Wednesday, May 05, 2010

拉羊毛蒙蔽別人的眼睛 / Pull the wool over someone's eyes


英國電訊報 The Daily Telegraph 報導 (Apr 13, 2010):

Cons pull the wool over cops' eyes

兩名犯人從阿根廷一個戒備森嚴的監獄裡逃出, 他們在本地農場偷了羊皮, 偽裝扮成綿羊, 成功地逃避300多名警察捕捉已經有一個多星期。消息人士說,在成千上萬的羊群中, 尋找兩隻假綿羊是非常困難之事。尷尬的監獄發言人無法對此事發表官方評論, 但是一位警方官員暗地裡說: "They can't pull the wool over our eyes forever!!! 他們不能永遠拉羊毛掩蓋我們的眼睛!!!”

(Note: My translation is based on the article from The Dialy Telegraph website at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/7584289/Argentina-criminals-evade-capture-by-dressing-up-as-sheep.html )

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Reference:

"Pull the wool over your eyes"
(Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/pull-the-wool-over-your-eyes.html )

Meaning
To deceive欺騙, to hoodwink蒙蔽。

Origin
The natural assumption is that this phrase derives from the wearing of woollen wigs, which were fashionable for both men and women in the 16th and 17th centuries. The phrase itself is of 19th century American origin. The earliest available example in print is from the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel And Gazette, October 1839:

"And we ask one question that they dare not firmly answer, whether they are not now making a tolerable attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the people."

The 'wig' derivation is probably correct but there must be an element of doubt about it as the wearing of wigs had largely died out in the USA by the early 19th century.

4 comments:

the inner space said...

哈哈哈!披上羊毛 。。。。我反而想像到香港的大法官,法官,裁判司,資深律師 barristers,明明是中國人,卻披上攣攣的英式假髮,出席每個法律年度的開始日開啟典禮。


我的舊文:2010法律年度開啟典禮


谷歌圖片:法官們的假髮


谷歌搜尋:為甚麼香港法官戴假髮


Space

啤酒花™_J said...

好老掉牙的故事,但,蛮管用喔。哈 ~

Haricot 微豆 said...

Space:

I read all your three references, with thanks !!! I didn't realize that the wigs are made out of horse hairs and that they are so expensive !!!

As to the funny looking bunch ... 我也有同感,覺得不習慣那些「假髪」。

Haricot 微豆 said...

啤酒花™_J: Yeah, what a funny story (altho it's not so funny for the jail guards and police involved).

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