Donny 在北京学汉语, 他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词,就会来请教他。今天是吴琼要问的:纠结。
Donny: Hey 吴琼, congratulations! I heard you got a job offer.
吴琼: 没错,我昨天刚接到的通知! 这可是我梦寐以求的工作。
Donny: That’s great! You must be very excited.
吴琼: 不过啊,我还真有点犹豫。公司要我去美国待两年,我舍不得离开这的朋友,可又不愿意放弃这个难得的机会, 实在很纠结。Donny, 纠结英文怎么说?
Donny: 你可以说,I am torn, t-o-r-n, torn.
吴琼: Torn? 那不是被撕裂的意思?
Donny: Well, 一边是熟悉的生活,另一边是难得的机会,两个你都不想放弃,it’s like your heart is being torn in two different directions, right? 你也可以说 I’m on the fence.
吴琼: Fence? 篱笆?
Donny: 对,中文里说举棋不定,英语里说 on the fence 就好像骑在一堵围墙上,不知道该向哪边倒。
吴琼: 我明白了。那你觉得我该怎么做呢?
Donny: Maybe you should ask yourself which is the lesser of two evils. Is it worse to give up your dream job or be away from your family and friends?
吴琼: The lesser of two evils? 两害相权取其轻?
Donny: That’s right. Maybe when you think about it that way the answer will dawn on you.
吴琼: Dawn on me? D-a-w-n,不是“黎明”的意思么?
Donny: dawn on me 好象黎明驱走黑夜,让你把问题看清楚。
吴琼: 啊,所以我可以说 it suddenly dawned on me. 恍然大悟。
Donny: Bingo. Now let’s see what you’ve learned today.
吴琼: 第一:纠结,拿不定主意可以说 I’m torn. 或是 I’m on the fence;
第二, 两害相权取其轻是 the lesser of two evils.
第三:恍然大悟是 It suddenly dawned on me.