在美国住久了,你会发现有些很简单的词组或句子,表达的却并非字面上的意思。如果理解不到位,往往会闹出笑话。比如有这么两个看似简单的说法:
. z3 b1 J$ Q9 Y7 A! L( e3 u 1.Tell me about it!(字面意思:快告诉我是怎么回事!)0 ?( S, d$ ~& W1 w1 h/ J% j- @
2.What else is new?(字面意思:还有什么新的吗?), m( ^7 H9 o) W; x& T M4 Q( }: C
其实,以上两句如果放到对话中,所表达的含义会与字面意思有很大不同。那么,这两句到底是什么意思呢?让我们举几个例子:, S Z2 |4 s2 e3 o5 _; `, X, [6 }+ f
Tell me about it!
8 J0 w* n% R1 @1 \* Q A:Do you know under the newly reformed tax plan, the rich people actually pay less tax?
: V1 ?8 P6 k3 x4 W 你知道吗,如果实行改革后的新税务计划,富人交纳的税反而会更少?
5 y% l& Y5 `- d B: Yeah, tell me about it! My neighbor is a million-aire and he told me that his tax rate would be reduced by fifty percent.9 U [: P. @" ]8 f/ B! e
可不是吗?我的邻居是个百万富翁。他告诉我,他的交税比例将降低50%。) b# z' s6 [, R% K, \
在这里,tell me aboutit不是要求对方细说,而是表示一种附和,还带有惊讶的成分。再比如:
# G' k) c l) V- ^' b A: Under such harsh economic downturns, working class can hardly make ends meet." V! r6 C/ c, P( s3 s$ L9 e
经济下滑这么厉害,工薪阶层快要揭不开锅了。
+ p* ~$ r+ ]. N$ h7 y& a B: Tell me about it! In my family alone two people got laid off. I don‘t know how I can make the mortgage payment this month.: f' q2 V4 z. C
可不是吗?光我们家下岗的就有俩,我还不知道这个月怎么付房子的银行贷款呢。
1 o1 l: X& h- R+ T* G What else is new?
" C% U R% \1 X2 N( Q* i5 g8 e A:Hey, do you know the new governor is going to cut the funding for education?
" t- J* a; J" K 嘿,你听说了吗?新州长要砍教育经费呢!
+ J2 W8 o" V! n9 O3 k C* H2 Y! {0 ` B: What else is new? We all know he represents big businesses. Education is not his top priority.
8 o, x5 a6 A# w 那有什么稀奇的?我们早就知道他一向代表大公司的利益,教育不是他最关心的事。
3 k% s( _: y! B, g; b 在这里,What else is new表示,这种结局是预料之中的事,不算什么新闻。所以,根据上下文,也可译为这算不上什么新闻。再比如:
4 z* f( |6 A* \- q, I6 c A:Yesterday my daughter gave me a gift wish list for her 15th birthday. Among other things she asks for a lap-top computer!2 ~$ n; f/ S% J# Y. o, p
我女儿给我开了一个单子,列举了她15岁生日想要的礼物。其中竟然有一台便携式电脑!
2 d5 ]8 L0 }. o* [3 R# k B: What else is new? At least she hasn‘t asked for a car. Wait till next year!# z4 h0 q& m. U" _& I1 n0 T
那有什么稀奇的?她至少没让你送她一辆车。明年你等着瞧吧! |