My stars and garters!: 哎呀! 天啊!
据统计,凡夫俗子平均每天会迸出至少一句惊叹语:“天啊!上帝啊!” 习惯了“My goodness”或“My God”,偶尔听到外国人惊呼“My stars and garters”,颇感怪异。由“星星和勋章”组合而成的“天啊”是美国用语,不过,它的原产地可是在英国。 Garter原指“嘉德勋章”,是英国王室授給爵士的“最高勋位”。由于爵士们的勋章大都是“星星”形状,所以到18世纪,短语stars and garters开始被人们使用,当时用来指代“各种类似的勋章”。随着时间的推移,stars and garters慢慢成了“荣誉”的代名词,同时,也用来形容被授予类似荣誉的“群体”,比如:汉语中的“侯门”就可以用stars and garters来表示。 到19世纪,甚至连语言学家都感到惊奇,stars and garters(荣誉)竟然摇身一变,成了挂在人们口边的My stars and garters!(天啊!)。与My goodness或My God相比,My stars(and garters)戏谑、幽默的成分更强烈。
瞧下面这句话,选自英国讽刺大师萨克雷的The book of snobs(《势利人脸谱》):
O! stars and garters! how she would start if she heard that she-she, as solemn as Minerva-she, as chaste as Diana -that she too was a Snob!(天啊,她——如智慧女神那般神圣,如月亮女神那般纯洁——如果听到有人说自己是个势力小人,会是何等惊讶!)
下一篇: 恶有恶报
2013湘少版五上《Unit 9 My father helps me》ppt课件
2013湘少版五上《Unit 7 Do you have any hobbies》ppt课件1
2013湘少版五上《Unit 8 What time do you get up》ppt课件.ppt
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 10 What does that sign mean》ppt课件3
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 2 I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件3
2013湘少版五上《Unit 5 Which one do you want》ppt课件1
2013湘少版五上《Unit 3 Can I borrow a pencil》ppt课件2
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 3 Do you want some rice》ppt课件3
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 2《I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件4
2013湘少版五上《Unit 4 Can I have a puppy》ppt课件4
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 2《I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件1
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 1 What does she look like》ppt课件5
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 10 What does that sign mean》ppt课件2
2013湘少版五上《Unit 4 Can I have a puppy》ppt课件
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 2 I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件1
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 3 Do you want some rice》ppt课件4
2013湘少版五上《Unit 9 My father helps me》ppt课件2
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 3 Do you want some rice》ppt课件1
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 2《I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件3
2013湘少版五上《Unit 4 Can I have a puppy》ppt课件2
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 10 What does that sign mean》ppt课件1
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 1《What does she look like》ppt课件4
2013湘少版五上《Unit 5 Which one do you want》ppt课件
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 1 What does she look like》ppt课件1
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 2《I’d like a hamburger》ppt课件2
2013湘少版五上《Unit 6 I like sweets》ppt课件
2013湘少版五上《Unit 8 What time do you get up》ppt说课稿
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 10 What does that sign mean》ppt课件6
2016秋湘少版英语五年级上册Unit 3《Do you want some rice》ppt课件1
2014秋湘少版英语五上《Unit 12 The Spring Festival》ppt课件2