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1、InaMannerofSpeaking不妨这么讲 OneofthemoststartlingsurprisesformanyAmericanswhentheyfirstarriveinBritainisthediscoverythattheirmothertongue,whichhasbeenservingthemfaithfullyalltheseyears,issuddenlynotuptodealingwiththeintricaciesoftheEnglishlanguageaspracticedintheBritishIsles.对于第一次到英
2、国的许多美国人而言,最让他们惊讶的事情之一就是多年来他们运用自如的母语在应对大不列颠岛屿上使用的纷繁复杂的英语时,突然显得力不从心。ItisanunsettlingexperiencetoarriveintheUKandfindoneselfutteringvocalnoises--speechisprobablytoostrongawordforit--thatarereceivednearlyeverywhereasatbestquaintandimprecise,atworstasmisleadingandnoisy.Eventhemostinnocuousen
3、counterssuddenlybecomechargedwiththepossibilityofconfusion.到了英国之后,你会发现自己所发出的有声噪音(或许用言语这一词过重了些)在任何地方,往好处讲被看作是优雅而又精确的,往坏处讲成了喧闹的骗人的鬼话。即使最平淡无奇的遭遇也会顿时使人迷惑不解。Irecallonce,whenIwasstillnewtothecountry,arrivingatacountrypubatlunchtimeandaskingwhatsandwichestheyhad,"Wehaveroastbeef,"saidthemanbeh
4、indthebar,bendingovertoconsultasmallglasscasefullofsandwiches,"andwehavehamandcheese."当我初到这个国家时,记得有一次,午饭时间我到了一家乡村酒吧,我问他们有什么样的三明治,“我们这儿有烧牛肉。”吧台后的人一边回答,一边弯着腰去看一个盛满各式各样三明治的玻璃盒子,“还有火腿和奶酪。”"I'11havehamandcheese,"Idecided.“我就要火腿和奶酪”我说。ThemanlookedatmeasifIhadmisunderstoodhim."Wehaveroastbeefa
5、ndwehavehamandcheese,"herepeated,butmoreslowly.那个人看着我,好像是我误解了他的意思:“我们有烧牛肉、火腿和奶酪”他用更慢的速度重复了一遍。"Yes,"Iagreed.Iwaswithhimthisfar.“是的”。我回答,他的话我都能理解。"Sowhichwillitbe?"“那么你要点什么?”"Hamandcheese,"Irepliedwithasmallsenseofforeboding.“我就要火腿和奶酪。”我预感到我们之间有些误解。HelookedatmeasifwonderingifIwasawiseguy.
6、"Youwantoneofeach?"他盯着我,好像在思量我是不是在故意找麻烦,“你一样要一个?”"No,justtheone."“不,只要一个。”Hisface,Inoticed,wasgrowingslightlyredaroundtheedges."Yes,butwhichone?" “好的,但是哪一个呢?”我发现他的脸颊有些泛红。"TheoneIjustsaid,"Irepliedwiththeuneasysteadinessofsomeoneforcedunexpectedlytostandhisground.“我说的那个。”我很不自在地回答。Ev
7、entually,hebroughtmeaplatewithtwosandwiches,onehamandonecheese.OnlylaterdidIdiscoverthatitwasunknown,atleastinthosedays,tocombinehamandcheeseinasingleEnglishsandwich.(Tootasty,probably.)最后,他给我端上了一盘午餐,包括两个三明治,一只火腿和一片奶酪,直到后来我才发现在那个时候,他们不知道把火腿和奶酪放在一个简单的英式三明治里(或许尝起来味道会很好)。ItwasOsca