【英語世界】得一就想二 兩邊塗牛油

這一年半載，多了時間在家，閒來追看劇集，亦是很好的娛樂。看懸疑偵探劇時，常會想想誰是兇手，猜猜誰是犯人，看多了，發覺最後抓獲的真兇多是先前看起來最和藹可親、令人覺得最忠誠可靠的人。這些人表裡不一，只是外表友善，就像英文慣用語說的look as though butter would not melt in their mouths。

字面上，look as though butter would not melt in one's mouth 是「看起來牛油也不會融在這人嘴裡」，比喻一個人面相和善，行為端正，不慍不火，含在嘴裡的牛油也不會融化，但不要看這人一臉老實，其實他可以做出一些惡意或可怕的事情。此語形容人表面純真、無辜、正派，但心藏惡毒、暗箭傷人、心術不正。

The doctor looked as though butter would not melt in his mouth, but it turned out at the end that he was a serial killer.

那名醫生外表道貌岸然，最後卻原來是連環殺手。

These politicians may be well-dressed and look as though butter would not melt in their mouths. They are in fact often dishonest and not trustworthy.

這些政客衣冠楚楚，一派正義凜然，但其實很多時都不誠實，不值得信任。

The teenage girl looks as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Actually, she is a bully and behaves rather maliciously sometimes.

那個十多歲的少女外表清純，卻原來常常霸凌別人，行為有時十分惡毒。

戲劇往往比照現實世界的各色人物創造不同角色，也是觀賞的點子。除了一些表裡不同的兩面人，另有一類，看風使舵，唯利是圖，這些人懂得什麼對自己最有利，處於某些環境，知道該做些什麼事，說些什麼話，討好什麼人，以獲得最大利益，英文說他們know which side their bread is buttered。

字面上，know which side one's bread is buttered即是「知道自己那片麵包哪一面塗上了牛油」。麵包塗上牛油，味道更好，但是只會塗一邊。知道哪一邊有牛油，比喻知道哪裡有好處。描寫一個人懂得計算自己的利益，明白利之所在，處事待人只謀求好處。

He supports the boss every time because he knows which side his bread is buttered.

他每次都支持上司，因為他深明趨利避害之道。

She was a woman who knew which side her bread was buttered. She didn't reveal all the facts to the press.

她是精於衡量利害的女人，沒有向傳媒透露所有事實。

另外有些人，過於貪心，不管是否合理或公平，企圖同一時間從各方面圖利。這些人罔顧環境，得一想二，英文會說他們want their bread buttered on both sides。

同一道理，麵包一般只有一邊塗上牛油，字面上want one's bread buttered on both sides是「想要自己的麵包兩邊都塗上了牛油」，或者說butter one's bread on both sides，「把麵包兩邊都塗上牛油」，都是比喻同時從兩個對立陣營或不能共融的處境撈取利益。

You can't ask for a rise in salary and a reduction in working hours at the same time. You can't butter your bread on both sides.

你不可以同時要求加薪和減工時，不能得一想二。

They need to make a choice. They cannot have their bread buttered on both sides.

他們必須作出選擇，不可企圖兼得兩方利益。

以上的用語都提到butter牛油，全部帶有貶義，都是形容一些不好的特性，表裡不一，看風使舵，兩面通吃。這些人不單出現在戲劇中，現實生活中應該亦不少，用語當中的比喻不難明白。

● Lina CHU

[ linachu88@gmail.com ]

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