每個(gè)人都希望自己說(shuō)出來(lái)的英語(yǔ)能夠地道,很多時(shí)候我們喜歡用一些繁瑣的詞匯來(lái)表達(dá),其實(shí)這是沒(méi)有必要的。真正有效的方式是學(xué)好那些簡(jiǎn)單實(shí)用的小詞,把它們學(xué)透了、用好了,就能說(shuō)一口流暢又地道的口語(yǔ)了。(注:以下例句中所說(shuō)的 Chinglish 只是相對(duì)的,并非絕對(duì)~)

Difference

difference 的意思是“差別”。西方人崇尚個(gè)人奮斗,追求與他人不一樣,因此這個(gè)詞對(duì)于他們來(lái)說(shuō)太神圣了。對(duì)于 difference 我們只需掌握兩個(gè)短語(yǔ),口語(yǔ)水平就會(huì)前進(jìn)一大步,那就是 make a difference(有很大不同)和 make no differences(沒(méi)什么不同)。

1、你說(shuō)的什么電信、聯(lián)通,我看還不一路貨色。
Chinglish: I think Telecom and Unicom, what you are saying about, are totally the same.
Revision: You're talking about Telecom and Unicom. The way I see it, they make no differences at all.

2、這種化妝品你用用看,效果絕對(duì)不一樣。
Chinglish: Please use this kind of cosmetics, the effect is absolutely different.
Revision: Please try this sort of cosmetics, I bet it'll make a big difference.

3、上帝啊,再給我一次機(jī)會(huì),我不會(huì)再這樣了。
Chinglish: God, please give me a chance again, I won't do this again.
Revision: God, please grant me another chance, and I'll make a difference.

凡是說(shuō)到“一樣”“不一樣”,都可以考慮這兩個(gè)短語(yǔ)。另外,受教科書(shū)的影響,中國(guó)學(xué)生習(xí)慣用 be different from 這一句型。但是很多時(shí)候,differ from 這個(gè)動(dòng)詞形式更簡(jiǎn)單。Try it, and you'll make a difference!

Point

順便把 pointless(沒(méi)意義)也帶上,它們是一伙兒的。說(shuō)到 point 這個(gè)詞,它除了有“點(diǎn),尖端”的意思外,別忘了還能表達(dá)“意思,意義”。而之所以我們總是想不到使用point,完全是 meaning 一詞在作怪。

1、你這樣做是什么意思?
Chinglish: What is your meaning in doing this?
Revision: What's your point?

2、如果你抽煙的話,就別怕得癌癥。再問(wèn)“上帝怎么這樣對(duì)我啊”沒(méi)什么意義。
Chinglish: If you smoke, you should not be scared to get lung cancer. It's meaningless to ask "why did God do this to me?". (注:meaningless 可用,但是老外不愛(ài)用,愛(ài)用的是我們)
Revision: If you smoke, you should be prepared to get lung cancer; it's pointless to
ask "why did God do this to me?".

如果你覺(jué)得要轉(zhuǎn)變中式思維很困難,那就別怕“矯枉過(guò)正”。以后遇到“有意義”“沒(méi)意義”的時(shí)候,都先記得考慮 point 和 poinless,那樣才能把動(dòng)不動(dòng)就使用 meaning 的習(xí)慣根除掉。