(死了); The longest day must have an end. 世上没有不散的宴席; like a rat in the hole 瓮中捉鳖; A good conscience is a soft pillow. 白天不做亏心事;半夜不怕鬼敲门; birds of a feather 物以类聚,人以群分(一丘之貉); You can't judge a tree by its bark.人不可貌相,海水不可斗量; All is fish that comes to one's net. 抓到篮里便是菜; cherish a snake in one's bosom 养虎为患; diamond cut diamond 棋逢对手,将遇良才,(或针尖对麦芒); New brooms sweep clean.新官上任三把火;