姿霖

企業英語教室－動輒說“Whatever” 小心惹人厭

工商時報 2009-10-10

    　你知道最讓人討厭的一句英語口頭禪是什麼嗎？美國最新一項調查，最令人反感的口頭禪是“Whatever”。

    　這個調查嚇壞不少人，因為不只是"Whatever"，還有像anyway以及you know這類的字眼，不管英文溜不溜，我們幾乎天天掛在嘴上。

    　講話時，我們經常不自覺用一些轉折語或口頭禪，使用太頻繁就刺耳了。這項調查中，近五成的受訪者最不喜歡whatever，四分之一的人最討厭you know。當然還有區域性喜好，到美國中西部，最好別用whatever，免得惹人嫌！

    　Whatever!為什麼那麼讓人反感呢？在口語上，它有點像「隨便啦，無所謂」，例如，別人問你"Do you like coffee or tea?"（你喜歡咖啡還是茶?）你回答"Whatever!"，就有點兒不在乎的意思，沒有明白講，但就是"I don't care."。設想如果你的屬下成天把「隨便啦，無所謂」掛在嘴邊，你會喜歡嗎？。

    　有時候Whatever也出現在句尾，是Who cares?的意思。老美會說"I totally have no idea how to file my tax return, whatever."（我不知道該怎麼報稅，唉，隨便啦。）最後那個 whatever 是老美在講話時很喜歡加的，就是「隨便，反正我也不擔心的意思。」

    　讓人反感的口頭禪排行榜如下，以後這些字要脫口而出時，吞一口氣，嚥下去，人緣因此就變好，是很有可能的！

    　1.　Whatever　（隨便、無所謂）

    　2.　Anyway

    　anyway在口語中常用來表示無論如何，不管怎樣，至少，反

    　正。和whatever意思接近。

    　3.　You know

    　You know是美國口頭禪排行榜的第一名了，老美，甚至老中

    　也會常常不自覺的在句子中插入"you know"來轉折語句氣

    　，沒有特別意思，有點像是中文口語「對吧」。偶爾用在句

    　子中還無傷大雅，可是要是用得太多了，反而會讓聽話的人

    　分心，抓不到你講話的重點。

    　4.　It is what it is

    　意思是說「事實就是這樣啊，這也是莫可奈何的事，不可能

    　有所改變的」，語氣含有無奈感。

    　5.　At the end of the day

    　意思是終歸是這樣、事情到頭來都是這樣。有一點莫可奈何

    　，沒戲可唱了的意味。

    　原文：

    　"Whatever…"Takes Top Honors as Most Annoying

    　If you're like,"whatever,"and someone gives you a mean look, just remember it is what it is - certain sayings rub people the wrong way, you know? Anyway, at the end of the day, who cares?

    　If the above paragraph thoroughly irritated you, you're probably not alone. The question is, which word or phrase bothered you the most?

    　Chances are it was"whatever."In a recent Marist poll, nearly half of Americans - 47％ - said they find"whatever" most annoying. The other sayings weren't quite so loathed. 25％ say they find"you know"most grating：11％ can't stand "it is what it is"：7％ would like to ban"anyway"from all verbal exchanges；and 2％ reported that they could do without hearing"at the end of the day."

    　Interestingly, if you're traveling to the Midwest, it might be especially wise to leave your store of"whatevers"at home. 55％ of residents in that region dislike the term, while only 19％ of them disapprove of"you know."In contrast, 35％ of Northeast residents say"whatever"is most annoying, while 32％ are most bothered by"you know."(節選自Marist Poll)

    　註：

    　1.rub people the wrong way　惹惱

    　任何動物都是順著毛生長的方向撫摸會比較舒適，逆方向動物就會不高興，rub people the wrong way 就是比喻人容易被激怒、惹惱。例：He is well-intentioned but not tactful enough in his speech, thus he often rubs others the wrong way.　他是好心，只是說話不圓滑，因此常常得罪人。

    　2.Chances are...

    　Chances are 是口語的用法，相當於"it is likely (that)"。

    　表示很有可能的意思。例如：Chances are (that) they'll be late. 　看起來，他們勢必會遲到。

    　Part１: Core & Corner method:

    　He or She? 在你的腦袋裝一個「英文警察」

    　很多世界公民文化中心的學生反應，講英文的時候老搞混「性別」，she/he或her/him。而且不斷地練習成效也不大。到底要怎麼辦？

    　明明懂規則，卻不能一出口就對，原因很簡單，因為你的腦子裡還沒有住一個「英文警察」，這位「英文警察」能在你的she/he脫口而出的時候，先幫你做"grammar check"。

    　請一個「英文警察」住在腦子裡並不難。你可以這麼做，在一周的時間裡，每次用英文講到人稱she或he時，你稍微停一下，想了再講，讓「英文警察」function。教學經驗告訴我們，經過50-120次停頓經驗，你開始對人稱性別有意識，之後犯錯的機率低於10％，漸漸它就變成你的語言慣性。「英文警察」起初會讓你覺得自己英文fluency變差，沒有關係，那是正確流暢以前窒澀的必要過程，很快就過去。假如本周沒有很多機會講英文，就假想一個情境自己練。

    　儘管He和she對了，也還會有一個問題，就是談話中充斥著"he or she"，表達很冗贅，要避免冗句，請熟讀以下句子：

    　(錯)：A department employee should make sure they dress appropriately.

    　(差)：A department employee should make sure he or she dresses appropriately.

    　(好)：Department employees should make sure they dress appropriately. (以複數解決)

    　(差)：The prudent executive needs to know where his money goes.

    　(好)：Prudent executives need to know where their money goes. (以複數解決)

    　(好)：As a prudent executive, you need to know where your money goes. (以句型解決)

    　(差)：If the manager files his or her report by Wednesday, he or she will have the revised copy returned to him or her on Friday.

    　(好)：Managers who file their reports on Wednesday will have a revised copy returned to them by Friday. (以複數解決)

    　(差)：Don't judge someone simply on the basis of his sex or color.

    　(好)：Don't judge someone simply on the basis of sex or color. (不必要時，直接刪掉)

    　(好)：Don't judge people simply on the basis of sex or color.

    　還有你覺得解決不了的問題，請寫信到[email protected]。

    　Part 2:說文解字:英文一個字一個字讀，進步最快！

    　Manage不是一個很難的字，但用得好卻不容易，manage含義較多。下面我們一起來看看它到底有些什麼用法？

    　1."管理；經營；負責"。

    　Your mother has a genius for managing such things.　你母親有處理此類事情的才能。

    　I don't think it's altogether her shop; I think she just manages it.　我認為這不是她的店,她只是負責管理而已。

    　2."控制；對付；照管"

    　My boss is good at managing her money.　我老闆善於理財。

    　You couldn't manage the demanding case；you'd better ask your boss for help. 你應付不了這件難辦的事,你最好叫你的主管幫助你。

    　3."達到；做成(某事)",常與can, could, be able to連用。

    　I haven't been learning French for long, so I can only manage a few words.我學法文的時間不長,所以只能湊合著說幾句。

    　Despite his disappointment, he was able to manage a smile. 儘管他很失望,可還是強顏歡笑。

    　4."設法(終於)完成(某件困難的事)",其後通常接不定詞。如：

    　Do you suppose you can manage to get me a copy?　你認為你能給我弄到備份嗎？

    　We managed to get what we wanted, anyway.　 無論如何,我們最終得到了我們想要的。

    　5."能辦到；設法解決；勉強維持"。

    　We have a little food, but we can manage. 我們只有一點兒食物,但我們能應付過去。

    　How will you manage without a job? 沒有工作你怎麼過活？

    　6."設法得到；拿得動；吃得下",後接名詞或代詞。

    　I couldn't manage two weeks' holiday this year, only one.　今年我無法得到兩周的假期,只能是一周。

    　Without her help I should not have managed it.　沒有她的幫忙,我是辦不到的。

    　7. manage for片語,意為"設法得到"。如：

    　How did you manage for money? 你是怎樣弄到錢的？

    　8. manage的名詞有management,意為"經營；管理"；還有manager,意為"經理；管理人"。如：

    　The failure was caused by bad management.失敗是經營不善所致。

    　She's not a very good manager-she always spends more money than she earns.　她不大會理財--總是入不敷出。

    　Debug專欄

    　這幾句每一句都很彆扭，因為都是直接中翻英講出來的英文，你會不會也講出類似的英文呢?先不要看答案，看看能不能把它講對！

    　1.I'll be glad to get rid from him.

    　2.My sister is good in math.

    　3.You must guard from bad habits.

    　4.He was found guilty for murder.

    　5.Clare's independent from her parents.

    　6.They are indifferent for politics.

    　7.He always insisted to his opinion.

    　8.He is very jealous from his brother.

    　9.They are leaving to England soon.

    　10.Look to his beautiful picture.

    　Debugged

    　1.I'll be glad to get rid of him.

    　2.My sister is good at math.

    　NOTE1：Bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, etc. 相對地，weak in: He is weak in grammar.

    　NOTE2：He is good in class.　意思是他在課堂上行為很好.

    　3.You must guard against bad habits.

    　4.He was found guilty of murder.

    　5.Clare's independent of her parents.

    　NOTE：We say dependent on: A child is dependent on its parents.

    　6.They are indifferent to politics.

    　7.He always insisted on his opinion.

    　NOTE：另一個很接近的字是Persist，介系詞用in：He persisted in his silly ideas.

    　8.He is very jealous of his brother.

    　9.They are leaving for England soon.

    　10.Look at his beautiful picture.

    　NOTE：Also gaze at, stare at, etc. But： look after (= take care of), look for (=try to find), look over (=examine), look into (=examine closely), look on or upon (=consider), look down on (=have a low opinion of), look up to (=respect), look out for (=expect), look forward to (= expect with pleasure),

    　以上內容由【世界公民文化中心】提供。
src:http://tech.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-News/Inc/2007cti-news-Tech-inc/Tech-Content/0,4703,171704+122009101000349,00.html

scyang17

不知道用whatsoever會不會也令人討厭，
whatsoever的語氣比whatever強烈，但是不是很常聽到，
謝謝分享！

limagd88

阿哈哈 看來我得改一下我的口頭禪了

fayew011

很實用喔~!!以前還真的不知道whatever這詞常講不好.
現在知道嚕..謝謝大大分享~

d9405401

謝謝大大的分享
真的是值得收藏
英文真的太重要了

eereer

雖然很討厭，但我想有八成的人還是一樣常說吧！
不管國內外。