唱高调

句子：我们要尚务实，戒高调。

误译：We should advocate the realistic spirit and guard against making high tunes.

正译：We should advocate the realistic spirit and guard against making high-sounding talks.

解释：high tune指曲调高，是音乐术语。“戒高调”的意思是“不要光说不做的漂亮话”，与音乐无关。high-sounding 的意思是intended to sound important，能表达“唱高调”的比喻意义。

“高调”的第一个意思是“唱歌或说话比一般频率高的音调”，即“高调门”。可以为 high tune, high tone, high pitch, high-pitched。如：

1. 这位歌手以她的高调门歌唱使我们惊叹不已。The singer marveled us with her high-tune singing.

2. 这位歌手唱高调门的歌唱得非常好。The singer can sing high-pitched songs very well.

“高调”第二个意思是比喻“高昂的论调”，即“高格调”。可译为lofty tone。如：3. 高格调是与生俱来的，不是教出来的。A lofty tone is innate, and does not come by teaching.

“高调”第三个意思是比喻“不切实际或光说不做的”。可译为high-sounding。如：4. 我们对他的高调宣传报道表示怀疑。We were all suspicious of his high-sounding publicity stories.

“唱高调”的意思是比喻“说得很漂亮，而实际上做不到或不准备去做”。可译为to mouth high-sounding words, to say fine-sounding things, to affect a high moral tone, to utter high-flown words。如：5. 这个官员爱唱高调，却很少办实事。This official likes to mouth high-sounding words, but seldom does practical things.

“高调”第四个意思是比喻“引人注目的高姿态”。可译为high profile。如：6. 他在这件事上一直保持高调。He has kept a high profile on this matter.▲

（本栏目供稿：王逢鑫教授）

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