1368期「戒掉爛英文」主題是 “「不送了」英文該怎麼說？”
評語: 這命題就已經是中式思維了, 因為英語文化裡根本就沒有「送客/不送客」這回事, 客人在門口準備離去時沒啥客套話, 就是說「再見」。如果歪果仁到你家, 臨走時你來上本文教導的其中一句, 準讓對方臉上三條線。
1. I’ll see you off. 我送妳出去。See…off就是一幕目送他人離開的畫面.
評語: 連字典都懶得查。See sb. off是「給某人送行」的意思, 地點是在機場, 巴士站等, 不包含在門口目送客人離去。你可以在家門口送人上飛機嗎?
2. I’ll walk you out. 我陪你走出去。
評語: 這說法倒是有的, 主要是依依不捨, 或是怕對方出去迷路或被惡犬追, 特地送他一段路等等。
3. Walk yourself out. 不送了。例句:
A: I hope you are OK with walking yourself out.
B: It’s OK. I’ll walk myself out.
評語: 英文沒有以上三句的說法, 不曉得作者哪想到的神來之筆。這裡我做一點補充說明: 如果歪果仁真的說「不送了」, 其實是在下逐客令, 例如警察跑到奸商 (如徐X東之流) 的家裡去盤問, 不受歡迎被趕走時, 奸商會對爪牙說: Please show Mr. Liang the door, Stinky (臭臭, 請送梁先生出去。) 這時警察只好說 Don’t bother. I'll show/let myself out. 之類的話來給自己台階下, 性格衝一點的也許會說: No need. I know where the door is.
4. This is it. 到此為止。把某人送到某個定點, 英文會說「到此為止, 就到這裡」。例句: Well, this is it. Have a safe flight and let’s keep in touch!
評語: This is it. 跟送行其實沒有直接關係, 它的意思是「就這樣了」或照字面解釋的「就是這個」, 例如: If you’re asking for the oddest case I’ve ever worked on, this is it. (你要問我所辦過最詭異的案件, 那就是這件了。)
關於「就這樣了」的用法, 我在Yahoo! Answers 上看到一段蠻傳神的解釋, 這裡轉貼出來供參考:
What it means is that this time - this attempt at testing something that you made or fixed - is THE final moment. "The moment of truth" so to speak. It means "now is the time" when you are about to try something - or do something. It has several "contexts" where it can be used.
--You could be at the top of a huge slide you have never gone down - you are wondering if you should go down this slide - you're wondering if it's safe!
Your last words before you push off - before you "take the plunge" are: "This is it!"
--You might have tried to fix your computer - it wasn't working. You tore it apart. You think you fixed it. You are about to plug it back in. As you're pushing the plug into the wall you might say: "This is it."
--You might love something. You have been trying to find a drink you had once but have forgotten the name of it and what it looks like. One day, you come across something that reminds you of this drink and buy it. You taste it - and you realize it is that taste you were looking for!!! You might say: "THIS IS IT!"
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