ELISA ENGLISH's Blog 英語園地

For me to pick up the pen to write is hard, as I lack the motivation, which is hard to come by. It is also hard to find time to write juggling between work and family, especially with two little kids. I have recently set up a Facebook page for my blog, hoping to find motivation and inspiration within. I mentioned in my Facebook page that maybe I could start with posting a phrase each day. It was a thought but maybe it could serve as an incentive for me to write again. Here is the phrase for the day.

Casting pearls before swine - 對牛彈琴

對牛彈琴:

比喻對蠢人談論高深的道理，白費口舌。用以譏笑說話的人不看對象。
比喻對不明道理的人講道理或言事，對方根本不懂。有諷刺對方愚蠢的意思。 與「對牛鼓簧」、「對驢撫琴」、「對石佛談禪」義同。
比喻對天資魯鈍的人談論玄奧的道理，對方是無法心領神會的。常含徒勞無功或諷刺對方愚蠢之意。

Meaning:

To offer or show something valuable, good, or beautiful to someone who does not understand its value.

To waste something good on someone who doesn’t care about it.

If you are casting pearls before swine, you are wasting your time showing or offering something very helpful or valuable to someone who does not understand or appreciate it.

Example:

(1)  Discussing philosophy with an illiterate is like casting pearls before wine.

(2)A renowned violinist once played at a metro station in Washington DC. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes during rush hour with thousands of people going through the station on their way to work. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while to listen to his music. He was just casting pearls before swine to a group of audience who do not understand masterpiece.

(3)Giving advice to teenagers is sometimes like casting pearls before swine as they are usually in a rebellious stage with hormones that prevents them from listening to others.

Talking to a brick wall has similar meaning, but it is used under the situation where you are talking to a stubborn person who will never listen, NOT that the person is uneducated or does not understand the value. Example (3) above is where “talking to a brick wall” can be used.

ð  Giving advice to teenagers is sometimes like talking to a brick wall, as they are usually in a rebellious stage with hormones that prevents them from listening to others.

Written by Elisa English

On 4/22/13 in Minneapolis