蛇年快樂! 🧧🐍

 

這個蛇年，祝大家身體健康，財源廣進~🐍 今年的假期都很近呢！想必大家仍沉醉在放假的心情中，所以我們還是談談比較輕鬆的主題吧。 在西曆新年的那一期通訊中，我問到大家的新年願景，也進一步介紹了與「resolution」相關的單字。 這次，或者我們就探索一下與「snake」有聯繫的單字吧！🐍 一說到「snake」，我最先想到的同義詞，是名詞「serpent」。 這兩個名詞意思上幾乎是互通的，但「serpent」 比較不那麼常用，而且語調似乎較為「高雅」。 當看到「serpent」，我也會想起與它在字源上相關的形容詞「serpentine」，它可以形容事物以「蛇形」的方式移動，像是滑行和盤繞。 例如： The dance contains a lot of serpentine movements. 這個舞蹈包含了許多像蛇般的舞蹈動作 形容詞「serpentine」也可以用來比喻「有欺騙性的」事物，因為在許多文化和神話中，人們都將蛇與「奸狡」連繫起來。它也可以表達「複雜」的意思，形容曲折或很多轉折的。 例如： The lawyer's serpentine tactics in court kept the opposition off balance. 律師在法庭上的狡猾策略使對方處於不穩定狀態 (倫敦的海德公園有一個名為「Lake Serpentine」的人工湖，正是因為它的形狀像蛇一樣彎曲。） 當然，我也會聯想起一連串蛇的品種的名詞，例如「vipers」、「cobras」、「pythons」、「boas」和「boa constrictors」等等。 許多蛇是都是「venomous」的，牠們的「fangs」含有毒素，會傷害或殺死被咬的動物或人。 「Fangs」（眾數字形）是指食肉動物那些尖銳、咬合力強的牙齒。 名詞「venom」是指蛇牙齒中所含有的毒素。 它的形容詞版本是「venomous」，如果我們想形容帶有毒素的蛇，便會說那是「“venomous” snake」。 我還想到其他一些形容詞，包括「reptilian」，即「具有爬蟲類特徵的」，因為蛇就是爬蟲類動物。我也想起蛇的舌頭是「forked（分叉）」的，舌末分開成兩個尖端。 與蛇有關聯的動詞也很多。 「Slither」，指像蛇一樣在地面上平穩滑行。當使用「slither」一詞，即使你只是用作抽象的比喻，但大家即時想到的仍然是一條蛇在移動的畫面。 例如： The snake slithered silently across the forest floor. 那條蛇靜靜地在森林地面上爬行 「Coil」 是另一個與蛇的捲曲動作相關的動詞。例如： The snake coiled around the branch, preparing to strike. 那條蛇盤繞在樹枝上，準備襲擊 蛇所發出的聲音，也讓我想到動詞「rattle」和「hiss」。「Hiss」是個擬聲動詞，模擬蛇發出「嘶嘶」的氣音。「Rattling」 則特別指響尾蛇搖晃尾巴時發出的聲音。 例如： The rattlesnake rattled its tail as a warning to the intruder. 響尾蛇搖動尾巴，警告入侵者 The snake hissed loudly as it felt threatened. 那條蛇在感到威脅時大聲嘶嘯 最後分享一個多年前我在參加香港的「snake safari」（觀察野生蛇的旅程）時學到的，比較晦澀的單字 –「herping」。 「Herping」 是指在野外尋找蛇的活動。 （也可以泛指尋找其類爬蟲種類動物的行為，因為「herpetology」就是研究爬蟲類動物的學科。） 圖片中的，就是我與當天發現的小蛇了。（當然是在經驗豐富的導遊陪同下~） 再次祝各位心想事成，蛇年行大運！

Happy Chinese New Year! 🧧🐍 I want to wish everyone good health and prosperity in the Year of the Snake. 🐍 The holidays are so close together this year! Since we are all probably in a holiday mood again, let’s focus on a light topic today. In our newsletter in the week of the “Western” New Year, I asked what everyone’s New Year’s resolutions were/are, and, from there, introduced some words related to the word “resolution.” This time, let’s look at some words related to “snakes”! 🐍 A synonym of “snake” that springs to mind is the noun “serpent.” These two nouns are pretty much interchangeable in meaning, but, in usage, “serpent” is probably less common and more “elevated” in register. The “serpent” brings to mind the etymologically related adjective “serpentine,” which describes things as moving in a “snake-like” way, as in, slithering and coiling. For example: The dance contains a lot of serpentine movements. 這個舞蹈包含了許多像蛇般的舞蹈動作 The adjective “serpentine” can also be used figuratively to describe things that are “deceptive,” as this is the association people have with snakes in many cultural and mythological contexts. It could also mean “complex,” as in, involving a lot of “twists and turns.” For example:  The lawyer's serpentine tactics in court kept the opposition off balance. 律師在法庭上的狡猾策略使對方處於不穩定狀態 (London’s Hyde Park has a man-made lake called “Lake Serpentine.” This lake has this name because it has a curving shape.) Of course, some nouns of common types of “snakes” also come to mind easily, for example, “vipers,” “cobras,” “pythons,” “boas” and “boa constrictors,” etc. Many “snakes” are “venomous” -- as in, their “fangs” contain poison and can harm or kill the animals or people they bite. “Fangs” is the word (in plural form here) for the sharp, biting teeth of “carnivourous” animals, as in, animals that eat other animals. “Venom” is the noun for the poison contained in snake fangs. The adjective version of this word is “venomous.” If we want to describe a snake as containing poison, we would call it a “venomous” snake. Other adjectives that come to mind include “reptilian” -- as in, pertaining to or having the characteristics of “reptiles” -- since snakes are reptiles. I am also thinking of the tongues of snakes, which are “forked,” as in, split into two pointed ends.  There are many verbs related to snakes also.  “Slither” -- as in, the action of sliding smoothly on the ground in the way that snakes do -- is one that comes to mind. If you use the word “slither,” the imagery conjured would always be of a snake, even if you use the word figuratively. For example: The snake slithered silently across the forest floor. 那條蛇靜靜地在森林地面上爬行 “Coil” is another verb associated with a snake’s curling movements. For example:  The snake coiled around the branch, preparing to strike. 那條蛇盤繞在樹枝上，準備襲擊 In terms of the sounds that snakes make, I can think of the verbs “rattle” and “hiss.” “Hiss” is an almost onomatopoeic verb that imitates the breathy “ssss” sound that snakes make. “Rattling” refers specifically to the sound that rattlesnakes make when they shake their tails. For example: The rattlesnake rattled its tail as a warning to the intruder. 響尾蛇搖動尾巴，警告入侵者 The snake hissed loudly as it felt threatened. 那條蛇在感到威脅時大聲嘶嘯 Lastly, a more obscure word related to snakes is one I learned when I went on a “snake safari” in Hong Kong many years ago -- “herping.” “Herping” is the term fo the activity of looking for snakes in the wild. (It can also refer to the act of looking for other types of reptiles since “herpetology” is the study of reptiles.) You can see a picture of me holding what I found (with an experienced guide) on this herping trip in the image above. All the best to everyone again in the Year of the Snake!