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英文疑难详解 197.Scotch on the rocks
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I’d like Scotch on the rocks.一句,英文译作“我喜欢在岩石上的苏格兰人。”似乎意义不明,不知道这句话到底是说的什么?
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【解答】on the rocks 是一个成语,当然是由航海用语而来的。如 rocks ahead 原意为“前面有暗礁”,转而成为“危险当前”的意思。同样地 on the rocks,原意是说“触到暗礁”,转而成为“床头金尽”、“身无分文”、“穷困不堪”的意思,例如:
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“ Can you lend me five dollars?” “ I am sorry that I am on the rocks myself just now.”(“你能借我五块钱吗?”“对不起,目下我本人也穷得要命。”)
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I heard by accident he was on the rocks; that’s how I make him that allowance.—— Galsworthy(我偶然听说他非常穷困;所以我要给他那笔津贴。)
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This sounded rather ominous. Perhaps he was on the rocks again.—— Isherwood(这个听来不是好的兆头。也许他又破产了。)
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在 Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language 上,对于这个成语有三个解释,即(1)in or into a condition of ruin or catastrophe.(2)without money; bankrupt.(3) served unmixed over ice cubes, as whisky.第一义为“进入毀灭或灾祸中”,第二义为“穷困;破产”,这和英国的意思没有两样,惟有第三义却是美国的特殊用法,意为“酒不掺水而加上冰块来喝”,正是质问中的例句的含义:
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I’d like Scotch on the rocks.(我要威士忌加冰,不要掺水。)
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美国人把 ice cubes 称为 rocks,而英国人则将硬的糖果(hard candy)称为 rocks,例如 Brighton Rock, Edinburgh Rock 都是的。还有英国人称 rock 是“岩”,如 Concise Oxford Dictionary 对于 rock 的解释为 large,detached stone,boulder,但美国人却对于任何大小的石头都可说作 rock,如:
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They began tossing rocks and bricks at the cops.(他们开始对警察投掷石块和砖头。)
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中国有“安于磐石”的话,英文就用 rock 一字来翻译“磐石”,旧约《圣经·以赛亚书》二十六章四节上,说耶和华是 the Rock of Ages,现在我们也用来说最安稳可靠的事或人。
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英文疑难详解 198.as follows
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He made the statements as follows.(他发表声明如下。)句中的 as,依照文法解释,是一个关系代名词,后面接的动词,在数上应与前面的名词符合,名词既系复数的 statements,后面为何不接用 as follow?
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【解答】依照文法规定,质问中所举的例句,自然是改成 He made the statements as follow.较为合理,也确曾有人这样改写,不过还是采用 as follows 的形式为妥,因为这是古文遗下来的成语,follows 原是一个非人称动词( Impersonal Verb),不问主语是单数或复数,通例都是用第三人称单数现在时态的形式。例如:
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His words were as follows.(他说的话是这样的。)
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The reply will run as follows.(回答将是下面这样。)
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Just before the battle, the general addressed his army as follows.(在开仗前不久,将官向他的军队训话如下。)
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The terms and stipulations are as follows.—— Clarence Stratton(条件规定如下。)
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在现代英语中,已亡失 it 的非人称动词的字句,还留着有 methinks, meseems, as regards, as follows 等。methinks 等字中是把宾语的 me 移到字的头上去了。古文 methinks 和 meseems,现在惯用的形式为 it seems to me.
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John B. Opdycke 说 The items are as follows.原为 The items are such as those that follow.之略。又 Lois Irene Hutchinson 也认为照字面看似应写成 The items are as follow.的形式,不过一般都是说 as follows,虽则偶然也见到 as follow 的例,但那是违背历史源流的。如果懂得它的历史背景的话,就会觉得用 as follows 是合理的呢。
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我们现在常说的 if you please 一个片语,也是同样的情形。一般人以为 you 是 please 的主语是错误的,从历史的演变看,you 是非人称动词 please 的宾语,即 if you please 实系从 if it please you 变来的,因系假设语气,所以说 it please,不说 it pleases.我们不妨比较下例:
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And thus,if it please me, I may sit all day long.—— Gissing(这样,我高兴的话,可以坐上一天不动。)
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英文中常见的句子,如:
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