另外呢,老美常用來(lái)形容時(shí)間很長(cháng)的詞還有 eons 和 ages,這兩個(gè)詞同樣也是指非常久的時(shí)間。例句 "It takes eons/ It takes ages for our government to clean up the rivers. (政府要花上很久的時(shí)間才能把河川清理干凈)"
英文跟中文一樣,可以用數字上的夸大來(lái)加強自己的語(yǔ)氣,像是你說(shuō) "We've done this several times." 是絕對不會(huì )讓人一掬同情之淚的,這時(shí)要說(shuō) "We've done this a million times." 才能讓別人注意到問(wèn)題的嚴重性。還有不是很多人喜歡說(shuō) "Thanks a lot." 嗎? 如果是別人對你幫助真的很大,則不妨改說(shuō) "Thanks a million." 更有那種由衷表達謝意的味道。
另外如果是要強調數量上的許多,則不妨可以用 tons of 這個(gè)片語(yǔ)。像老美不是超愛(ài)喝 Coke 的嗎? 你就可以這么說(shuō):"He drinks tons of Coke every day! (他每天都要喝好多可口可樂(lè )) " 像這樣的話(huà)用 tons of 就會(huì )比用 lots of 來(lái)得更加有力,不是嗎?
4. You don't know nothing.
你什么也不知道。
或許有人已經(jīng)發(fā)現這句話(huà)的語(yǔ)法是錯的,正確的應該是 "You don't know anything." 才對。 但很多老美特別愛(ài)說(shuō) "You don't know nothing." (兩句話(huà)意思完全一樣!) 像是這樣的表達叫雙重否定(double negative),用來(lái)表達非常強烈的語(yǔ)氣。比如 "You didn't pay me any money." 和 "You didn't pay me no money." (你沒(méi)有給我錢(qián)),這兩句話(huà)意思完全一樣,但哪一句話(huà)聽(tīng)起來(lái)比較爽呢? 當然是 "You didn't pay me no money." 啦!
不過(guò)如果你是完美主義者,堅持一定要用語(yǔ)法正確的句子,那么你還有另一個(gè)選擇,就是加上 even 和 single 這兩個(gè)詞。比如說(shuō)吧,"You don't have any idea. (你什么主意也沒(méi)有)" 你可以改成 "You don't even have a single idea." 或是像第二個(gè)例句,"You didn't pay me any money." 你可以說(shuō) "You didn't even pay me a single penny. (你連一分錢(qián)都沒(méi)付給我)",怎么樣,聽(tīng)起來(lái)也很酷吧!