頭條日報 頭條網 - The grass is always greener on the other side. by Michael Chugani

Some English expressions have similar meanings while others seem like they have similar meanings but, in fact, have very different meanings. For example, the slang expressions "lose your cool" and "blow your stack" have similar meanings. They both mean to lose your temper. Instead of "blow your stack" you can also say "blow your lid" or "blow your top". They also mean to lose your temper. In my column last week I used the expression "every cloud has a silver lining". It means every difficult situation leads to better days even though you cannot see this hope at first. If you use all the money you have saved up to start a new business which fails after just three months but one week after your business fails you win the Mark Six, you can say every cloud has a silver lining.

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reader asked me if the expression "every cloud has a silver lining" is similar to the expression "the grass is always greener on the other side". The two expressions have very different meanings. Some people are never satisfied with their lives. They always feel the lives of others are better than their own, even though that may not be true. If you are one of those people who feel no matter what you have in life, the lives of others are better you can say "the grass is always greener on the other side". Some people are so dissatisfied with their lives that even though they own a flat, have a good job, and have a good and pretty wife they still say "the grass is always greener on the other side".

        Last week I also used the expression "chatter away", which means to talk in a relaxed and informal way about unimportant things. A reader asked if there is any difference between the words "chatter" and "chat". The two words have very similar meanings. They both mean to talk in a friendly and informal way. One reader noted that it is pointless to learn idioms and expressions unless people also use them. I agree totally. It is pointless to learn something if you don't use it.

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        有些英語的習語有着類近的意思，但其他一些看似意思相近的，實際的含義卻可差天共地。譬如俚語"lose your cool"和"blow your stack"意思相近，都解作發脾氣。除了blow your stack，你也可以說"blow your lid"或"blow your top"，也是大發雷霆的意思。上星期我在專欄中用到習語every cloud has a silver lining，意指每個艱難的處境最終都能否極泰來，即使你最初未抱希望。若你用盡所有積蓄去創業，三個月後以失敗告終，但再過一個星期你又中了六合彩，那你便可以說，every cloud has a silver lining。

        有讀者問道，every cloud has a silver lining跟習語the grass is always greener on the other side意思是否相近。這兩個習語的意思可不一樣了。有些人永遠不安於現狀，他們總是覺得，其他人的生活比他們的要好，即使那並未為真。若你是那種覺得自己無論擁有甚麼，其他人的生活總是比自己較好的人，你便可以說 the grass is always greener on the other side。有些人不滿足於自己的生活，即使有樓、有份好工、有漂亮賢妻，卻仍總會說「外國的月亮較圓」（ the grass is always greener on the other side）。

        上星期，我也用到習語chatter away，就是不着邊際的閒聊着無關痛癢的事。有一位讀者問道，chatter和chat這兩個字可有分別？它們的意思確實相近，都解作親切的閒聊。一位讀者指出，學諺語和習語沒甚意思的，除非人會用上它。我完全同意，若你學而不用，那就根本毫無意義。mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=323241§ion_name=wtt&kw=126