零距離美語會話[文化風俗差異]Lesson 6:A shouting match

Six A shouting match?
一場爭吵比賽？

1 Introduction
A American humor often confuses the Chinese. The American sense of the comedic is quite different from the Chinese. When Americans tell a joke to the Chinese, the looks of puzzlement are simply golden. Likewise Chinese humor is just as great a mystery to Americans.
美國人的幽默經常使中國人很困惑。美國人的笑話與中國人的很不一樣。美國人向中國人講笑話時，那種迷惑的表情真是堪稱一絕。同樣地，中國人的幽默對於美國人來說，也是神祕得不得了。

B Americans have this expression: “It’s good to have a sense of humor about life.” This generally means it is helpful to refrain from anger or despair when your situation is difficult.
美國人有這樣一句話，“對生活有幽默感還是好的。”這大致就是說，當你的處境出現困難時，它可以幫助你剋制住憤怒、絕望。

2 Sample Sentences
1. I try to maintain a robust sense of humor.
我儘量保持十足的幽默感。
2. They always try to make fun of me.
他們老是開我的玩笑。
3. We like to joke about such things.
我們喜歡說一些這樣的笑話。
4. You will be so popular here in America, because you are so much MORE beautiful than the girls I see here. No kidding!
你在美國會很受歡迎的，因爲你比我在這裏看到的女孩都漂亮多了。是真的！
5. He is not a good-looking guy, but he’s very funny.
他長相併不好看，但是他很滑稽。
6. He is very humorous. He always makes me laugh.
他很幽默。他老是惹我笑。
7. The situations I have encountered certainly defy my imagination, and deserve a good laugh.
我所遇到的情形與我想象中的完全不一樣，值得哈哈大笑一番。
8. I don’t see the humor in it.
我不覺得這好笑。
9. You know Tina is kind of slow; she didn’t get it at first.
你知道蒂娜的反應有點慢，她起先沒有明白過來。
10. Oh, my gosh！ It’s unbelievable.
噢，天啦! 簡直無法相信。

3 Conversations
1. A Chinese woman, Helen, is chatting at her home with her American single friend, Sam, who just answered his mobile phone.
Helen: Do you have to leave soon?
Sam: No. Actually I can stay longer. Dave (his boss) called to say that there is a beautiful Chinese girl who’s going to pick me up at the school gate tonight at 10:30 instead of 8:30.
Helen: Oh, that’s better. So you don’t have to rush.
Sam: Yeah. You know what Dave just said?
Helen: What?
Sam: He said I should put on something very nice, because this girl will be my next target1.
Helen: (smiling) He knows you very well.
Sam: He always makes fun of me. He always says things like that. You know the new coming teacher, a Chinese Canadian. He said she would really be my chance.
Helen: I’m sure you have chances everywhere. You’re handsome, talkative2, and got a sense of humor. You must be very popular.
Sam: No, you’re kidding. I’m not taking it seriously.
【譯文】
——你很快就要走嗎？
——不。實際上我還可以呆久一點。戴夫(他的老闆)打電話來說今晚有個漂亮的女孩會在學校門口接我，八點半改成了十點半。
——噢，那更好。這樣你就不必急急忙忙了。
——是啊。你知道剛纔戴夫說什麼了嗎？
——什麼？
——他說我應該穿好看一點，因爲這個女孩將會是我的下一個目標。
——(微笑) 他真瞭解你。
——他老是開我的玩笑。他老是說些那樣的話。你知道這位新來的老師，一箇中國的加拿大人。 他說她將會是我真正的機會。
——我敢肯定你的機會到處都有。你很帥，又健談，而且還有幽默感。你一定很受歡迎。
——沒有，你在說笑。我不會當真啦。

2. Joseph, an American guy, came to Guangzhou recently. He is talking to his Chinese friend about his experience here.
Julia: You have been here for how long? Four months now?
Joseph: Yeah, about.
Julia: Do you know Chinese better now?
Joseph: Oh, definitely. I remember, when I first arrived in Guangzhou, my girlfriend was haggling3 with a sales clerk over the price of a mobile phone.
Julia: Oh, yeah. Many Chinese like to bargain. It happens almost everywhere.
Joseph: I mean, I understand that. But the speed of the conversation got faster and faster, until it seemed to me that they would fight. My perception4 of the tone was that it was a violent shouting match5. The truth was that it was a perfectly normal conversation.
Julia: (laughing) A shouting match? You’re so funny. You must be exaggerating6. I don’t believe it.
Joseph: I am not exaggerating at all. I’m telling you the truth. That was how I felt at that time.
Julia: Yes, perhaps. Chinese usually don’t notice that sort of thing. Maybe it’s quite natural7 to us.
Joseph: Yes, absolutely true.
【譯文】
——你來中國多久了？到現在四個月？
——是，大概是這樣。
——你現在對中國人瞭解多一些了吧？
——噢，那當然。我記得，當我初到廣州時，我的女朋友在買手提電話時跟營業員正在討價還價。
——噢，是啊。很多中國人喜歡討價還價。這幾乎隨處可見。
——我知道是那樣。但是談話的語速越來越快，直到我看來他們會打架。他們的音調讓我覺得那是一場猛烈的爭吵比賽。實情是，那是一個很平常的談話。
——（笑）一場爭吵比賽？你還真滑稽。你一定在誇張。我不信。
——我一點都不誇張。我是在說真的。當時我真是這麼覺得。
——是，有可能。中國人通常不會注意到這種事。也許我們都習以爲常了。
——對，一點都沒錯。

3. Justin is a tall American guy working in China. Right now he’s talking to his Chinese colleague about the city bus.
Lynne: Do you take a bus to and from8 work?
Justin: Yeah, everyday. And there’s only one choice. All the other buses are going the other direction.
Lynne: Hmm. I have the same problem. When I leave work, it’s always rush hour9. So the buses are always crowded.
Justin: Oh, yeah, it’s terrible. I will tell you the funniest thing I have seen in China. It’s when so many people try to get onto one city bus, and the last guy is squeezed in10 so tight that the door is tightly pressed against his butt11.
Lynne: That sounds terrible the way you describe it. But you know, not long ago I really suffered on the bus.
Justin: What happened? Were you having a hard time getting on a bus?
Lynne: You just can’t imagine! I waited for the first bus but it was too full, so I waited for the second, and it was still very crowded. Then I decided not to wait for the next one, and got on the second bus. It was so full that I had to stand on one foot! No kidding!
Justin: Hmm. Good exercise, uh?
Lynne: Yeah, absolutely!
Justin: And it’s so much fun. One day, the bodies were so tightly packed that some girl’s behind was pressed against my front. I was afraid to put my hands down for fear of12 accidentally groping13 her.
Lynne: You were so happy, weren’t you?
Justin: What do you think? I’m a good boy.

【譯文】
——你乘公車上下班嗎？
——是啊，每天都這樣。而且還只有一個選擇。其它所有的車都去另外一個方向。
——嗯。我的車也是這樣。當我一下班，就總是交通擁擠高峯期。所以汽車老是擁擠不堪。
——噢，是很糟糕。我來告訴你我在中國見過的最好笑的事是，當這麼多人拼命擠上公共汽車時，最後一個男的被擠得如此之緊，以致他的屁股被門緊緊地壓着。
——你描述的這種方式真令人無法忍受。但是你知道嗎，不久前我真是在車上受苦。
——怎麼啦？你上車很擠嗎？
——你簡直想不到。我等着第一輛車來，但是太滿了，所以我就等第二輛，可是車上還是很擠。後來我決定不再等下一趟了，就上了第二輛車。可車子擠得我只能用一個腳站着！一點都不開玩笑！
——嗯。很好的鍛鍊，是不是？
——是啊，絕對地！
——還很好玩呢。一天，這些軀體被擠得如此之緊，一個女孩的背都被緊緊擠到我跟前。我不敢把手放下，因爲怕偶然亂摸到她。
——你很高興，對不對？
——你會怎麼認爲？我是個好男人。

4. An American guy is having lunch with two Chinese women.
Robert: You know, I don’t quite understand the Chinese criterion14 of Beauty. I mean, I asked some Chinese guys who had seen my girlfriend. I asked them, “Isn’t she beautiful?” They were looking at me with eyes wide open, like …and they even wondered how in the world I could ever have fallen in love with her!
Amy: I understand. I’ve heard quite a few people say that most Chinese women that foreigners have chosen are not pretty at all. I know I’m one of those that they were describing. I’m surely not beautiful.
Kitty: Oh, come on, although you married a foreigner, you’re not that bad!
Robert: I mean I think my girlfriend is very pretty and cute. She has these red cheeks, and her silk hair has been evenly15 cut. Very pretty, very charming16.
Kitty: (laughing) Chinese don’t notice that sort of thing at all. Amy, what is that saying17?
Amy: Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder18.
Kitty: Yeah, that’s right. Magic love.
【譯文】
——你知道嗎，我真不明白中國人的審美標準。我是說，我問過幾個看到過我女朋友的中國男人。我問他們，“她難道不漂亮嗎？”他們看着我，眼睛睜得圓圓的，像……而且他們還想知道我怎麼會竟然愛上了她！
——我明白。我已聽好幾個人說過大部分外國人選擇的中國女人一點都不漂亮。我知道我就是他們所說的其中之一。我是無疑不漂亮的。
——哦，別這樣，儘管你嫁給了個老外，你還沒那麼醜！
——我是說我認爲我的女朋友很漂亮，而且很可愛。她有紅撲撲的臉頰，而且她那很有光澤的頭髮還被剪得齊齊的。很漂亮，很迷人。
——（笑）中國人不會注意到這樣的事。艾米，那句話是怎麼說的？
——情人眼裏出西施。
——對，沒錯。愛的魔力。

4 Words and Expressions
1. target 靶子;攻擊的目標
2. talkative 喜歡說話的,健談的
3. haggle (在價格方面)爭論不休
4. perception 感知,感覺;察覺
5. shouting match 大聲嚷嚷的爭吵
6. exaggerate 誇張,使增大
7. natural 不做作的，自然的
8. to and from來回地;往返地
9. rush hour (上下班時)高鋒時間
10. squeeze in 榨出,擠出
11. butt 屁股
12. for fear of 因恐
13. grope暗中摸，撫摸...的身體
14. criterion 標準,準則,尺度
15. evenly 平等地;均勻地
16. charming 迷人的;有魅力的
17. saying 格言,警句,諺語
18. beholder 觀看者;旁觀者