1、Idioms (I),Lecture 3,Main Contents Of This Lecture,Definition Characteristics of Idioms Exercises,I. Definition,汉语的习语就其广义而论，包括成语、俗语、谚语、歇后语等.英语的习语（idioms）在广义上不但包括俗语（colloquialism）和谚语，还包括一部分俚语（slang）。它们之间往往没有明显的界线。,A Contrast of Idioms With the Word “Dog” Between Chinese and English,1) Chinese Idioms
2、with “Dog”狗仗人势、狐朋狗友、狼心狗肺、狗腿子、走狗、狗嘴里吐不出象牙等。 常用它来形容坏人坏事.,2) English Idioms with “Dog”,a lucky dog a sly dog 喜怒不形于色的人love me, love my dogEvery dog has his day 凡人皆有得意日/瓦片也有翻身时Old dogs will learn no new tricks 老年人学不了新东西,Dog does not eat dog 同类不相残His bark is worse than his bite 心地不如嘴恶/刀子嘴豆腐心Give a dog an
3、ill name and hang him 欲加之罪，何患无辞To turn tail 逃走,To let sleep dogs lie 莫惹是非To dog-ear a book 摺书角Not even a dogs chance 毫无机会To be top dog 居于要位,II. Characteristics of Idioms (习语的特点),A. a rhetorical device (修辞手段 )with languages of proper comparision or euphony大部分是利用恰当比喻的形象化语言或利用声音的和谐（euphony）来达到朗朗上口、易懂易记
4、的目的。E.gAs busy as a bee,B.inseparable 它在意义上是独立的，而不是它的组成分子（单词）的意义的总和。 E.g.落花流水 不等于“落下的花和流动的水”，而是“一败涂地”、“粉碎”等之意。,露出马脚是露出破绽或缺点。to lose ones head“张皇失措”、“迷惑”。“to lay heads together”“一起商量”。,C. Ungrammatical and illogical,习语往往破坏语法规则和逻辑推理。E.gups and downs（盛衰），ins and outs（底细），Diamond cut diamond。To have one
5、s heart in ones mouth（非常吃惊），,to cry ones eyes out（痛哭），as fit as a fiddle 等都是不合逻辑的。而汉语的“胡说八道”、“三心二意”，以及“倒霉”、“吃不开”等都无法按字面推理。,D. “fixed”,习语有它本身的完整性，其中各单字是固定的，不可随便拆开或掉换。如A stitch in time saves nine中的a不能换成one; to be at liberty不能改成to be at freedom.汉语中我们说“雪中送炭”，但不能说“雪中送煤”或“雪中赠煤”；“乱七八糟”不能说成“乱六七糟”（虽然英语是at si
6、xes and sevens）；“露出马脚”中的“马”不能改为“牛”或“羊”都是同样道理,Characteristics of Chinese Idioms,1) “Four- Character” 汉语的习语大多是四个字的，并常用声、韵来增加它们的美感。,E.g 八面玲珑（双声）a good mixer; an artful person; manage to please everybody.慷慨激昂（双声）vehement (and excited)天真烂漫（叠韵）, 明媚灿烂（双声、叠韵）,2) simple repetition,汉语习语常用词的重复和重叠手段来提高效果 e.g. 双
7、双对对 in pairs 三三两两 in twos and threes 体体面面 in all its splendor永永远远for ever and ever,醉醺醺 tipsy; under the influence of liquor笑吟吟泪汪汪 with tears in ones eyes laughingly; smilingly 糊里糊涂 be in a muddle; muddle-headed,B.Characteristics of English Idioms,1)by alliteration双声（或头韵）or rhyme(韵脚)同样，许多英语习语也利用双声（或头
8、韵)和韵脚来增加美的感受。As blind as a bat 瞎如蝙蝠（有眼无珠）As bright as a button 光泽照人，打扮得漂漂亮亮的As bold as brass 极其无耻As busy as a bee,As dead as a doornail 确已僵死了的，被彻底废弃或遗忘的As fit as a fiddle （提琴）非常健康As green as grass 绿如青草As hungry as a hunter 非常饥饿,As proud as a peacock 非常高傲As red as a rose 红如玫瑰，艳如桃李As thick as thieves
9、亲密无间,As weak as water 身体虚弱，意志薄弱Of sixes and sevens 乱七八糟，不和Care killed the cat 忧虑伤身,Money makes the mare go 有钱能使鬼推磨Neither fish, flesh nor fowl(飞禽)非驴非马/不伦不类Through thick and thin 赴汤蹈火Tit for tat 一报还一报/针锋相对,by hook or by crook 不择手段fair and square 正大光明near and dear 极亲密的A friend in need is a friend inde
10、ed.Beggars cannot be choosers 要饭的不能挑肥拣瘦/求人者没有选择权Might makes right 强权造成公理,2) Simple repetition with “and”,英语的习语则常利用词的重复手段，并多以and连接, e.g again and again 再三by and by 不久以后Diamond cut diamond 棋逢对手,Compare and comment:,Proverbs are the popular sayings that brighten so much Latin American talk, the boiled-
11、down wisdom that you are as apt to hear from professors as from peasants, from beggars as from elegantes. Brief and colorful, they more often than not carry a sting.,One afternoon, I heard Imelda and her daughter arguing in the kitchen. Her daughter had quarreled with her husbands parents, and Imeld
12、a was insisting that she apologize to them. Her daughter objected.,“But, Mama, I just cant swallow them, not even with honey. They talk so big until we need something; then theyre too poor. So today when they wouldnt even lend us enough to pay for a new bed, all I did was say something that Ive hear
13、d you say a hundred times: If so grand, why so poor? If so poor, why so grand?”,“Impertinent!” snorted Imelda. “Have I not also taught you, what the tongue says, the neck pays for? I will not have it said that I could never teach my daughter proper respect for her elders.,And before you go to beg th
14、eir pardon, change those trousers for a dress. You know how your mother-in-law feels about pants on a woman. She always says, what was hatched a hen must not try to be rooster!”,Her daughter made one more try. “But Mama, you often say, If the saint is annoyed, dont pray to him until he gets over it.
15、 Cant I leave it for tomorrow?”,“No, no and no! Remember: If the dose is nasty, swallow it fast. You know, my child, you did wrong. But, A gift is the key to open the door closed against you. I have a cake in the oven.,Now, dear, hurry home and make yourself pretty in your pink dress. By the time yo
16、u get back, I will have the cake ready for you to take to your mother-in-law. She will be so pleased that she may make your father-in-law pay for the bed. Remember: One hand washes the other, but together they wash the face.”,Compare and comment: Proverbs are the popular sayings that brighten so muc
17、h Latin American talk, the boiled-down wisdom that you are as apt to hear from professors as from peasants, from beggars as from elegantes. 谚语是使拉丁美洲人民言谈生动活泼的流行俗语，是洗练睿智的语言，大学教授说，田野农夫也说，市井乞丐说，名门闺秀也说。,Brief and colorful, they more often than not carry a sting.,谚语简洁明快，丰富多彩，且往往带刺。,One afternoon, I heard
18、Imelda and her daughter arguing in the kitchen. Her daughter had quarreled with her husbands parents, and Imelda was insisting that she apologize to them. Her daughter objected. 一天下午，我听见伊梅尔达和女儿在厨房争论开了。原来是女儿刚跟公婆吵了嘴，她非要女儿去赔不是不可。做女儿的却偏不依。,“But, Mama, I just cant swallow them, not even with honey. They
19、talk so big until we need something; then theyre too poor. So today when they wouldnt even lend us enough to pay for a new bed, all I did was say something that Ive heard you say a hundred times: If so grand, why so poor? If so poor, why so grand?” “可是，妈妈，我受不了，就是拌了蜜也咽不下呀！他们满口大话，可是一旦求上他们，却又穷得不得了。就拿今天
20、来说吧，我们想借一点点钱去买一张新床，他们却不肯。于是我就讲了些你平日讲过几百遍的话：“既然真阔气，何必又装穷？既然真正穷，何必摆阔气？”,“Impertinent!” snorted Imelda. “Have I not also taught you, what the tongue says, the neck pays for? I will not have it said that I could never teach my daughter proper respect for her elders. 伊梅尔达鼻子哼了一声：“没家教！难道我还没有教过你：舌头欠债，脖子还债？我
21、才不愿意让人家指脊梁骨，说我根本就不会教女儿尊敬长辈。,And before you go to beg their pardon, change those trousers for a dress. You know how your mother-in-law feels about pants on a woman. She always says, what was hatched a hen must not try to be rooster!” 去赔不是吧，不过得先去把长裤换掉，穿上裙子。你婆婆最讨厌女人穿裤子你是知道的。她总是说：孵出来的母鸡还想充公鸡不成？”,Her dau
22、ghter made one more try. “But Mama, you often say, If the saint is annoyed, dont pray to him until he gets over it. Cant I leave it for tomorrow?”做女儿的还想争论一番：“可是，妈妈，你不是常说吗，得罪了菩萨也得等菩萨消了气再磕头嘛！明天再说难道不行吗？”,No, no and no! Remember: If the dose is nasty, swallow it fast. You know, my child, you did wrong.
23、But, A gift is the key to open the door closed against you. I have a cake in the oven. “不，不，不行！要记住：药越难吃，越要快吃。你知道，孩子，是你错了嘛！不过，大门把你关在外，礼物送到自然开。我炉子里正烤着蛋糕。,Now, dear, hurry home and make yourself pretty in your pink dress. By the time you get back, I will have the cake ready for you to take to your mother-in-law. 好啦，乖孩子，赶紧回家，穿一身粉红衣服，打扮得漂漂亮亮的。等你回来时，蛋糕也就好了，拿去送给婆婆。,She will be so pleased that she may make your father-in-law pay for the bed. Remember: One hand washes the other, but together they wash the face.” 婆婆准会高高兴兴，说不定会向你公公说情，替你们付钱买床呢。可得记住：一只手洗另一只，两只手儿把脸洗。”,
