不知大家有没有这样的感觉:英语学得多了,平时说话也会在无意间冒出几句。但很多人都没意识到,这些我们说起来很自然的英语其实有很多都是错的!下面我们就来细数一下这些常见的错误,以便大家加以改正,免得在歪果仁面前出洋相!别理她。 误:Don't pay attention to her. 正:Leave her alone. 我很喜欢它。 误:I very like it. 正:I like it very much. 这个价格对我挺合适的。 误:The price is very suitable for me. 正:The price is right. 注:'suitable' (合适的、相配的) 最常见的用法是以否定的形式出现在告示或通知上,如:'The following programme is not suitable for children.' 用英语怎么说? 误:How to say in English? 正:How do you say this in English? 注:在中国,'How to say'可谓是滥用现象最为严重的一种说法,而它根本不是地道的英文表达方式,应尽量避免在交流中使用。 明天我有事情要做。 误:I have something to do tomorrow. 正:Sorry but I am tied up all day tomorrow. 注:用'I have something to do'来表示'很忙',这也是典型的中式英语。因为每时每刻我们都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大觉也是事情。可以这样表达'我很忙,脱不开身':I'm tied up。当然还有其他的说法,比如:I'm afraid I can't make it at that time. I'd love to, but I can't, I have to stay at home. 我没有英文名。 误:I haven't English name. 正:I don't have an English name. 注:许多人讲英语犯这样的错误,从语法角度来分析,可能是语法功底欠缺,因为'have'在这里是实义动词,而并不是在现在完成时里面那个没有意义的助动词。所以,这句话由肯定句变成否定句要加助动词。 我想我不行。 误:I think I can't. 正:I don't think I can. 注:这一组然是个习惯问题,在语法上称为否定前置,这就是汉语里面说'我想我不会'的时候,英语里面总是说'我不认为我会'。 我的舞也跳得不好。 误:I don't dance well too. 正:I am not a very good dancer either. 注:当我们说不擅长做什么事情的时候,英语里面通常用'not good at something'。 现在几点钟了? 误:What time is it now? 正:What time is it, please? 注:'What time is it now'这是一个直接从汉语翻译过的句子,讲英语的时候没有必要说'now',因为你不可能问'what time was it yesterday'或者'what time is it tommorow'。 我的英语很糟糕。 误:My English is poor. 正:I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving. 注:有人开玩笑说,全中国人最擅长的一句英文是'My English is poor'。然而外国人并不会对我们说'My Chinese is poor'。他们会说'I am still having a few problem, but I'm getting better.' 因为你告诉对方你的英文 (或中文) 很弱又能如何,那咱就不谈了?显然不行! 你愿意参加我们的晚会吗? 误:Would you like to join our party on Friday? 正:Would you like to come to our party on Friday night? 注:'join'往往是指参加俱乐部或者协会,如'join a health club','join the Communist Party'。事实上,常与'party'搭配的动词是'come'或'go'。如'go a wild party',或者'come to a Christmas Party'。 我没有经验。 误:I have no experience. 正:I am afraid I don't know much about that. 注:对老外来说,'I have no experience'这句话听起来很怪异,因为只需要说'那方面我懂得不多',或者'这方面我不在行'就可以了,如:I am not really an expert in this area. 我没有男朋友。 误:I have no boyfriend. 正:I don't have a boyfriend. 他的身体很健康。 误:His body is healthy. 正:He is in good health. / He's healthy. 价钱很昂贵/便宜。 误:The price is too expensive / cheap. 正:The price is too high / rather low. 我们下了车。 误:We got off the car. 正:We got out of the car. 车速快了。 误:The speed of the car is fast. 正:The car is speeding. / The car is going too fast. 这个春节你回家吗? Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival? 误:是的,我回去。Of course! (这一句是错的) 正:当然。Sure. / Certainly. (这种说法是正确的) 注:以英语为母语的人使用'of course'的频率要比中国人低得多,只有在回答一些众所周知的问题时才说'of course'。因为'of course'后面隐含的一句话是'当然我知道啦!难道我是傻瓜吗?' 因此,'of course'带有些许挑衅的意味。在交谈时,用'sure'或'certainly'效果会好得多,同理,'of course not'也不如'certainly not'。 他看到她很惊讶。 误:He looked at her and felt surprised. 正:He looked at her in surprise. |
|