19．把铲子叫作铲子

［词语］to call a spade a spade

to call a pikestaff a pikestaff

to call things by their proper names

［含义］据实而言；直言不讳

［趣释］【物事喻指】在19世纪英国维多利亚女王时代（Victorian age），上流社会交际礼仪中避讳颇多。高贵的绅士（gentlemen）和淑女们（ladies）为了显示自己有教养和谈吐风雅，往往对许多涉及私生活方面的东西不是直呼其名，而是采取委婉隐晦的说法。如对铲子通常不直呼其名“铲子”，否则就是没有教养，有失高贵的身份。于是，人们就用“把铲子叫作铲子”（to call a spade a spade）, “把矛叫作矛”（to call a pikestaff a pikestaff）。“用正常的名称来称呼东西”（to call things by their proper names）来喻指据实而言、直言不讳。美国小说家杰克·伦敦（Jack London）在他的幻想小说《铁蹄》（The Iron Heel）就引用了这个典故。

［运用］They were a little frightened at this… young fellow. and the swing and smash of his words, and his dreadful trait of calling a spade a spade． 他们对这个……年轻人都有一点怕，怕他放肆而锐利的言论，怕他那可怕直言不讳的脾气。（杰克·伦敦语）

Mr Robinsom prided himself on the fact that he always called a spade a spade． 鲁宾逊先生一向直言不讳，并以此自豪。

Let's call a spade a spade.This man is a swindler． 让我们直说吧，这个人是骗子。

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper names． 据实而言是智慧的开端。