美国习惯用语-第89讲:to go to the dogs
美国人总是说:狗是人的最好的朋友。许多美国人对家里的狗就像对待家里的人一样好。有钱人还往往会出几千美元去买一只稀有品种的狗,我们今天要讲的一个俗语就和这种现象有密切关系的:to put on the dog。
To put on the dog就是摆排场给别人看。大概一百多年以前,一些有钱的人往往化很多钱去买一只稀有品种的小狗来显示自己很有钱。一些阔太太们经常在接待客人的时候把一只小狗抱在腿上来眩耀自己的阔气。当时耶鲁大学的学生就创造了to put on the dog这一说法来嘲笑那些暴发户。我们来举一个例子吧:
例句-1: "Joe Doak is sure putting on the dog since his rich aunt died and left him 10 million dollars. He\'s bought the biggest house in town and a Mercedes 600, and talks about buying some riding horses."
这句话的意思是:“乔多克自从他阿姨去世,留给他一千万美元遗产以后,他可真是摆阔气。他买了城里最大的一栋房子,还有一辆奔驰600型号的汽车。他还在说要买几匹马供他骑马玩呢。”
看来有钱的人也不都是那样挥霍的。下面就是一个例子:
例句-2: "I had this friend in the army who was the son of one of the richest men in the country. But what I like about him was that he never put on the dog to show off his money."
这句话的中文意思就是:“我在部队服役的时候有个朋友,他的爸爸是美国最有钱的人之一。我很喜欢这个朋友,因为他从来也不眩耀自己多么有钱。”
和to put on the dog意思相反的一个俗语是:to go to the dogs。To go to the dogs这个俗语的意思就是:变得很穷,彻底破落。比如说,在十九世纪的时候,美国西部发现金矿的地区出现了一个又一个新的城镇。许多人到那里去淘金,都想发家致富。可是后来怎么样了呢?
例句-3: "As soon as the gold was all gone, these towns went to the dogs almost overnight. Everybody moved away, and these places are ghost towns now, with the wind whistling through the empty houses and shops.“
这句话的意思是:“等到金子都淘光了,这些城镇一下子就被人遗弃,彻底完蛋了。那里所有的人都走了,剩下的只有风在吹过空房子和商店的时候发出的沙沙声。”
这是社会变迁造成的结局。但是,人为的结局更加悲惨:
例句-4: "I always thought my friend Pete had a good future. But then he got hooked on heroin and lost his job and his wife--I never saw a man go to the dogs so fast!"
这人说:“我总以为我的朋友皮特是很有前途的。但是后来他吸上了毒品,失去了工作,妻子也走了。我从来没有看到过任何人破落得这么快的!”
我们今天讲了两个俗语,它们是:to put on the dog和to go to the dogs。To put on the dog是摆排场眩耀自己阔气,而to go to the dogs是一败涂地,彻底破落的意思。
国际英语资讯:AU, partners hail recent national dialogue in Cameroon
国际英语资讯:Lebanese protest against refugees naturalization in Lebanon
国际英语资讯:Over 2 dozen militants killed, 31 IS fighters surrender in Afghanistan
如何提高英语阅读能力
国际英语资讯:Interview: Chinas engagement with Africa boosts fight against AIDS, says WHO official
这些食物有助于降低胆固醇
My Favorite Course 我最喜欢的课程
Two Poems 诗歌两则
体坛英语资讯:Kipkorir, Changwony win 2019 Nairobi International Marathon
国际英语资讯:Japanese, S. Korean senior trade officials to discuss tightened export controls: Tokyo
国内英语资讯:Xi stresses modernization of Chinas emergency management system, capability
Magical Music 神奇的音乐
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier stresses all-out efforts in restoring hog production
不良购物体验后,如何退款?
国际英语资讯:German parliaments upper house halts key parts of climate package
国际英语资讯:Pakistan to expedite work on special economic zones under CPEC to accelerate industrializati
金鸡获奖影片看完了?这些新年贺岁电影也不容错过
国际英语资讯:Feature: Laundry room in Syrias Aleppo gathers women with loads of clothes, stories
风靡各地的米其林美食指南被一位韩国大厨告上法庭:谁让你把我选进去的?
国外版“从前慢”:为了鼓励社交,冰岛周四没电视
国内英语资讯:Chinas Hubei opens scenic high-speed railway
国内英语资讯:Chinese premier urges unremitting efforts to prevent, treat AIDS
国内英语资讯:Senior CPC official calls for new highlights in legal reform
国际英语资讯:London Bridge knife attacker has connections to terror groups: media reports
国际英语资讯:Portuguese PM calls for double access to European science, research funds
体坛英语资讯:Beijing Guoan beat Tianjin Teda 3-1 in Chinese league
体坛英语资讯:Bertens beats Zheng to reach final in WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai
国际英语资讯:1st non-stop flight from Egypts Cairo to Chinas Hangzhou takes off
国际英语资讯:Russian security service detains suspected Ukrainian spy
国际英语资讯:Commentary: Washingtons egoistic double standard on human rights