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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.
“The lead ballet dancer maintained his graceful arabesque as the company of female dancers pirouetted around him like spintops in a toy store window.”
「芭蕾舞男主角保持優雅的阿拉貝斯克舞姿，四周圍繞的女舞者踮起趾尖旋轉，就像玩具店櫥窗裡的陀螺。」
Spintops, or tops, are toys that entrance children with their ability to maintain their equilibrium while turning rapidly in place. The technical wizardry of the simple toy is keyed to gyroscopic principles that were scientifically explained in the 19th century, but as a toy it has been around since ancient times. What is intriguing, especially to young people, is the spintop’s ability to turn so rapidly in place that it almost appears to be standing unmoving. It is mass- produced in a variety of forms today and spinning is induced in a variety of ways.
“Spintop”（陀螺）是兒童喜歡的一種玩具，能在原地快速旋轉又保持平衡。這種簡單玩具令人著迷的原理，與十九世紀時闡述的陀螺儀原理有很大的關係，但早在古時這種玩具就已隨處可見。陀螺最特別的地方，尤其對小孩來說，就是能在原地快速打轉，看來幾乎是直立不動。如今，各種陀螺大量製造，旋轉方式各有不同。
The pirouette is one of the better known ballet movements. In it, a dancer elevates to a vertical position on the toe of one ballet shoe, drawing up the other leg and placing the raised foot next to the supporting leg as the spin begins. In comparing pirouetting dancers to spintops, the writer draws upon the universal familiarity with tops to describe the less familiar action of the dancers. That the tops are said to be spinning in a toy store window helps to convey the impression of public performance. Using the familiar to depict the unfamiliar is a good writing habit.
趾尖旋轉 (pirouette) 則是一種常見的芭蕾舞姿。表演時，舞者抽身直立，踮著一腳的腳趾，提起另一腳靠著支撐腳，開始旋轉。本句將進行趾尖旋轉的舞者比喻為陀螺，用大家普遍熟悉的陀螺，形容較陌生的舞姿。文中提到陀螺在玩具店櫥窗旋轉，也傳達了公開表演的感覺。用熟悉描寫不熟悉是寫作的好習慣。
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.
“The lead ballet dancer maintained his graceful arabesque as the company of female dancers pirouetted around him like spintops in a toy store window.”
「芭蕾舞男主角保持優雅的阿拉貝斯克舞姿，四周圍繞的女舞者踮起趾尖旋轉，就像玩具店櫥窗裡的陀螺。」
Spintops, or tops, are toys that entrance children with their ability to maintain their equilibrium while turning rapidly in place. The technical wizardry of the simple toy is keyed to gyroscopic principles that were scientifically explained in the 19th century, but as a toy it has been around since ancient times. What is intriguing, especially to young people, is the spintop’s ability to turn so rapidly in place that it almost appears to be standing unmoving. It is mass- produced in a variety of forms today and spinning is induced in a variety of ways.
“Spintop”（陀螺）是兒童喜歡的一種玩具，能在原地快速旋轉又保持平衡。這種簡單玩具令人著迷的原理，與十九世紀時闡述的陀螺儀原理有很大的關係，但早在古時這種玩具就已隨處可見。陀螺最特別的地方，尤其對小孩來說，就是能在原地快速打轉，看來幾乎是直立不動。如今，各種陀螺大量製造，旋轉方式各有不同。
The pirouette is one of the better known ballet movements. In it, a dancer elevates to a vertical position on the toe of one ballet shoe, drawing up the other leg and placing the raised foot next to the supporting leg as the spin begins. In comparing pirouetting dancers to spintops, the writer draws upon the universal familiarity with tops to describe the less familiar action of the dancers. That the tops are said to be spinning in a toy store window helps to convey the impression of public performance. Using the familiar to depict the unfamiliar is a good writing habit.
趾尖旋轉 (pirouette) 則是一種常見的芭蕾舞姿。表演時，舞者抽身直立，踮著一腳的腳趾，提起另一腳靠著支撐腳，開始旋轉。本句將進行趾尖旋轉的舞者比喻為陀螺，用大家普遍熟悉的陀螺，形容較陌生的舞姿。文中提到陀螺在玩具店櫥窗旋轉，也傳達了公開表演的感覺。用熟悉描寫不熟悉是寫作的好習慣。
