美国流行文化从A到Z——Protest too much
<p><span word="protest">protest</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="much">much</span>是个极其容易被误解的短语。不信的话，我们可以做个试验。没有上下文，你会如何理解“<span word="I">I</span> <span word="think">think</span> <span word="you">you</span> <span word="protest">protest</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="much">much</span>!，’这句话?如果回答“我觉得你太爱抗议/抱怨!”，那你的确误解了这个短语。它的真正意思是：<span word="to">to</span> <span word="insist">insist</span> <span word="so">so</span> <span word="strongly">strongly</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="something">something</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="being">being</span> <span word="true">true</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="people">people</span> <span word="begin">begin</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="suspect">suspect</span> <span word="maybe">maybe</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="true">true</span>(坚决否认某件事的真实性，反倒让人怀疑这件事</p><p>是真的)，有点像中文里的“欲盖弥彰”。</p><p>会有这样的误解，关键原因在于<span word="protest">protest</span>这个词。我们太熟悉在父亲被谋杀后立刻就改嫁叔叔的做法，故意安排她观赏一出戏剧。剧中有个寡妇的角色对丈夫非常忠诚，再三发誓丈夫死后决不改嫁。这个角色果然让<span word="Gertrude">Gertrude</span>觉得不舒服，她喊了一句：“<span word="The">The</span> <span word="lady">lady</span> <span word="doth">doth</span> <span word="protest">protest</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="much">much</span>，<span word="methinks">methinks</span>!”(我觉得这位女士表态得过分了!)言下之意就是“她肯定已经对丈夫不忠了，不然不会一天到晚表忠心!” <span word="doth">doth</span>和<span word="methinks">methinks</span>都是莎士比亚经常使用的“文言文”用词，<span word="doth">doth</span>相当于现代英语里的<span word="do">do</span>/<span word="does">does</span>，<span word="methinks">methinks</span>则是<span word="I">I</span> <span word="think">think</span>。因为这个<span word="Hamlet">Hamlet</span>的典故，很多人在用到<span word="protest">protest</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="much">much</span>的时候，往往会加上<span word="doth">doth</span>或<span word="methinks">methinks</span>。这样既可以起到比较幽默的效果，也算是对莎士比亚致敬。</p><p>比如： <span word="Bartholomew">Bartholomew</span>: <span word="You">You</span>、<span word="want">want</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="beer">beer</span>?(要来杯啤酒吗?) <span word="Archibald">Archibald</span>:<span word="No">No</span>,<span word="thanks">thanks</span>.<span word="I">I</span> <span word="absolutelv">absolutelv</span> <span word="hate">hate</span> <span word="beer">beer</span> . <span word="Never">Never</span> <span word="touch">touch</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="stuff">stuff</span>.<span word="even">even</span> .<span word="Ican">Ican</span>'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="even">even</span> <span word="imagine">imagine</span> <span word="wanting">wanting</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="drink">drink</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="single">single</span> <span word="drop">drop</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="filthy">filthy</span> <span word="mind">mind</span> <span word="numbing">numbing</span> <span word="liquid">liquid</span> .<span word="It">It</span>'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="poison">poison</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="me">me</span> . <span word="i">i</span> <span word="absolutely">absolutely</span> <span word="do">do</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="want">want</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="beer">beer</span>. (不要，谢谢。我非常讨厌啤酒。从来不碰这玩意儿。我根本不能想象自己想喝哪怕一滴这种肮脏的，让人神志不清的液体。他对我来说就是毒，我绝对不要喝啤酒。)</p>
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