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「熬夜」的英文》"burn the midnight oil" 和 "stayed up late",哪個道地?
Mar 17th 2015, 10:00, by 世界公民文化中心

來源:世界公民文化中心

想知道從沒見過面,只在電話裡、網路上、或者通訊軟體中跟你用英文交談的人,到底是老中還是老美? 很多時候不必深談,一句話就能現出端倪。

最大的區別其實就在於:美國人的英語具備「二不一多」,也就是不艱深、不死板、多點幽默感的特色,而靠後天學習的老中,相對會出現比較制式的回答喔!

請從以下三段對話,猜猜 John 和Bill 誰是老中,誰較可能是老美:

(A)
Mary: “Hey, I saw you two falling asleep in class!”
John: “Yeah. I burned the midnight oil last night preparing for my final exam.”
Bill: “Yeah. I stayed up late last night preparing for my final exam.”

解答:從burn the midnight oil這個我們國高中時期學到的片語,就知道對話者John十之八九是個老中,Bill才可能是美國人,因為美國人說「熬夜」,多半用簡單的stay up late帶過。

(B)
Mary: “You need to relax. How about getting a massage?”
John: “Great idea. That’s just what I need for my aching body.”
Bill: “Great idea. That’s just the ticket for my aching body.”

解答:老中 John 表示「那正是我所需要的」,多半會說that’s just what I need。而擁有足夠俚語詞量的老美Bill,較有可能用that’s the ticket。這句可以追溯自19世紀的慣用語。

(C)
Mary: “I have to say that both of you are great students.”
John: “Thank you.”
Bill: “Could I have that in writing?

解答:也許是文化使然,老美習慣以更詼諧有趣的話語來作回應,譬如受到Mary的稱讚,老中John規規矩矩地回答「謝謝」,老美Bill則會用「我可否把這句話記下來」幽默以對。

三個月英文脫胎換骨的一對一:http://goo.gl/5eIOmf

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