喜樂美語

核心畫面

One way to hold this word: someone turns a small dial, and the picture of you gets one notch kinder than the plain truth. The words are a little warmer than you earned. The dress makes your shape a little better than it is. The photo of the hotel room is a little roomier than the room. Nothing here is a flat lie — it is the same scene, adjusted upward. Once you can see that dial, the four uses are just different hands reaching for it: someone else's mouth, a piece of clothing, a report, or your own head.

可以想成有人把一個旋鈕往上轉了一格，你的樣子就比實際好看一點點。話比你應得的再暖一點。洋裝讓身形比實際好一點。飯店照…更多收起可以想成有人把一個旋鈕往上轉了一格，你的樣子就比實際好看一點點。話比你應得的再暖一點。洋裝讓身形比實際好一點。飯店照片讓房間比實際大一點。這裡沒有一句完全的謊話，只是同一個畫面被往上調了一格。抓到這個旋鈕之後，四個用法就只是「誰的手伸過去轉」的差別：別人的嘴、一件衣服、一份報告，或是你自己的腦袋。

From the word’s history

Wiktionary's entry says the verb probably comes from Middle English flatteren, a mixture of an Old English word meaning to flutter or float and an Old Norse word meaning to fawn on someone. If that is right, the old picture is of behaviour that hovers around a person, light and pleasing. The packet marks this as probable, not settled, and it also shows two unrelated nouns spelled flatter, built from flat.

Wiktionary 的說法是：這個動詞可能來自中古英文 flatteren，混合了兩條線索。一條是古英文裡「飄動、浮著」的字。另一條是古諾斯語裡「搖尾討好」的字。如果成立，古早的畫面就是輕輕地繞著一個人打轉、讓對方舒服。來源自己用的是「可能」。另外要知道，同樣拼成 flatter 的還有幾個名詞，那些是從 flat 造出來的，跟這裡不同源。

Wiktionary 'flatter' etymology 2 text supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:809983393)

Three branches

用話把人捧高

轉旋鈕的那隻手是別人的嘴：說出來的好話比實際再厚一點。

verb · B2

To say nice things about someone in order to please them or to get something from them, when you do not really mean all of it.

奉承；討好

把人或事調得比實際好看

同一個旋鈕，但轉它的不是人的嘴，而是衣服、燈光、照片或一份報告。

verb · B2

If clothes, a colour, a light, or a picture flatter someone, they make that person look as good as they possibly can.

使更好看；襯托

flatter yourself：自己轉自己的旋鈕

旋鈕還是那一個，但伸手的是自己，所以調出來的樣子沒有別人證實。

verb · B2

If you flatter yourself that something is true about how good you are or what you have done, you let yourself believe it even though it is not really true.

自我感覺良好；自以為

原始詞典資料12 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

flatterverb詞源 2/ˈflætɚ/

  • 1

    To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.

    • A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
    • 1855, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co., Volume 1, Book 1, Chapter 7, p. 242, Some he complimented for their bravery; others he flattered by asking their advice.
  • 2

    To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.

  • 3

    To portray someone to advantage.

    • Her portrait flatters her.
    • Here is her picture: let me see; I think, If I had such a tire, this face of mine Were full as lovely as is this of hers: And yet the painter flatter’d her a little […]
  • 4

    To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope.

    • […] I went up, and sat there two Hours and an half before I cou’d discern any Thing like Land; and when I first saw it I told my Comrade, but not being certain I wou’d not call out; for the Case was of such Importance, that they were not to be trifled with, or flatter’d into vain Hopes.
  • 5

    To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.

    • Before the results came out, I flattered myself that I had done well on the test. It turned out I was the worst in the class!
    • The dire imagination she did follow This sound of hope doth labour to expel; For now reviving joy bids her rejoice, And flatters her it is Adonis’ voice.
  • 6

    obsoleteTo cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.

    • Run after that ſame peeuiſh Meſſenger / The Countes man: he left this Ring behinde him / Would I, or not: tell him, Ile none of it. / Deſire him not to flatter with his Lord, / Nor hold him vp with hopes, I am not for him:

flatternoun詞源 3/ˈflætɚ/

  • 1

    A type of set tool used by blacksmiths.

  • 2

    A flat-faced fulling hammer.

  • 3

    A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch springs.

  • 4

    Someone who flattens, purposely or accidentally. Also flattener.

flatternoun詞源 4/ˈflætɚ/

  • 1

    slangSomeone who lives in a rented flat.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。