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你有沒有發現自己講的英文裏很多的“very”?
Very good, very beautiful, very delicious, very funny, very tired, very poor, very interested......甚至有時會very very 疊在一起加強語氣。
我們經常用這麼多的very而不自覺,聽在老外耳裏,覺得很有趣:怎麼這麼誇張啊!
世界公民文化中心每季都有教學腦力激盪的會議中,請來自各國各行業的外籍顧問,寫下他們認為中文人口最容易犯的錯,外籍人士一緻認為,過度誇張的語言very是台灣人說英文時最大的特色。以下是錶決以後的公認10大錯誤,看看自己有沒有這些錯,有就打一個勾,看看你有幾個勾:
□ Excessive use of the word"very". (很愛用very,讓人有誇張感覺)
□ He/she, his/her confusions. (男女性彆不分)
□ Excessive use of"superlative"words such as"delicious"and"beautiful".(喜歡用delicious, beautiful這等"最高極"含意字眼)
□ The tendency to use too many adjectives to add color to written work rather than varying verb and noun usage which tends to be more effective in English composition.(用太多虛的形容詞,用太少動詞)
□ Closure of any and every speech or statement with the words "That's all".(講話結束瞭就用"That's all")
□ Unnecessary objects-"The children were playing A GAME";"He is reading A BOOK";"I was singing A SONG".(贅字太多,read就是讀書瞭,不必再加book)
□ The bizarre belief held by some students that American English is worthy of attention.(覺得英語要"美式"纔安心)
□ I went to the park to PLAY with my friends. (中英概念混雜,大人和朋友玩不用play)
□ I was absent because I sent my friend to the hospital, instead of,...took my friend to the hospital. (中英概念混雜,送人去醫院不用send)
□ We have done it last lesson. ---- We did it last lesson, or, We have done it. (沒有延續性的行為,不必用完成式)
學生當中,很多人形容自己講的英文是Chinglish(Chinese+English),成因很多,也有人乾脆就歸納成自己是中文邏輯,講英文總是先想到中文,這樣說法也沒錯,但過於籠統無法解決問題。Chinglish主要的成因,就世界公民文化中心教學經驗歸納,可以分成三類:
1.慣性錯誤(habit-based mistake):基本上是腦管不住嘴,過去式、單復數,he/she之類的,明明知道規則,講的時候卻會犯錯。
2.規則性錯誤(rule-based mistake):字用錯瞭或文法錯瞭,像中文說和朋友一道玩,英大會講成play with friends。
3.文化性錯誤(culture-based mistake):文法上沒錯,像一句話裏很多very、very的,但老外不會這麼誇張。
三類錯誤中,以文化性錯誤最難治,最好的策略是paraphrase(改寫),找一個有策略思維的老外「重講」或「重寫」你講的句子。以下是paraphrase的例字:
你會這麼說:
1.Did you hear the gossip about Susan getting blamed by some of the executives today? I wonder what happened!
你聽說Susan今天被幾個主管教訓瞭一頓嗎?不知道到底發生瞭什麼事。
Paraphrased:
Did you hear the scuttlebutt about Susan getting called on the carpet by some of the big wigs today? I wonder what happened.
● Scuttlebutt:閑言閑語、小道消息。Scuttlebutt的本指航海時船上的飲水貯藏器,後來逐漸産生瞭"流言,閑話"的意思。
● Be/get called on the carpet:源自19世紀早期英國英語walk the carpet,指僕人被叫到客廳裏罵。
● Big wigs:wig 本來指"假發套",以前歐洲人習慣戴假發,地位越高,假發也就越大,所以 big wig指"大亨,尤指顯赫有權勢的官員"。
你會這麼說:
2.Well, not only does Susan come to the office late every day, but she's asked sick leave the whole week. Actually she's been staying at home! She's been asking everyone to answer her phones. If she doesn't pay attention to it, she'll find herself looking for a new job and it's not that easy to make money these days.
Susan不但每天都遲到,還請瞭一整星期的病假。其是她是待在傢裏。她讓彆幫人接她該接的電話。如果她不當心點,很快就要另謀生路瞭。這年頭賺錢不容易啊。
Paraphrased:
Well, not only does Susan make it in late every day, but she's called in sick all this week. Actually she'd been staying at home! She's been asking everyone to cover for her on phones. If she doesn't watch it, she's gonna find herself pounding the pavement, and it's not that easy to make a buck these days.
● Make it in late: 上班遲到或上課遲到都可以這麼說。
● Call in sick: 請病假。
● Pound the pavement: pound 作動詞用時,可指「腳步瀋重地走或跑」,這句片語字麵意思為「拖著瀋重腳步在街道上走著」,用來形容在街上找工作的情形,即「失業中」。
你會這麼說
3.She should be thankful to have a full-time job. It's terrible losing jobs. Well, if she doesn't work harder around here like the rest of us, she's sure to get fired.
她應該慶幸自己有一份全職的工作,失業的滋味不好受。假如她不肯跟我們一樣賣命,早晚會丟掉工作。
Paraphrased:
She should be thankful to have a nine to five. It's terrible being between jobs! Well, if she doesn't buckle down around here like the rest of us, she's sure to get fired.
● Nine to five: 朝九晚五,可用nine to fiver錶示上班族。
● Between jobs: 在兩個工作中,意即失業中。
● Buckle down: 全力以赴的意思。buckle up是指開車時綁緊安全帶,或可說buckle up for safety(扣緊以保安全);buckle down是指集中精力,全力以赴,認真從事的意思。
不見得改瞭一次,你就能說很道地的英文瞭,能夠把改過的口語說法反覆聽,反覆跟讀,10次、20次以後,這些說法自然就會根植你心中。以上道地說法mp3檔案,免費下載請上www.core-corner.com。
Small talk英語開場白-如何和美國人打交道
很多人起初和老外接觸時,都覺得煩不勝煩,因為要不斷地重覆迴答大同小異問題(How are you/How's the weather/the traffic….)。其實老美就是用這種枯燥的方式打開社交的第一步,這種看似無意義的寒暄在英語裏叫small talk。寒暄對象中有些樂意與你多聊幾句,也有敷衍的。學會從對方的迴答中看齣他/她的友善程度,可以多交朋友,又不會自討沒趣:
我們可以看看下麵幾組對話,分析一下講話人的態度。
1、How are you? Ok.
這個迴答錶示講話人不是很友善,意思是,「我不想多談,你最好走開。」
2、How are you doing? (I'm) fine, thank you.
這個迴答較友善,但並沒有鼓勵你繼續問下去。可能是說,「感謝你問候我,但我現在不太想交談。」也有可能是講話的人性格內嚮,依情況而定。
3、How are you? Good! How are you?
講話人反過來問候你,錶明他很友善,如果情況允許,你可以繼續和他談下去。
問候語的種類很多,正式用於陌生人之間的,有How are you?,How are you doing? (也可以用於熟人)等等。台灣英語教學裏有一句How do you do?,美國人則很少用。
美國人的寒暄可以隻有幾句,也可能長達一個小時。寒暄在商務會談中,是進入主題不可或缺的過渡。業務上的寒暄,先介紹公司,名字,職位,工作單位。如果是很隨意會麵,不必一上來就自我介紹。在時間允許,雙方談得很投機的情況下,可以把握時機補上一句:By the way, I am xxx, nice meeting you。現場還有其他的談話者,也要相互介紹。有朋友在場,請先介紹朋友;是對方的朋友,你也最好先問:This is…?不要有人覺得被冷落瞭
流暢的small talk會為你多帶朋友,觸犯禁忌(taboo)則可能失去一個朋友。small talk中不要談論政治、宗教、收入、社會階級等任何有爭議和涉及個人隱私的話題,也不要爭論。還有一個需要多加注意的問題就是避免身體接觸,不然會引起很多誤會。美國人除瞭握手,錶示友善、關懷的擁抱外,盡量避免任何形式的身體接觸。以下來看兩個small talk的案例,先不要看答案,測試一下,能不能找到哪個地方不閤宜。
Small Talk Practice 1: At a Bus Stop
Read the small talk below and find the 6 mistakes. Then check your answers.
Woman: We couldn't ask for a better day, could we?
Man: I know. There isn't a cloud in the sky. I love this time of year.
Woman: Me too. The cherry blossoms are beautiful, aren't they?
Man: They sure are. But I heard they are calling for rain all weekend.
Woman: Really? Oh well. I have to work all weekend anyway. I'm a doctor.
Man: Wow. I'm sure you make good money with that diamond watch you have on.
Woman: Ah, this bus seems to be running late. How long of a wait is it already?
Man: I've been here for at least fifteen minutes now.
Woman: Where are you heading today?
Man: Actually, I'm going to the City Hall to cast my vote for mayor.
Woman: Oh, what a coincidence. So am I! Who are you voting for?
Man: Um, well...I'm still thinking about it.
Woman: Here comes a bus now.
Man: Oh good. Wait, that's not the bus we want. That bus goes downtown.
Woman: Well, it looks like we'll be waiting a little longer. I guess, I'll use this time to catch up on my reading.
Man: I love reading. Right now I'm reading a Stephen King book. Do you like Stephen King?
Woman: Not really.
Man: Oh, here's our bus.
Woman: Oh great. I thought it would never come. Well, have a nice day.
Man: Say, did you catch the news today?
Now check your answers. Did you find all 6 mistakes?
1.Woman: Really? Oh well. I have to work all weekend anyway. I'm a doctor.
Correction: During small talk with a stranger, it is not common to discuss personal information relating to work. 不適閤在small talk當中提到私人資訊,告訴陌生人你的職業並不恰當。
2.Man: Wow. I'm sure you make good money with that diamond watch you have on.
Correction: It is not acceptable to discuss salaries while making small talk.不宜和人討論薪水。
3.Woman: Where are you heading today?
Correction: Too personal. 這是私人問題,最好不要問。
4.Woman: Oh, what a coincidence. So am I! Who are you voting for?
Correction: Politics is not a "safe" subject to discuss. 政治不是安全話題。
5.Man: I love reading. Right now I'm reading a Stephen King book. Do you like Stephen King?
Correction: The woman suggested that she wanted to end the conversation. The man did not take the hint. 女士已經暗示想要結束談話,這位男士似乎還不懂暗示。
6.Man: Say, did you catch the news today?
Correction: Thanks. You too. This is not an appropriate time to start a new conversation. The bus's arrival indicates that it is time to stop talking. 公車到瞭,該是結束談話的時候,不要再興起新話題。
Debug專欄
Debug是世界公民文化中心一對一教學方法之一,光是揪齣你的錯誤,英文不一定會進步,更重要的是:想辦法讓自己不再犯同樣類型的錯誤,纔是英文進步的關鍵。
1.Mike, are your work busy?
2.What is Taiwan interesting?
3.My office is to ten minutes of her.
4.Because that can let me more be clear about your talk.
5.Do you live there from the day your born?
6.I am sorry, my computer have the problem?
7.In fact I want my life had a little bit changed.
8.There are many softwares available these days for various purposes
9.I am sure not even one man can control himself if he meet this kind of situation.
10.The general meeting is scheduled to be held this afternoon at three.
Debugged:
1.Mike, do you have a busy job?
2.What is in Taiwan interesting?
3.It is a ten minute drive from my office to hers.
4.Because that can help me understand what you said better.
5.Have you lived there since birth?
6.I am sorry. There is a problem with my computer.
7.In fact I want to have some change in my life.
8.There is a lot of software available these days for various purposes.
9.I doubt that there is even one man who can control himself in this situation.
10.The general meeting is scheduled to be held at three this afternoon.
企業英語教室由世界公民文化中心提供。本周稿擠,林富鬆教授專欄停刊一次。
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