其实解决这个问题,主要靠三个方面。根本做法是多观察,learn before we talk。也就是说先观察别人怎么说的,然后我们再加以模仿,改造与发挥。
好,我们就从那11词开始,这些词,都是一只只帮助我们飞翔的翅膀。
注:这里我评价一个说法是不是更好,一般评价标准有:忠实;精练;地道。 尽量使用English native speaker的说法,而不使用我们自己编造出来的说法。
第一词:Skills
作“技能,水平”讲。以前一想到“水平”一词,就会想到level一词,但是老外可不是这么想的。skills一词更近。
1、怎样才能提高我们的英语水平?
Chinglish:How to improve our English level? (他们一般不这么说,但是应该可以看懂)
Revision:How to improve our English skills?
2、他写作,翻译水平很高。
Chinglish:His writing and translating level are very high.
Revision:He has very good writing and translation skills.
现在追求技术的时代,skills也走俏。什么English skills, communications skills, computer skills, study skills, survival skills, writing skills...都泛滥了,我们也“决口”一次如何?
第二词:Try
我们先看几个来自生活中的句子,都是常见句子(注:所谓 Chinglish即中国式英语,只是相对,并非绝对。而Revision即为修改后的标准说法。)
1、这蛋糕真好吃,你尝点。
Chinglish:This cake is so delicious, please eat a little.
Revision:The cake is so delicious. Please try some. (Oh! The cake is so yummy that I want them all.)
2、这样不行,你再看看。
Chinglish:It won't do. Please see it again.
Revision:It won't do. Please try again.
3、我做过一两次,都失败了。
Chinglish:I did one or two times, but I failed.
Revision:I tried a couple of times, but I failed.
4、请您放心,我一定有多少力,出多少力。
Chinglish:Please put down your heart. I'll give all my strength out.
Revision:Don't worry, I'll try my best.
5、这件裙子真漂亮,你穿上看看?
This skirt looks so beautiful. Would you please try it?
凡是带有“尝试”、做事没底但是还是做了等,可以选用try一词,简单又实用。当然,try还有审判的意思。
So, please try this word more often.
在google.com中对try的原形进行搜索,“约有158,000,000项符合try的查询结果”,也就是近1.6亿个结果。可见try是多么受欢迎。那么我们用过多少次?
第三词:Surprise
有人可能会说,这个词有什么了不起?选中这个词,完全就看重这个词包含的一种文化。西方人注重生活情调,特别看重带给朋友或家人的“惊喜”。
1、我男朋友来看我了。真是个惊喜!
My boyfriend has come to see me. It's really a big surprise! (what a surprise!)
2、对于这名老教师来说,真是惊喜连连啊。
To this veteran teacher, it's one surprise after another.
这个词不难用。作为国人,要提高自己的生活趣味,就多点surprise吧!
在google.com中,约有25,100,000项符合surprise的查询结果。
第四词:Available
这个词有点怪,是形容词,但是一般放到所修饰的词后面。凡句子中含有是“有......可以用到”的时候都可以考虑这个词。这个词关系到我们思维方式,而不是这个词用法有多复杂。反义词是unavailable.现在都讲究资源了.
1、对不起,没座了。
Chinglish:Sorry, we have no seats now.
Revision:Sorry, no seats available.
2、网站暂时无法访问。
Chinglish:This website can't be visited temporarily.
Revision:Website is Temporarily Unavailable.
有时候尽管不是非用available/unavailable不可,但是多用一些,看起来正宗。在google.com中搜索结果:是约有441,000,000项符合available的查询结果,即4亿多条,但是我们用过几次。他们爱用的我们老不用,难怪正宗度老是大打折扣。要学习例句,google.com里多得是。几亿条了可不是。
第五词:Offer
这个词比较微妙。英译中时不太好处理,正因如此,这个词才值得我们重视。
1、谢谢你的好意,不过我可以走回去。
Chinglish:Thank you for your goodwill, but I can go home on foot.
Revision:Thanks for your offer, but I can walk home.
2、全国人民纷纷向灾区伸出了援助之手。
Version1:People from all over the country all giving their hands to the disaster area.
Alt Version:People from all over the country are offering helping hands to the disaster area.
3、他给了一件工作给我。
Version1:He gave me a job to do.
Better version:He offered me a job.
Offer可以做动词用,也可以做名词用。还有一些固定搭配,其中Job offer非常红。
凡是带有“给予”,“善意提供的(帮忙)”等意思,就可以考虑offer这个词。我们可以把give一些空间让点给offer。
这个机会可是我最后给你的。答应不答应随你的便。This is my last offer to you. Take it or leave it.
第六词:Difference
意思是差别。对于difference只需要掌握一到两个短语,我们口语水平就会前进一大步,让你的同学对你刮目相看,那就是make a difference(有很大不同)或make no differences(没什么不同)。
1、你说的什么移动、联通, 我看还不一路货色。
You're talking about Telecom and Unicom. The way I see it, they make no differences at all.
2、这种化妆品你用用看,效果绝对不一样。
Chinglish:Please use this kind of cosmetics, the effect is absolutely different.
Revision:Please try this sort of cosmetics, I bet it'll make a big difference.
(不好意思,我就是喜欢try这个词)
3、上帝啊,再给我一次机会,我不会再这样了。
Chinglish:God, please give me a chance again, I won't do this again.
Revision:God, please grant me another chance, and I'll make a difference.
凡是一样不一样,都可以考虑这2个短语,你用好了,绝对可以make a difference。
另外说一下,受教科书的影响,说不同的时候中国学生习惯be different from这一句型。但是很多时候differ from这个动词形式更简单,try it, and you'll make a difference,让你的老师、同学对你刮目相看。
西方人崇尚个人奋斗,追求与他人不一样。这个词,对于他们来说,太神圣了。在google.com中,make a difference这一短语搜索结果近600万,我们用过几次了。所以以后有条件,我们就要make a difference,没有条件时,创建条件也要make a difference。
第七词:Point
pointless(没意义)一词也算它一伙的。 提到这个词,完全是meaning 一词在作怪。
1、你这样做是什么意思?
Chinglish:What is your meaning in doing this?
Revision:What's your point?
2、如果你抽烟的话,就别怕得癌症。再问“上帝怎么这样对我啊”没什么意义。
Chinglish:If you smoke, you should not be to get lung cancer. It's meaningless to ask "why did God do this to me?" (注:meaningless 可用,但是老外不爱用,爱用的是我们)
Revision:If you smoke, you should be prepared to get lung cancer; it's pointless to ask "why did God do this to me?"
要洗脑子,转变中式思维习惯,就别怕“矫枉过正”。以后凡是遇到“有意义”、“没意义”的时候,先考虑point/pointless,而不要先考虑meaning什么的。
第八词:Access
意思很多,英汉不好一一对应,先看一些例句。
1、我这里上不了网。
Chinglish:I can't go on internet here. (老外还以为是你有事、或这里不适合而不能上网)
Revision:I can't access the web/the internet here. (说明想上但是上不了)
2、天!今天我邮箱打不开了!
Chinglish:My god! I can't open my mail box today! (我看也可以这么说,但是这样说不如下面的好)
Revision:My god! I can't access my mail box today!
3、那间房子我无权进入。
Chinglish:I'm not allowed to come into this room.
Revision:I don't have access to that room.
这个词网络味比较浓,既然我们天天上网来混,应该多了解一下。
第九词:Sense
这个词主要由于几个相关短语而流行的。
这几个短语分别是:a sense of (responsibility, humor...)---有幽默感等, make sense/not make any sense,有意义,没意义(所以我说别老用meaningless,不是人家听不懂,那很中式的)。
1、我很喜欢他。他很有幽默感。
Chinglish:I very like him. He is very humorous.
Revision:I like him very much. He has a good sense of humor.
2、我知道,不过有的地方没什么意义。
Chinglish:I know, but it's meaningless in some places.
Revision:I know, but again at some point it doesn't make any sense.
3、什么?至少六周?这样做有什么意义呢?
What? at least 6 weeks? Does it make any sense?(或what's your point?)
第十词:Afford
意思是买的起,付得起、花得起时间、金钱、精力等。
但是Afford只能表示能力,不表示意愿。例如我们可以说I'm willing to pay, but I really can't afford it.
1、这顶帽子贵得也太离谱了,我买不起。
Chinglish:This hat is extremely expensive, I can't buy it.
Revision:This hat is so expensive that I can't afford it.
2、这个村子里好多儿童都上不起学。
Chinglish:Lots of kids can't go to school because they're poor. (意思表达出来了但是不精练)
Revision:Plenty of kids in this village can't afford to go to school (can't afford education).
3、抱歉,我跟你玩不起。
Chinglish:Sorry, I can't play with you.
Revision:I can't afford to play 'games' with you, sorry.
第十一词:Frustrated
表示心情沮丧、灰心丧气时,老外偏爱frustrated这一词。我们喜欢是sad, lose one's heart等表达法。
没说过frustrated一词三次以上的,那么英语还不算入门(别骂我啊,我只可是考虑再三才说滴,没说过的话,现在说也来得及)。
用法特别简单。当你觉得灰心丧气时,forget about "sad", use this word instead.
1、没有一个女孩子给我写过信,我真是沮丧极了。
I'm so frustrated that no girls wrote to me.
2、公司业绩总是不好,总经理真是心灰意懒。
Chinglish:The total manager is very sad because the achievement is not good.
Revision:The general manager is so frustrated for the poor performance of his company.
If, if lots of people come and shout to me: "Coolmax, your English is so poor and limited!" I'll be extremely frustrated.
再说一遍,以后要常说 frustrated 哦!说多了,你就有老外的感觉了。