圣经故事: The apple of ones eye
<p>圣经故事: <span word="The">The</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="one">one</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="eye">eye</span></p><p>说“眼睛是心灵的窗户”,您或许不屑一顾——老土的“诗”话;说“瞳孔反映人的心理”,您得相信——现代研究发现,一个人愉悦、兴奋时,他的瞳孔就会扩大,反之,则缩小。看来,“眉目传情”确实有科学可依,而用“<span word="the">the</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="one">one</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="eye">eye</span>”(瞳孔)来表达“掌上明珠”也着实合情合理。 英语中,瞳孔常用“<span word="pupil">pupil</span>”来表达,不过,“<span word="the">the</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="eye">eye</span>”也可表达此意,如《圣经》中:“<span word="Keep">Keep</span> <span word="me">me</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="eye">eye</span>.”(求你保护我,如同保护眼中的瞳孔。)正因为这一典故,大约9世纪,短语“<span word="the">the</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="one">one</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="eye">eye</span>”(掌上明珠)开始被人们广泛使用。 从另一方面来看,用“<span word="apple">apple</span>”(苹果)来指代“瞳孔”,则反映了人类过去在解剖学上的无知——瞳孔(虹膜中间的小圆孔)被误认为是“实心的球体”。也许苹果是我们日常生活中最经常见到的球体,所以,这个微小的“实心球体”就被称为“眼中的苹果”。 不过,“误打误撞”倒也撞得值,否则,我们就难有这么怪异奇趣的比喻:“眼中的苹果”——掌上明珠: <span word="Tom">Tom</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="apple">apple</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="grandmother">grandmother</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="eye">eye</span>.(汤姆是他奶奶的掌上明珠。)</p>
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