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筆者在看英文台的電視劇時，聽到下面的一句對白：
'He and his wife were here last summer. They were head over heels.'
「他與太太去年夏天到這裡來，恩愛得不得了。」
用於實況 人仰馬翻
短語「head over heels」是甚麼意思？其中的「head」是頭，而「heel」是腳跟。「head over heels」是指頭向下，腳跟向上，整個人像翻筋斗般完全倒轉了。
用於實況描述，可以說人翻倒了。例如：
He lost balance and fell head over heels down the stairs.
他失去了平衡，跌下階梯，栽了一個倒豎蔥。
The car knocked the old man head over heels.
那車子把老人撞得整個翻倒了。
故此，「head over heels」也有「完全地」的意思，亦可引申作「深刻」。 現在普遍的用法是「head over heels in love」。有時「in love」也可刪除，只說「head over heels」，即是深深地、完全投入地戀上了某人，或者喜歡了某事物。
We can see in the wedding party that the couple is head over heels in love with each other.
我們在婚宴上可以看到，那對夫婦真的深深相愛。
It is obvious that he is now head over heels for football. He spends all his time practicing football in the club.
很明顯，他現在十分熱愛足球，花很多時間在球會內練習。
用於情感 一見鍾情
如果說「fall head over heels」，就是突然、驀然地深深地愛上的意思。
They met in the workshop and instantly fell head over heels with each other.
他們在工作坊相遇，立即墮入愛河。
When she was studying in university, she fell head over heels for a young man in her class. Their relation ended a few years later and she was never in love again.
她在大學唸書的時候，驀然戀上了同班一名青年。不過，這段關係只維持了數年，之後她沒有再談戀愛。
所以，電視劇說的「they were head over heels」，意思是那對夫婦恩愛非常。
不要把這短語和另一句「from head to foot/toe」混淆了。「from head to foot/toe」說的是整個人、全個身體，真的是「由頭到腳」，是實物描述，不是隱喻。
It was so cold that we all trembled from head to foot.
天氣很冷，我們由頭到腳，整個人冷得打顫。
Dressed in red from head to toe, she attracted the attention of everyone in the party.
她一身衣裝都是紅色，吸引了宴會內全場人士的注意。
記住了，head to foot/toe是全身，整個身體，而head over heels是比喻熱戀。■ Lina CHU
[ linachu88@netvigator.com ]
逢星期三見報
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