问题描述：
英语习语?
问题解答：
我来补答
习语
百科名片
习语(xíyǔ)语言是文化的载体,习语又是语言的精华.习语一词的含义甚广,一般指那些常用在一起,具有特定形式的词组,其蕴含的意义往往不能从词组中单个词的意思推测而得.习语通常包括成语、俗语、格言、歇后语、谚语、俚语、行话等.其表现形式音节优美,音律协调,或含蓄幽默,或严肃典雅,言简意赅,形象生动,妙趣横生,给人一种美的享受.习语是语言的精华,它带有浓厚的民族色彩和鲜明的文化内涵.
英语习语的特征
英语习语一般具有三个明显的语义特征：语言整体性(a Single Linguistic Unit)、结构凝固性(Structural institutionalization)和不可替代性(irreplaceability).如kick the bucket(翘辫子)由 三个自由词素组成,既不能随意增删,如不能说成kick the big bucket或kick bucket,也不能替换成kick the pail.然而语言又是发展变化的.人们在交际中或出于修辞上的目的或出于上下文的需要,常常对一些习语作必要的增删或更改,以增加语言的感情色彩,烘托思想,突出中心.这样就出现了常见英语习语活用现象.实际上,英语习语的活用是一种修辞手段,可以通过对习语组成部分进行扩充、压缩、省略、替换、分拆、次序颠倒或语义引申等手段,使习语产生新意,从而增加习语的表现力.现分述如下：
1. 扩充成分 在原有习语中加上修饰性成分,以限其内容,赋其新意.
如： Her husband often dined out and kept rather disreputable company．
她丈夫经常外出就餐,与不三不四的人鬼混在一起.
上例中,keep rather disreputable company是由习语keep company(结交)扩充而来.表达了憎恨与厌恶之情.
Not satisfied with routine inspection and discovery of cracks on the rails’ surface, he set out to spot hidden trouble．In that way danger could be kept at two arms’ length．
他不满足于例行检查和发现铁轨表面上的裂缝,而是力图找出隐患,以此把危险消灭在萌芽之中.
句中keep at two arms’ length是由习语keep at arm's length(与……疏远)扩充而来.增强了感情色彩.
2. 压缩成分
主要通过减字或使用连字符等手法把原有习语改造成一个单词,使其短小精悍,便于灵活使用.压缩而成的新词基本保持原有习语的意义,但往往引起词性转换.
如： What the press did not know was that Kissinger was on his way back from a trailblazing excursion to Peking． ’
基辛格对北京作了开路先锋般的访问,在归国途中,而这件事新闻界还被蒙在鼓里.
上例的trailblazing是由动词性习语blaze a trail(开辟道路,在树上作记号指路)压缩衍生而成,构成形容词.
Don’t be foolish enough to indulge in name-calling．
不要太傻,总是张口就骂人.
例中name-calling源自于习语call sb．names(骂人),在此句中作名词用.
3. 省略成分 主要是对原有习语采取部分截取或减字的方法而生成的活用现象.
如： He is always telling the director how to run the business；that’s like teaching his grandmother．
他老是对厂长讲该怎样管理企业,这岂不是有点像孙子教诲奶奶?
例中teach his grandmother就是从习语teach one’s grand mother to suck eggs(班门弄斧,教训长辈)截取前半部分省略后半部分而来的,原有习语的意义保持不变.
The antique dealer said I might get ten pounds for the vase if I took it up to London,but he himself wasn’t prepared to give me more than a fiver for it. A bird in the hand, I thought,and accepted his offer.
古董商说,如果我把这花瓶拿到伦敦去卖,可能卖到十镑的价钱,但他自己只愿出五镑.我想多得不如现得,就卖给他了.
上例中a bird in the hand就是源自谚语：A bird in the hand s Worth two in the bush．(双鸟在林不如一鸟在手.)截取后的a bird in the hand意义不变.
SC：补充一个例子： (A college professor was one day nearing the close of a history lecture and was indulging in one of those rhetorical climaxes in which he delighted when the hour struck. The students immediately began to slam down the movable arms of their lecture chairs and to prepare to leave. The professor, annoyed at the interruption of his flow of eloquence, held up his hand: ) “Wait just one minute, gentlemen. I have a few more pearls to cast. ”
诸位,稍安毋躁.我还要对你们弹一会儿琴.
4. 替换成分 主要是改换原有习语中的个别单词,如一些名词、动词、介词、冠词、代词等.也就是说,原有习语的框架和比喻关系基本不变,但习语的基本意义有所变化,从而达到修辞目的.
如： Where there is smoke,there is a meeting．
有烟必有会,无会不抽烟.
此句改自英语谚语：Where there is a will,there is a way. (有志者,事竟成.)形象生动,收到了嘲讽的修辞效果.
He intended to take an opportunity this afternoon of speaking to Irene．A word in time saves nine.
他打算今天下午找机会跟艾琳谈谈.一语及时省得以后噜苏.
上例将原有习语a stitch in time saves nine(一针及时省九针)中的名词stitch改成word,比喻贴切,言简意赅.
5. 分析成分 英语中有些习语含有对应的两个成分,活用时可将其拆开单独使用,构成新的关系,以满足修辞或上下文的需要.
如： The superior story is, simply, one which is worth re-reading．Time, fortunately, tends to separate the silk purses from the sow’s ears.
好的故事,简单地说,便是值得一读再读的故事.幸运的是,时间有助于区分好的和坏的. 上例的the silk purses和the sow’s ears源自谚语：One can’t make a silk purse out of a sow's ear．(坏材料造不出好东西.)将这一谚语中的两个成分拆开进行灵活使用,以silk purse 喻指“好故事”,sow’s ears喻指“坏故事”,比喻形象,令人耳目一新.
Of poetry I do not read much and when I do I choose the dead lion in the preference to the living dog.
对于诗,我读得不多,要读的时候,我宁可选择死狮,而不要活狗.
上例the dead lion和the living dog源自英语习语：A living dog is better than a dead lion．(下贱而活着比高贵而死了的强.) 将对应的两个成分拆开并在句中重作安排,分别喻指“过去的佳作”(死狮)和“当代的次品”(活狗),形成强烈对比,表现力强.
6. 颠倒次序 有时出于表达上的需要,可将习语的前后两部分结构次序颠倒,以收到一种临时性的修辞效果.
如： “Bennie’s their son,” said Henry. “Like son, like father, I imagine,” said Bonnefois.
“贝尼是他们的儿子,”亨利说道.“有其子必有其父,我可以料想得到,”鲍涅福斯说. 上例中Like son,like father是原有习语Like father,like son(有其父必有其子)的颠倒次序.此处颠倒使用,旨在表明“儿子尚且如此,想必老子有过之而无不及”,极富挖苦讽刺意味. Isabel drove with Goodrich beside her．Happy,but still feeling she was casting swine before pearls, Isabel was painfully conscious of the shortcomings of the scenery；above all its literal flatness．
伊莎贝尔驾驶车子,古德里奇坐在她身旁.高兴是高兴,但仍然有不值一游的感觉；伊莎贝尔痛切地感到路旁风景的缺憾,尤其是一马平川的地面.
上例的cast swine before pearls是英语习语cast pearls before swine(把有价值的东西给不能欣赏的人；对牛弹琴)的次序颠倒.这样颠倒过来使用,以pearls指“有很高欣赏能力的人”(即指伊莎贝尔和古德里奇),swine指不值一顾的景色.形象生动,既含惋惜之意,又表现了伊莎贝尔的自傲,收到很好的修辞效果.
7. 语义引申 使用习语时有时可打破常规,连续增加几个成分加以引申,使该习语的语义发生奇妙的变化.
如： One woman shopper said to another, “Mary, 1et’s spend money like water — drip…drip…drip…”
一位女顾客对另一位说：“玛丽,咱们花钱得像细水一样——滴…… 滴……滴……慢流.” 上例习语spend money like water原意是“花钱如水；大手大脚”,可是使用者打破常规,一连加上三个drip予以引申,语义发生变化：不是大把花钱,而是锱铢必究,细水长流.收到出人意外的表达效果
百科名片
习语(xíyǔ)语言是文化的载体,习语又是语言的精华.习语一词的含义甚广,一般指那些常用在一起,具有特定形式的词组,其蕴含的意义往往不能从词组中单个词的意思推测而得.习语通常包括成语、俗语、格言、歇后语、谚语、俚语、行话等.其表现形式音节优美,音律协调,或含蓄幽默,或严肃典雅,言简意赅,形象生动,妙趣横生,给人一种美的享受.习语是语言的精华,它带有浓厚的民族色彩和鲜明的文化内涵.
英语习语的特征
英语习语一般具有三个明显的语义特征：语言整体性(a Single Linguistic Unit)、结构凝固性(Structural institutionalization)和不可替代性(irreplaceability).如kick the bucket(翘辫子)由 三个自由词素组成,既不能随意增删,如不能说成kick the big bucket或kick bucket,也不能替换成kick the pail.然而语言又是发展变化的.人们在交际中或出于修辞上的目的或出于上下文的需要,常常对一些习语作必要的增删或更改,以增加语言的感情色彩,烘托思想,突出中心.这样就出现了常见英语习语活用现象.实际上,英语习语的活用是一种修辞手段,可以通过对习语组成部分进行扩充、压缩、省略、替换、分拆、次序颠倒或语义引申等手段,使习语产生新意,从而增加习语的表现力.现分述如下：
1. 扩充成分 在原有习语中加上修饰性成分,以限其内容,赋其新意.
如： Her husband often dined out and kept rather disreputable company．
她丈夫经常外出就餐,与不三不四的人鬼混在一起.
上例中,keep rather disreputable company是由习语keep company(结交)扩充而来.表达了憎恨与厌恶之情.
Not satisfied with routine inspection and discovery of cracks on the rails’ surface, he set out to spot hidden trouble．In that way danger could be kept at two arms’ length．
他不满足于例行检查和发现铁轨表面上的裂缝,而是力图找出隐患,以此把危险消灭在萌芽之中.
句中keep at two arms’ length是由习语keep at arm's length(与……疏远)扩充而来.增强了感情色彩.
2. 压缩成分
主要通过减字或使用连字符等手法把原有习语改造成一个单词,使其短小精悍,便于灵活使用.压缩而成的新词基本保持原有习语的意义,但往往引起词性转换.
如： What the press did not know was that Kissinger was on his way back from a trailblazing excursion to Peking． ’
基辛格对北京作了开路先锋般的访问,在归国途中,而这件事新闻界还被蒙在鼓里.
上例的trailblazing是由动词性习语blaze a trail(开辟道路,在树上作记号指路)压缩衍生而成,构成形容词.
Don’t be foolish enough to indulge in name-calling．
不要太傻,总是张口就骂人.
例中name-calling源自于习语call sb．names(骂人),在此句中作名词用.
3. 省略成分 主要是对原有习语采取部分截取或减字的方法而生成的活用现象.
如： He is always telling the director how to run the business；that’s like teaching his grandmother．
他老是对厂长讲该怎样管理企业,这岂不是有点像孙子教诲奶奶?
例中teach his grandmother就是从习语teach one’s grand mother to suck eggs(班门弄斧,教训长辈)截取前半部分省略后半部分而来的,原有习语的意义保持不变.
The antique dealer said I might get ten pounds for the vase if I took it up to London,but he himself wasn’t prepared to give me more than a fiver for it. A bird in the hand, I thought,and accepted his offer.
古董商说,如果我把这花瓶拿到伦敦去卖,可能卖到十镑的价钱,但他自己只愿出五镑.我想多得不如现得,就卖给他了.
上例中a bird in the hand就是源自谚语：A bird in the hand s Worth two in the bush．(双鸟在林不如一鸟在手.)截取后的a bird in the hand意义不变.
SC：补充一个例子： (A college professor was one day nearing the close of a history lecture and was indulging in one of those rhetorical climaxes in which he delighted when the hour struck. The students immediately began to slam down the movable arms of their lecture chairs and to prepare to leave. The professor, annoyed at the interruption of his flow of eloquence, held up his hand: ) “Wait just one minute, gentlemen. I have a few more pearls to cast. ”
诸位,稍安毋躁.我还要对你们弹一会儿琴.
4. 替换成分 主要是改换原有习语中的个别单词,如一些名词、动词、介词、冠词、代词等.也就是说,原有习语的框架和比喻关系基本不变,但习语的基本意义有所变化,从而达到修辞目的.
如： Where there is smoke,there is a meeting．
有烟必有会,无会不抽烟.
此句改自英语谚语：Where there is a will,there is a way. (有志者,事竟成.)形象生动,收到了嘲讽的修辞效果.
He intended to take an opportunity this afternoon of speaking to Irene．A word in time saves nine.
他打算今天下午找机会跟艾琳谈谈.一语及时省得以后噜苏.
上例将原有习语a stitch in time saves nine(一针及时省九针)中的名词stitch改成word,比喻贴切,言简意赅.
5. 分析成分 英语中有些习语含有对应的两个成分,活用时可将其拆开单独使用,构成新的关系,以满足修辞或上下文的需要.
如： The superior story is, simply, one which is worth re-reading．Time, fortunately, tends to separate the silk purses from the sow’s ears.
好的故事,简单地说,便是值得一读再读的故事.幸运的是,时间有助于区分好的和坏的. 上例的the silk purses和the sow’s ears源自谚语：One can’t make a silk purse out of a sow's ear．(坏材料造不出好东西.)将这一谚语中的两个成分拆开进行灵活使用,以silk purse 喻指“好故事”,sow’s ears喻指“坏故事”,比喻形象,令人耳目一新.
Of poetry I do not read much and when I do I choose the dead lion in the preference to the living dog.
对于诗,我读得不多,要读的时候,我宁可选择死狮,而不要活狗.
上例the dead lion和the living dog源自英语习语：A living dog is better than a dead lion．(下贱而活着比高贵而死了的强.) 将对应的两个成分拆开并在句中重作安排,分别喻指“过去的佳作”(死狮)和“当代的次品”(活狗),形成强烈对比,表现力强.
6. 颠倒次序 有时出于表达上的需要,可将习语的前后两部分结构次序颠倒,以收到一种临时性的修辞效果.
如： “Bennie’s their son,” said Henry. “Like son, like father, I imagine,” said Bonnefois.
“贝尼是他们的儿子,”亨利说道.“有其子必有其父,我可以料想得到,”鲍涅福斯说. 上例中Like son,like father是原有习语Like father,like son(有其父必有其子)的颠倒次序.此处颠倒使用,旨在表明“儿子尚且如此,想必老子有过之而无不及”,极富挖苦讽刺意味. Isabel drove with Goodrich beside her．Happy,but still feeling she was casting swine before pearls, Isabel was painfully conscious of the shortcomings of the scenery；above all its literal flatness．
伊莎贝尔驾驶车子,古德里奇坐在她身旁.高兴是高兴,但仍然有不值一游的感觉；伊莎贝尔痛切地感到路旁风景的缺憾,尤其是一马平川的地面.
上例的cast swine before pearls是英语习语cast pearls before swine(把有价值的东西给不能欣赏的人；对牛弹琴)的次序颠倒.这样颠倒过来使用,以pearls指“有很高欣赏能力的人”(即指伊莎贝尔和古德里奇),swine指不值一顾的景色.形象生动,既含惋惜之意,又表现了伊莎贝尔的自傲,收到很好的修辞效果.
7. 语义引申 使用习语时有时可打破常规,连续增加几个成分加以引申,使该习语的语义发生奇妙的变化.
如： One woman shopper said to another, “Mary, 1et’s spend money like water — drip…drip…drip…”
一位女顾客对另一位说：“玛丽,咱们花钱得像细水一样——滴…… 滴……滴……慢流.” 上例习语spend money like water原意是“花钱如水；大手大脚”,可是使用者打破常规,一连加上三个drip予以引申,语义发生变化：不是大把花钱,而是锱铢必究,细水长流.收到出人意外的表达效果
展开全文阅读