美國作家 Dr. Spencer Johnson (斯賓塞•詹森) 寫了一本名為 Who Moved My Cheese? 的書, 中文本的譯名是《誰動了我的乳酪?》。 下面一段文字解釋了 cheese 這個隱喻的含義:
Who Moved My Cheese?is a simple parable that reveals profound truths. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life- whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money or a possession, health or spiritual peace of mind. And the maze is where you look for what you want - the organization you work in, or the family or community you live in.
《誰動了我的乳酪?》是一個揭示深刻道理的簡單寓言。
西方各國由 cheese 構成的諺語有:
英國諺語:
An apple-pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.
吃蘋果派不加點兒乳酪, 就像是親嘴不使勁兒。
法國諺語:
A meal without cheese is a beautiful girl with only one eye.
一頓飯沒有乳酪, 就像美女是個獨眼。
加拿大諺語:
A man, like a mouse, can be caught with good cheese.
男人像是耗子, 用上好乳酪誘惑就可以抓住。
澳大利亞諺語:
It is an old rat that won't eat cheese.
這是只決不吃乳酪的老耗子。
英美人照相時, 讓人對著鏡頭喊 cheese, 露出咧嘴微笑的口形。 近年來, 我國百姓照相時, 喊與 cheese 聲音相近的“茄子”, 使口形呈現微笑的樣子。 但是, 有的初學英語者在照相時喊與 cheese 音相近的 cheers, 就不對了。 cheers 的第一個意思是 a word that people say to each other as they lift up their glasses to drink, 即“乾杯”。 第二個意思是 goodbye, 即“再見”。 例如:
I’d like to toast a cheers for your health.
我要為你的健康乾杯!
Cheers then. See you later.
那就告辭了。 再見!
cheese 是西方人的重要日常食品, 漢語稱為“乳酪”, 又稱“乳酪”、“乾酪”, 還有音譯“芝士”、“起司”等。 例如:
乳酪種類繁多, 而法國和義大利乳酪最為著名。
There are many kinds of cheese and French and Italian cheeses are famous.
big cheese 具有 an important or powerful person in a group or organization的意思, 即“重要人物”、“大人物”或“大腕”。 例如:
His father is a big cheese in the bank.
他父親是這家銀行的重要人物。
Mac is a big cheese in the tennis world / in tennis.
麥克是網球界的大腕。
macaroni cheese (英) 或 macaroni and cheese (美)的意思是 a hot dish of macaroni in a cheese sauce, 即“乾酪醬通心面”, 是西方人愛吃的食品。 因而 one’s macaroni in a cheese 具有“心愛的人”的比喻意義。 例如:
Macaroni and cheese is a favorite comfort food at family dinner in our household.
乾酪醬通心面是我們家吃正餐時的一道最愛吃的舒心食品。
You are my macaroni in a cheese.
你是我心愛的人。
chalk and cheese 是個押頭韻 ch- 的常用習語, 字面意思指顏色相同、而結構和味道不同的“粉筆與乳酪”。 其比喻意義是 completely different from each other, 即“截然不同”。 例如:
Although Jack and Dick are brothers, they are as different as chalk and cheese.
雖然傑克與狄克是親兄弟, 可是他們倆卻截然不同。
以上內容摘自《英語“說文解字”》, 有刪節。
解詞:解釋英語的意義用法
釋義:論說英語詞的文化內涵
翻譯:追尋英漢互譯的方法技巧
應用:探討中西文化的異同之處