中英之鑒 中式英語(yǔ)之鑒368

[誤] Being shot in the left leg, the brave soldier knew that he had to bite his teeth silently before getting rescued.

[正] Being shot in the left leg, the brave soldier knew that he had to bite the bullet silently before getting rescued.

注：我們用“咬緊牙關(guān)”來(lái)表達(dá)忍受痛苦，而英語(yǔ)中卻用“咬住子彈”(bite the bullet)。據(jù)說(shuō)它源于以前戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上條件艱苦，連麻約都沒(méi)有，接受手術(shù)的士兵只有靠咬住子彈來(lái)使自己不至于疼得叫出聲來(lái)。這一說(shuō)法雖然慘烈了一點(diǎn)，但卻具有極強(qiáng)的感染力。