"What does the contract write?"問合約內容「寫」了什麼,不是write!而是...
Jeff正在和朋友聊一些市場現況,突然對方用不是很好的態度說了"Says who?",Jeff還以為對方沒聽清楚是在說哪家公司,不耐煩地重複一次,後來對方就一整天沒跟他說話了。
Jeff:Alipapa has no chance of breaking the sales record on "Single Day."(「雙十一」阿里巴巴沒機會打破銷售紀錄了。)
William:Says who?
Jeff:Ah…who? I've told you it's Alipapa. You idiot?(什麼誰?我在跟你說阿里巴巴,白痴喔!)
William:.......
Says who?不是在說誰
Says who? 原本的意思應該是:"Who says that?"(誰說的?),帶有較激烈的口氣,表示自己不認同你的看法,屬於非正式場合(informal)的說法,在口語中很常見。
A:Mercedes GLA is the best!(賓士GLA是最讚的!)
B:Says who?(誰說的!)
(X) Who say that?
(X) Who say?
Says you.鬼才相信!/才怪!
A:You're fat!
B:Says you?
這個就相對容易聯想了,Says you.(我聽你在那邊說)(假話),表示:"You say that, but that does not make it true or correct, and I disagree." 注意這裡主詞即便是you,慣用方式還是用"says"而不是say。
合約寫了什麼不是用Write
試著翻譯這句:合約書上寫什麼?
(X) What does the contract write?
(O) What does the contract say?
寫了什麼,重點不在「寫」(write),而是「說」(say)了什麼。write這個字只有人當主詞的時候才能寫,因為合約、書都不會自己寫,「一本書寫得很好」會說"This book is well written."而不會說"This book writes well."。
再看幾個例子,你會對say更了解:
你的錶幾點?
(X) What time is your watch?
(O) What time does your watch say?
(O) What time is it by your watch? 這句話的主詞是it而不是your watch,介系詞是by而不是in或on。
你可以看那個標誌寫什麼嗎?
(X) Can you read what that sign is?
(O) Can you read what that sign says?