美国人平时生活所常用的口头禅1
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」。
1. I couldn""t care less.
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:
人家如果问:What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有何看法?)
你回答:I couldn""t care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee""s political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗?)
I couldn""t care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但是有时说话者也有「口是心非」:例如:
I couldn""t care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或加薪)
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).
至于I couldn""t care more.就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或I care deeply.同理:
I couldn""t agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn""t please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽量使你高兴)
I couldn""t be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外为了「自尊」,不愿强调自己的错误,所以很少人说:
I couldn""t be more wrong.
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。
不过,严格来说,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care的程度可能减少)
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。)
2. No bones about it.
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:
His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
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。)
When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)