美國人平時生活所常用的口頭禪(1)

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    美國人平時生活上所用的一些「口頭禪」,其實字句都很簡單,但是如果不加說明,往往還會讓人「一知半解」或「似懂非懂」。下面所舉的例子,即是常常聽到的一些美語「口頭禪」。
    1. I couldn‘t care less.
    這句話的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺乏興趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don‘t care at all.或I don‘t give a hoot.例如:
    人家如果問:What do you think of the budget-cut?(你對預算削減有何看法?)
    你回答:I couldn‘t care less.(我毫不在乎)
    How do you like Mr. Lee‘s political point of view?(你喜歡李先生的政見嗎?)
    I couldn‘t care less.(我才不在乎呢?。?BR>    但是有時說話者也有「口是心非」:例如:
    I couldn‘t care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升級或加薪)
    而實際上他是根本在乎升級和加薪的,那么人家也許就會回答說:Yes, you do(care).
    至于I couldn‘t care more.就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或I care deeply.同理:
    I couldn‘t agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
    I couldn‘t please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我盡量使你高興)
    I couldn‘t be more right.=I am totally right.
    但是老外為了「自尊」,不愿強調自己的錯誤,所以很少人說:
    I couldn‘t be more wrong.
    注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句與否定句互用。
    不過,嚴格來說,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care的程度可能減少)
    I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也許增加)(主詞可用任何人稱代名詞:he, she, you, we, they等。但只用could,不用can。)
    2. No bones about it.
    意思是:真實的,誠懇的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是to make no bones about it.(bone要加s, it是指something)例如:
    His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
    Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(當A先生談到墮胎問題時,他是誠懇的。)
    When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
    No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)