綠色green在英語中可以表示“嫉妒、眼紅”,如:green with envy,green as jealousy,green-eyed monster都是指“十分嫉妒”的意思。漢語中表示“嫉妒”意義的“眼紅”,應該翻譯為green-eyed而不能翻譯為red-eyed。
由于美元紙幣是綠顏色的,所以green在美國也指代“錢財、鈔票、有經(jīng)濟實力”等意義,如:
(11)In American political elections the candidates that win are usually the ones who have green power backing them.
在美國政治競選中獲勝的候選人通常都是些有財團支持的人物。
在英語中綠色還用來表示沒有經(jīng)驗、缺乏訓練、知識淺薄等意思,如:
(12)The new typist is green at her job.
剛來的打字員是個生手。
(13)You cannot expect Mary to do business with such people. She is only eighteen and as green as grass.
你不能指望瑪麗同這樣的人做生意,她只有十八歲,還毫無經(jīng)驗。