四、中西文化差異在語言上的反映

（一）英語中的idioms就是英國文化在語言上的反映

有這樣一個故事：一位法國人到英國旅行。有一次，在居住的旅館房間里他聽到樓上有人大喊：“Look out!”, 這時他把頭伸出窗外，不料從上面一盆臟水潑了下來，不偏不倚地澆在了他的頭上。他大吃一驚，感到不可思議，英國人為什么如此無禮？后來他詢問一位英國朋友：明明讓他“伸出頭來向外看”，為什么會這樣呢？這位朋友說：英語的 “Look out” 實際上是“當心，小心”的意思，是告訴別人不要伸頭向外看！原來，不少英語表達似是而非。英語初學者千萬不要望文生義。還有一些比喻，如：as busy as a bee, 也不能照字面翻譯成“像蜜蜂一樣忙”，應直接譯為“十分忙，特忙”。再舉數例：

a white elephant是“負擔、累贅”，而不是一頭“白象”。

green hand是“生手”，而不是“綠手”。

rain cats and dogs是“大雨傾盆”，而不是“下雨帶著貓和狗”。

friendly camera是“傻瓜照相機”，而不是什么“友好攝影機”。

small potato是“小人物”，而不是“小土豆”。

pull one’s leg是“愚弄某人”，而不是“拉后腿”。

face the music 是“面對危險，承擔后果”，而不是“聽音樂”。

關于英語的習慣說法，一位中國學生的親身經歷說明了其重要性。

Importance of the English Idioms

A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized importance again and again. But recently, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be surprised. Gently shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!”, “You don’t say!”

I was puzzled, I thought, perhaps this was not a proper topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you been to the Great Wall?” “Certainly, everyone back home would laugh at me if I left China without seeing it. It is wonderful.” He was deep in thought when I began to speak like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall of China is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was stopped again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t ask you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?”

Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “ ‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘really’! It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know how foolish I had been. Since that time I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions.

一般說來，英語成語都是有其文化背景和來歷的。如：a white elephant之所以比喻“無用之物”，是因為有這樣一個故事：

As we all know now, elephants are useful animals. But is a white elephant useful? Has anyone given you a “white elephant”? Do you know what a “white elephant” is?

Many hundreds of years ago, elephants were very much needed in India. The elephants did many kinds of work for the people. Almost all the elephants were gray. But there were some all-white ones, too. Because they were so rare, they were never made to do any work.

All of the white elephants became the king’s elephants. He did not let them work. But he could feed them, anyway, because he was very rich.

If the king became angry with one of his men, he gave the man a white elephant. This was a punishment. The man could not make the elephant work. But he had to feed the elephant anyway. Before long, the man would become very poor for he had to spend a lot of money on food for the elephant.

If you give someone a “white elephant”, you give him something useless. It may be something that gets in one’s way. It is worthless to him.

Now, can you think of something that might be called a “white elephant”?

有時候，英語的某些表達與我們漢語有相通之處。

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