反复不定

asd890

To blow hot and cold
反复不定

Ken: There are rumours going around that your consultancy is likely to sign up a really important client.
肯﹕听说，你的咨询公司可能跟一个大客签约。

Indira: Oh, so you've heard about that.
英迪拉﹕啊，你也听到了。

Ken: Well, not in any detail. Only that if it's the company I think it is, then it could almost double your business.
肯﹕我可不知道详情，但假如那客户是我猜想的那家公司，你的生意可以增加一倍。

Indira: I can't be specific at the moment, but it certainly could. But there's a problem.
英迪拉﹕我暂时不能讲详情，但生意的确可以倍增。不过，目前有个问题。
Ken: What's that?

肯﹕什么问题？

Indira: They keep blowing hot and cold. They've got to the point of signing a contract more than once, but then they've drawn back and said they have to reconsider.
英迪拉﹕他们反复不定，曾经不止一次将近要签约，但每次都临时退缩，说要再考虑。

Ken: That must be very frustrating.
肯﹕那一定很令人丧气。

To blow hot and cold直译是「吹热吹寒」，为什么却解作「反复无常」？按《伊索寓言》有《森林之神与旅人》故事，说有一天，天寒地坼，森林之神（satyr）在树林里碰到一个旅人，邀他到山洞避寒，见那旅人频频呵手，问为什么，那旅人说是要双手暖一点；森林之神请旅人喝热汤，又见他把汤凑到嘴唇吹，问为什么，那旅人说是要汤凉一点。森林之神很不高兴，下逐客令说﹕I will have no part with a man who can blow hot and cold from the same mouth（我不要跟一张嘴既可吹热又可吹冷的人来往）。To blow hot and cold这说法，从此广泛流传，比喻「反复无常」或「拿不定主意」，例如﹕They blew hot and cold about where to go on holiday（他们拿不定主意往哪里度假）。

留意Only that if it's the company I think it is这一句，那个only解作「但是」，和but或however意思差不多。这个意思的only，多见于口头英语，例如﹕I would like to go on a world tour, only (that) I have no money（我想环游世界，只是没有钱）。

最后不妨谈谈Oh, so you've heard about that的so字。So用来起句，可以带「原来如此」的意思，表示发现了某种情况；但有时也可以没有意思，和用来起句的well字相似，例如﹕(1) So, that is what he wants（啊，原来他要的是这个）。(2) So, what are you going to do?（嗯，你会怎样做？）