中英文表达差异

发布 2021-04-25 22:30:28 阅读 6588

比如,中国人在餐厅或咖啡厅,会说:“我想要一个汉堡包”或者“我想要一杯咖啡”。但是,如果直接把这些话翻译成英语“i want to h**e a hamburger.

”或“i want to h**e a coffee.”老外们会觉得这样说话很没有礼貌,当然他们也不会直接告诉你。而在西方国家,老外们一般会说:

“could i h**e a hamburger, please?”或“can i h**e a coffee, please?”在这里joy同学又提到一个需要注意的问题,“打工的孩子最容易不注意的是see u应该是客人说的,隐含了他觉得不错他会再来的意思,而店员最好用低调一点的bye,用see u太强势了。

另外人家说谢谢,你也不用说you are welcome, 这实在是太正式了,有点真把自己当回事觉得帮了人家的味道。回答cheers或no worries就好,如果仅仅是对方爱说谢,你甚至可以不回应他的谢,直接说你要说的就好,如果是买了他的东西他谢你,更不能说you r welcome了,最好也谢对方”

再比如,中国人在拒绝别人邀请的午宴或晚宴时,会说:“抱歉,我不能去,我还有别的安排。”翻译成英文就是“sorry,i can’t.

i h**e another appointment.”如果这样说,那别人第二次也许不会再邀请你了。老外们一般会这样说:

“that is a good idea! i would like to join in but i h**e another appointment today.”

我们可以从中总结一些“有礼貌”的技巧:

1、西方人(主要指有一定修养的欧美人)在与他人交流时,比较多地使用情态动词:can、could、may、might、would等等;情态动词(model verbs)又称为情态助动词(model auxil-iaries),表示说话人的语气,可表达建议、要求、可能和意愿等,使得说话的语气比较有礼貌。

2、比较多地使用虚拟语气,比如would (had) rather、would (had) sooner、would (just) as soon等等,或者在陈述句中使用过去式表示虚拟语气,或者使用if等引导的从句表示“可能性”。这样说话可以使人感觉表达者是在考虑达到最佳的结果或方式,尽量避免不好的结果或方式,或者推测可能出现的问题,并找出可能解决的办法。

3、往往在句尾加please,而不是在句首加please。当please用在句首的时候,语气听起来就比较强,听起来像命令。比如请求别人做某事的时候,我们中国人会说“请在周一前给我回复。

谢谢。”但是如果你直接用英语说“please reply to me by monday. thank you.

”听者会觉得你是在命令他,一点礼貌也没有。而如果这样说:“could you please reply to me by monday?

thank you.”就显得有礼貌了。

4、在陈述句的表达可能显得生硬、没礼貌时,尽量使用疑问句、否定句或从句,尽量避免自己的主观判断或武断,以积极的、建议的、比较的、人性的语气,代替消极的、命令的、直接的、武断的语气。

5、说话要以他人为中心,以肯定他人、赞同他人为前提,让自己显得谦卑、渺小。说完之后,还要附带一句“thank you”或“thanks”。其实,这种礼貌的表达方式是来自古老的中国。

这是东西方文化的共同点,也是为人处世的基本原则。了解英语中礼貌的表达方式,尽量让自己的英语表达更有礼貌,融入社会。

说到这里,我们索性再八一八英国人那些弱爆了的思维吧。

当英国人夸你“很不错”时,当英国人“顺便说一句”时,当英国人说“基本同意”时,他们想表达的实际含义是什么呢?而你又是如何理解的呢?千万不要误会他们的意思,闹出笑话!

when the british say "i hear what you say. "they mean "i disagree and do not want to discuss it further." but what others understand is "he accepts my point of view.

"当英国人说“我听到你所说的了”时,他们的意思是“我不同意也不想就其做进一步讨论”,而其他人却理解成了“他接受了我的观点”。

when the british say "with the greatest respect...they mean "i think you are an idiot." but what others understand is "he is listening to me.

"当英国人说“出于最大的尊重…”时,他们的意思是“我觉得你太二了”,而其他人却理解成了“他正听我说话呢”。

when the british say "that's not bad. "they mean "that's good." but what others understand is "that's poor.

"当英国人说“不算太糟”时,他们的意思是“太好了”,而其他人却理解成了“太差了”。

when the british say "that is a very br**e proposal. "they mean "you are insane." but what others understand is "he thinks i h**e courage.

"当英国人说“那真是一个非常有勇气的提议”时,他们的意思是“你真是疯了”,而其他人却理解成了“他觉得我很有胆识”。

when the british say "quite good. "they mean "a bit disappointing." but what others understand is "quite good.

"当英国人说“很不错哦”时,他们的意思是“有点小失望”,而其他人却理解成了“真心不错”。

when the british say "i would suggest...they mean "do it or be prepared to justify yourself." but what others understand is "think about the idea, but do what you like.

"当英国人说“我想建议的是……”时,他们的意思是“去实践或者做好准备证明你自己”,而其他人却理解成了“考虑一下他的点子,但还是做我想做的”。

when the british say "oh, incidentally / by the way...they mean "the primary purpose of our discussion is...but what others understand is "that is not very important.

"当英国人说“顺便说一句……”时,他们的意思是“我们讨论的最根本目的是……”而其他人却理解成了“接下来的话不是非常重要”。

when the british say "i was a bit disappointed that...they mean "i am annoyed that...but what others understand is "it doesn't really matter.

"当英国人说“我对……有点小失望”时,他们的意思是“我对……很恼火”,而其他人却理解成了“无伤大雅”。

when the british say "very interesting. "they mean "that is clearly nonsense." but what others understand is "they are impressed.

"当英国人说“非常有意思啊”时,他们的意思是“那明显是瞎扯淡”,而其他人却理解成了“那真是让人印象深刻”。

when the british say "i'll bear it in mind. "they mean "i've forgotten it already." but what others understand is "they will probably do it.

"当英国人说“我刻在脑子里了”时,他们的意思是“我已经不记得了”,而其他人却理解成了“他们大概会去做的吧”。

when the british say "i'm sure it's my fault. "they mean "it's your fault." but what others understand is "why do they think it was their fault?

"当英国人说“我确定是我错了”时,他们的意思是“那其实是你的错”,而其他人却理解成了“为什么他们会觉得是他们的错呢?”

when the british say "you must come for dinner. "they mean "it's not an invitation, i'm just being polite." but what others understand is "i will get an invitation soon.

"当英国人说“你一定要来赴宴”时,他们的意思是“那绝不是什么邀请,我只不过想礼貌一些”,而其他人却理解成了“马上我就会收到一个邀请了”。

when the british say "i almost agree. "they mean "i don't agree at all." but what others understand is "he's not far from agreement.

"当英国人说“我基本同意”时,他们的意思是“我一点儿都不同意”,而其他人却理解成了“他真的是非常非常同意啊”。

when the british say "i only h**e a few minor comments. "they mean "please re-write completely." but what others understand is "he has found a few typos.

"当英国人说“我只是有一点儿建议”时,他们的意思是“请从头到尾地重写一份吧”,而其他人却理解成了“他只不过发现了一些言语错误”。

when the british say "could we consider some other options?" they mean "i don't like your idea." but what others understand is "they h**e not yet decided.

"当英国人说“我们可以再考虑一些其他的选择吗?”时,他们的意思是“我着实不喜欢你的点子”,而其他人却理解成了“他们还没有决定下来吧”。

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