Nitty-gritty: 本质，实质
<p><span word="Nitty">Nitty</span>-<span word="gritty">gritty</span>: 本质，实质</p><p>记忆中我们很早就被告之：认识事物，首先要抓住事物的“本质”。英语中，“本质、精髓”常用单词<span word="essence">essence</span>来表示，今天谈的<span word="nitty">nitty</span>-<span word="gritty">gritty</span>也表示“本质”，不过更加口语话。 <span word="Nitty">Nitty</span>-<span word="gritty">gritty</span>（本质）是个合成词，由两种极微小的事物——“虱子”和“沙砾”——组成，<span word="nitty">nitty</span>（多虱子的）源于名词<span word="nit">nit</span>（虱子），<span word="gritty">gritty</span>相应的名词形式<span word="grit">grit</span>指“沙砾”。语言学家猜测，也许人们觉得，微小的东西比庞然大物更易于掌握，更与“本质、核心”相吻合，所以，“虱子”+“沙子”——颇显怪诞的“微小”组合——竟成了重中之重的“核心”、“本质”和“精髓”。 这种猜测很容易让人想起诗人<span word="William">William</span> <span word="Blake">Blake</span>（威廉·布莱克）那首有名的诗行：<span word="To">To</span> <span word="see">see</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="world">world</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="grain">grain</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="sand">sand</span>, <span word="And">And</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="heaven">heaven</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="wild">wild</span> <span word="flower">flower</span>; <span word="Hold">Hold</span> <span word="infinity">infinity</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="palm">palm</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="your">your</span> <span word="hand">hand</span>, <span word="And">And</span> <span word="eternity">eternity</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="hour">hour</span>（从一粒沙子里可以看穿宇宙，从一朵野花里可以看到天堂；你可以把无限握在手心，把永恒存于瞬间）。 记着哦，下次如果有人在您面前天花乱坠晕侃时，您不妨提醒他一下： <span word="Let">Let</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="get">get</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="nitty">nitty</span>-<span word="gritty">gritty</span>.（咱们讨论些实质的东西吧！)</p>
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