神奇的-ish

字號(hào):

在中文里,當(dāng)人們對(duì)某件事吃不準(zhǔn),或不愿直說(shuō)的情況下,一般會(huì)用"有一點(diǎn)","左右"等說(shuō)法。比如說(shuō)"你冷嗎?""有一點(diǎn)。""你幾點(diǎn)走?""八點(diǎn)左右。"在美語(yǔ)里,這類說(shuō)法可以加上一個(gè)詞尾來(lái)解決,這個(gè)詞尾就是"-ish"。
    我們來(lái)看下面的對(duì)話:
    "Shall we say that we'll meet tomorrow at 8:00 to go over these questions?"(我們能不能明天8點(diǎn)見一下,再?gòu)?fù)習(xí)復(fù)習(xí)這些問題?)"How about 8ish?"(8點(diǎn)左右如何?)
    "Finally that evil character in the fiction died. But wait, is he really died?"(小說(shuō)里的那個(gè)壞人終于死了。哦,對(duì)了,他真的死了嗎?)"Well, deadish."(半死不活吧。)
    "I'm so happy that you've bought me these movies. They are good movies, right?"(你能給我?guī)?lái)這么多電影,我真高興。這都是好電影,對(duì)吧?)"Well, goodish."(恩,還行吧。)
    "Gosh, I think I've twisted my ankle jumping down from there."(哎呦!從那兒跳下來(lái)我可能崴了腳。) "Is that bad?"(嚴(yán)重嗎?) "Baddish."(挺嚴(yán)重的。)
    只看上面幾個(gè)例子,你會(huì)覺得"-ish"只能跟形容詞。其實(shí)不然,在現(xiàn)實(shí)生活中,你常??梢月牭筋愃频脑挕H纾?BR>    "Here is the bag I bought for you. What's the matter? I thought you liked this kind of bag. "(這是我給你買的包。怎么回事,你不是喜歡這種包嗎?)"Well, likish.(動(dòng)詞) But…"(喜歡是有點(diǎn)喜歡,但是……)
    "Are you going to say that this is the absolute truth?"(你能說(shuō)這是絕對(duì)事實(shí)嗎?)"Well, truthish.(名詞)"(有些是真的吧。)
    在剛才的兩個(gè)例子中,"-ish"就先后跟了動(dòng)詞和名詞,從而表達(dá)出說(shuō)話人的真實(shí)態(tài)度,又不失委婉。其實(shí)只要你拿不準(zhǔn),或是想表達(dá)摸棱兩可的意思,在很多情況下都可以在某個(gè)詞的后面加上一個(gè)神奇的"-ish ",不但可以恰當(dāng)?shù)乇磉_(dá)你的意思,還能讓你的美語(yǔ)聽起來(lái)更地道。