－－从Holy of Holies谈起
有这样一个句子: I cannot tell you where Robert is now, but I did see him go into the Holy of Holies a while ago.(我无法告诉你罗伯特现在在哪里.不过我刚才倒见他去了至圣之所.) 这里,"至圣之所"是什么所在?不要以为"至圣之所"是什么了不得的地方.罗伯特去得,其他人也去得,而且人人必去.Holy of Holies是英语中厕所的众多说法中的一个.
英语中,对于禁忌或敏感的事物,往往用含蓄、迂回或动听的言辞来表示,以达避免刺激,消除粗俗之目的,或求屏弃陈腐创造新奇之效果.Holy of Holies便是这样的一种避讳说法.将厕所喻为宗教圣地,一俗一雅,令人莞尔.相应的见之于阅读中,取之于宗教活动的"如厕"的委婉说法有to worship at the altar(在圣坛礼拜), to find a heaven of refuge/rest(寻找避难/安息所), to go into retreat(避静,进行静修)等.
曾有一位英国女士在中国访问,中途,出于 the call of nature (自然的召唤),想去the necessary house(不可或缺之屋),于是对翻译说:Excuse me, I want to go somewhere. 但翻译没有懂,回答说:All right, you can go anywhere you like. We have nothing to hide. 结果场面十分尴尬. 要知道somewhere(那个地方)指厕所,在英语中是很流行的说法.之所以这么说,要的就是模糊的效果.如果有人在公共建筑内问:Excuse me, where's the rest-room? 千万不要将他引向休息室(lounge/lobby),因为rest-room亦指厕所.
在世界各地,公厕的最常见的英文标识和说法为:男厕,Men's/Gents' Room;女厕, Ladies' Room.多数场所都是如此.高级场所是这样,据说在美国的一些监狱也是这样.看来在厕所这一词上,人们还是比较平等的.
下面是笔者搜集到的另一些常见的有关厕所的委婉语(euphemisms).
1. bathroom(本义)洗手间,浴室
I made a brief visit to the bathroom.
2. comfort/relief station(本义)舒适/轻松站
The nearest comfort/relief station is two blocks away.
3. can(本义)便桶,有时亦戏称为Cannes(戛纳,法国城市,著名电影节举办地)
I heard old Strad later came back from can and went into our room.
4. the excuse me(本义)抱歉之地
Wait a minute. I'll go to the excuse me.
(类似更常用的说法:May I be excused?)
5. the facilities(本义)那个设施
Nature is calling me. May I use the facilities?
6.the john/jack(本义)约翰/杰克
I've got runs(拉肚子), so I've got to visit the john/jack.
7. lavatory(本意)盥洗室
If your lavatory gets blocked, call for a plumber at 01779902.
8. the loo(本义不详)(指私人家的)室内厕所,有时戏称为Waterloo(滑铁卢,拿破仑大败之地)
He went to the loo /Waterloo to perform certain necessary function of the body.
9. the necessary (house) (本义)不可或缺之屋
She thought I had gone to the necessary (house), but it was not true.
10. washroom(本义)洗手间
The washrooms were disaGREeable, crude, if not foul places, and the whole atmosphere sordid(污浊不堪).
11. the throne(本义)御坐,帝王之位
Sometimes he's on the throne for half an hour, reading newspaper.
需要指出的是,有关厕所的委婉语数量众多,层出不穷,花样翻新.平时多留意一些,多了解一些,可以避免尴尬,防止不快,于人于己都是有好处的.
iwms 4.6