What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Bellowing at his entourage, the loose sleeves of his yellow robe whipped by his flailing arms, the emperor only bridled his outrage when he glimpsed his young son cringing behind the skirt of a nobleman.”
君王對隨從怒吼，揮動雙臂，黃袍寬鬆的袖子隨之飛舞，瞥見小兒子畏縮地躲在貴族衣襬後，才箝制住自己的怒氣。
“Bridled his outrage” alludes to the function of a bridle, the leather-and-steel headgear on a horse by which a rider controls movement of the animal. Applying pressure through the bit and reins of the bridle, a rider can govern the horse’s direction and stop it from moving altogether. The small device restrains the large animal by influencing its decisions.
「箝制怒氣 (Bridled his outrage)」暗指馬籠頭(轡頭)的功用。皮革製的鋼帽製成的馬籠頭，置於馬的頭上使騎士能控制動物的行進。只要對馬籠頭與馬的腰部略施壓力，便能掌控馬的行進與停止。如此精巧的裝置卻能對體積龐大的動物產生箝制的行為。
As used in an academic paper about an emperor’s court, the metaphor denotes the self-restraint the monarch demonstrated upon seeing a child. To say he “bridled his outrage” is to say the bellicose emperor pulled back on his emotions and steered himself away from further display of anger. The “bridling” is an internal correction in which a person metaphorically grabs his own reins and gets himself under control.
在學術文章中，應用於法庭裡，隱喻君王的行為受制於一個小孩。這句「箝制怒氣(Bridled his outrage)」是指逞兇好鬥的君王，收回其憤怒的情緒，不再宣洩怒火。這裡的「箝制(bridling)」是內心情緒的修飾，比喻某人由於受到情感的制約，而使自己遭受其他人、事的控制。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Bellowing at his entourage, the loose sleeves of his yellow robe whipped by his flailing arms, the emperor only bridled his outrage when he glimpsed his young son cringing behind the skirt of a nobleman.”
君王對隨從怒吼，揮動雙臂，黃袍寬鬆的袖子隨之飛舞，瞥見小兒子畏縮地躲在貴族衣襬後，才箝制住自己的怒氣。
“Bridled his outrage” alludes to the function of a bridle, the leather-and-steel headgear on a horse by which a rider controls movement of the animal. Applying pressure through the bit and reins of the bridle, a rider can govern the horse’s direction and stop it from moving altogether. The small device restrains the large animal by influencing its decisions.
「箝制怒氣 (Bridled his outrage)」暗指馬籠頭(轡頭)的功用。皮革製的鋼帽製成的馬籠頭，置於馬的頭上使騎士能控制動物的行進。只要對馬籠頭與馬的腰部略施壓力，便能掌控馬的行進與停止。如此精巧的裝置卻能對體積龐大的動物產生箝制的行為。
As used in an academic paper about an emperor’s court, the metaphor denotes the self-restraint the monarch demonstrated upon seeing a child. To say he “bridled his outrage” is to say the bellicose emperor pulled back on his emotions and steered himself away from further display of anger. The “bridling” is an internal correction in which a person metaphorically grabs his own reins and gets himself under control.
在學術文章中，應用於法庭裡，隱喻君王的行為受制於一個小孩。這句「箝制怒氣(Bridled his outrage)」是指逞兇好鬥的君王，收回其憤怒的情緒，不再宣洩怒火。這裡的「箝制(bridling)」是內心情緒的修飾，比喻某人由於受到情感的制約，而使自己遭受其他人、事的控制。
Posted at 2011-07-25 11:59:11
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