流行美語(yǔ)第287課
李華和Larry討論情人節(jié)的安排。今天我們要學(xué)兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ):born yesterday和head over heels.
LL: So, Lihua, I know you said that you didn't want me to buy a Valentine's Day gift for you, but I wasn't born yesterday. I can tell you're expecting something romantic.
LH: 我情人節(jié)唯一的愿望就是能跟你一起渡過(guò)!我們可以一起做晚飯,然后去看電影。你剛才說(shuō)自己wasn't born yesterday是什么意思???
LL: Saying someone was born yesterday, means that they are very easy to fool. I said that I wasn't "born yesterday" because you can't fool me.
LH: 我知道了,說(shuō)什么人was born yesterday意思就是說(shuō)這個(gè)人容易受騙,有點(diǎn)象中文里說(shuō)的“三歲小孩。”
LL: That's right. Even though you won't admit it, I think you would love to receive some flowers or chocolates for Valentine's Day.
LH: 你心真細(xì)!不過(guò),我確實(shí)不想要什么禮物,跟你在一起就足夠了。不過(guò)你別生氣,我可不是說(shuō)你傻。
LL: No, you didn't call me foolish. In the US, stating that you "weren't born yesterday" is a way to joke around with friends. If you say that you "weren't born yesterday," you're expressing that you aren't gullible.
LH: 我明白了,you said you weren't born yesterday ,是因?yàn)槟阌X(jué)得我肯定想要你送情人節(jié)禮物給我。
LL: We both know I wasn't really born yesterday. What I meant was that I have known you for so long that I can tell you are looking forward to a romantic Valentine's Day gift.
LH: 你可真夠固執(zhí)的。那你說(shuō),born yesterday什么時(shí)候才會(huì)帶有貶義呢?
LL: If you are speaking with someone, for example one of your students, who don't know who Zhang Ziyi is, and you say 'Were you born yesterday? She's a famous Chinese movie star!
LH: 那別人肯定會(huì)不高興。這就等于是說(shuō),你怎么連這都不知道!
LL: That's right. Asking someone if they were "born yesterday" implies that they misunderstood a subject that is rather simple to understand or that is common knowledge.
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LL: Lihua, did you get the flowers I sent to you for Valentine's Day? You know I'm head over heels for you, so tonight when we make dinner together I have another special gift to give you.
LH: 你真是太浪漫了。我早就說(shuō)過(guò),情人節(jié)最好的禮物就是能跟你在一起。你剛才說(shuō)head over heals? 你摔到哪里了嗎?
LL: No, that's not what I meant to say. I didn't literally fall down. I said I'm "head over heels" for you, because you are very special and I like you a lot.
LH: 我也很喜歡你,粉紅色的玫瑰花是我最喜歡的,不過(guò)我還是不明白,head over heels怎么能用來(lái)形容愛(ài)慕之情呢?
LL: In the US, it is most common to say that you have fallen "head over heels" in love for a person. This is an exaggerated way to say that you have fallen in love.
LH: 真有意思,中文里說(shuō),一下子陷入愛(ài)河不能自拔,叫“神魂”顛倒,可是英語(yǔ)里卻用頭和腳來(lái)形容, head over heels??墒沁@也講不通啊,頭明明是在腳上面啊。
LL: It is obvious that the term "head over heels" doesn't make literal sense, but it still communicates a state of being so smitten with a person that one could jump and flip for joy.
LH: 沒(méi)想到,Larry, 你在這方面還挺在行的。那你知道這種說(shuō)法是什么時(shí)候出現(xiàn)的嗎?
LL: This phrase actually originated in the 1400's as "heels over head," and didn't have anything to do with expressing love-struck devotion. But over the years it became "head over heels," and is only used to express feeling suddenly smitten for a boyfriend or girlfriend.
LH: 不管怎么說(shuō),head over heels這種說(shuō)法用在情人節(jié),簡(jiǎn)直是太恰當(dāng)不過(guò)了。 Larry, 你送的玫瑰太美了,You've really shown that you are "head over heels" for me. 這是我渡過(guò)的最浪漫的情人節(jié)。
今天李華學(xué)了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)。一個(gè)是born yesterday, 意思是三歲小孩。還有一個(gè)是head over heels, 意思是為某人神魂顛倒。