时间:2019-02-18 作者:英语课 分类:英语口语


英语课

   在中文里,我们经常用“宰人”来形容商家把产品和服务价格订得过高的行为。这么形容给人血淋淋的感觉,显示了那个高价有多“残忍”。巧的是英语里也有类似的“血腥”短语,叫an arm and a leg。


  An arm and a leg的字面意思是“一只胳膊和一条腿”,乍一看似乎很难跟“高价”联系在一起。但如果把它放在动词后面就不难理解了:charge an arm and a leg表示“收取的费用为一只胳膊加一条腿”,也就是“收费极其昂贵”(因为胳膊和腿都是无价之宝)。
  价格“宰人”英文如何表达
  Spend / pay an arm and a leg字面意“搭上了自己的一只胳膊加上一条腿”,也就是“付出极高的代价”,用来描述消费者;而cost an arm and a leg表示“价格高到要牺牲一只胳膊加上一条腿”,也就是“价格极其昂贵”,跟charge an arm and a leg是一个意思。
  For example:
  Kevin: The new steak house around the corner is finally open, You wanna go there this weekend?
  街角处的新牛排馆终于开张了。这个周末有兴趣去吗?
  Vivian: Not really. Word has it that the food costs an arm and a leg。
  不太有兴趣。听说那里的食物贵得离谱。
  Kevin: What if it's my treat?
  如果我请客呢?
  Vivian: Now we are talking。
  那还差不多。
  关于an arm and a leg 的来源,主要有两种猜测:
  一、它的前身是19世纪在美国颇为流行的俚语"if it takes a leg!"。它用来显示说话人的决心,“即使断送一条腿,我也……”,因此leg成了“昂贵代价”的象征。
  二、它的前身是在19世纪中期颇为流行的短语 "I'd give my right arm for...",这句话同样用来显示说话人的决心,“为了……,我愿意献上的右臂”,因此arm也成了“昂贵代价”的象征。
  尽管这两种猜测听起来都挺合理,但是各大词典均予以否认,并明确指出an arm and a leg背后并没有特别的典故。最初的创始人已经无从考证,但无论这个人是谁,他/她都用“失去手臂和腿”来比喻“付出巨大代价”,从而起到了夸张的效果。

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