从A到Z畅谈美国流行文化：an arm and a leg
<p>在中文里，我们经常用“宰人”或“杀猪”来形容商家把产品/服务价格定得过高的行为。宰人也好，杀猪也罢，总之给人血淋淋的感觉，以显示那个高价有多“残忍”。巧的是，英语里也有类似的“血腥”短语，叫<span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>。</p><p><span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>的字面意思是“一只胳膊和一条腿”，乍一看似乎很难跟“高价”联系在一起。但如果把它放在动词后面，就不难理解了：<span word="charge">charge</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>表示“收取的费用为一只胳膊加上一条腿”，也就是“收费极其高昂”(因为胳膊和腿都是无价之宝)，用来描述商家;<span word="spend">spend</span>/<span word="pay">pay</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>表示“搭上自己的一只胳膊加上一条腿”，也就是“付出极高的代价”，用来描述消费者;<span word="cost">cost</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>表示“价格高到要牺牲一只胳膊加上一条腿”，也就是“价务本身。</p><p>举例如下： <span word="Bridget">Bridget</span>: <span word="My">My</span> <span word="nosc">nosc</span> <span word="looks">looks</span> <span word="weird">weird</span>.<span word="I">I</span>'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="coilsidcring">coilsidcring</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="nose">nose</span> <span word="job">job</span>.(我的鼻子看起来怪怪的。我在考虑要不要做个整鼻手术。) <span word="Susannah">Susannah</span>: <span word="You">You</span> <span word="shoulcl">shoulcl</span> <span word="trv">trv</span> <span word="mv">mv</span> <span word="brother">brother</span>. <span word="He">He</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="very">very</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="pjastic">pjastic</span> <span word="surgeon">surgeon</span>.<span word="Plus">Plus</span> <span word="he">he</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="fresh">fresh</span> <span word="out">out</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="meclical">meclical</span> <span word="school">school</span>.<span word="so">so</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="won">won</span>'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="charge">charge</span> <span word="you">you</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="arm">arm</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span> <span word="Iike">Iike</span> <span word="others">others</span> <span word="ususlly">ususlly</span> <span word="do">do</span>.(你应该找我弟弟。他是个非常出色的整形手术医生。而且，他才刚从医学院毕业，所以他不会像其他老资格的同行那样收取过高的费用。) <span word="Darren">Darren</span>:<span word="I">I</span> <span word="can">can</span>'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="believe">believe</span> <span word="it">it</span> .<span word="You">You</span> <span word="flew">flew</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="Shanghai">Shanghai</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="see">see</span> <span word="Fl">Fl</span> <span word="Crand">Crand</span> <span word="Prix">Prix</span>? <span word="That">That</span>. <span word="and">and</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="tickets">tickets</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="game">game</span>. <span word="You">You</span> <span word="must">must</span> <span word="havc">havc</span> <span word="spent">spent</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="ann">ann</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="leg">leg</span>! (我真是不敢相信!你居然坐飞机去上海看一级方程式锦标赛?机票，再加上看比赛的钱……你肯定大出血!)</p>
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