不要再说这些Chinglish,让你听上去不再那么Asian
爱思英语编者按:这15个Chinglish,你说过几个?小小的改变,让你听上去不再那么Asian。
不要再说这些Chinglish,让你听上去不再那么Asian
这15个Chinglish,你说过几个?小小的改变,让你听上去不再那么Asian。
学了多年英语而留美的很多中国学子,以及真正与外国人做日常交流的中国人,往往会尴尬地发现,自己所说的并不是地道的英语,而是“中式英语”(Chinglish,指 Chinese English)。几年前,一位自言在浙大当了五年英语外教的亚兰森(Chuck Allanson)在大陆博客上发表了一篇对比中式英语与正宗英语表达的博文,至今广为流传,虽然不无争议,但也有一些很值得参考。这里以他的博文为参照,为读者罗列15句常见的Chinglish,以及更标准的英语表达,相信会让很多读者会心一笑。
1. 价格挺合适/挺好的。
Chinglish: The price is very suitable.
English: The price is right. / The price is appropriate. / The price is good.
提示:suitable(合适的、相配的)最常见的用法是以否定的形式出现在告示或通知中,如:这部影片儿童不宜。This movie is not suitable for children.
2. 你是做什么工作的呢?
Chinglish: What's your job?
English: Are you working at the moment?
提示:前一种说法的语气显得生硬唐突,因为对方可能目前并未上班。后一种说法——“目前你是在上班吗?”可以引出你要问的问题:目前你在哪儿工作呢?Where are you working at?/ Where do you work?或者:你从事哪个行业呢?What line of work are you in? / What type of work do you do?最简单的问法当然还是:What do you do?
3. 用英语怎么说?
Chinglish: How to say?
English: How do you say that in English?
提示:How to say 不是一个完整的句子,而是引领分句。同类的例子还有:请问这个单词怎么拼?How do you spell that please? 请问这个单词怎么读?How do you pronounce this word?
4. 明天我有事。
Chinglish: I have something to do tomorrow.
English: I am tied up all day tomorrow.
提示:要表达脱不开身,可以说:I'm tied up. 或:I can't make it at that time. I'd love to, but I can't, I have to stay at home. 即明天不行啊,我很想去,但没办法,得待在家。
5. 我想我不行。
Chinglish: I think I can't.
English: I don't think I can.
提示:英语的表达习惯是,“我不认为我可以。”
6. 我的舞也跳得不好。
Chinglish: I don't dance well too.
English: I am not a very good dancer either.
提示:表达不擅长做什么事情,英语里面常用not good at something,或者直接说:我不是一个好的舞者。
7. 现在几点了?
Chinglish: What time is it now?
English: What time is it?
提示:讲英语的时候没有必要说now。还有一种说法是:How are we doing for time? 意思是:How much time have we got left? Are we pressed for time? 即问:我们还有多少时间?
8. 我的英语不好。
Chinglish: My English is poor.
English: I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
提示:要说自己外语不好,外国人一般不用poor这么重的词,而是会说: I am still having a few problems, but I am getting better. / I am learning to be fluent, and I am making good progress!
简单的说法则有: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。
9. 你愿意参加我们的晚会吗?
Chinglish: Would you like to join our party on Friday?
English: Would you like to come to our party on Friday night? / Would you join us on Friday night?
提示:join往往是指和某个人群一起活动,或参加俱乐部、协会等组织,如:join a health and fitness club.(参加健身俱乐部。)常常与 party 搭配的动词是 come 和 go。如:Please come to my birthday party.
10. 我没有经验。
Chinglish: I have no experience.
English: I don't know much about that. 或:I am not an expert in this field.
提示:只需要说:那方面我懂得不多,或者这方面我不在行,就行了。
11.
——能请你帮个忙吗?
——当然。
—Could you do me a favor?
Chinglish:
—Of course! / Certainly.
—English: Sure.
提示:以英语为母语的人很少使用 of course,只有在示意答案众所周知时,才说 of course 或 of course not,隐含反诘的意思:“当然(不)是这样啦!”certainly 一般用在句中作副词,表示确知某事、确定会做。如:我肯定会再光顾那家旅店的。I'll certainly stay in that hotel again.
请问 sure 和 certainly 两个词有区别吗?当然有区别啦!Of course! There is certainly a difference between them!
12. 你觉得这个计划如何?
Chinglish: How do you feel about the plan?
English: How do you like the plan?
提示:一般要问别人对某人或某事物的看法或意见时应该用 How do you like …? 或 What do you think of / about …? 这两个句式才对。
当使用 think (of / about…) 这个动词时,疑问词要用 what 而不能用 how。例如:What do you think about the plan?
13. 我把午餐忘在家里了。
Chinglish: I've forgotten my lunch at home.
English: I've left my lunch at home.
提示:forgotten中文是遗忘,但把东西落在某处,应该用 leave。或者只说:I forgot to bring my lunch. 我忘带午餐了,就可以啦!
14. 祝你有美好的一天!
Chinglish: I wish you have a nice/good day.
English: Enjoy your day! / Have a wonderful day! / Have a good one! /Have a nice/good day!
提示:I wish you have a nice/good day. 是纯粹的中式英语。在英语里,wish 后面只需加名词,即:I wish you a nice/good day. 不过,这个句式很古板,一般用于圣诞贺卡或节日歌词,如:I wish you a Merry Christmas. 日常只说:Enjoy your day! Have a wonderful day! 而Have a nice/good day! 是美国店员向顾客标准的道别语。流行的美式道别语(也用作回应)则是:Have a good one!
15. 再见啦!
Chinglish: Bye-bye!
English: Bye. /See you. /Later. 或:I'll see you later.
提示:“Bye-bye!”比较孩子气,或带调侃。
◇ 更多中式英语
1. 黄头发:在英语中是金发,即 blond / blonde。
2. 真遗憾:It's a pity. 是老式表达,更常用的是:That's too bad. / It's a shame.
3. 厕所:不说WC,一般常说 restroom。
4. 裤子:很少说大陆英语课本上的 trousers,通常说 pants 或 jeans(休闲裤、牛仔裤)。
◇ 英语的丰富性
英语表达力之丰富,从一句简单的问候就可以看出:你好吗?
How are you doing? How's it going? 很普遍的问候语。回答一般是:Good. 甚或是:Awesome.(很棒。)
How are you (recently)? 你(最近)好吗?很平常的询问。
Everything ok? 都好吧?用于查问亲友是否都好。
Are you ok? 不确定对方是否发生状况,而关切询问:你还好吗?(雷军Are you okay?)
Are you doing ok? 一般指工作、财务、课业或手头正在做的事是否进展顺利。
Have you been well? 用于询问近期身体怎么样。
◇ 中文渗入英语!
台湾东吴大学英文系主任曾泰元近日撰文分享,据他长期关注,中文词语甚至中式英语会悄悄被收入英语词典,如 goji(枸杞)和 wuxia(武侠)。出乎意料被收入的还有:long time no see(好久不见,一说来自印第安人的英语),no can do(不可以、不行,源自洋泾滨英语),二者都已正式入籍美式俗语。