上次講過tongue（舌頭），經常用作比喻語言、說話。今天講另一個也是與tongue有關的短語tongues wagging（鼓動舌頭）。
短語中wag是動詞，意思是快速而重複地擺動，例如狗兒開心或興奮時，尾巴會不停擺動。
Every evening when he comes home, his dog wags its tail happily.
每晚他返抵家裡的時候，他的狗都會高興地擺尾。
另外，手指左右擺動也可以用wag，表示不同意或不可以的手勢。
The teacher wagged his finger at the boys, telling them to stop talking.
老師向男生們擺動手指，示意他們不要再談話。
Tongues wag 流言四起
原來舌頭也可以擺動。所謂tongues wagging就是舌頭不停擺動，比喻不停地說話。這短語的tongues是眾數，即是很多人都在說，一起加入談論。
所以，tongues wagging描述的是人們蜚短流長，議論紛紛，甚至散播謠言。
Tongues wagged when he was seen taken away by the police.
有人看到他被警方帶走後，流言四起。
They had wanted to keep their relationship a secret but very soon tongues wagged.
他們本想把戀情保密，但是很快就有流言揭露出來。
Tongues began to wag after the meeting and now people are saying that the president is going to resign.
那次會議後，開始有傳言散播，現在人們都在說總統將會辭職。
互聯網「私語」散播更快
不難明白，說set/start tongues wagging，就是做了一些事，惹人猜疑，引起別人竊竊私語和街談巷議。
The photo of the two stars having dinner together has set tongues wagging.
那兩個明星一起用膳的照片，引發一輪街談巷議。
The suspicious behavior of the young man started tongues wagging among neighbors.
那個年輕人的可疑行為，惹來鄰居竊竊私語、街談巷議。
His speech has set tongues wagging and everyone is wondering what he has in mind.
他的演講引來種種傳言。每個人都在揣測他到底在想什麼。
今天，社交網絡大行其道，不必真的擺動舌頭，透過互聯網也可以議論紛紛，流言四竄，故此在網絡世界也可以有tongues wagging，而且可能散播得更快更廣。
His disappearance has started tongues wagging in different social media.
他失蹤的事在不同社交媒體引來種種議論。
■Lina CHU [ linachu88@gmail.com ]
隔星期三見報