04.02 What's your job不禮貌?10大中式英語表達,你中槍了嗎?

學了多年英語的我們出國後往往會尷尬地發現,自己所說的並不是地道的英語,而是“中式英語”(Chinglish,指 Chinese English)。幾年前在浙江大學任教的美國外教Chuck Allanson,把在中國五年任教期間所聽到、所看到的各種Chinglish說法編寫下來,至今廣為流傳。下面就來看看自己有沒有說過類似的Chinglish吧!

No.1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. 是純粹的中式英語。在英語裡,wish 後面只需加名詞,即:I wish you a nice/good day. 不過,這個句式很古板,一般只用於聖誕賀卡或節日歌詞,如:I wish you a Merry Christmas. 日常只說:Enjoy your day! Have a wonderful day! 而Have a nice/good day! 是北美店員向顧客標準的道別語。流行的美式道別語則是:Have a good one!

What's your job不禮貌?10大中式英語表達,你中槍了嗎?

No.2這個價格對我挺合適的

Chinglish:The price is very suitable for me.

English:The price is right. / The price is appropriate. / The price is good.

提示:suitable的意思雖然也是“合適的”,但其最常見的用法是以否定的形式出現在告示或通知上,如:下面的節目不適合兒童(觀看)。The following programme is not suitable for children.

No.3你是做什麼工作的呢

Chinglish:What's your job?

English:Are you working at the moment?What kind of work are you?

提示:what's your job這種說法難道也不合適嗎?是的。因為如果您的談話對象剛剛失業,如此直接的問法會顯得十分唐突失禮,所以應該說:目前您是在上班嗎?Are you working at the moment?從而引出自己的問題:目前您在哪兒工作呢?Where are you working at?/ Where do you work?或者您從事哪個行業呢?What line of work are you in? / What type of work do you do?

No.4這個用英語怎麼說

Chinglish:How to say?

English:How do you say this in English?

提示:How to say是最為氾濫的中式英語之一,這並不是一個完整的句子,也不是地道的英語說法。正確的說法是:請問這個詞如何拼寫?How do you spell that please?請問這個單詞怎麼讀?How do you pronounce this word?

No.5明天我有點事

Chinglish:I have something to do tomorrow.

English:I am tied up all day tomorrow.

提示:I have something to do是“我有事情做”的意思,不能用來表示很忙,因為每時每刻我們都有事情要做,這也完全是中式的說法。所以可以說我脫不開身:I'm tied up. 或者:I can't make it at that time. I'd love to, but I can't, I have to do my homework. 我那時去不了。我很想去,但是不行,我得做作業。

What's your job不禮貌?10大中式英語表達,你中槍了嗎?

No.6我的歌也唱的不好

Chinglish:I don't sing well too.

English:I am not a very good singer either.

提示:當我們想表達不擅長做什麼事情的時候,英語裡面通常用not good at something,或者直接說:我不是一個好的歌手/舞者。

No.7現在幾點了

Chinglish:What time is it now?

English:What time is it, please?

提示:What time is it now也是一個直接從漢語翻譯過來的句子,問時間的時候沒有必要說now,因為我們不可能問what time was it yesterday, 或者what time is it tommorow?所以符合英語習慣的說法是:請問現在幾點了?還有一種說法是:How are we doing for time? 意思是:How much time have we got left? Are we pressed for time? 即問:我們還有多少時間?(用於時間緊迫時候)

No.8我的英語不好

Chinglish:My English is poor.

English:I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.

提示:要說自己外語不好,外國人一般不用poor這麼重的詞,而是會說: I am still having a few problems, but I am getting better. / I am learning to be fluent, and I am making good progress! 簡單的說法還有: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。

No.9我沒有經驗

Chinglish:I have no experience.

English:I don't know much about that.

提示:I have no experience也是一種中式表達,因為只需要說那方面我懂得不多,或者這方面我不在行,就可以了。比如:I am not really an expert in this area.

No.10能請你幫個忙麼

—Could you do me a favor?

Chinglish:—Of course!/certainly.

English:—Sure.

提示:以英語為母語的人很少使用of course,只有在回答眾所周知的問題時,才說 of course 或 of course not:“當然(不)是這樣啦!”certainly 一般用在句中作副詞,表示確知某事、確定會做。如:我肯定會再光顧那家旅店的。I’ll certainly stay in that hotel again.因此,of course帶有挑釁的意味。在交談時,用sure或certainly效果會好得多。

Tips: How are you?Fine, thank you. And you?是我們從小學到大的,那麼有哪些句子可以替換這一相對正式刻板的說法呢?

How are you doing? How's it going? 很普遍的問候語。回答一般是:Good. 或是:Awesome.(很棒)

How are you (recently)? 你(最近)好嗎?很平常的詢問。

Everything ok? 都好吧?用於查問親友是否都好。

Are you ok? 不確定對方是否發生狀況,而關切詢問:你還好嗎?

Are you doing ok? 一般指工作、財務、學業或手頭正在做的事是否進展順利。

Have you been well? 用於詢問近期身體怎麼樣。


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