美国人平时生活上所用的一些「口头禅」,其实字句都很简单,但是如果不加说明,往往还会让人「一知半解」或「似懂非懂」。下面所举的例子,即是常常听到的一些美语「口头禅」。
1. I couldn’’t care less.
这句话的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺乏兴趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don’’t care at all. 或 I don’’t give a hoot. 例如:
人家如果问: What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有何看法?)
你回答: I couldn’’t care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee’’s political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗?)
I couldn’’t care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但是有时说话者也有「口是心非」: 例如:
I couldn’’t care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或加薪)
而实际上他是根本在乎升级和加薪的,那么人家也许就会回答说: Yes, you do(care).
至于 I couldn’’t care more. 就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理:
I couldn’’t agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn’’t please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽量使你高兴)
I couldn’’t be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外为了「自尊」,不愿强调自己的错误,所以很少人说:
I couldn’’t be more wrong.
注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句与否定句互用。
不过,严格来说,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能减少)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也许增加)(主词可用任何人称代名词:he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could,不用 can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是:真实的,诚恳的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是 to make no bones about it.(bone 要加 s, it 是指 something)例如:
His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(当 A 先生谈到堕胎问题时,他是诚恳的。)
When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)
3. take it on me!
意思是:「这是我的,请用吧!」「这是免费的」(help yourself to it; it is free),这多半是指吃的东西或一些不贵重的东西。例如:
Here are some candies from England; take one on me. (这是来自英国的糖果,尝一个吧!) (one = candy)
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me." (餐馆老板对我说:「尝尝我的甜点吧!」)
Please take these pencils on me.(取用一些我的铅笔吧!) (也许铅笔上刻有名字,做为宣传之用而免费。)
可见 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面通常不指别人,所以多半也只用在第一人称单数 me。
(假如夫妇在一起,也可以说:Take it on us.)
4. I am from Missouri.
这句话有时后面要加一句:「I need to be shown.」或「You have got to show me.」,意思是 Missouri 州的人很固执 (stubborn),不太信任别人,一定要人家「证明一下」(prove it to me),所以密苏里州也被称为「The Show Me State」。