to get one's back up
to scratch one's back
當(dāng)一只貓生氣的時(shí)候,它往往把它的背拱起來(lái),嘴里還發(fā)出呼呼的聲音,顯得它隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備施展它那爪子的威力。美國(guó)一個(gè)常用語(yǔ)就出自貓的這種形像。這個(gè)常用語(yǔ)就是:to get one's back up。To get one's back up就是生氣的意思。下面這句話是一個(gè)妻子在說(shuō)他的丈夫:
例句-1: "One thing really gets my back up -- the way my husband leaves his clothes on the bed or on the floor so I have to pick them up all the time."
她說(shuō):"我的丈夫總是把衣服往床上、地上亂扔,我老得把它們揀起來(lái),真叫我生氣。"
可是,妻子的批評(píng)使做丈夫的很生氣。他對(duì)朋友說(shuō):
例句-2: "And there's one thing that really gets my back up: my wife nagging at me to hang my clothes up as soon as I walk in the house at night after a hard day at the office."
他說(shuō):"每天在辦公室辛苦地工作了一天,可是晚上一走家門,我老婆就開(kāi)始嘮叨,要我把衣服掛好。這實(shí)在讓我生氣。"
要是你覺(jué)得背上某一個(gè)地方癢癢,而你自己又抓不到。這是很難受的。在這種情況下,最好有人替你抓一下。美國(guó)人有一個(gè)普遍的說(shuō)法,那就是:to scratch one's back。To scratch one's back從字面上來(lái)看就是"抓某人的背"。它的真正含義是:某人幫了你一下忙,而這個(gè)幫你忙的人也期望你下回幫他的忙。因此,to scratch one's back實(shí)際上就是:這回你幫我忙,下回我就幫你的忙。例如,一個(gè)參議員對(duì)他的高級(jí)助手說(shuō):
例句-3: "This senator from the 11th district scratched my back when he voted for my bill to cut state income taxes, so it's my turn to do him a favor and vote for that bill for more money for roads in his district."
這位參議員說(shuō):"上回在投票通過(guò)我提出的有關(guān)裁減州所得稅的提案時(shí),第十一選區(qū)的參議員投了我一票,幫了我的忙。所以,現(xiàn)在是該我?guī)退Φ臅r(shí)候了,我得投票贊成為他的選區(qū)修建公路增加撥款的提案。"
這種現(xiàn)象在政客當(dāng)中很普遍,但是做買賣的也要相互給好處,請(qǐng)聽(tīng)這位推銷員說(shuō)的話:
例句-4: "In my business it's important to scratch each other's back. Say a customer does me a favor by giving me an extra big order. The next time he's in town I might take him out to dinner and a broadway show."
這位推銷員說(shuō):"干我們這行,相互幫忙是很重要的。要是一位顧客訂了特別大的一批貨,幫了我的忙。下次他再到這個(gè)城市來(lái)的時(shí)候,我可能得請(qǐng)他吃晚飯和到百老匯去看演出。"
今天我們講了兩個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ):"to get one's back up"和"to scratch one's back"。 To get one's back up是生氣的意思;to scratch one's back是指某人幫了一下忙,幫忙的人也期待對(duì)方下回幫他的忙。
「美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)」第一百零一課就講到這里。歡迎下次再一起來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)。再見(jiàn)。