中式英語之鑑:他經常拍老師的馬屁
同學們都很討厭他,因爲他經常拍老師的馬屁。
[誤] The student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's ass.
[正] The students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's boots.
注:以前在歐洲,臣民見到國王與王后往往要葡匐到在,親吻他們的靴子。後來,人們將
lick the boots 引申爲“爲了某種目的而討好某人”,它與漢語的“拍馬屁”含義一樣。
在美國英語中,“拍馬屁”還有另一種說法,即polish the apple,它典出以前的學生用擦亮的蘋果來討好老師。