英语植物词汇的文化含义和修辞功能
英语植物词汇的文化含义和修辞功能在汉语语境中,当我们读到古典小说中“樱桃小口,杏眼桃腮,腰若杨柳,指如削葱”这样的描述时,脑海中马上会映出一位古典美人的形象,这当中樱桃、杏、桃、杨柳、葱这些植物词强大
英语植物词汇的文化含义和修辞功能 在汉语语境中,当我们读到古典小说中“樱桃小口,杏眼桃腮,腰若杨柳,指如削葱” 樱桃、杏、桃、杨柳、葱 这样的描述时,脑海中马上会映出一位古典美人的形象,这当中这 些植物词强大的修辞功能功不可没。同样,在英语中,植物词汇也被赋予修辞功能,如用 黄郁金香没有指望的爱情百日草离别的朋友 yellow tulip()象征,用zinnia()喻指,用 玫瑰丛下 sour grapes喻指因得不到而故意贬低的事物,用under the rose()指代私下的行 为或偷偷摸摸的勾当等。下面列举一些常见的具有文化含义和修辞功能的植物词。 (苹果),喻指受宠爱者 (1)apple。如:He has three sons but his daughter is the apple of his eye.他有三个__,但__才是他的掌上明珠。另外, upset the apple-cart直 打翻苹果车常用来指混乱的状况 译为。如: It was apea__ful meeting until the “”, treasure was accused of stealing the club’s funds; that really upset the apple-cart在财务主管被指控盗窃俱乐部的基金以前,会议一直开得很平静;这一指控使会 议可真的乱了套。in apple-pie order指整整齐齐,井井有条。如:The house was in apple-pie order even though the guests had only left an hour ago.即使客人才走了 一个钟头,屋里也是整整齐齐的。 (香蕉),喻指喜剧演员 (2)banana。如:He is asecond banana; the top banana is his father.他只是个二流喜剧演员,他老爸才是一流演员。另外, banana oil指溜须拍马, 花言巧语。如:Cutout the banana oil flattery will get you nowhere.别再花言巧语了, 溜须拍马之词于事无补。 (蚕豆),喻指伙计,朋友 (3)bean。如:H__e alook at this, old bean!看看这个吧, 老伙计!另外,not h__e abean指身无分文,囊中空空。如: I’d like to __ke a contribution but Ih__en’t abean on me at the moment我很想捐款,但目下身无分文。 spill the beans指泄露机密。如:Her present to her hu__and was supposed to be a secre,t but their little boy spilled the beans to him.她送给丈夫的礼物本来是应 该保密的,可是他们的孩子对他走漏了风声。 (樱桃),喻指童男、童女或新兵 (4) cherry。如:She confessed she was cherry.她说 她童贞未失。Some sol___rs who survived long enough earned the right to harass the cherries.一些久经沙场的老兵获得骚扰新兵的权利。 (雏菊),喻指一流人物 (5)daisy。如:He is areal daisy.他可是个一流的人物。另外, fresh as adaisy指精神焕发。如:He woke up fresh as adaisy after his long sleep. 他睡了一觉醒来感到精神焕发。push up the daisies/under the daisies指被埋葬或死亡。 如:He pushed up the daisies in his thirties.他三十几岁就去世了。 (花),喻指精英人物 (6)flower。如:The country lost the flower of it’s youth in the war.该国在这次战争中失去了青年中的精英。另外, in the flower of one’s age/strength指年轻力壮之时。如:My grandfather was in the flower of his age at that time.我祖父当时还很年轻。 (醋栗),喻指陪媪(夹在想独处的情侣中间的人,电灯泡 (7)gooseberry)。如:I’ll le__e you two young people alone; I’m sure you don’t want me to play gooseberry.我要让你们两个年轻人单独在一起;我肯定你们不想要我硬夹在你们中间(不想 让我充当电灯泡)[2]。 (柠檬),喻指丑八怪,讨厌的人 (8)lemon。如:She was stuck with alemon on the dan__ floor.她在舞场被一个讨厌的家伙缠住了。另外,在黑人英语中, lemon还指肤色较 浅而迷人的黑人女子。 (百合花),喻指纯洁的人 (9) lily。如:She is avirgin, amost unspotted lily.她

