原 文：

Obviously she is pulling his leg.

原 译：

她显然是在拖他的后腿。

辨析

这又是一个从字面出发想当然的错误套译。pull someone's leg和中文的「拖后腿」挨不上，是「骗人」的意思，尤其指开玩笑或愚弄某人。所以原句的确切意思是：她显然是在跟他开玩笑。

相关习语

英语中涉及到 leg 的习语很多，有的很容易看出其意思，如：

• The boys ran as fast as their legs could carry them. 男孩们拚命地跑。

• Two months after the operation she was able to get on her legs again. 手术之后两个月，她又能站起来了。

• The workmen were never off their legs the whole day. 工人们整天不得闲（老得站着）。

有的略有转义，但仍能猜出其意思，如：

• He began to stand on his own legs ever since fifteen when his parents died. 15岁那年他父母去世后，他就自立了。

• If you took the matter to court, you wouldn't have a leg to stand on. 假如你把此事弄到法庭上去，你是理亏的（站不住脚的）。

有的则完全是英语习惯说法，很难从字面看出其意思，如：

• That fellow is all legs. 那家伙是个瘦高个子。

• He has got his ice legs very soon. 他很快就学会了溜冰。

• If I could get a leg in, I could surely convince him. 他要是信得过我，我肯定能说服他。

• It's nine o'clock. Show a leg, all of you! 已经9点钟了，你们都给我起来！

千万不要想当然地猜，如：

• have a bone in one's leg 不是「坚强」，而是「腿动不了」。

• have hollow legs 不是「没有力气」，是「饭量很大」。