流行美语 (Popular American) 287

李华和Larry讨论情人节的安排。今天我们要学两个常用语：born yesterday和head over heels.

LL: So, Lihua, I know you said that you didn't want me to buy a Valentine's Day gift for you, but I wasn't born yesterday. I can tell you're expecting something romantic.

LH: 我情人节唯一的愿望就是能跟你一起渡过！我们可以一起做晚饭，然后去看电影。你刚才说自己wasn't born yesterday是什么意思啊？

LL: Saying someone was born yesterday, means that they are very easy to fool. I said that I wasn't "born yesterday" because you can't fool me.

LH: 我知道了，说什么人was born yesterday意思就是说这个人容易受骗，有点象中文里说的“三岁小孩。”

LL: That's right. Even though you won't admit it, I think you would love to receive some flowers or chocolates for Valentine's Day.

LH: 你心真细！不过，我确实不想要什么礼物，跟你在一起就足够了。不过你别生气，我可不是说你傻。

LL: No, you didn't call me foolish. In the US, stating that you "weren't born yesterday" is a way to joke around with friends. If you say that you "weren't born yesterday," you're expressing that you aren't gullible 1.

LH: 我明白了，you said you weren't born yesterday ，是因为你觉得我肯定想要你送情人节礼物给我。

LL: We both know I wasn't really born yesterday. What I meant was that I have known you for so long that I can tell you are looking forward to a romantic Valentine's Day gift.

LH: 你可真够固执的。那你说，born yesterday什么时候才会带有贬义呢？

LL: If you are speaking with someone, for example one of your students, who don't know who Zhang Ziyi is, and you say 'Were you born yesterday? She's a famous Chinese movie star!

LH: 那别人肯定会不高兴。这就等于是说，你怎么连这都不知道！

LL: That's right. Asking someone if they were "born yesterday" implies that they misunderstood a subject that is rather simple to understand or that is common knowledge.

******

LL: Lihua, did you get the flowers I sent to you for Valentine's Day? You know I'm head over heels for you, so tonight when we make dinner together I have another special gift to give you.

LH: 你真是太浪漫了。我早就说过，情人节最好的礼物就是能跟你在一起。你刚才说head over heals? 你摔到哪里了吗？

LL: No, that's not what I meant to say. I didn't literally 2 fall down. I said I'm "head over heels" for you, because you are very special and I like you a lot.

LH: 我也很喜欢你，粉红色的玫瑰花是我最喜欢的，不过我还是不明白，head over heels怎么能用来形容爱慕之情呢？

LL: In the US, it is most common to say that you have fallen "head over heels" in love for a person. This is an exaggerated way to say that you have fallen in love.

LH: 真有意思，中文里说，一下子陷入爱河不能自拔，叫“神魂”颠倒，可是英语里却用头和脚来形容， head over heels。可是这也讲不通啊，头明明是在脚上面啊。

LL: It is obvious that the term "head over heels" doesn't make literal 3 sense, but it still communicates a state of being so smitten 4 with a person that one could jump and flip 5 for joy.

LH: 没想到，Larry, 你在这方面还挺在行的。那你知道这种说法是什么时候出现的吗？

LL: This phrase actually originated 6 in the 1400's as "heels over head," and didn't have anything to do with expressing love-struck devotion. But over the years it became "head over heels," and is only used to express feeling suddenly smitten for a boyfriend or girlfriend.

LH: 不管怎么说，head over heels这种说法用在情人节，简直是太恰当不过了。 Larry, 你送的玫瑰太美了，You've really shown that you are "head over heels" for me. 这是我渡过的最浪漫的情人节。

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是born yesterday, 意思是三岁小孩。还有一个是head over heels， 意思是为某人神魂颠倒。