來到了新環境後,我沒有再像做上一個project一樣,三八地到處和人聊天,每天像患了自閉症似的關在自己房間,自顧自地坐在電腦前工作逛別人的blog,惜話如金到每天開口說的話只有買咖啡、買便當還有跟坐在隔壁的老頭卡爾要他assign工作給我,一不小心英文就一整個退步。荒廢了兩個月,今天才把以前抄的單字本拿出來想要溫故知新,才發現有的單字句子已經完全想不起來以前跟舊同事們conversation的上下文與情境了。就好像以前天天摸天天練的樂器突然荒廢一年半載,要pick up時覺得腦筋完全漿固。果然還是得在全英文的環境下才有努力背單字的動力,以後還是不要貪圖中文project的薪水,乖乖地做英文的project好了,否則因小失大呀。好不容易覺得自己的英文有點進步,現在又倒退三步,慘。

想當時每每跟舊同事們聊天常覺得很挫折。聊天的話題從電影、音樂、政治、種族、文化、家庭到昨天我吃了什麼或者今天上班的路上遇到什麼鳥事,我要不是描述一件事情時說得吞吞吐吐,明明一件有趣的事情被我說得支離破碎讓聽眾注意力分散,想耍幽默感卻耍不出來,要不就是詞不達意,或者用一個片語或一個單字可以說明的事情被我繞一大圈描述,我自己都覺得對聽者很抱歉。尤其是每個人都有自己說話的習慣或幽默感,即使與A在一起相處久了有默契,大部份時候雙方都可以理解或猜到對方要說的是什麼,但是當與我對話的人換成B時,對方又要重新適應我的中式英文了。

果然人要有刺激才有進步,當時與人溝通時常嚐到挫折的滋味,我雖然沒有臥薪嚐膽,也下了一番功夫。除了一開始看小說背單字外,我也在別人聊天時豎起耳朵,很認真地把別人說出口的有用句子偷抄下來,抄的不完整的話一定查字典。因為說真的,有的時候雖然在別人說的時候完全聽得懂對方的意思,可是當自己要說的時候,就完全說不出來。有時介系詞一說錯,意思就完全不對了。何況我不相信我的人腦,堅信做筆記比較可靠,所以我的小筆記本裡抄滿了別人的對話、當時聽不懂的單字、還有小說裡的單字。後來背這些單字不過癮,我又養成了每天看紐約的地鐵報紙Metro的習慣,每天一定把只有薄薄幾頁的Metro從頭到尾翻一遍,從一般新聞到fashion電影八卦,用眼睛掃了一下後開始抄下我自己覺得有用的單字。還好坐我旁邊的克勞蒂亞及對面的大衛馬克跟我處久後,都非常習慣我奇怪的說話方式,對我抄下他們口中的單字也見怪不怪,所以我抄生字的動作非常光明正大。到後來連常常來我桌旁找我說話的同事,也都知道我桌上躺著的印著高雅圖案的小筆記本裡裝的是什麼。過分熱心的湯馬克每每來到我桌旁,有事沒事就會隨便翻翻我最近抄了什麼好句/好字,還會comment說“喔,我也喜歡這個字“,然後就好像補習班老師一樣一個一個解釋給我聽這個句子/單字是什麼意思,還會順便舉個例子說明該字的用法。雖然是不請自來,有些單字我還是在他的指點下豁然開朗(有的字中文字典查不到,英文字典的definition看完還是霧煞煞)。大陸人W有次也跑來翻我的筆記本,指著我費力抄下的每個單字以一秒鐘一個單字的速度炫耀似地告訴我這個字是什麼意思,那個字是什麼意思。被他一說下來,我抄滿兩面的單字他起碼知道八成,分明是來挫我銳氣的。好險我即使知道自己的英文不足,但起碼的信心還是有的,何況後來還被我抓到他把某個長得很像的字張冠李戴,就不把他的炫耀當一回事了。

不過總之,多背幾個單字與學習人家conversation的句子是很重要的,會讓以後說英文時順溜許多,我就常常把從與E的對話中偷學到的用法現學現賣,在與F對話中說出。這時候我是最開心的,因為只要會用出來(不管是不是刻意),就代表我已經記住了這個字或用法啦。
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(Disclaimer: 以下是我聽寫抄下來的有用對話,不保證文法正確,歡迎討論指教)

看電影時:
There are many symbols/symbolic issues in the movie (象徵意義)
I couldn’t pick up the symbols in this movie before. (我以前不能理解這部電影隱含的意義)
I didn’t like the act (我不喜歡這人的演技)
This movie is a spoof (這電影是個大爛片)
It was a watchable movie(這部電影可以看)
This movie is timeless(這部電影不管過了多少年仍然非常經典)
It was a low budget movie.
The music is more intense.

吃東西時:
The restaurant is very family oriented (家庭式的餐廳)
The food is not up to my usual standard (這裡的食物根本搆不上我的水準)
I am going to drink tea to flush it out. (我要喝茶把口中的味道沖散)

討論對象時:
A: What type of women are you looking for? B: I don’t have a type.
You are comparing apples to oranges (這兩個是不同的東西,根本無從比較呀)
mail-ordered wife(郵購來的妻子,意指訕笑別人不要肖想有這種完美的妻子啦)

走在陽光下時:
The sun is too strong. (太陽光很強烈)
Stand in the direct sun….
Put on the higher sunblock cream. (防曬系數較高)

伶牙俐齒時:
Why don’t you look in the mirror, you will see even less.
You always do something without thinking twice.
You are quick to accuse me! (你會不會太快就指責我的不是啦)
You are falling on the wrong side of this argument (你應該站在我這邊,贊同我的意見才對啊)
What goes around comes around=karma(當時你對別人做了什麼,現在輪到你的現世報啦)
This is above the roof(某人的行為太超過了)
That was really low (這人手段真差)
Try to crawl before you walk or run.

生病時:
I am showing the usual symptoms.
I am feeling symptoms now.
The AC is too strong that I start to have a running nose(冷氣開太強,我開始流鼻水了)
Is it a sharp pain or dull pain? (你的牙痛是刺痛還是隱隱作痛?)
grind your teath(磨牙)

其他無從歸類的:
Looks like you are very environmental (環保的)
I don’t know how long I am gonna hold out. (我實在太累了,我不知道還能撐多久)
I am going low budget now. (我現在開始要省錢)
He was a grade ahead of me(他大我一屆)
I’d say no on that (對於那件事我不敢苟同,我一定會拒絕)
You are in a better spirit today=You look cheery today
The teacher is about to finish roll call(課堂點名)
It’s too coincidental!=What are the odds.
save your face=avoid embarrassment
crocodile tear(假惺惺的眼淚。Ex: His crocodile tears got him things he wanted.)
cool beans=ok(A: Do you want to have Chinese for lunch? B: Cool beans!)
I just got off phone with sb(我才與某人掛掉電話)
cripes! (used as a mild oath or an exclamation of astonishment=oh my god)
I am in a lunch/financial crunch=a critical situation that arises because of a shortage of food/money
tipsy=drunk (I was not tipsy)
You put me too high on a pedestal=to glorify, idealize (你把我想得太完美,我的道德尺度沒你想像的高)
Is it a sleep-away? (這是在外面過夜嘛?)
It is not as near to make a favorable decision as I had initially hoped.
I don’t hold any birthdays. (我從不過生日)
fell through=failed (Ex: The deal fell through.)
I knew you’d come through for me=to do as expected or hoped (我就知道你一定會幫我。Ex: I came through for my family 99% of the time. I only backed out once.)
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