1. I couldn't care less.
这句话的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺乏兴趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don't care at all. 或 I don't give a hoot1. 例如:
人家如果问: What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有何看法?)
你回答: I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗?)
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但是有时说话者也有「口是心非」: 例如: I couldn't care less about the promotion2 or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或加薪)
而实际上他是根本在乎升级和加薪的,那么人家也许就会回答说: Yes, you do(care).
至于 I couldn' care more. 就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理:
I couldn' agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn' please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽量使你高兴)
I couldn' be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外为了「自尊」,不愿强调自己的错误,所以很少人说: I couldn' be more wrong.
注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句与否定句互用。
不过,严格来说,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能减少)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也许增加)(主词可用任何人称代名词:he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could,不用 can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是:真实的,诚恳的(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 abortion3 issue.(当 A 先生谈到堕胎问题时,他是诚恳的。)
When I spoke4 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 chilly5 today.(今天是真的太冷了)
3. take it on me!
意思是:「这是我的,请用吧!」「这是免费的」(help yourself to it; it is free),这多半是指吃的东西或一些不贵重的东西。例如:
Here are some candies from England; take one on me.
(这是来自英国的糖果,尝一个吧!) (one = candy)
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me."
(餐馆老板对我说:「尝尝我的甜点吧!」)
Please take these pencils on me.(取用一些我的铅笔吧!)
(也许铅笔上刻有名字,做为宣传之用而免费。)
可见 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面通常不指别人,所以多半也只用在第一人称单数 me。
(假如夫妇在一起,也可以说:Take it on us.)
4. I am from Missouri.
这句话有时后面要加一句:「I need to be shown.」或「You have got to show me.」,意思是 Missouri 州的人很固执 (stubborn),不太信任别人,一定要人家「证明一下」(prove it to me),所以密苏里州也被称为「The Show Me State」。
据说这句话所以流行 (尤其在美国中西部) 是因为美国一些名人都住过密苏里州,包括 Harry6 Truman, Mark
Twain, Walt Disney 等。后来老外不轻易相信别人时,就使用这句话。(也有半开玩笑性质) 例如:
He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri.
(他是来自密苏里州,所以不容易说服他。)
Don't try to fool me; I am from Missouri.(You have got to show me.) (别愚弄我,我是来自密苏里州。)
We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown.
As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri. (Smith先生是位倔强的人,他一定是来自密苏里州。)