词海拾贝：My stars and garters! 哎呀! 天啊
<p> 据统计，凡夫俗子平均每天会迸出至少一句惊叹语：天啊!上帝啊! 习惯了<span word="My">My</span> <span word="goodness">goodness</span>或<span word="My">My</span> <span word="God">God</span>，偶尔听到外国人惊呼<span word="My">My</span> <span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>，颇感怪异。由星星和勋章组合而成的天啊是美国用语，不过，它的原产地可是在英国。</p><p> <span word="Garter">Garter</span>原指嘉德勋章，是英国王室授給爵士的最高勋位。由于爵士们的勋章大都是星星形状，所以到18世纪，短语<span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>开始被人们使用，当时用来指代各种类似的勋章。随着时间的推移，<span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>慢慢成了荣誉的代名词，同时，也用来形容被授予类似荣誉的群体，比如：汉语中的侯门就可以用<span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>来表示。</p><p> 到19世纪，甚至连语言学家都感到惊奇，<span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>(荣誉)竟然摇身一变，成了挂在人们口边的<span word="My">My</span> <span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>!(天啊!)。与<span word="My">My</span> <span word="goodness">goodness</span>或<span word="My">My</span> <span word="God">God</span>相比，<span word="My">My</span> <span word="stars">stars</span>(<span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>)戏谑、幽默的成分更强烈。</p><p> 瞧下面这句话，选自英国讽刺大师萨克雷的<span word="The">The</span> <span word="book">book</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="snobs">snobs</span>(《势利人脸谱》)：</p><p> <span word="O">O</span>! <span word="stars">stars</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="garters">garters</span>! <span word="how">how</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="start">start</span> <span word="if">if</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="heard">heard</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="she">she</span>-<span word="she">she</span>, <span word="as">as</span> <span word="solemn">solemn</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="Minerva">Minerva</span>-<span word="she">she</span>, <span word="as">as</span> <span word="chaste">chaste</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="Diana">Diana</span> -<span word="that">that</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="Snob">Snob</span>!(天啊，她如智慧女神那般神圣，如月亮女神那般纯洁如果听到有人说自己是个势力小人，会是何等惊讶!)</p><p> </p>
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