Jessica: Hi, Qiong Yan! I heard there was a riot in your office...
QY: Riot? 哈哈,沒(méi)那么嚴(yán)重,其實(shí)就是我們這些小白領(lǐng)一塊兒找經(jīng)理談判,要求漲工資!
Jessica: And did you get the raise?
QY: Yes! I didn't expect management to give in,不過(guò)我們的談判代表是一個(gè)特別能說(shuō)會(huì)道的人,我估計(jì),經(jīng)理是被他侃暈啦! 哈哈! 對(duì)了,在美語(yǔ)中要怎么形容一個(gè)人能說(shuō)會(huì)道呢?
Jessica: You can say someone has a silver tongue, or someone is silver-tongued. It means a person can clearly and effectively express himself and convince other people.
QY: I see. So, thanks to my silver-tongued co-worker, we got the raise!
Jessica: Congratulations!
QY: 其實(shí),仔細(xì)想想,這次也不全是因?yàn)檫@個(gè)同事能說(shuō)會(huì)道。經(jīng)理以前老說(shuō)大家工作努力,應(yīng)該漲工資,可都是光說(shuō)不練! 所以他這次也自覺(jué)理虧!
Jessica: So he'd been paying lip service to you!
QY: Pay lip service? Lip 不是嘴唇么?我知道了,pay lip service 就是用空話安撫別人,對(duì)么?
Jessica: That's right. Managers at your company must have said how much they appreciated all your hard work, but if they're really impressed by what you've done, they should have given you a raise already! Their insincere appreciation is lip service.
QY: 沒(méi)錯(cuò)! 以前經(jīng)理還老說(shuō)公司財(cái)政緊張,所以大家都應(yīng)該支持公司,暫時(shí)不要漲工資,可我聽(tīng)說(shuō),他自己的工資漲得可帶勁了!
Jessica: Ah! This is a textbook example of "talk the talk, but not walk the walk." 說(shuō)一套,做一套。
QY: 真氣人,If they talk the talk, they should walk the walk! 怎么能搞雙重標(biāo)準(zhǔn)呢?
Jessica: Well, I'm just happy you guys got what you wanted. You should be proud of yourselves!
QY: 今天我們學(xué)了,形容一個(gè)人能說(shuō)會(huì)道,用silver tongue; 說(shuō)空話是pay lip service; 說(shuō)一套,做一套是talk the talk, but not walk the walk.