“羊”话连篇English
农历羊年,温顺的羊给人许多遐想。“羊”在汉语中是象形字,似羊头形,作“吉利”讲,后引申出“祥”;“羊”在英语中也应用广泛,不信,请听“羊”话连篇。
常见知识点
▲羊可分为绵羊(sheep单复数同)和山羊(goat)。又可细分为:
绵羊 山羊
公羊 ram he-goat
母羊 ewe she-goat
小羊 lamb kid
▲a flock of sheep一群羊
▲wool羊毛,(woolen)sweater/cardigan羊毛衫,cashmere sweater羊绒衫,mutton羊肉,sheepskin羊皮
▲scapegoat替罪羊,sheep and donkeys懦夫和笨蛋,sheep's heart胆小鬼
习语
▲as well be handed for a sheep as (for) a
lamb一不做,二不休
▲a wolf in sheep's clothing披着羊皮的狼
▲a sheep in a tiger's skin—outwardly
strong羊质虎皮
▲cast sheep's eyes at sb.对某人抛媚眼
▲follow like sheep盲从
▲sheep without a shepherd乌合之众
▲the sheep and the goats好人与坏人
▲black sheep败家子,害群之马
▲stand out like a camel in a flock of sheep
鹤立鸡群
▲After all, the wool still comes from the sheep's back—in the long run, whatever you're given, you pay for it羊毛出在羊身上
▲One scabbed sheep inflects the whole flock(谚)一只羊生疮,整群羊遭殃
▲It's never too late to mend. / It is not too late to mend the fold even after some of the sheep have been lost亡羊补牢,犹未为晚
典故
▲black sheep:害群之马
源于英国古代的迷信传说。英国人总认为黑羊是魔鬼的化身。另外,黑羊毛也不及白羊毛值钱,常被视为“无用的次品”,因此,“黑羊”(black sheep)在英语中便有了“无用之人”、“不孝之子”、“败家子”、“害群之马”等转义。例如:There are black sheep in every flock.
(谚)一群马中有劣种,一方水土有坏人。
▲separate the sheep from the goats区分好人与坏人
源于《新约-马太福音》第25章。当耶稣随天使来到万民面前时,他要把他们分开,就像牧羊人把绵羊和山羊分开一样,他把绵羊(好人)置于右边,山羊(坏人)置于左边。右边的人将受到天父的祝福而永生,左边的人则会遭受炼狱的折磨。
总之,羊的善良被人称颂,羊的软弱由人贬损,正体现了这个世界的矛盾性。连耶稣也被称作“好的牧羊人”(the Good Shepherd),足见“羊”在英语中的地位。
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