Dialogue 3
下面是電影里的一段對白,B(Ben)無所事事地在游泳池中漂流,A 對他這種頹廢的表現(xiàn)十分不滿,對話由此展開:
A::Ben, what are you doing?
B: Well, I would say that I’m just ⑴ drifting ---- here, in the pool.
A: Why?
B: Well, it’s very comfortable just to drift here.
A: Have you ⑵ thought about ⑶ graduate school?
B: No.
A: ⑷ *Would you mind telling me then — what were those four years of college for? What was the point of all that hard work?
B: ⑸ You got me.
A: Now ⑹ listen, Ben. Look, I think it’s a very good thing that a young man — *after he’s done some very good work — should have a chance to relax and enjoy himself, and lie around, and drink beer and so on. But after a few weeks I believe that person would want to take some stock in himself and his situation and start to think about ⑺ getting off his ass.
【詞句解析】
⑴ drift:意思是“漂流、漂浮”
⑵ thought about:要注意thought 最后一個字母“t”和about 的第一個字母“a”連讀,且“t”非重讀,所以實(shí)際讀音接近“d”。
⑶ graduate school:意思是“研究生院”。
⑷ Would you mind telling me?:美國習(xí)語,意思是 “你介意把這件事告訴我嗎?”。或者翻成再口語化一點(diǎn)的意思“你能跟我說說某事嗎?”
⑸ You got me.:美國習(xí)語,意思是“你問住我了或我不知道”。
⑹ listen:其中的“i”為短的,所以實(shí)際讀音接近[З]。
⑺ getting off his ass.:美國俚語,意思是“不要懶惰,開始工作”,再口語化一點(diǎn)的翻譯是“該挪動屁股干活去了”。
【思維解析】
1. Would you mind telling me?
這是美語中非??蜌獾恼f法,美國是個人主義盛行的國家,所以尊重別人的隱私是非常重要的。當(dāng)你要別人為你干某事時,這是非常合適的句型,即使你們倆人的關(guān)系非常親密,比如:父子、夫妻、母子等,也千萬不要用命令的口氣讓別人為你干事。
例如:有人抽煙,你覺得很受打擾,可以用一種比較嚴(yán)肅的語氣說“Would you mind?”,來委婉的進(jìn)行提醒。
2. After he’s done some very good work ―― should have a chance to relax and enjoy himself.
在努力的工作之后,進(jìn)行全身心地放松是典型的美國人的工作和生活方式。美國人崇尚 hard work。在他們工作時,非常敬業(yè),進(jìn)取心非常強(qiáng);一旦完成了工作,就會進(jìn)行娛樂活動,甚至是過分的娛樂,比如:喝得大醉,通霄跳舞等都是美國社會價值觀可以接受的。
中國人或者亞洲人,會認(rèn)為如果大家關(guān)系很好,那么在工作的時候可以互相給予便利。
但是,美國人是公私比較分明的,他們常會說 Let’s get down to business.,Business is nothing you can play with.。那么當(dāng)工作之后,他們就會特別放松。So, next time when you are doing business with the American, it’s very nice to you,when you are at work, do not expect them to treat you in the same way the next on the negotiation table.