文/liangchaoxford 广东凉茶煲牛津
一
这是第34篇阅读随笔。
昨日流量收入1.18元。
继续阅读英文版《傲慢与偏见》。
“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”
这段话是《傲慢与偏见》中的贝内特太太(Mrs. Bennet) 所说。
我把其中三个陌生词给出简洁注释:
persuade:v. 说服,劝服
neglect:v. 忽视,忽略
acquaintance:n. 相识的人;熟人;结识
解决了生词,这段文字的中文就出来了。
“你可真好,我亲爱的班纳特先生!不过我就知道,我最终肯定能说服你。我早说过,你那么疼爱女儿们,绝不会放过这样一位(值得结识的)人。哎呀,我太高兴了!而且这事儿多有意思啊,你今早居然就去了,还直到现在才肯说一个字。”
二
这段文字有四个句子,我逐句拆解赏析:
1.“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet!”
这是一个感叹句,英语情感表达结构,“How good it was in you”,直接抒发对对方行为的赞赏。
贝内特太太语气夸张,视丈夫的行动为“天大的好事”,她“对女儿婚事极度狂热”,她认为,丈夫拜访宾利先生是“通向女儿嫁入豪门的关键一步”,赞美,激动。
2.“But I knew I should persuade you at last.”
“persuade” 是核心动词,表达“说服”的结果。
贝内特太太此前一直喋喋不休,怂恿丈夫行动,这句是对自己“游说能力”的炫耀,对丈夫“最终妥协”的得意,将“女儿婚事的推进”归功于自己。
3.“I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance.”
“neglect” ,“忽视”,“acquaintance” ,“需要结识的人(宾利先生)”。
贝内特太太讲话“擅长情感操控”,把先生去“拜访宾利先生”包装成“因疼爱女儿而主动拓展人脉”的行为,赞美丈夫是“慈父”。
4.“Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”
这个句子有点长,开头句是情绪宣泄的感叹句,后句用“such a good joke” 调侃丈夫的“隐瞒行为”,“should have gone”, 表达“竟然去了”,有点意外与戏谑感。
贝内特太太把丈夫“悄悄行动又隐瞒”的举动当成趣味,一方面调侃丈夫行为,一方面因“目标达成”得意洋洋,人物变得鲜活。
三
读到《傲慢与偏见》里贝内特太太这段话,那些絮絮叨叨里,全是“affirm”(肯定)的劲儿,肯定你的好,肯定心里的在意。
affirm,牛津高阶词典里的英英解释:
to state clearly or publicly that sth is true or that you support sth strongly 申明;断言;肯定属实
先读头一句:“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet!”(你真好啊,我亲爱的贝内特先生!)
这声“好”,很直白,不是虚头巴脑的夸,是把“我知道你为这个家费心了”藏在里头,是最实在的affirm。
“A kind word is a warm affirm.”(一句好话,是温暖的肯定)
年轻时觉得“夸人”肉麻,老了才懂,这声“好”,能让苦日子都甜三分。
再看:“But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance.”(可我就知道我能劝动你。我就信你疼闺女,不会错过这门亲事。)
这“肯定”不是瞎吹,是知道他心里的秤,哪头重,哪头轻,都在行动里。
“Trust is a silent affirm.”(信任是无声的肯定)
肯定就是信任,肯定就是心里觉得结实。
接着读:“Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”(哎呀,我真高兴!你今早偷偷去了,到现在才说,这可真逗!)
这“逗”里的欢喜,是把“你懂我心思”的默契,用最热闹的方式affirm出来。
“Joy is a loud affirm of love.”(欢喜是爱意的大声肯定)
咱不常说“爱”,可高兴起来,眼角眉梢都蕴含着affirm。
“Daily bits are full of affirm.”(日常碎碎念里,全是肯定)
“Affirm makes heart close.”(肯定让心贴得近)。
“Life is a string of small affirms, weaving the warmth of years.”(生活是一串细碎的肯定,织出岁月的暖)。
贝内特太太絮絮叨叨里的欢喜,和我们的日子一样,没那么多轰轰烈烈,可那些“你真好”“我就知道”的affirm,早把柴米油盐,过成了最踏实的依靠。
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