【情景再現(xiàn)】
一位新員工由于工作失誤導(dǎo)致公司損失了一個(gè)很重要的客戶。今天下午公司要開(kāi)例會(huì),Catherine在上午下班時(shí)提醒這位新員工說(shuō):Bite your tongue if the the boss says something you don't like, or you may get fired.
Bite your tongue. 你要保持沉默。
bite是“咬”的意思,bite your tongue字面意思就是“咬緊舌頭”,而其真正意義則是“強(qiáng)忍住不說(shuō),強(qiáng)迫自己保持沉默;保持緘默”。漢語(yǔ)里咬嘴唇給人的感覺(jué)就是默不作聲,悶聲不響,而到了英語(yǔ)里則變成了咬舌頭。所以在老板生氣的節(jié)骨眼上,最好勸一下挨批的同事:You'd better bite your tongue when the boss is angry.
【英語(yǔ)情景劇】
Benjamin: I think I will be criticized openly in tomorrow's conference.
本杰明:我想我會(huì)在明天的大會(huì)上當(dāng)眾挨批。
Todd: Bite your tongue if the boss says something you don't like during the meeting, or you may get fired.
托德:大會(huì)上如果老板說(shuō)了不中聽(tīng)的話,你要保持沉默,否則可能被解雇的。