當(dāng)你想用英語(yǔ)表達(dá)“給你”的時(shí)候,腦子里會(huì)不會(huì)閃過(guò)“give you”這個(gè)說(shuō)法,甚至很多同學(xué)也一直在這樣說(shuō),“give you”是典型的中式英語(yǔ)。“give you”用于后面跟著具體的東西時(shí),比如說(shuō)“I can give you some details”,一般是不會(huì)單獨(dú)使用的。“給你”地道的說(shuō)法其實(shí)我們小學(xué)都已經(jīng)學(xué)過(guò),應(yīng)該是
“Here you are”或“Here you go”。
——Can I eat now?
我現(xiàn)在能吃嗎?
——Here you are.
給你。
Here you go,ma’am. This is your boarding pass.
給您,太太。這是您的登機(jī)牌。
在跟歪果仁交流的時(shí)候,很多同學(xué)都會(huì)尷尬地發(fā)現(xiàn),我們講的很多英語(yǔ)其實(shí)并不地道,幾年前,一位在浙大當(dāng)了5年英語(yǔ)外教的的亞蘭森(Chuck Allanson)在網(wǎng)絡(luò)上發(fā)表了一篇中式英語(yǔ)與正宗英語(yǔ)表達(dá)的博文,雖然其中不無(wú)爭(zhēng)議,還是有很多值得我們參考的地方。
1. 你是做什么工作的呢?
Chinglish: What’s your job?
English: Are you working at the moment?
What’s your job這種說(shuō)法會(huì)稍顯生硬唐突。如果談話對(duì)象剛剛失業(yè),這樣直接的問(wèn)法會(huì)讓對(duì)方有失面子,大家可以這樣問(wèn):目前你是在上班嗎,Are you working at the moment,接下來(lái)可以問(wèn):目前在哪兒工作呢, Where are you working these days,或者從事哪個(gè)行業(yè)呢,What line of work are you in,順帶說(shuō)一下,回答這類問(wèn)題時(shí)不妨說(shuō)得具體一點(diǎn),不要只是說(shuō)經(jīng)理或者秘書。
2. 我很喜歡它 。
Chinglish: I very like it.
English: I like it very much.
這個(gè)很典型,就不多做解釋了。
3. 價(jià)格挺合適/挺好的。
Chinglish: The price is very suitable.
English: The price is right/reasonable.
suitable(合適的、相配的)最常見(jiàn)的用法是以否定的形式出現(xiàn)在告示或通知中。
這部影片兒童不宜。
This movie is not suitable for children.
4. 用英語(yǔ)怎么說(shuō)?
Chinglish: How to say in English?
English: How do you say this in English?
How to say 不是一個(gè)完整的句子,而是一個(gè)分句。
同類的句子還有:
請(qǐng)問(wèn)這個(gè)單詞怎么拼?
How do you spell that please?
請(qǐng)問(wèn)這個(gè)單詞怎么讀?
How do you pronounce this word?
5. 明天我有事情要做。
Chinglish: I have something to do tomorrow.
English: Sorry but I am tied up all day tomorrow.
用I have something to do來(lái)表示自己脫不開(kāi)身,這也是中國(guó)式的說(shuō)法。因?yàn)槊繒r(shí)每刻我們都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大覺(jué)也是事情。
大家要表示自己忙,脫不開(kāi)身,可以這樣說(shuō):I’m tied up.
或者:I’m afraid I can’t make it at that time. I’d love to, but I can’t, I have to stay at home.
6. 我的英語(yǔ)很糟糕。
Chinglish: My English is poor.
English: I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
有人開(kāi)玩笑說(shuō),全中國(guó)人最擅長(zhǎng)的一句英文是:My English is poor.要說(shuō)自己外語(yǔ)不好,外國(guó)人一般不用poor這么重的詞,而是會(huì)說(shuō): I am still having a few problems, but I am getting better.
簡(jiǎn)單的說(shuō)法則有:My English is not so good. 我的英文不太好。My English is pretty limited. 我的英文水平非常有限。