有趣的樹名

長舌婦vs.長舌婦

Interesting Tree Names

Woman』s tongue vs. Woman』s tongue

大葉合歡的英文名稱是woman's tongue tree,即是長舌婦也.此樹冬天的莢果掛在樹上,當樹冠隨風擺動時,松離的種子在豆莢內弄出嘈雜的聲音.風不停,雜音也便不會消失.長舌婦,當之無慚.

One of the English names for Albizia lebbeck is 「woman's tongue tree」, that means a yenta.  In winter, its pods hang on the tree and swing in wind.  The seeds rattle inside the pods.  If wind does not stop, the noise will never go.  The name of 「woman』s tongue」 is well deserved.

如果在冬天與女性朋友坐在大葉合歡下,聽她喋喋不休的說話時.不妨靜下來,細心留意長舌婦樹下的長舌婦.不過,當 你傻笑時要小心一點不要讓她知道呢.

谷主以前有位朋友很喜歡說話,卻不願意聆聽.朋友間找不到交談的樂趣,也便疏遠了.

If you sit under Lebbeck with a girl friend in winter, listening to her chatter on and on, you may want to keep quiet and pay attention to the woman』s tongue under the 「woman』s tongue tree」. However, be careful not to let your friend know what is in your mind when you giggle. 

I used to have a friend who loved talking but not willing to listen.  I could not find any pleasure of conversation which should exist between friends.  Gradually, I kept my distance.

另一棵被戲稱為長舌婦的樹木是鳳凰木,它的莢豆彎長,確有長舌的形狀.

The other one which is also playfully known as 「woman』s tongue」 is Flame of Forest (Delonix regia).  Its long bending pods do have the shape of a tongue.

*translated by Mary Chung

作者: Leon Lau, 譯者: Mary Chung

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