这首歌背后的故事查了很多中文网站居然没有相应的介绍。只能硬着头皮翻译成中文,当然错误难免,而且有些根本不知道约定俗成的译法是什么。
听歌看歌词:
Goosey Goosey Gander
where shall I wander,
Upstairs, downstairs
and in my lady's chamber
There I met an old man
who wouldn't say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg
and threw him down the stairs.
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http://s7/mw690/002AAC8Agy6Y7Pp9btsf6&690Goosey Gander" TITLE="【传统英文歌曲】儿歌—Goosey Goosey Gander" />
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歌曲来源及背景:
对于该童谣有多种背景解释,首先鹅在西方文化中是和性有一定关联的,在《天鹅与丽达》中就是典型代表,以前大户人家(出身高贵 a high born)的小姐都有自己的闺阁(chamber)。鹅在在闺阁中晃荡(In my lady's
chamber"),难免有瓜田李下之嫌。大英百科中灰雁(greylag
goose)因其高生育率而与性相关。
http://s16/mw690/002AAC8Agy6Y9JzNj438f&690Goosey Gander" TITLE="【传统英文歌曲】儿歌—Goosey Goosey Gander" /> |
1784年伦敦出版《 Gammer Gurton's Garland or The
Nursery Parnassus》 中记载歌谣如下:
Goose-a goose-a gander,
Where shall I wander?
Up stairs and down stairs,
In my lady's chamber;
There you'll find a cup of sack
And a race of ginger.
有些版本新增了几句:
The stairs went crack,
He nearly broke his back.
And all the little ducks went,
'Quack, quack, quack'.
1780年《Iona and Peter
Opie》中记载内容已经逐步在融合了。
Old father Long-Legs
Can't say his prayers:
take him by the left leg,
And throw him downstairs
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在英国内战时期克伦威尔的士兵通常迈着“鹅步(goose-step)”队列穿过。这正是天主教徒遭受迫害的时期,"There I met an old man a-saying of his
prayers"。在天主教梵蒂冈第二届大公会议前,天主教一直使用拉丁文进行祈祷,它是一种天主教信徒的必备能力。而英国当时禁止天主教徒使用拉丁文,所以听到起祷告即能区分是否为天主教徒。"I
took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs"
暗指(alluded)天主教徒的别称"left-footer",
这里可以看做是圆颅党(Roundhead)四处搜捕天主教徒(Catholics)及神父(particularly
Priests),只要抓到就进行虐待( ill-treated)。参看:为何称天主教为左脚(其实我看了半天没看明白) |
http://s11/mw690/002AAC8Agy6Y9Kezq9Y1a&690Goosey Gander" TITLE="【传统英文歌曲】儿歌—Goosey Goosey Gander" /> |
教徒们藏身之所称为“神父穴 'Priest Holes'
”非常狭小一般在房屋的隐蔽处或楼梯间。这也能理解歌中楼上楼下的走动。这一时期称这些为狂热的教徒 (Zealous
Protestants)
词语溯源:
Goosey /[ 'gu:sɪ
/ <儿>鹅,呆子,笨蛋
goose ”雌鹅; 傻瓜 古英语gōs >中古英语gose,
goos“+y
Gander
/ˈgændə(r)/ 雄鹅; 看一看,瞧一眼
源于古英语
gan(d)ra
chamber / [ ˈtʃeɪmbə(r) ]/n.室,卧室,会客室; 内庭;v.限制,幽禁,封闭或限制;
使备有房间
中古英语
chambre < 古法语<
拉丁语camera "a chamber, room"<
希腊语kamára ,它与照相机camer同源,照相机就是一个暗室,一个小屋子。
praye
r/ preə/ 祈祷; 祈祷(习惯); 祈祷文; 经文
中古英语
preiere < 古法语<
拉丁语precāria,precārius
阴格=prec- (prex词干) prayer +
-ārius -ary;
allude / əˈlu:d / 暗指; 间接提到
源自拉丁语
Latin
allūdere
“to play
beside, make a
playful allusion to,”
=al-
“al-倾向于 ”+
lūdere
“to play ”
Roundhead /raʊndhed/ 圆颅党=round“圆”+head “头”
particularly /pəˈtɪkjələli / 特别; 尤其;
异乎寻常地
拉丁语particulāris,
=particul
(a)
“微粒,颗粒particle ”+
-āris -ar+-ly
Priest / pri:st / 神父,牧师; 司铎,司祭; 领导者; 神甫
拉丁语presbyter
”长老presbyter “>古英语prēost>中古英语priest
Zealous /zeləs / 热心的,热情的
源自拉丁语 zēlōsus "热情饱满full of
zeal"=zeal(终于英语zele
<</SPAN>
拉丁语zēlus
<希腊语zêlos)+ous
Protestant /'prɒtɪstənt/新教教徒
源自拉丁语prōtestantēs=protest(拉丁语 protestari
"declare publicly, testify, protest," =
pro- "forth, before" + testari
"作证、声明testify," )抗议; 反对; 申明+-ant
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