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?。?/span>
但是有時說話者也可能口是心非: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(diào)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。)
3. Take it on me!
意思是:“這是我的,請用吧!”“這是免費的(help yourself to it; it is free)”,這多半是指吃的東西或一些不貴重的東西。例如:
Here are some candies from England; take one on me. (這是來自英國的糖果,嘗一個吧!) (one = candy)
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me." (餐館老板對我說:嘗嘗我的甜點吧!)
Please take these pencils on me. (取用一些我的鉛筆吧!) (也許鉛筆上刻有名字,做為宣傳之用而免費。)
可見 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面通常不指別人,所以多半也只用在第一人稱單數(shù) me。(假如夫婦在一起,也可以說:Take it on us.)
4. I am from Missouri.
這句話有時后面要加一句:I need to be shown.或You have got to show me.,意思是密蘇里州的人很固執(zhí) (stubborn),不太信任別人,一定要人家證明一下(prove it to me),所以密蘇里州也被稱為The Show Me State。
據(jù)說這句話所以流行 (尤其在美國中西部) 是因為美國一些名人都住過密蘇里州,包括 哈里·杜魯門, 馬克·吐溫, 沃爾特·迪士尼等。后來老外不輕易相信別人時,就使用這句話。(也有半開玩笑性質) 例如:
He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri. (他是來自密蘇里州,所以不容易說服他。)
Don't try to fool me; I am from Missouri.(You have got to show me.) (別愚弄我,我是來自密蘇里州。)
We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown. As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri. (史密斯先生是位倔強的人,他一定是來自密蘇里州。)
(來源:滬江英語)