Half a loaf is better than none.
【執筆／台科大應用外語系助理教授黃玟君】

這句諺語直譯是「半條麵包總比沒有麵包好」，常用在勸別人接受眼前有的東西，意思是「如果一個事物不如你所預期的好，或不如你希望中的多，最好還是接受它，因為有總比沒有好」。

前陣子各公司都開始發year-end bonuses（年終獎金），有的公司營運好，一下子發18 個月的年終獎金，讓員工個個笑得合不攏嘴；也有公司業績不錯，卻只願意給半個月的年終獎金，害員工個個垂頭喪氣。雖然摳門的老闆人人怨，不過比起那些完全沒年終獎金可領、甚至被減薪的人，half a loaf is better than none！

實用對話Conversation

A:I can't stand it anymore. My boss sure is tightfisted! It truly isn't worth it slaving away for the company...

Bidn't you just snag a huge client for them?

A:Yes! That's why I immediately asked the company for a pay raise.

B: How much did you ask for?

A:I asked for a 50 percent increase, but the company was only willing to give me a quarter.

B:Half a loaf is better than none. I think you should be satisfied with what you got. Just jump ship when a better opportunity presents itself!



字彙Vocabulary

stand (v.) 忍受

tightfisted (adj.)（口語）吝嗇的

worth (adj.) 值得的

slave away 如奴隸般工作

snag (v.) 搶到

client (n.) 客戶

immediately (adv.) 立即地

pay raise 加薪

ask for 要求

increase (n.) 增加

be willing to... 願意…

quarter (n.) 四分之一

loaf (n.) （一條或一塊）麵包

satisfied (adj.) 滿足的

jump ship 跳槽

when an opportunity presents itself 當機會展現時

（本欄每周日刊登）

【2009-01-18/聯合報/C3版/教育】

source: http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=173780