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简析英语成语的典型特征

2015-12-10李学民

关键词:词源成语

李学民

摘 要:成语是人类在长期的语言实践中保存下来的精华部分,其独特的含义和句法功能都受到语言学习者的青睐,探究它们的这些特色有助于提高语言运用的准确性和生动性。

关键词:成语;固定性特征;词源;构词特色

中图分类号:H315.9 文献标识码:A 文章编号:1673-2596(2015)11-0174-02

成语是人们经过长期的语言和社会实践,经过千锤百炼,去粗取精所形成的一种习用的、简洁精辟的定型式词组或短语,它广泛应用于日常生活、新闻报道和文学作品中。如:To kick the bucket, hide and hair, red herring, pain in the neck,in the same boat, cats and dogs, to come down in the world, in vain, round(around)the corner, sweet tooth.成语几经历史演变和发展,有些已经成为日常生活中形象鲜明的俚俗、意味深长的隽语、妙趣横生的戏谑、严肃典雅的文学语言。成语所表现出来的语言魅力和旺盛的生命力,不是一般短语所能够取代的。其构词、词源以及句法功能特征均有别于其它短语。工欲善其事,必先利其器,为化解掌握成语的难度,本文在下面几个方面对其进行了深入探讨。

一、基本特征

成语,也称习语是作为一个单位来使用,语义和语法都受到限制的短语或句子。从句法上看,里面的词不允许任意改动,既通常所说的固定结构,这种固定结构主要体现在(1)其中的词的位置不允许变动,以cats and dogs为例,句中its raining cats and dogs (下着倾盆大雨),不能改成its raining dogs and cats. (2)其中的词的形式不允许变动,也就是说上面的句子不能改为its raining a cat and a dog,或its raining cat and dog. 又如Diamond cut diamond, crook cut crook(棋逢对手)中的谓语动词cut不用单数第三人称形式。因为古英语用虚拟语气较多,在谚语中有时该用第三人称形式,却不加s,而在Like cures like(同类相克;以毒攻毒)中cures也不能改为cure。

从语义上看,成语的意思并非是其中单个词意义的总和,例如:drop the pilot(不听忠告;抛弃良师益友),wear ones heart on ones sleeve(心直;过于直率)。由此不难看出,很多成语词义已经脱离原词的基本意思,很难通过上下文或里面的中心词猜出意思。当然也有部分成语,其意义虽然不是由构成该成语的各个词的意义合成的,但却是由整个词语的意思引申出来的,起到生动、形象的作用,带有隐喻或明喻的色彩。梳理成语的来源或许能帮助我们理解和掌握它们的含义。

二、词源特征

英语成语词条众多,每个成语都有自己的来源,其渠道相当宽泛,但主要源于典故、宗教、圣经、名著、文献,或源于军事、农业、商业和日常生活的隐喻等。例如:

(一)源于日常生活(to be dressed up to the nines, humble pie,etc.)

Be dressed up to the nines,意为穿得很讲究,穿得整整齐齐,穿上崭新的衣服

The family were dressed up to the nines for the wedding.

Humble pie表示没办法;只好忍气吞声 He has to eat humble pie to work under his boss.

(二)源于其它活动(alive and kicking, down and out,etc.)

Alive and kicking源于卖鱼。意为:健康 At 70 Old Mac is still alive and kicking.

Down and out源于拳击运动。意为:精疲力竭,无能为力 Mr. Smith was down and out in the first round.

(三)源于自然界物质(cabbages and kings, touch of the sun,etc.)

Cabbages and kings 指各种话题;广泛的题目 They were interested in many a thing and talked of cabbages and kings

Touch of the sun指有点病痛;轻微中暑 Since he came from India, the captain has been suffering a touch of the sun.

(四)源于航海(at sea, in the wind,etc.)

At sea是不知所措,迷惑不解的意思 He is all at sea as to what to do next.

In the wind常表示犹豫不决;成败未定 He hung in the wind and missed the good opportunity.

(五)源于军事(rank and file, to cross swords with someone,etc.)

Rank and file指普通士兵;普通成员;一般群众 The rank and file of modern nations is largely influenced by means of the press.

To cross(measure) swords with someone 意指:比剑交锋;较量;打架 Few men ventured to cross swords with him.

(六)源于农业(to sow the seed(s)of, to lead someone up the garden path,etc.)

To sow the seed(s) of指挑拨离间;散播不和 Clearly there is no place for the opponents to sow the seeds of discontents and trouble.

To lead someone up(down)the garden path指把某人引入歧途;诱骗某人 The guide has led us up the garden path.

(七)源于商业(to talk shop, the penny drops, etc.)

To talk shop指谈论本行的事情;三句不离本行 Whenever I have my boss to dinner, he always talks shop.

The penny drops指终于明白了(某人说话的意思);恍然大悟 His illustration made the penny drop.

(八)源于学习生活(to read between the lines, to speak by the book, etc.)

To read between the lines 指看或听出言外之意 He doesnt say so, but reading between the lines, I dont think he likes the idea.

To speak by the book指说话确切;说话有依据 With regard to his experience, we should believe him. He always speaks by the book.

(九)源于圣经(to be all things to all men, pride goes before a fall, etc.)

All things to all men意思是取悦所有的人 Being a man of the world, he is all things to all men.

Pride goes (comes)before a fall指骄者必败 The accident occurred; as they say that pride comes before a fall.

(十)源于莎士比亚或其他文学名著 (fools paradise ,to give the Devil(devil) his due, etc.)

Fools paradise指幻想的世界 If ye should lead her into a fools paradise…it were a very gross kind of behavior…(from W.Shakespeare,“Romeo and Juliet”,act II,sc.4).

To give the devil his due指平心而论;说句公道话 I dont have much respect for my neighbor, but to give the devil his due he did help us much.

三、结构特征

英语成语构成以简单词居多,中心词多为名词、动词、形容词或副词;辅助词多以介词、冠词、连词、代词为主。从语法功能和结构成分来粗略的加以区分,可有下面几种情况:

(一)动词性成语(动词+小品词,动词+名词,动词+形容词,动词+介词短语,动词+名词+介词短语,动词+名词+介词)

以动词+小品词结构为例:make out(理解,明白),结构为:动词+副词, We could not make out what he wrote. 另外动词加小品词的其他结构还有动词+介词:get at someone (批评某人),动词+副词+介词:fall back on (求助于,求其次)。

(二)名词性成语(名词+and+名词,名词+介词+名词,名词/专有名词+s+名词,形容词+名词,名词+名词),例如:

the pros and cons(赞成者和反对者),a snake in the grass(潜在的危险),mans estate(壮年),fond dream(黄粱美梦),brain trust(智囊团)。

(三)形容词性成语(形容词+and+形容词,介词+名词,形容词/副词+介词短语,as+形容词+as+名词),例如:

High and dry(孤立无援的),beyond the pale(丢脸的;失宠),wet behind the ears(缺乏经验的),as cool as cucumber(非常冷静;泰然自若的).

(四)副词性成语(名词+and+名词,介词+名词,介词+名词+and+名词),例如:

heart and soul(全心全意地),in a breeze(轻而易举地),between the devil and the deep blue sea(进退维谷)。

英语成语就其应用而言,动词性成语多数按普通动词使用和处理;名词性成语多数按名词使用和处理,但有些名词性成语常起副词作用,如hide and hair(完全地;彻底地)。另外,形容性习语也常起副词作用,作状语用,如:high and dry(孤立无援地)。

与其它语种一样,英语中的成语尽管有些约定俗成的特征,但随着语言的不断发展、演变,肯定会有许多新的变化出现。一方面,原有的规矩或被破除,原有的意思或失去生命力、或有新的意义产生;另一方面,还会有一些表达会逐渐成为成语的新成员。我们期待着在了解异国文化的同时,欣赏到更多优美的语句。

参考文献:

〔1〕陆国强.现代英语词汇学[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社,2006.

〔2〕潘耀瑔,盛丽生,席学媛,等.英语习语大词典[M].北京:商务印书馆,1999.

〔3〕陆谷孙.英汉大辞典第二版[M].上海:上海译文出版社,2007.

〔4〕孙海运.英语来龙去脉[M].北京:中国对外翻译出版公司,1998.

(责任编辑 王文江)

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