【大.纪.元;3月26日讯】

李华和Larry讨论情人节的安排。今天我们要学两个常用语：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: 我情人节唯一的愿望就是能跟你一起渡过！我们可以一起做晚饭，然后去看电影。你刚才说自己wasn't born yesterday是什么意思啊？

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，说什么人was born yesterday意思就是说这个人容易受骗，有点像中文里说的“三岁小孩。”

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: 你心真细！不过，我确实不想要什么礼物，跟你在一起就足够了。不过你别生气，我可不是说你傻。

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 ，是因为你觉得我肯定想要你送情人节礼物给我。

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: 你可真够固执的。那你说，born yesterday什么时候才会带有贬义呢？

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: 那别人肯定会不高兴。这就等于是说，你怎么连这都不知道！

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.

******

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。我早就说过，情人节最好的礼物就是能跟你在一起。你刚才说head over heals? 你摔到哪里了吗？

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: 我也很喜欢你，粉红色的玫瑰花是我最喜欢的，不过我还是不明白，head over heels怎么能用来形容爱慕之情呢？

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，中文里说，一下子陷入爱河不能自拔，叫“神魂”颠倒，可是英语里却用头和脚来形容， head over heels。可是这也讲不通啊，头明明是在脚上面啊。

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: 没想到，Larry, 你在这方面还挺在行的。那你知道这种说法是什么时候出现的吗？

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: 不管怎么说，head over heels这种说法用在情人节，简直是太恰当不过了。 Larry, 你送的玫瑰太美了，You've really shown that you are "head over heels" for me. 这是我渡过的最浪漫的情人节。

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是born yesterday, 意思是三岁小孩。还有一个是head over heels， 意思是为某人神魂颠倒。

　
美国习惯用语
美国习惯用语第439讲

我们上次讲了以hold为关键词的两个习惯用语。第一个是: hold down the fort。 Hold down the fort意思是暂时承担，顶替他人的工作。我们还学了个习惯用语: left holding the bag。 Left holding the bag含义为别人承担罪责，背黑锅。

今天我们还要讲几个由hold发展而来的习惯用语。大家知道hold这个词最基本的意思是“拿着。”例如在下面的习惯用语里: can't hold a candle to somebody。 Candle是蜡烛，所以hold a candle就是手持蜡烛。

习惯用语can't hold a candle to somebody来自四百多年前还没电灯，用蜡烛照明的年代。当时人们如果必须在黑夜步行前往某地就会在街上雇佣个小伙子为自己拿蜡烛在前面照明引路。而剧场的舞台四周也有人手持蜡烛照明。这样人们才看得见台上演员的表演。

手持蜡烛为他人照明的工作被看作是不用脑筋而低人一等的差事。这就是can't hold a candle to somebody这个习惯用语的出典。

那么它作为习惯用语含义究竟是什么呢？我们听个例子来琢磨。说话的人狂热地崇拜风靡六十年代的The Beatles摇滚乐队。也有人把这个乐队称为“披头士”乐队。

例句-1：Right - the Beatles were fantastic. Their music is still popular now. They were the greatest! Nobody has come along afterwards who can hold a candle to them.

他说：对，甲壳虫乐队实在棒极了。他们的乐曲至今仍然流行。他们是登峰造极的，后来一直没人能跟他们比美。

这位忠实的Beatles乐迷认为Beatles是最伟大的摇滚乐队，后来的任何乐队简直都不配当为他们举烛照明的小厮。所以can't hold a candle to somebody意思是比某人差多了。

******

我们再听个例子。这回是个球迷在赞誉他心目中最伟大的篮球明星乔丹。

例句-2：I'm talking about Michael Jordan，Number 23，who played for the the Chicago Bulls. He set all sorts of records and won four world titles. Nobody can hold a candle to him.

他说：我说的是Michael Jordan，就是以前芝加哥公牛队的二十三号。他创下各种各样的记录，并且四次夺取世界锦标。任何人跟他相比都望尘莫及。

这段话里的nobody can hold a candle to him，意思也是任何人都跟他差得很远。

******

不知大家记不记得我们以前学过的一个习惯用语hold one's horses? 它用来要求对方耐一下性子，别着急或者发火。

这个习惯用语来自久远的年代，当时最快速的交通工具是马拉的驿车。现代人的交通来往当然便利快速得多了。电话是人们最方便的联系方式之一，因为通过电话人们能立即交换信息，于是就产生了另一个与hold one's horses意义相彷的习惯用语: hold the phone。习惯用语hold the phone可不是指拿着电话。它跟打电话无关。

刚才说过它的意思和hold the horses差不多，也用来要求某人耐心点儿，别急着说什么或赶着做什么。

我们听个例子。说话的人正在办公室会议上作工作汇报，但是边上有个同事一而再，再而三地打断他的谈话。他实在忍无可忍了，于是说了这样几句话表示抗议。

例句-3：Look，could you hold the phone and stop interrupting me! Do me a favor and listen to what I have to say - let me finish the report before you ask any more questions.

他说：瞧，你按捺一下别再打断我好不好？帮我个忙，让我把该说的话说完，听完我的汇报之后，你再问你的问题。

这段话里的hold the phone含义是按捺一下，别急着发表高见。这个说法比较随便，通常用在相当熟悉的朋友，同事或家人间，要是对上级领导说话，可能就不会用上它了。(https://www.dajiyuan.com)