Loose Lips Sink Ships——禍從口出

**inadvertent disclosure of secrets during conversation could have severe consequences

（談話中不慎洩露秘密可能會造成嚴重後果）

~~ 禍從口出；言多必失；多言買禍；禍福無門；惟人自召；禍發齒牙；守嘴不惹禍

~~ beware of unguarded talk // careless talk costs lives // closed mouth catches no flies // closed mouth gathers no feet // no wisdom like silence // silence is golden // still tongue keeps a wise head // long tongue // loose tongue // loose clicks sink ships

!! Among World War II posters urging sailors and others not to talk about war-related matters to protect war secrets: "The Slip of a Lip May Sink a Ship," "Slipped Lips Sink Ships," and "Idle Gossip Sinks Ships," the most memorable was "Loose Lips Sink Ships."

（在敦促水手和其他人不要談論與戰爭有關的事情，以便保護戰爭秘密的二戰海報中：“口誤可能使船沉沒”，“口誤沉沒船”和“空閑閒話沉沒船”，其中最令人難忘的是“Loose Lips Sink Ships”。）

>> Canada's communications director F.D. had a moment of “Loose lips sink ship” at the NATO summit in Prague,Czech Republicin 2002. She resigned over "What a moron" she said about U.S. President George W. Bush during a private conversation overheard by other reporters.

（加拿大通訊主管F.D.於2002年在捷克所開的北約峰會上禍從口出，私下提及美國總統喬治布殊“真是白痴”，被其他記者聽到，因而辭職。）

>> In this exceedingly competitive business environment, talking about trade secrets even to your spouse is sometimes taboo -- loose lips sink ships.

（在這個競爭異常激烈的商業環境中，有時甚至對配偶談論商業秘密也是禁忌——言多必失。）

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師

李啟文　　教授