By 謝忠理 on Thursday, 08 October 2020
Category: 寫作

Walk the walk 到處走走?

不要只會打嘴砲,光說不練,厲害的人就要說到做到。

Talk the talk and walk the walk

Walk the walk 是個可以掛在嘴上也可以寫在作文裡的片語。但這片語是什麼意思,該如何用?

墨西哥主廚 Gabriela Cámara 獲選為 2020 年的《時代雜誌》百大影響力人物,並由西班牙裔美國籍大廚 José Andrés 為文推薦。文章最後這麼寫著:
人們問我關於廚師在 21 世紀的角色,加布里埃拉就是最好的答案。她在餐館裡凡事以身作則,總將社會正義放在第一位,為那些聲音常被淹沒的的人發聲。她劍及履及。
People ask me about the role of chefs in the 21st century, and I would look no further than Gabriela for the answer. She leads from the front at her restaurants, putting social justice first and advocating for those whose voices are too often marginalized. She walks the walk.
— José Andrés
這小小一段裡有四個可學的片語:
  1. to look no further than (XYZ) for the answer
    認為 (XYZ) 就是最好的答案
  2. to lead from the front
    凡事以身作則
  3. to advocate for those whose voices are too often marginalized
    為弱勢族群仗義執言
  4. walk the walk
    說到做到

Walk the walk 比較偏向口語用法,但是在各媒體當中還是可以看到出現在報導的文字裡。意思就是「說到做到」,“to back up one's words with equivalent actions” 通常用在 “talk the talk and walk the walk” 「說到做到」這樣的用法中。

Many people talk the talk but don't walk the walk. This means they talk a lot about doing something but don't actually do it.

To talk the talk 意思是開出空頭支票,誇下海口卻沒有真的做到,也就是打嘴砲,光說不練。To walk the walk 就是說到做到。許多人都是 talk the talk but don't walk the walk,意思是他們說一套、做一套

Analysis

細說分明

配合前後文搭配可以用來說某人說大話,只會說,卻做不到

Rather than walk the walk after talking the talk, he balked and balked.
話說出口,但是他並沒有劍及履及,反而一再退縮。

或者是懷疑對方是否做得到

But the time has come for Mr Coleman to prove that he can walk the walk to the same level as he can talk the talk.
但這次科爾曼先生應該要證明他話說得出,但能否可已做得到。
After years of talking the talk it's time to see who can walk the walk.
說了那麼多年,現在要看到底誰能夠辦得到。

當然也能夠用來表示某人說到做到

Chelsea talks a big game, but she can back it up too—she definitely talks the talk and walks the walk.
Chelsea 談到個遠大的目標,不過她倒是能言行一致--她肯定說到做到。
We're at this meeting because we're environmentalists who walk the walk.
我們參加這次會議因為我們是能夠身體力行的環保人士。
Application

寫作應用

在包含雅思、托福、GRE以及學測、指考等寫作考試或是工作使用上,walk the walk 可以用在鼓勵大家採取行動,要坐而言,也要起而行:

I agree with the proposal that Taiwan must raise its English standards if it wants to call itself an international business hub. We have talked the talk but this time we should not lose a golden opportunity to walk the walk.

我贊同臺灣要想稱自己為國際商業中心,就必須提高英語水準的建議。我們已經談了又談,但這次我們要把握這個絕佳的黃金時機,劍及履及

|本文取材自第 756 期
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