读讽刺大师的作品,比如读契诃夫、读马克·吐温,若能读出话里玄机实为一种享受,否则,你还真有点找不到北。为什么?话中有话呗!没听说过“厚道的文化人始终少见”,骂你、捉弄你还让你以为他在夸你、恭维你。

英语中,如是文字、如是话语,可用“tongue in cheek”来形容。比如,不得人缘的Mike被John鼓动着,要去竞选学生会主席。明摆着耍人嘛!好心的你这时可告诉Mike:“Don' t be fooled by John's complimentary words. They were all said with tongue in cheek.”(别让他的恭维话给糊弄住,那些话可当不得真.)

“Tongue in cheek”最早出现于19世纪,据说,源于日常生活中人们的“吐舌头”。其实,一直到现在,我们也有这样的“鬼脸” —— 开了玩笑后,别人还没辨出真假的当,你把舌头伸出来,伸左、伸右伸哪个方向都可以,反正伸到了脸上,告诉对方,“逗你玩儿呢,别当真!”

再看个例句:Be careful in reading G. B. Shaw. He often had his tongue in his cheek.(读肖伯纳的作品可得注意,他常常话中有话。)

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