To let the cat out of the bag

BBC Learning English The English We Speak 20 March 2012

To let the cat out of the bag 

"고양이를 가방에서 꺼내주자"

음.. 오늘도 굉장히 난해한 직역으로 시작한다.
고양이가 남치라도 되었단 말인가?
동물보호협회에서 내놓은 표어같은 이 문장.
저 문장만으로는 도저히 알 수가 없다.

먼저 오디오로 대화를 들어보자

1. tews_63_cat_out_of_the_bag_audio_120320_tews_63_cat_in_bag_.mp3

Cat: Miaoooowwwwww!

Will: Hello, I'm William.

Graciela: And I'm Graciela. Will, I hope you've brought that poor cat for a very good reason. It's terrified!

Will: Well I wanted to explain an English phrase. And I brought Whiskers to help.

Cat: Miaow.

Graciela: Well he's not very happy about being stuffed into that bag. You'd better hurry up and explain your phrase. 

Will: Okay, okay. So, right. I'm going to tell you a very big secret.

Graciela: Oh?

Cat: Miaow?

Will: But you must promise never to let the cat out of the bag!

Graciela: No, we must let him out, he is unhappy, Will.

Cat: Miaow! 

Will: No, no. I mean in English, when we say 'you mustn't let the cat out of the bag', it means that something is a secret and that you mustn't tell anyone.

Graciela: Ah, so it doesn't literally mean there is a cat in a bag. It just means that there's a secret that must be kept.

Cat: Miaow.

Will: Exactly. And I brought Whiskers in just to help you remember the expression. If you let the cat out of the bag, it means that you reveal^[각주:1] a secret. Listen to some examples.

• We need to keep this quiet! If anyone lets the cat out of the bag there'll be trouble!

• We were going to have a surprise birthday for dad, but my silly brother let the cat out of the bag the day before.

• Well the cat's out of the bag now. Everyone knows Amy will be given the lead role.

Graciela: Okay I get it. 

Cat: Miaow.

Graciela: But I'm not at all interested in secrets until we get this real cat out of this real bag. I'm going to let it out!

Cat: Miaoooowwwwww!

Graciela: Owwwwww!

Will: I actually meant it when I said don't let the cat out of the bag. Whiskers is a bit crazy.

Graciela: Your cat is berserk^[각주:2], get him off me!

Cat: Miaooowww!

Will: Well, now you'll remember not to let the cat out of the bag next time!

글로 보니 확실이 어떤의미인지 파악이 된다.
동물보호협회에서 쓴 문구 같았던 이 문장의 진짜 뜻은 "비밀을 말하다, 발설하다"  이다.
인터넷으로 검색해보니 비슷한 문장으로 "spill the beans" 이 있다고 한다.
외국에서는 고양이가 비밀스러운 존재라는 느낌을 가지고 있나보다.

오늘도 엉터리 작문으로 복습을 해보자....

I told him to let the cat out of the bag about our secret.
He let the cat out of the bag about our top secret.


오늘도 좋은 배움 감사~ BBC 땡큐~!(김어준총수 버전으로!)  




 

1. v. 1. (비밀 등을) 드러내다 2. (보이지 않던 것을) 드러내 보이다 [본문으로]
2. ad. 1.(화가 나서) 미쳐 날뛰는, 길길이 뛰는 [본문으로]