中国人最易误解的表达第6期:狗也会是酩酊大醉吗?

Even a hair of dog didn't make him feel better.
　　
（误译）即使一根狗毛也不会使他觉得好些。
（正译）即使是再喝解宿醉的一杯酒，也不会使他觉得好些。

A Hair of Dog的来由
　　
朋友喝得酩酊大醉，而且醉了一宿，有什么解酒妙方吗？有，解方就是the hair of the dog (that bit you)。乍听起来，这二者好象风马牛不相及。

这个短语的本意是，如果被狗咬伤了，咬伤的部位必须得用从咬人的那条狗身上的狗毛来治疗。现在，The(A) hair of the dog (that bit you)已经成为一种幽默的用法，指用来解宿醉的酒（an alcoholic drink taken in the morning because it is said to cure illness caused by drinking too much alcohol the night before.）

《底特律自由新闻》1888年里面一段引语中的用法那样，“dog”并非一定指烈酒（liquor）：

TRAVIS: "Hello, De Smith! You're looking better than expected. I understood that you were completely crushed by that love affair. How did you recover?"

DE SMITH: "Hair of the dog that bit me. Fell in love with another girl."

显然，这里的“dog”就是指“女孩”了。所以如果你喝错了什么，用错了什么，后来又要用同样的东西做解药，你都可以说The(A) hair of the dog (that bit you).

酩酊大醉：

He is dead drunk, and can not drive home. 他酩酊大醉，没法开车回家。

The men who seek intoxicating cups are men who invite their fates. 那些想喝得酩酊大醉的人是向命运挑战的人。