韓Sir 資深英語教師
在莎士比亞的著作裡,我們不單能看到人生百態、悲歡離合和愛恨交織的場面,還可以學到英語世界內精確而獨特的表達方式。在莎翁的劇作中,劇中人的台詞,有愛的呼聲,有恨的吶喊,有迷惘的反思,有尖銳的諷刺,有由衷的讚美,也有痛快的謾罵。
說起罵人的藝術,莎士比亞可算是大師中的大師。在他的著作裡,人性的醜惡、壞人的惡行、偽善的面孔,比比皆是,都活生生暴露於舞台上。莎翁又怎會筆下留情?該罵的都用了最到肉、最尖酸刻薄的用語,一針見血,罵個狗血淋頭、罵得流漓痛快!
朋友,在您的周遭,是否充斥著該罵的人?在您的經驗裡,是否遍尋也找不到適當的英語詞彙,可以用來罵人?不妨學學莎翁,且看看下列方式:
「直截了當」式
“ He's a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker, the owner of no one good quality.” 《All's Well That Ends Well》
一個永遠說謊、從不守信、無一是處的出名懦夫,該不該罵?
“ He is deformed, crooked, old and sere, Ill-fac'd, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere ; Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind, Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.” 《The Comedy of Errors》
這個又老又醜、心腸惡毒、無禮又無恥之徒,用上這麼多形容詞來罵也難洩心頭之恨!
「明諷暗喻」式
“ There's no more faith in thee than in a stewed prune.” 《Henry IV》
誠信如燜爛的西梅,也確實很「爛」啊!
“ His brain is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage.” 《As You Like It》
腦裡空無一物,像旅行完畢時所餘下之餅乾碎,這人聰明極也有限!
“ He's a rank weed, and we must root him out.” 《Henry VIII》
如蔓生之雜草,怎能不除之而後快!
「指桑罵槐」式
“ Hell is empty, And all the devils are here.” 《The Tempest》
地獄空空如也,所有魔魅妖獸都在此。借「地獄」罵「人間」,絕!
“ I had rather be a tick in a sheep than such a valiant ignorance.” 《Troilus and Cressida》
我寧做羊身上的一隻蝨,也不要這般極度無知!
罵人是一種藝術,梁實秋早有文章說:「想罵人的時候而不罵,時常在身體上弄出毛病,所以想罵人時,罵罵何妨。」若懂得套用莎士比亞的名句來罵人,出言典雅,對手必瞠目結舌。在英語世界內,又多一技傍身,勤練習、記於心,隨時順手拈來,該罵的便罵個痛快!
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