时间:2019-02-05 作者:英语课 分类:英语口语


英语课

   这则习语的来源有两种说法,一种认为return to one's mutton原是直译自法国田园诗中的一句: 多情的男女牧羊人在牧场上谈情说爱、海阔天空,最终还得回到现实,回到自己的羊群中来。


  另一种说法是出自14世纪的法国喜剧《巴德林律师》(L'Avocat Pathelin)。有个毛料商指控牧羊人犯了虐待羊群罪,牧羊人请把德林律师为他辩护,毛料上在陈述事情的时候竟然无中生有地诋毁说,巴德林律师曾偷过他店里的一块布。法官制止说:“我的朋友,我们还是回到有关羊这件事吧。”
  不管怎么说return to one's muttons是从法语译过来的,法语中“羊”叫做mouton,英语中“羊”叫sheep。法语进入英语后,mouton演变成了mutton。在英语中,mutton只指“羊肉”而不指“羊”。因为在当时英国的法国人大都是有钱人,他们吃“羊肉”时用mutton,而牧羊的盎格鲁撒克逊族的穷人称“羊”为sheep。久而久之,英语中就把“羊”叫做sheep,“羊肉”叫做mutton。
  **例句点津**
  Cut short the nonsense and return to one's muttons. 闲话少说,言归正传。

标签: 口语
学英语单词
adiabatic layer
alkaline-resisting mortar
approximately equivalent
arc-welder's disease
argiope ocula
aruch
as-received basis
Baradine
be a native of
beglooms
Bifiteral
boom chain
Boscamp
botulism toxin
bouerd
Boulaya
bulb lifting machine
cheliceral gland
circuit breaker tax relief
clock weight
commotio thoracis
contigents
contribution by segment
cooled your jets
coproprophyrinogen
corylophylin
covi
crowkeeper
cultural distance
cycloperoxene
Dakshin Naogaon
deeds of darkness
descriptive statement
dipterocarpus oleoresin
direct exciation
doodie heads
driptray
finishest
frequency transformation
functional grouping
Geophilomorpha
GM_prepositional-phrases
gymno
Hanna and Barbera
headwall gap
inclinations of an orbit
integra
jet washer
Judeo-Italian
korova
Kuki
launch site television monitor system
lexical features
liquid - solid system
lymphonodi epigastrici
Lātīdān
mechanically exhaust ventilated pipe
meliorisms
MFAO
minor fourth
miowe
Neruta
non degenerate laser
non-unions
normal water capacity
off all arms
orphanizing
osage oranges
oscillating drive
panel award rate
paranthostomella decaspermi
pectoral syrup
Petrozavotsk
piked
plating bar
polished-joint hanger
prize day
radar data computer
rectifying apparatus
refusell
roller curve conveyor
selenology
semi-tractor
seronegativization
ship's secretary
side buoyancy tank
Sigebert I
South American sea lion
spermatogonium A
spyholes
takes precedence
tell-truth
transport vesicles
transverse key
triple clamp
unsnarlings
vv. obturatori?
warthin-Finkeldeldey
weregilds
within one's depth
year in, year out
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