英语论文网

性娱乐的街区,于是纽约被称为“the Big Apple”或“the Apple”。如: Unchecked violence has already dulled the luster of the Big Apple. The Daunting task before its leaders is to prevent it from rotting to the core. (Mary Cronin,Time Sep,17,1990)
肆无忌惮的暴力已使绰号为大苹果的纽约城暗淡无光。领导人面临的令人气馁的任务是防止它腐烂串心。波士顿市民在传统上有爱吃熏豆的习惯,因此bean eater指波士顿人或俗称豆城人,而波士顿城则称为Bean Town。
There was one great difference between us. My father had tremendous self-confidence in his judgment. I lacked that confidence, so I tried to get the smartese guys I could find around me. I wanted able people and I didn’t care whether they were prickly pears or not. (Thomas Watson, Jr.)
我们之间有一个很大的不同之处。我的父亲对他的判断充满自信,我缺少这种自信,所以我便设法在我周围找到最聪明的人才。我要会做事的人,不在乎他们是不是霸王树上的仙人果。
prickly pears(霸王树上的梨状果实)的特征是浑身是刺,讨人厌。根据《大英百科全书》,霸王树是一种仙人掌科植物。原产于西半球,果实可食,又名India fig。整株带刺,连果实都不例外。它的难对付之处有二:一则是刺,另一个则是它被引进澳洲及南非等地之后,因为脱离了原产地寄生虫及竞争树种的牵制而大量繁殖,最终成了惹人厌的东西。因此prickly pears在日常英语中借代令人讨厌的人或物,尤指那种自命不凡、出口伤人者。
I asked him to speak at the meeting,but he did not even attend;what a broken reed! (我让他在会上发言,他居然没来参加。真是个无可信赖的人。)
broken reed (折断的芦苇)比喻不可信赖的人,源自圣经以塞雅书。神把埃及比作A broken reed。神又把信徒比作A bruised reed(压伤的芦苇),他们软弱但崇高,神不会把他们折断。
四、植物词与提喻
提喻是一种修辞格,它以局部代整体,或整体代局部;以单个代替类别,或以类别代替单个;以抽象代替具体,或以具体代替抽象。植物词用于提喻主要表现在用植物指称源于它的材料,或指称用其制成的物品,或指称颜色、气味等。如:The sky was like a faded rose. (Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray)
天空的颜色像凋谢的玫瑰色。
此时天空的颜色应该是红色加上橙色再加一点灰蓝,但如此描写不如“凋谢的玫瑰色”来得传神、简洁。又如:
Her cheeks so rare a white was on
No daisy makes comparison who sees them in undone;
For streaks of red were mingled there.
Such as are on a Catherine pear,
The side that s next the sun.
(John Suckling:“The Bride”)
她的脸颊如此少见的白皙
没有哪一朵雏菊可以相比
谁见了心中便失去安宁
因为白皙中还融合着几许润红
正和名贵的白梨上的颜色相同
这是梨子向阳一面的情形
白皙的脸颊胜