:::
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.
“As Fran walked to the front of the room to receive the coveted and hard-earned prize, the atmosphere in the hall was electric.”
「當法蘭走向大廳前端，領取令人欽羨、得來不易的獎項，廳內氣氛熱烈激動。」
The air around the planet is its atmosphere, which in the case of earth is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. When the mix of gases and water vapor reaches a certain mass, an electrostatic discharge called lightning can dramatically occur. Less dramatic discharges include static electricity and electric current. Whether manmade or naturally occurring, the exhibitions of electric discharge are marked by ionization, sparks, or other indicators of a “charge” that induces attraction in matter or creates visual evidence of electrical transfer.
行星周圍由大氣環繞，地球的大氣主要由氮與氧組成。大氣與水蒸氣混和，質量達到一定程度時，將產生靜電放電作用，可能是驚天動地的閃電，或較不戲劇化的靜電與電流。無論放電是人為或自然形成，都伴隨了電離作用、電光，或其他「帶電」的指標，或吸引物質，或產生可觀察的電荷轉移。
The phenomenon is used symbolically when speaking of the human emotional environment. In “electric” moments, sparks do not literally fly between the individuals in a room, nor is there an actual electromagnetic pull between bodies. Rather, the “atmosphere” in such a setting is likened to a physically “charged” one. Instead of hair literally rising on arms, such moments of tense or tender emotion have hearts beating faster and sensitized nerves being overwhelmed with sensory overload. Writing that moves between physical and emotional descriptions enlivens each world.
描述人類感情時，放電成為一種象徵。在 “electric”（帶電的；緊張激動的）時刻，大廳中的群眾彼此間並沒有真的傳送電光火花，人體也沒有產生電磁吸力，但在這樣的情境下，大廳的 “atmosphere”（大氣；氣氛）就好像物理上 “charged”（帶電）的大氣一樣。雖然人手臂的汗毛並未真的豎起，但在緊張激動的情緒下，人的心跳加速，敏感的神經淹沒在過度強烈的感覺中。這種筆法結合物理與情感世界，讓兩個世界更加生動。
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.
“As Fran walked to the front of the room to receive the coveted and hard-earned prize, the atmosphere in the hall was electric.”
「當法蘭走向大廳前端，領取令人欽羨、得來不易的獎項，廳內氣氛熱烈激動。」
The air around the planet is its atmosphere, which in the case of earth is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. When the mix of gases and water vapor reaches a certain mass, an electrostatic discharge called lightning can dramatically occur. Less dramatic discharges include static electricity and electric current. Whether manmade or naturally occurring, the exhibitions of electric discharge are marked by ionization, sparks, or other indicators of a “charge” that induces attraction in matter or creates visual evidence of electrical transfer.
行星周圍由大氣環繞，地球的大氣主要由氮與氧組成。大氣與水蒸氣混和，質量達到一定程度時，將產生靜電放電作用，可能是驚天動地的閃電，或較不戲劇化的靜電與電流。無論放電是人為或自然形成，都伴隨了電離作用、電光，或其他「帶電」的指標，或吸引物質，或產生可觀察的電荷轉移。
The phenomenon is used symbolically when speaking of the human emotional environment. In “electric” moments, sparks do not literally fly between the individuals in a room, nor is there an actual electromagnetic pull between bodies. Rather, the “atmosphere” in such a setting is likened to a physically “charged” one. Instead of hair literally rising on arms, such moments of tense or tender emotion have hearts beating faster and sensitized nerves being overwhelmed with sensory overload. Writing that moves between physical and emotional descriptions enlivens each world.
描述人類感情時，放電成為一種象徵。在 “electric”（帶電的；緊張激動的）時刻，大廳中的群眾彼此間並沒有真的傳送電光火花，人體也沒有產生電磁吸力，但在這樣的情境下，大廳的 “atmosphere”（大氣；氣氛）就好像物理上 “charged”（帶電）的大氣一樣。雖然人手臂的汗毛並未真的豎起，但在緊張激動的情緒下，人的心跳加速，敏感的神經淹沒在過度強烈的感覺中。這種筆法結合物理與情感世界，讓兩個世界更加生動。