每个人都希望自己说出来的英语能够地道,很多时候我们喜欢用一些繁琐的词汇来表达,其实这是没有必要的。真正有效的方式是学好那些简单实用的小词,把它们学透了、用好了,就能说一口流畅又地道的口语了。(注:以下例句中所说的 Chinglish 只是相对的,并非绝对~)

Difference

difference 的意思是“差别”。西方人崇尚个人奋斗,追求与他人不一样,因此这个词对于他们来说太神圣了。对于 difference 我们只需掌握两个短语,口语水平就会前进一大步,那就是 make a difference(有很大不同)和 make no differences(没什么不同)。

1、你说的什么电信、联通,我看还不一路货色。
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、这种化妆品你用用看,效果绝对不一样。
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,再给我一次机会,我不会再这样了。
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.

凡是说到“一样”“不一样”,都可以考虑这两个短语。另外,受教科书的影响,中国学生习惯用 be different from 这一句型。但是很多时候,differ from 这个动词形式更简单。Try it, and you'll make a difference!

Point

顺便把 pointless(没意义)也带上,它们是一伙儿的。说到 point 这个词,它除了有“点,尖端”的意思外,别忘了还能表达“意思,意义”。而之所以我们总是想不到使用point,完全是 meaning 一词在作怪。

1、你这样做是什么意思?
Chinglish: What is your meaning in doing this?
Revision: What's your point?

2、如果你抽烟的话,就别怕得癌症。再问“上帝怎么这样对我啊”没什么意义。
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,但是老外不爱用,爱用的是我们)
Revision: If you smoke, you should be prepared to get lung cancer; it's pointless to
ask "why did God do this to me?".

如果你觉得要转变中式思维很困难,那就别怕“矫枉过正”。以后遇到“有意义”“没意义”的时候,都先记得考虑 point 和 poinless,那样才能把动不动就使用 meaning 的习惯根除掉。