 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
美国人平时生活上所用的一些口头禅,其实字句都很简单,但是如果不加说明,往往还会让人一知半解或似懂非懂。下面所举的例子,即是常常听到的一些美语口头禅。
' y7 d z, N% F6 H/ p1 h. }3 \( y
+ A6 ]( R$ C2 X w! A9 w# r8 f0 ` 1. I couldn't care less. # P4 M5 F) h e |; n) s
( F$ a+ [1 t; @: ?' m$ _ 这句话的意思是“我不在乎”,“缺乏兴趣”(lack of interest),也就是:I don''t care at all. 或 I don''t give a hoot. 例如: 3 P. O* O: Y3 F0 T
8 i8 }0 D1 @: y0 t/ R$ b+ V( k
人家如果问: What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有何看法?)
; J9 N2 Y% _5 [# ~
4 R7 f5 O7 b* e' ~ 你回答: I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎) * x" d! {# _3 z5 p3 O' R* Q& Z8 _
& l5 Q9 k$ r# Y; \' }3 @
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗?)
& }$ ^1 V; @* k6 k1 O6 ]' `3 e& g! V% Q- U/ [3 u% T+ j: {8 H
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
' F; v3 O2 u9 r* b+ b
# O; W/ y2 A7 m a 但是有时说话者也有口是心非: 例如:
7 z b" `& ]# C8 [' r3 G8 v2 h/ X x3 Y
I couldn't care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或加薪)
6 I# T( i0 P( E- b5 r) ], z+ M! N0 [4 C
而实际上他是根本在乎升级和加薪的,那么人家也许就会回答说: Yes, you do(care). ' A6 ^ {* ^! |9 B- x
$ y9 W9 ^6 v$ W6 j 至于 I couldn't care more. 就是“我很在乎”(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理:
' o5 A3 ~% z7 z" F0 Y) m' A2 p+ d. z! E
I couldn't agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意) . m. H4 F' |6 ], h8 s
: K- n9 o/ B, b
I couldn't please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽量使你高兴)
" X/ G& k! W/ w$ x- a) Y: a% N5 G" [0 b! W
I couldn't be more right.=I am totally right.
- _, T$ \7 D5 w1 i/ U. N3 }0 ^( O9 a
但是老外为了自尊,不愿强调自己的错误,所以很少人说:
5 M' v* s# i# m4 n9 [6 l% s3 l
- k' b$ p3 h Z2 h c I couldn't be more wrong.
. @: D4 p0 T6 a& Q
/ ^: F* n( D" P' w 注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句与否定句互用。
) b% X3 D7 y8 G8 q8 N
9 A+ }2 |5 X( J, P$ q: J" Q 不过,严格来说,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能减少)
5 A0 u' H( Q5 }9 J# c# B
; v w* G5 o5 ~4 H Q) {& z Z! ] I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也许增加)(主词可用任何人称代名词:he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could,不用 can。)
E4 H2 B! Q4 G3 T5 R. G6 l* C! g/ N: C
2. No bones about it. n* }' k0 x1 C4 _8 [" {+ r
2 T' r- G7 d$ S; T; q9 p 意思是:真实的,诚恳的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是 to make no bones about it.(bone 要加 s, it 是指 something)例如:
/ U$ l, G# Y8 `( q' c! {
0 m* ^& A* y# ~) r2 y$ [ His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮) ' P5 v' E/ _+ y: F# C9 y
8 X" R6 E0 x/ l: [ Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(当 A 先生谈到堕胎问题时,他是诚恳的。)
" c* N& w& n1 u8 ~* F
! T# [# P7 I+ X# \1 Q When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
' d3 ^. N6 i' B( L
0 U d$ m' P' L3 j No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)
$ ^/ W6 _* o9 I6 z/ I# x" l! m6 T9 O2 A1 r6 p q2 o- ~5 H) J
3. take it on me! 7 \ X, o) [8 [+ m" P
% a: c/ {) d. }- ~+ P* ?, W0 L$ X 意思是:“这是我的,请用吧!”“这是免费的”(help yourself to it; it is free),这多半是指吃的东西或一些不贵重的东西。例如:
2 o c5 v3 x# P4 F1 s4 {
: [/ A: G0 }3 R3 ? Here are some candies from England; take one on me. (这是来自英国的糖果,尝一个吧!) (one = candy)
, d5 s5 S9 f4 F" m, E( Q1 @0 ]) |' q( h% Y+ b
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me." (餐馆老板对我说:“尝尝我的甜点吧!”)
9 ]8 q' q' q: ~( b6 S5 A. E2 O
* B5 E' v7 s. Q Please take these pencils on me.(取用一些我的铅笔吧!) (也许铅笔上刻有名字,做为宣传之用而免费。)
9 B% O1 c9 o+ h$ Q& m- D( r" ?4 N* Z* U! W5 C# E2 C
可见 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面通常不指别人,所以多半也只用在第一人称单数 me。
! i/ @5 b6 ^/ [8 S" A9 r5 |( H7 h4 Z' K" n' u- P
(假如夫妇在一起,也可以说:Take it on us.)
9 m3 C/ ]8 i) k q8 C1 s. |; G" n4 `6 w5 s9 b
4. I am from Missouri. + t& N: t, t1 L: y/ b ` ~' a
$ y+ X: h. ^) @ 这句话有时后面要加一句:“I need to be shown.”或“You have got to show me.”,意思是 Missouri 州的人很固执 (stubborn),不太信任别人,一定要人家证明一下(prove it to me),所以密苏里州也被称为“The Show Me State”。
# N) D. i6 S# {. \+ X- |7 N- D& @' ?' r" E; A: R
据说这句话所以流行 (尤其在美国中西部) 是因为美国一些名人都住过密苏里州,包括 Harry Truman, Mark Twain, Walt Disney 等。后来老外不轻易相信别人时,就使用这句话。(也有半开玩笑性质) 例如: 9 i# e( t _; M
* c0 [! Y3 |$ M0 K) K Q He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri. (他是来自密苏里州,所以不容易说服他。) - l7 s6 w1 R; T" y X$ e. F# S& f; R
% K" P# V/ j) w- g0 ? c8 g, [' z Don''t try to fool me; I am from Missouri.(You have got to show me.) (别愚弄我,我是来自密苏里州。)
4 c/ H8 Y8 ]) s! q& N7 n' M- M; r
" I3 r" m( ]. H* ] O+ j We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown. 9 W8 |4 P I3 L/ o
5 d8 Z7 c' |3 ?' ^# y1 O% h
As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri. (Smith先生是位倔强的人,他一定是来自密苏里州。) |
|