看見今天的題目，你們沒有懷疑Bella 怎麼不文起來吧？其實，人有三急，此乃生理需要，那些部位跟手腳頭頸一樣，僅人體一部份而已，人皆有之，沒什麼大不了。何況，我們今天童心看世界，又有什麼不文可言呢？

成人跟小孩說話，不自覺會用了「BB話」，特別提到噁心、敏感或尷尬的事物，都會以童言童話  (child's words) 取代，是委婉語 (euphemism) 的一種，以保存兒童世界的純真。

相信很多網友都已為人父人母，都有教小朋友「坐痰罐」、「去廁所」的經驗。以下一起看看男孩學上廁所的兩文三語：

Amy has been potty-training her toddler, Marty, lately. She hopes that he can get toilet-trained before his second birthday. But little Marty isn’t quite ready to say goodbye to his diapers yet. 愛美最近在教她的學步寶寶小馬田坐便盆，她希望他兩歲能學會自己上廁所。可是，小馬田似乎還沒準備好跟尿布說再見。

Amy: Marty, when you need to pee or poo. Just tell Mum immediately and say, ‘I want a wee,”  or “I need a poo. That simple. Okay? 小馬田，想尿尿或便便，就趕快告訴媽媽，說「我想尿尿」或「我要便便」，這麼簡單。行嗎？

Marty nods with a frown, face turning red and hands grasping his willy. 小馬田皺著眉、臉色發紅的點點頭，雙手抓緊著小雞雞。

Amy: So, what are you doing with you hands now?  Wanna wee-wee or poo-poo? Or both? 那你的手在幹嗎？要尿尿還是便便？還是尿尿便便一起來？

下會再談：小女孩沒有小雞雞，那她們有的叫什麼？

相關網誌：看便便學英語 – 此Stool不同彼Stool，兩文三語對對碰【3】:起了個大包

兩文三語怎樣說？

昨天談到手提電話「無電」、「收唔到」的各種英文表達。那你們試過電器的電池「用舊咗臣臣地」沒有？英文又怎樣說？

「用舊咗」（可視程度選用以下句子）：

1. 開始用舊：The battery is showing its age/ is aging. The battery is beginning to wear out.
2. 已經用舊：The battery has worn out (<-- 作動詞用）. The battery is worn-out. (<-- 作形容詞）

「臣臣地」：temperamental
Temperamental 本指人「喜怒無常」、「易怒的」，也指人物或事物「難以捉摸 / 無規律可循 （= 無譜、估佢唔到）」，引申指機器等not always working properly，偶爾出現故障, 像人一樣難以捉摸。無獨有偶，「部機臣臣地」，普通話的說法是「這機器愛耍脾氣」，又再一次印證，中西方的思想，原來可以這樣接近。

例子：

1. The actress was so temperamental that nobody could get along with her. 這女星總是喜怒無常，誰也跟她相處不來。
2. The weather has been temperamental lately. 最近天氣變幻無常，陰晴不定。
3. You have to handle our TV with care - it's rather temperamental. 你要小心碰我們的電視機，它有點愛耍脾氣。

相關網誌: 「無電、得一格電、收唔到」,英文點講?

「蘇州過後無艇搭」

曾經試過以下的經驗沒有？看中了一雙鞋子，非常滿意，卻想：總會有更好的選擇，再走走看看吧，總可以回來再買。可是，當走遍整個商場後，試盡各種鞋款，還是覺得你最好。你急步回到第一間鞋店，店員惋惜的告訴你：「你遲來一步了！剛才有位有心人，珍而重之把它買了回家了。」最後，店員還幸災樂禍的拋下一句：「你早早喜歡的話，為何不拿定主意買它回家？早告訴你：好貨難求。」

人其實相當愚蠢。未見過、未試過的總想去試，心想自己還有更好的選擇，不懂珍惜擁有的，哪知握在手裡的，原來是最好的、最適合自己的。可是，到他恍然大悟的時候，「蘇州過後無艇搭」，普通話是「過了這個村，沒這個店」，英文是Opportunity only knocks once (but not twice)/ Opportunity never knocks twice at any man's door，機會可一不可再。

機會這回事，從來都是稍縱即逝。Here today, gone tomorrow. Nothing is always there for you if you don't treasure it and try hard to keep it.

可是，人總是貪心的動物。有人會想：為了一棵樹，放棄一個森林, 划不來；然而對方也不笨，心想： 天涯何處無芳草，There are plenty more fish/ other fish in the sea, 你放棄，是你「走寶」了。

《伊索寓言》（Aesop's Fables) 中有一個故事，用來說明何謂「貪字得個貧」最好不過：

The Dog and the Meat

A dog with a fine slab of meat in his mouth crossed a bridge over a river and saw his reflection （倒影）in the water. Thinking it to be another dog with a larger piece of meat he let go his own and dived at the other dog to take it. He surfaced with nothing and his dinner washed away in the current （付諸流水）.

The moral of the story is: Be satisfied with what you have or you may lose it

為了鏡花水月而不惜放棄手中最好、最寶貴的東西，到頭來落得一場空，後悔莫及，抱憾終生。何苦？只不過因為「隔離飯香」，The grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence)。不是人人能夠明白珍惜眼前所有，不要冒險犯難的道理。A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

After all, it's all a matter of choice.

相類網誌：「鬚根」的兩文三語怎樣說?

唔好催佢啦, 佢倒瀉籮蟹咁, 亂哂大籠喇!                  

別催他呢, 他狼狽不堪, 全亂套了!

Don't rush him. He's all over the place. He's made a complete mess of everything!

知多一點點

1. 「唔好催佢」/別催他 (bié cuī tā): Don't rush him!

2. 「倒瀉籮蟹」: 「拿手唔成勢」,比喻遇到突如其來的困難時手足無措的窘態(jiǒnɡ tài)，不知如何應付才好，狼狽不堪(lánɡ bèi bù kān)。

此外, 廣東話的「甩甩漏漏」指人粗心大意或健忘, 所以做事不周全, 普通話可以說「掉三落四」(diào sān là sì)。留意, 這裡的「落」是口語詞, 讀 là (普通話的文白異讀), 解「遺漏」、「遺留」。

例子(一): 如果小孩子因為沒帶東西被老師罵一次,震撼一下,會不會讓她從此改掉掉三落四的毛病呢?

例子(二): 這裡落(là)了(= 「漏咗」)兩個字, 應該添上。

例子(三): 我忙著出來, 把書落(là)在家裡了。

3. all over the place:

原意指人「到處走」、「滿場飛」(everywhere)：

e.g. He was all over the place at the party last night. I ran all over the place looking for him.

或指東西到處（亂）放(scattered in a lot of different places in an untidy way)：

e.g. There was blood all over the place. （血迹斑斑）

e.g.  There were dirty dishes and clothes all over the place.

e.g. She came in with her hair all over the place. (披頭散髮）

也引申指人或事情雜亂無章、糟透了(not well organised):

e.g. This performance was all over the place and not worthy of the price of admission.

e.g. On his first date with Mary, John was all over the place. It just takes a little time to get comfortable, and he is certainly feeling more comfortable now.

4. 亂哂大籠

全亂套了(quan2 luan4 tao4 le)、亂七八糟（luan4 qi1 ba1 zao1) 、亂糟糟（luan4 zao1 zao1)

類似的英文表達有：

He left his room all topsy-turvy. His room is a complete mess!

People with dyslexia (讀寫障礙）don't live in the topsy-turvy world; it's just the rest of us who do!

His illness has turned our ordered life topsy-turvy/upside down. （他的病顛倒了我們井然有序的生活。）

He doesn't talk about his personal life when it becomes messy.

Ever since our secretary walked out, the office has been in a state of total/utter chaos.

The house is a bit chaotic at the moment -- - we've got all these extra people staying and we're still decorating.

He had made a complete mess of everything?（“亂哂大籠”、“一鑊粥”、一塌糊塗 yi4 ta1 hu2 tu2 等等)

Bella 學習小貼士

作文時，你是否都會有「書到用時方恨少」的感慨，覺得自己詞彙不足，「倒吊都無滴墨水」？

像Bella這樣，閒時看書或看電影時，把學到的詞語/用語歸類，寫下例句（謹記：不要只記字，更重要是透過例句學習如何運用！），不但易於牢記，還可以未雨綢繆，為作文或翻譯做好兩手準備，作文時便可得心應手，「要咩有咩」！

我已經等咗佢足足有 3 個鐘, 等到腰都梗埋, 估唔到佢居然放我飛機!

我已經等了他足有3 個小時, 等到腰也硬了, 想不到他居然放了我鴿子（爽約）！

I've been waiting* for him for 3 whole hours. Even my lower back gets stiff now. I can't believe he stood me up!

知多一點點

 腰(yao1)：這裡其實指腰骨，所以用lower back，另一個字waist 則泛指腰部，也指衣物的腰部(the part of a piece of clothing that goes around or covers the area between the hips [臀部] and the ribs [肋骨])。

e.g. My lower back pain has been nagging me all these years. 這些年來我一直腰痛纏身。

e.g. This skirt has an elastic waist. 呢條半截裙係橡筋頭（彈性腰圍）嘅。

「梗」；硬(ying4)了: stiff

e.g. Sitting still in front of a computer all day long can give you a stiff neck. (「頸梗」）

 「放飛機」；放鴿子(fang4 ge1 zi); 爽約(shuang3 yue1)：to stand sb up

放鴿子又指騙婚，男女搭檔的騙子，假意把女的嫁給某君，成婚後女的突然失蹤，席捲潛逃，被騙的冤大頭只落得人財兩空。騙局中女騙子被稱為鴿子。

"To stand sb up" means "to intentionally fail to meet someone when you said you would", 即失約、 「放飛機」

e.g.: I don't know if I've been stood up or if she's just late - I'll wait another half hour.

*I've been waiting: 這兒用have been waiting (present perfect continuous tense) 而不用 have waited (present perfect),  用continuous 來指出我一直non-stop 等佢，以表達我的不滿。

（圖片來源：www.brian.geek.nz/ stuff/toons.html）

前一篇我跟你們說了小弟弟摔倒, 頭上起了個大包的故事, 今天續談「大包」。

「大包整多兩籠, 大包整多兩籠唔怕滯...」

不要誤會, Bella 這裡說的, 不是麥兜愛吃的大包。普通話裡的大包泛指皮膚上隆起的小塊, 可以大如「瘤」(a bump), 也可以小如「蚊癩」(a mosquito bite) 。

廣:「啱啱畀蚊針到, 起咗一大撻蚊癩, 痕到死, 痕到我一直手唔停咁拗 !」

普: 剛才給蚊子釘了/咬了一個大包, 癢得要命, 癢得我一直抓個不停!

A mosquito just bit me and has given me this big bite. It gets so itchy  that I can't help scratching it!

不知你們有沒有發現 -- 蚊癩係越拗越痕, 越痕越拗, 返拗仲痕啲!

這是Bella 小時的發現。Bella 小時住公屋, 經常給蚊子釘個大包小包的, 閒著沒事兒都會抓抓已經不癢的大包, 誰料越抓越癢, 癢得一發不可收拾!!!

今天在網上讀到這篇打油詩, 正好概括Bella 的發現:

不抓不癢, 不癢不抓; 抓抓癢癢, 癢癢抓抓; 越抓越癢, 越癢越抓。

The more you scratch, the itchier it gets! Continual scratching prolongs the itching!

2. 畀蚊針到 = 給蚊子(wen2 zi)釘(ding1)了/咬(yao3)了 = a mosquito bit me

3. 拗痕 = 抓癢 (zhua1 yang3) = scratch

4. 手唔停咁拗 = 抓個不停 (zhua1 ge bu4 ting2) = I can't help scratching it!

多年前有一天，我上門到一個學生家裡補習。下課後，我跟他媽媽坐在沙發上正談得投契，突然卧室傳來隆隆巨響，接著便是兩歲小弟弟的哭聲。然後只見來自上海的媽媽跟婆婆發慌似的，你一言我一語用上海話高聲吵個不停。

過了一會，大家才冷靜下來。看見一臉狐疑的我，媽媽終於用我聽得懂的語言－－普通話，告訴我到底發生了什麼事。人遇到突如其來的事，本能反應說回母語，定過神來才記起自己的第二語言，第三語言突然變被拋於千里之外。

(閱讀全文)

相信各位，特別是女士們，都曾有以下的經驗：

「話說Bella 最近買了一對紅色的漆皮高踭鞋，靚就靚，但係新鞋始終都夾腳／卡腳／刮腳，磨到生水泡，仲卡損咗，好辛苦，要黐膠布先冇咁痛咋，攝個鞋墊就舒服好多啦。」

Bella 最近買了一雙紅色的漆皮高跟鞋，漂亮是漂亮，但新鞋總是硌腳，磨得起泡，還磕破了皮，真難受，得貼上創可貼／ok 繃才沒那麼痛，墊了鞋墊兒舒服多了。

Bella has just bought a pair of red patent leather high heels. Sure they're nice but new shoes pinch. All the rubbing gave me blisters and even tore/scraped my skin. It really gave me a hard time. It hurt so bad until I put on the plasters /Band-Aids. And fitted with pads, the shoes are now much more comfortable.

相關網誌:　「生人霸死地」兩文三語怎樣說?

「佢都咁大個囉,留佢係屋企盞哂米飯。依家同佢行嗰個男人究竟係咪娶佢，我睇都話唔實，淨係喺度生人霸死地!不與求其嫁佢出去算啦!」這番話用英語及普通話該怎樣說呢？

多年前看由黎明、吳倩蓮和梅艷芳主演的《半生緣》，當中出現類似的普通話對白。吳母要棒打鴛鴦，拆散她和黎明，把她嫁給姐姐（梅艷芳）的老公做妾侍，慘情，慘情：

「她都長得這麼大了，呆在家裡白吃米飯。現在和她一起的那個男的，到底要她不要，我看也還沒準兒，光騎著茅坑不拉屎的！倒不如把她隨便嫁出去好了！」

(Tā dōu zhǎnɡ de zhè me dà le, dāi zài jiā li bái chī mǐ fàn. Xiàn zài hé tā yì qǐ de nà ge nán de, dào dǐ yào tā bù yào, wǒ kàn yě hái méi zhǔnr, ɡuānɡ qí zhe máo kēnɡ bù lā shǐ de! Dào bù rú bǎ tā suí biàn jià chū qù hǎo le!)

解釋及例句： 

     

「生人霸死地」的普通話就是「騎／佔(zhàn)著茅坑不拉屎」，有點低俗，卻十分傳神。留意這裡出現了廣普各取一字的現象，「霸佔」一詞，廣東話口語說「霸」，普通話口語是「佔」。另一個例子是「座位」，廣東人說「位」，普通話裡叫「座」。因此我們「霸位」，他們「佔座」。

英文的a dog in the manger, 來自《伊索寓言》其中一個故事，用來形容someone who keeps something that they do not want in order to prevent someone else from getting it（釋義來自Cambridge Dictionaries Online)。Manger 是牛馬等牲畜的飼料槽，狗狗不吃馬糧，卻來霸佔人家地頭，當然就是「生人霸死地」！

1. He's good for nothing. He's such a waste of food.

2. 'To see somebody' here means 'to have a romantic relationship with someone', 即「拍拖」

3. Why be a dog in the manger? If you aren't going to use those tickets, let someone else have them.

4. She is an orphan and her uncle wanted to marry her off so as to get back the amount of money he had spent on her hospital bill when she was ill.

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