實用口語:打開天窗説亮話 實用口語
古希臘文學中有一句格言 to call figs figs, and a tub a tub(無花果就是無花果,澡盆就是澡盆),意思是直話直説,不要拐彎抹角 (to speak one's mind, to put things bluntly)。
希臘史學家普魯塔克(Plutarch, ca. 46-119)撰寫《君王及將軍語錄》(Sayings of kings and commanders)時,曾經將這句格言收納在內。1500年荷蘭人文學者伊芮思莫斯(D. Erasmus, ca. 1466-1536)為了撰寫《箴言錄》(Adagia)而廣泛蒐集古希臘和拉西文格言。他也參考了普魯塔克的著作,並對其中部分格言略做修正;此句中的figs和tub都被他改為spade,從此 to call a spade a spade 就取代了原來的説法而流傳下來。
例如:
The student, having taken some books from the library without checking them out, argued that he only borrowed them. But the librarian, who believed in calling a spade a spade, rebutted that he stole the books.
這個學生沒有把書給圖書館管理員檢查就帶了出來,他辯解説他只想借這幾本書。但是管理員卻打開天窗説亮話,反駁他其實是想偷書。