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What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
【英文學習】
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.

“Among classical poets of the Tang Dynasty, Li Bai was a notable imbiber of both wine and the torrential bouquets of fantasy it helped produce.”
唐朝古典詩人之中,最著名的是熱愛美酒的李白,筆下流溢出充滿酒香般的浪漫想像。

“Imbiber” is another word for “drinker” and customarily is used when the drink is alcoholic, though that is purely custom; one can imbibe at a water fountain as well as at a bar. It always implies adequate consumption, however, rather than a mere tasting; the tasting consumer might be better described as a “sipper.”
Imbiber是飲者drinker的另一種說法,通常是指飲用酒精類飲料,但只是慣用法,並無明確規定。飲用水或是酒精飲料的人都可稱之為imbiber。但imbibe的用法,通常用於飲用了相當數量,而非小酌淺嚐,一般的品酒者使用sipper(啜飲者)來描述較為適當。

As used in a paper about an ancient Chinese poet, “imbiber” directly alludes to the poet’s chronicled love of wine while it metaphorically expresses his addiction to fantasy in his poetry. His “torrential bouquets” of fantasy were at least partially attributed to the alcohol, which the writer implies in his word choice. A “torrent,” after all, is a rush, an intense euphoria, as well as a high volume, and “bouquet” is a wine taster’s description of an aged wine’s scent. In essence, the poet loved his wine and drank in the fantastic imagery that bubbled up from it.
這是一篇有關中國古代詩人的文章,imbiber常用於詩人對於美酒的愛好,同時間接指出他的詩作中盡是充滿無限的浪漫幻想,某部分應歸功於美酒的影響,從作者使用torrential bouquets就可看出來。Torrent是奔放,形容極度愉快的心情,興奮之情溢於言表;Bouquet則表達出對陳年好酒芬芳韻味的讚賞。這句是說,詩人熱愛美酒,並從品酒的氛圍裡流瀉出無盡的浪漫想像。


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