Go scot-free: 安然无恙，逍遥法外
<p> <span word="Go">Go</span> <span word="scot">scot</span>-<span word="free">free</span>: 安然无恙，逍遥法外</p><p> 杂志上读到了这句话：“<span word="He">He</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="done">done</span> <span word="serious">serious</span> <span word="wrong">wrong</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="friends">friends</span>. <span word="You">You</span> <span word="just">just</span> <span word="wait">wait</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="see">see</span>. <span word="They">They</span> <span word="will">will</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="let">let</span> <span word="him">him</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="scot">scot</span>-<span word="free">free</span>。” 依据句子间的逻辑关系，“<span word="not">not</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="scot">scot</span>-<span word="free">free</span>”应该理解为“不会放过他”或“饶不了他”。不过，顺水推来的词义要不得，“词海拾贝”讲究刨根问底、探寻词源。乍一看，“<span word="scot">scot</span> <span word="free">free</span>”似乎和<span word="Scot">Scot</span>（苏格兰人）有关——“苏格兰人免于受罚”或者“苏格兰人被免除税款”？这样推似乎也说的通，只不过正统的词源学否认公众的想当然。<span word="Scot">Scot</span>源于古英语<span word="sceot">sceot</span>，该词在当时指“税赋”。常说“上有政策，下有对策”，所以，既然有税收政策，自然有<span word="scot">scot</span>-<span word="free">free</span>（逃税的人）。随着时间的推移，<span word="scot">scot</span>-<span word="free">free</span>（逃税的人）也就成了“免纳税款; 免受处罚; 免受损害；安然逃脱；逍遥法外”的代名词，常和动词<span word="go">go</span>/<span word="get">get</span> <span word="off">off</span>/<span word="escape">escape</span>连用。另外，顺便提一个与<span word="scot">scot</span>（税赋）相关的短语“<span word="pay">pay</span> <span word="sb">sb</span>.'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="scot">scot</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="lot">lot</span>”，指的是“还清债款； 分摊财政负担”。</p><p> </p>
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