今天我们要讲的美国习惯用语是:beat a dead horse。大家都知道,dead horse是死马的意思,动词beat是打的意思。Beat a dead horse连在一起是徒劳无功的意思。
最近办公室洗手间的水龙头漏水,我跟维修部门反映了好几次,一直没人来修。我显然是在beat a dead horse。
下面让我们看看这名热心的选民为什么会觉得自己是在beat a dead horse。
例句-1:Again and again, Ive tried to get senators in my state to ban smoking in restaurants. But its been hopeless so far; they havent listened to me. I hate to beat a dead horse but I feel they need to pass this legislation in order to improve public health.
这个选民说:我三番五次想让我们州的参议员设法禁止在餐馆里吸烟,但至今毫无进展,他们根本不理会我。我不想白费劲儿,但是又觉得他们应该通过禁烟的法案,让大众健康受益。
美国很多人都承认,二手烟危害健康。现在美国越来越多的城市,甚至州都已经开始立法,禁止在公共场所吸烟。但是想让烟民戒烟,无异于beating a dead horse。
想让一个人改变自己的习惯确实不是一件容易的事。一名家长抱怨说,
例句-2:My sons room is a constant mess even though he knows hes expected to keep it tidy. My wife and I have done everything from pleading with him to threatening him, but its been a waste of our time. Were simply beating a dead horse. Hell never change.
这个当父亲的说:虽然明明知道应该保持整洁,但是我儿子的房间永远是乱糟糟的。我和我太太用尽了各种办法,不管是说服教育还是威逼利诱,都无济于事。他永远都改不了。
不过也难说。我记得小时候,我妈曾经逼我学钢琴,结果当然是beat a dead horse。可是后来上学后,我自己反而开始对小提琴感了兴趣,不用别人催,自己就会主动去练琴。
对于beat a dead horse这种说法的来源,语言学家们有不同的理论。其中一种常见的说法是,十七世纪的时候,有时老板会预付工人的工钱。这部分已经付过钱,但是还没有完成的工作就被称作dead horse。拿完工钱的工人来上工,肯定有气无力,想让他们尽快完工,就像是在beat a dead horse。
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