應(yīng)如何婉轉(zhuǎn)地表達(dá)否定
如果有人問(wèn)你:Have you read the book?有兩種回答,一是:Yes, I have.這不會(huì)有什么問(wèn)題;另一種回答是:No, I haven't這樣否定回答當(dāng)然也沒(méi)有什么錯(cuò),許多教科書(shū)上就是把這種回答作為“標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答復(fù)”之一的,但是這樣直來(lái)直去的口氣有點(diǎn)生硬。
英語(yǔ)中的否定詞no和not(當(dāng)然更不用說(shuō)表示強(qiáng)調(diào)否定的never)都是重讀的,語(yǔ)氣很重。如果是老師或長(zhǎng)輩問(wèn)你,你這樣回答,尤其回答得比較響,其隱含的意思是So what?(“那又怎么樣?”當(dāng)然在法庭上被告或證人回答問(wèn)題用這樣的語(yǔ)氣很正常,因?yàn)槟欠N情況下談不上客氣的問(wèn)題。)如果換一種方法回答,可以使口氣婉轉(zhuǎn)得多:I'm afraid not.或者I don't think I have.而不是一上來(lái)就是一個(gè)No字,以免顯得有點(diǎn)噎人。在與客人交談或業(yè)務(wù)會(huì)談中用這種較為客氣的口氣會(huì)構(gòu)建起良好的氛圍。當(dāng)然如果你回答:Not yet.則成了一種允諾,表示你是打算看的,不過(guò)還沒(méi)有找到時(shí)間看。
假定你不同意某人說(shuō)話中的一些看法,如果你這樣開(kāi)始:I agree with most of what you said.當(dāng)然要比I don't agree with you婉轉(zhuǎn),可以避免一開(kāi)始就產(chǎn)生不愉快的氣氛。
如果有人請(qǐng)你吃海鮮,你回答說(shuō):Thank you, but I don't like sea food會(huì)辜負(fù)了人家美意,但如果說(shuō)I don't particularly like sea food或I am not really mad / crazy about sea food,口氣則要婉轉(zhuǎn)得多,會(huì)給對(duì)方一個(gè)臺(tái)階下,不至于太尷尬。
評(píng)論或批評(píng)別人時(shí)也要特別注意口氣。如果你想說(shuō)某個(gè)學(xué)生不用功或功課不好,最好不要直接說(shuō)He does not work hard.或He cannot catch up with the class/other students.之類(lèi)的話。在這種情況下,英國(guó)或美國(guó)老師一般會(huì)說(shuō)He is working hard at his level./He can do much better with more help. / He is doing his best.或I'm sure he will catch up.最多也就說(shuō)He is a slow student又如,你想說(shuō)湯姆不懂音樂(lè),不要說(shuō)Tom does not know how to enjoy music.可以說(shuō):All music seems the same to Tom.