我朋友Jenny的老板实在很糟糕。近两个月来,他一直让Jenny觉得自己有机会被提升为部门主管,所以就没完没了地加班,自我表现。其实我觉得,她老板根本就是在欺骗她,牵着她的鼻子走。在英语里,有一个习惯用语,专门形容这种情况,叫string someone along.
To string someone along. String是绳子的意思。To string someone along是指为了让别人替自己做事,而愚弄、蒙蔽他,或是吊他的胃口。刚才我们说到的Jenny的老板,就是用提升作为诱饵,让Jenny加班加点地替他工作。
在生活中,我们经常能遇到这种情况。在下面这个例子里,一名男子对他女友的真实想法摸不着头脑。让我们听听他是怎么说的。
"It seems like she's happy, but whenever I bring up our future she always changes the subject. I just bought her this diamond necklace and she told me she loved me, but then she said she's busy this weekend. Do you think she's just "STRINGING ME ALONG?"
他说,[看上去她跟我在一起还是挺高兴的。但是每次我一提到我们今后的打算,她就会转移话题。我刚买了一条钻石项链送给她,她说她爱我,但又说这个周末没时间。你觉得她是在吊我的胃口吗?]
依我看,这个女孩不是真心的。我就听说过好几个这样的女孩,完全是看上了男朋友的钱。有些甚至在取消婚约后,也不把订婚戒指还给男方。
这种男人就像是被拴在线上的木偶一样,任人摆布。其实啊,To string someone along 这个习惯用语就是由此而来的,其历史可以追溯到二十世纪早期。
我觉得干推销员的,都是很厉害的人物,不知道你有没有同感。他们凭着三寸不烂之舌,总能把商品推销出去。不过,下面这个例子里的推销员却是被客户牵着鼻子走。让我们听听看。
"I love getting all these free lunches and baseball tickets from this salesman. He really thinks I'm going to buy his computer system. I think I might STRING HIM ALONG just a little longer, so I can get tickets to the playoffs -- then I'll say we've changed our mind."
客户说,[我从这个推销员那里得到了很多免费的午餐,还有棒球比赛的球票,真是太棒了。他还以为我肯定会买他的电脑系统呢!我得再哄他一段时间,等拿到免费的棒球季后赛球票后再告诉他,我们改变主意了。]
这人可真够损的。吃了免费的午餐,看了免费的球赛,最后才告诉别人,你的东西我不买了。
美国人气颇旺的真人秀《幸存者》,要求参赛者不仅要有一个好身体,还要有过人的情商和为人处世的技能,要会拉帮结派,挑拨离间,努力坚持到最后,不被别人挤出去。当然了,他们的策略之一就是要string other people along, 牵着别人的鼻子走。不过,参赛者蒙蔽对手的手段一定要高超,否则一不小心,也许自己就成了别人蒙蔽的对象。
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