发信人: roy_young(小眼无罪)
整理人: roy_young(2001-11-15 12:45:49), 站内信件
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7. That sucks!這是美國年輕人對不好的事情表示不歡迎、不同意或不要。(something is bad; a sign of unwelcome, disapproval or unwanted)
suck 這個字,通常只指事物,不指人。主詞 that 也可以用 it 或 this 代替。假如人家沒把事情做好,就可以說:
When he could not finish his assignment, he said to me, “It sucks!”
這句「口頭禪」,主詞通常只用第三人稱單數,動詞也只用現在簡單式。(suck 是動詞,是令人討厭的意思)(sucker 則是指容易受騙的人)
8. It's neat!這也是年輕人的一種表達方式(a form of expression)意思是:「很棒!」「不錯!」「滿有意思的!」也就是:good, fine or interesting 的意思。如果從雲霄飛車下來,覺得很棒,就可以說:
After I came out from the roller coaster, I said, “That was neat!"
It will be neat to see you again! (再見你,該多好!)
所以主詞 it,也可用 that 或 this 代替,動詞也能用其他的時態。不過,這句「口頭禪」多半是用單數,是指事物,而且用在肯定句。假如說:
You are neat. 則是指你的外表很整齊,或你是一位有條理的人。(refer to a person's appearance; a well-organized person)
以上青年人所用的口頭禪,往往因不同學校或地區,意義也有差異,有時也會隨著時光而逐漸淡化。
9. 下面再談些一般人的口頭禪:
Don't play me!意思是:不要把我當傻瓜看待,或不要愚弄我。(don't treat me like a fool; don't take me for a fool; don't make a fool of me!)也就是表示一種吩咐或告示(a form of instruction)。Play 後面,也可用其他人稱代名詞 (him, her,them,us 等),動詞也可用其他時態。
但是如果說:「stop play me!」是指人家玩弄你的行為已在進行 (action already going on),你要對方停止玩弄。但是「don't play me」是指玩弄的行動還未開始,只是預先向對方發出「警告」而已。所以可以說:
He will play me if I am not careful.
10. Count your blessings!意思是說,對你現在所有的一切,要有感恩之心;不可身在福中不知福;要滿足。(to be thankful for what you have) 所以遇到有人常常埋怨,你就可以說:
Count your blessings! (blessings 要用多數) 或
We all should count blessings for what we have. 或
I should count my blessings for a happy family.
或者說:
Mr. Chen should not complain too much; he needs to count his blessings!(陳先生不要有太多的埋怨;他應該有感恩之心,知足常樂。)
11. You are in for a treat :這句「口頭禪」的意思是:我預先知道你將有美好的事情發生。(I know in advance that something good will happen to you.) (treat 就是指 something good;而且說話的人必須預知 something good will happen) 主詞可用其他的人稱代名詞,我們可以說:
He is in for a treat because I know he will be receiving a promotion.(我知道他將有升級的好消息)
The students are in for a treat today because a VIP will be guest speaker in their school.
但是「for a treat」,有時也指「應得的報酬」,要看上下文的意義而定。如果說:
We are due for a treat because we have been working very hard. (我們工作很努力,應該有些酬報了。)
不過這句口語,通常不用在否定句,所以不說:You are not in for a treat.
12. If the shoe fits 意思是說,假如你覺得這件事適合你,你就去試吧!本來後面跟著「wear it」,但通常都省去。 (照字面說:如果鞋子適合的話,就穿吧!) 也就是說:If something is suitable for you, go ahead and pursue it. (shoe 通常只用單數,而且動詞用現在簡單式第三人稱後加 s) 我們可以說:
If she insists on becoming a movie star, I will tell her,“If the shoe fits!”(假如她堅持要當影星,我會告訴她:只要你覺得適合,你就去試試吧!)
When my friend told me he would take a jungle adventure, I said, “Well, if the shoe fits!”(當我朋友告訴我他要去作叢林地區的探險,我說,「只要你認為適合你,你就去試吧!」)
13. Poor me!這句口頭禪,有點「自我憐憫」的味道 (self-pity),為了取得別人的同情 (try to get sympathy from others) 似乎在對別人說:「我好可憐啊!」「我好慘啊!」所以可以說:
Poor me, I have to pay another 20,000 dollars! (好慘啊!我還要再付兩萬元!)
Poor me, my sweetheart will leave me for her new boyfriend. (真可憐!我的心肝寶貝要離開我,去找她的新男友了。)
Poor me, I have to put up all night with my cranky baby. (真慘,我要整個晚上忍受吵吵鬧鬧的嬰孩!)
當然,也可以說:
Poor Mr. Chen, he had to get two jobs in order to pay the mortgage. (陳先生真慘,為了付房子貸款,他要幹兩個工作。)
注意:I am poor. 是我沒有錢。與 poor me 意義不同。
14. Has the cat got your tongue?這是指一個人不吭聲,或因緊張,一時不知該說什麼。也就是「你為什麼不吭聲呢?」(One can not think what to say or one's mind goes blank at a particular time) 所以美國人有時會問:
What is the matter? Has the cat got your tongue? (你不吭聲,怎麼回事?)
At the meeting, has the cat got his tongue?(開會時,他怎麼不吭聲?)
(tongue 的前面可用其他人稱代名詞 (his, her, their 等) 但「cat」和「tongue」通常只用單數。同時,動詞也可用其他不同的 tense)。
所以可以說:
Will the cat get your tongue before your speech?(在你演講前,你會因為緊張而不知該說些什麼嗎?)
You did not say anything this morning;was the cat getting your tongue?
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