面包和牛油的多元文化印象

面包和牛油是不列颠人最常见的食物，没有了这两样东西他们就不知道怎么做饭饮食，就像中国人离开了米和面就不知道如何做饭一样，所以很多英语习语来源于bread和butter。如：Bread is the stall of man.（面包是人类的支柱），类似汉语中的“民以食为天”。Bread and butter（面包和牛油）就转义成提供衣食住行等生活必需品的谋生之道。例如：Swan Lake is the bread and butter to the ballet company.（天鹅湖是那个芭蕾剧团的看家剧目）。Bread and butter这两样东西在英语国家历史悠久，这个习语还转义为“基本的；日常的；实用的”。例如：It is a real bread-andbutter satellite.（这是个实用价值很高的卫星）；They asked some bread-and-butter questions.（他们问了几个很普通的问题）。

Bread and circuses本义是面包和马戏，转义为食物与娱乐。有了面包就不会饿肚子，但是人不能光靠面包生活，还要有精神生活。例如：It was bread and circuses time during spring festival.（春节是老百姓享受吃喝玩乐的日子）；The greatest thing since sliced bread本义是自切片面包发明以来最伟大的事，转义为最受欢迎的人或事。例如：He got 13 points within 5 minutes，so he became the greatest thing since sliced bread among Chinese basketball fans.（他在5分钟内得了13分，因此成了中国篮球迷心目中最了不起的球星）。Take the bread out of someone's mouth从别人口中抢面包，比喻抢某人的饭碗。Break bread with someone本义是与某人一起掰面包，转义为与某人共餐。Bread line指失业者领取救济食物的长队。Earn one's bread本义是赚自己的面包，现在转义为赚钱糊口。如：He earns his bread by working in a restaurant.（他靠在一家餐厅打工来赚钱糊口）。Half a loafis better than no bread本义是半片面包比没有好，现转义为聊胜于无。

Bread buttered on both sides两面都涂了牛油的面包，吃面包能涂上黄油真不错，既香又有营养，比喻过着舒适的生活。例如：He lived like a bread buttered on both sides.（过去他过着舒适的生活）。Butter both sides of one's bread在某人的面包两面都涂黄油，比喻一个可以在同一时间从两件事中获利。例如：He is buttering both sides of his bread—he works for us during the day and has a job with another company during the evening.（他身兼两职，白天为我们工作，晚上在另一家公司上班）。know（on）which side one's bread is buttered知道在面包的哪一面涂黄油，比喻知道自己利害所在。例如：He wouldn't be rude to his boss—he knows on which side his bread is buttered.（他不会对老板无礼，他知道其中的利害）。(www.xing528.com)

Look as if butter would not melt in one's mouth比喻装成嘴里连黄油都融化不了的样子。如果一个女人真连黄油放在嘴里都融化不了，那她真是娇弱无力、贤淑文静、心地善良、老实可靠。但是，这种人多数是装出来的。如：When a visitor comes in，she smiles and languishes，you'd think butter would not melt in her mouth.（当客人走进来，她就摆出一副笑眯眯、娇软无力的样子，仿佛纯净到了极点）。Like a hot knife through butter形容某件事很容易做，因为黄油质地柔软，再加上刀是热的，切起来就更加容易了。Butter somebody up形容巴结讨好，过分恭维某人。例如：He began to butter up the boss in the hope of being given a better job.（他开始巴结老板，希望得到一份好工作）。Butter to butter is no relish黄油加黄油不成美味，比喻千篇一律的东西令人生厌。