又中又英 | Turn of phrase | 褚簡寧
US President Donald Trump often uses an interesting turn of phrase, which means a particular way of saying or describing something. The expression "significant other" is a turn of phrase. It means a person with whom someone has a long romantic or sexual relationship that is likely to continue. A significant other can also mean a wife, husband, or a gay partner. As I wrote in a previous column, Trump used the expression "tippy top" when the media asked him why he needed US$200 billion for the US military.
He replied he needed such a large amount for the military to stay tippy top, which is a turn of phrase. Tippy top means the very top or highest point of something. Trump used a turn of phrase twice last week when reporters asked why he still hasn't reached a peace deal with Iran after more than two months of negotiations. He replied: "They keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers."
If someone is tapping you along, it means that person is deliberately misleading you or prolonging something, such as negotiations, to waste your time without any real intention of reaching an agreement. A sucker is a naive person who is easily deceived or tricked. If someone is playing you for a sucker, it means that person considers or treats you as stupid or naive to take advantage of you. To play you for a fool has a similar meaning.
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美國總統特朗普會不時用上有趣的turn of phrase，意即特定的措詞、說法或形容某事的方式。習語significant other就是一個特別的措詞（turn of phrase），它是指「重要的另一半」，就是有長久關係的配偶或有性關係的伴侶，且很有可能延續下去的。A significant other可以指妻子、丈夫又或是同性戀伴侶。正如我在之前一篇文章裏寫過的，當傳媒問特朗普為何要2000億美元作美軍需用時，他便用了tippy top這個習語。
他回應指，他需要這一大筆錢作軍需，以保持tippy top，而這也是個特定措詞（turn of phrase）。Tippy top是指某事物的頂尖或最高點。上星期當記者們問特朗普，為何在超過兩個月的談判後，仍未能跟伊朗達成和平協議，特朗普就兩度用了獨特的措詞（turn of phrase）。他回道：「They keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers.」
若某人is tapping you along，意即那人在刻意地誤導你，或拖延某事，例如談判，企圖浪費你的時間，又沒有真正想達成共識的意圖。A sucker是容易上當或被騙的傻瓜。若某人is playing you for a sucker，意即那人認為你愚笨或天真而佔你便宜。To play you for a fool亦有類近的意思。
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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻
