比如Chuck第一次來中國(guó),下飛機(jī)后,負(fù)責(zé)接待他的東北某大學(xué)英語系陳老師說:您剛到,我們吃點(diǎn)飯吧。我們要點(diǎn)Chinese dumpling(餃子)和Chinese beancurd(豆腐),您看可以嗎?Chuck以前從未聽說過這兩種東西,但出于好奇,就說可以,結(jié)果飯菜端上來一看,原來就是ravioli(餃子,來自意大利語)和tofu(豆腐,來自日語)。Chuck當(dāng)時(shí)心里暗想,這兩種東西,國(guó)際上早已經(jīng)有通用的說法(ravioli和tofu),他們中國(guó)人為什么還要用那種生僻的說法呢?以后Chuck跟陳先生混熟了,就問他,當(dāng)初你為什么不說ravioli和tofu呢?陳先生聽了大吃一驚,連忙解釋說,我真的不知道這兩個(gè)詞,而且我們的《英漢詞典》上也沒有這兩個(gè)詞。于是Chuck開始意識(shí)到,中國(guó)的英語教師、英語課本、甚至英語詞典肯定存在問題,否則不可能發(fā)生這種事情。在中國(guó)五年的任教期間,Chuck收集了大量的Chinglish說法,從中挑選出一組最常見的,編寫了上面提到的那篇長(zhǎng)文。
下面就是這些Chinglish說法,其中每行第一部分是漢語說法,第二部分是Chinglish說法,第三部分則是英語的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)說法。
①歡迎你到... ② welcome you to ... ③ welcome to ...
①永遠(yuǎn)記住你② remember you forever ③ always remember you(沒有人能活到forever)
①祝你有個(gè)... ② wish you have a ... ③ I wish you a ...
①給你② give you ③ here you are
①很喜歡... ② very like ... ③ like ... very much
①黃頭發(fā)② yellow hair ③ blond/blonde(西方人沒有yellow hair的說法)
①廁所② WC ③ men's room/women's room/restroom
①真遺憾② it's a pity ③ that's too bad/it's a shame(it's a pity說法太老)
①褲子② trousers ③ pants/slacks/jeans
①修理② mend ③ fix/repair
①入口② way in ③ entrance
①出口② way out ③ exit(way out在口語中是crazy的意思)
①勤奮② diligent ③ hardworking/studious/conscientious
①應(yīng)該② should ③ must/shall
①火鍋② chafing dish ③ hot pot
①大廈② mansion ③ center/plaza
?、亳R馬虎虎② so-so ③ average/fair/all right/not too bad/OK(西方人很少使用so-so)
①好吃② delicious ③ good/nice/tasty/appetizing(delicious在中國(guó)被濫用)
?、俦M我最大努力② try my best ③ try/strive(try的本意就是try my best)
①有名② famous ③ well-known/renowned/legendary/popular(famous在中國(guó)被濫用)
①滑稽② humorous ③ funny/witty/amusing/entertaining
①欺騙② to cheat ③ to trick/to play a joke on/to con/to deceive/to rip off
①車門② the door of the car ③ the car's door
①怎么拼? ② how to spell? ③how do you spell?
?、僭僖姠?bye-bye ③ bye/see you/see you later/later(bye-bye有些孩子氣)
①玩② play ③ go to/do(play在中國(guó)被濫用)
?、倜鏃l② noodles ③ pasta(noodles有些孩子氣)
?、贀?jù)說② it is said ③ I heard/I read/I was told
①等等② and so on ③ etc. etcetera
①直到現(xiàn)在② till now ③ recently/lately/thus far
①農(nóng)民② peasant ③ farmer
①宣傳② propaganda ③ information
英語中12個(gè)典型的中國(guó)式錯(cuò)誤
1. 這個(gè)價(jià)格對(duì)我挺合適的。
誤:The price is very suitable for me.
正:The price is right.
提示:suitable(合適的、相配的)最常見的用法是以否定的形式出現(xiàn)在告示或通知上,如:下列節(jié)目?jī)和灰?。The following programme is not suitable for children. 這句話用后面的說法會(huì)更合適。
2. 你是做什么工作的呢?
誤:What's your job?
正:Are you working at the moment?
What kind of work are you?
提示:what's your job這種說法難道也有毛病嗎?是的。因?yàn)槿绻恼勗拰?duì)象剛剛失業(yè),如此直接的問法會(huì)讓對(duì)方有失面子,所以您要問:目前您是在上班嗎?Are you working at the moment?接下來您才問:目前您在哪兒工作呢?Where are you working these days?或者您從事哪個(gè)行業(yè)呢?What line of work are you in?
3. 用英語怎么說?
誤:How to say?
正:How do you say this in English?
提示:How to say是在中國(guó)最為泛濫成災(zāi)的中國(guó)式英語之一,這絕不是地道的英語說法。同樣的句子有:請(qǐng)問這個(gè)詞如何拼寫?How do you spell that please?請(qǐng)問這個(gè)單詞怎么讀?How do you pronounce this word?
4. 明天我有事情要做。
誤:I have something to do tomorrow.
正:I am tied up all day tomorrow.
提示:用I have something to do來表示您很忙,這也完全是中國(guó)式的說法。因?yàn)槊繒r(shí)每刻我們都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大覺也是事情。所以您可以說我很忙,脫不開身:I'm tied up.還有其他的說法:I can't make it at that time. I'd love to, but I can't, I have to stay at home.
5. 我沒有英文名。
誤:I haven't English name.
正:I don't have an English name.
提示:許多人講英語犯這樣的錯(cuò)誤,從語法角度來分析,可能是語法的功底欠缺,因?yàn)閔ave在這里是實(shí)義動(dòng)詞,而并不是在現(xiàn)在完成時(shí)里面那個(gè)沒有意義的助動(dòng)詞。所以,這句話由肯定句變成否定句要加助動(dòng)詞。明白道理是一回事,習(xí)慣是另一回事,請(qǐng)您再說幾話:我沒有錢;I don't have any money.我沒有兄弟姐妹;I don't have any brothers or sisters.我沒有車。I don't have a car.
6. 我想我不行。
誤:I think I can't.
正:I don't think I can.
提示:漢語里說“我想我不會(huì)”的時(shí)候,英語里面總是說“我不認(rèn)為我會(huì)”。以后您在說類似的英語句子的時(shí)候,只要留心,也會(huì)習(xí)慣英語的表達(dá)習(xí)慣的。
7. 我的舞也跳得不好。
誤:I don't dance well too.
正:I am not a very good dancer either.
提示:當(dāng)我們說不擅長(zhǎng)做什么事情的時(shí)候,英語里面通常用not good at something,英語的思維甚至直接踴躍到:我不是一個(gè)好的舞者。
8. 現(xiàn)在幾點(diǎn)鐘了?
誤:What time is it now?
正:What time is it, please?
提示:What time is it now是一個(gè)直接從漢語翻譯過的句子,講英語的時(shí)候沒有必要說now,因?yàn)槟豢赡軉杦hat time was it yesterday, 或者what time is it tommorow?所以符合英語習(xí)慣的說法是:請(qǐng)問現(xiàn)在幾點(diǎn)了?還有一種說法是:How are we doing for time?這句話在有時(shí)間限制的時(shí)候特別合適。
9. 我的英語很糟糕。
誤:My English is poor.
正:I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
提示:有人開玩笑說,全中國(guó)人最擅長(zhǎng)的一句英文是:My English is poor. 外國(guó)人遇到自己外語不好的情況,他們會(huì)說: I am still having a few problem, but I am getting better.
10. 你愿意參加我們的晚會(huì)嗎?
誤:Would you like to join our party on Friday?
正:Would you like to come to our party on Friday night?
提示:join往往是指參加俱樂部或者協(xié)會(huì),如:join a health club; join the Communist Party.事實(shí)上,常常與party搭配的動(dòng)詞是come 或者go。如go a wild party,或者come to a Christmas Party。
11. 我沒有經(jīng)驗(yàn)。
誤:I have no experience.
正:I don't know much about that.
提示:I have no experience這句話聽起來古里古怪,因?yàn)槟恍枰f那方面我懂得不多,或者這方面我不在行,就行了。I am not really an expert in this area.
12. ——這個(gè)春節(jié)你回家嗎?
——是的,我回去。
--Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival?
誤:--Of course!
正:--Sure. / Certainly.
提示:以英語為母語的人使用of course的頻率要比中國(guó)的學(xué)生低得多,只有在回答一些眾所周知的問題時(shí)才說of course。因?yàn)閛f course后面隱含的一句話是“我當(dāng)然知道啦!難道我是一個(gè)傻瓜嗎?”因此,of course帶有挑釁的意味。在交談時(shí),用sure或certainly效果會(huì)好得多。同時(shí),of course not也具挑釁的意味。正常情況下語氣溫和的說法是certainly not。