轻松日记商务职场篇213:拐弯抹角

 　　核心句型：

　　Stop beating around the bush!

　　不要再拐弯抹角了！

　　beat around the bush 字面意思是：“在灌木丛中四处敲打”，这个习语起源于古代有钱人家打猎时，都会雇用一个专门打草惊蛇的人，好让真正的猎者能够顺利猎捕。现在， 这个习语的正确意思是：“旁敲侧击，说话绕圈子”。因此，当美国人说"Stop beating around the bush!"时，他/她要表达的意思就是:"Please speak directly!"、"Don't equivocate¹!"、"Keep straightfoward!"。

　　情景对白：

　　Shirley: Jane, stop beating around the bush! What do you really want to say?

　　雪莉：简，不要再拐弯抹角了！你到底想说什么啊？

　　Jane: Well, frankly² speaking, I want to borrow some money from you.

　　简：呃，坦率地说，我想找你借点钱。

　　搭配句积累：

　　①What are you mumbling³ about?

　　你吞吞吐吐地想表达什么啊？

　　②You can speak frankly in front of me.

　　在我面前有话就直说。

　　③Just tell me your true feelings.

　　告诉我你的真实想法。

　　④You talk a lot but I catch nothing.

　　你说了一大堆，但我什么都没听懂。

　　单词：

　　1. equivocate vi. 说模棱两可的话

　　Don't equivocate with me I want a straight answer to a straight question!

　　别跟我绕弯子--我问的问题直截了当，回答也要直截了当！

　　You can tell when they're stressed out, they'll equivocate and vacillate.

　　当他们压力过大时，你是可以辨别出来的，因为他们会支支吾吾、犹豫不决。

　　They waver while the latter stand firm, they equivocate while the latter are forthright⁴.

　　前者动摇，后者坚定，前者暧昧，后者明朗。

　　2. straightfoward adj. 坦率的

　　A straightforward⁵ talk is better than a flowery speech.

　　巧言不如直说。

　　His straightforward, modest manner took into camp everybody he knew.

　　他爽直而谦虚的态度使所有认识他的人都上了当。

　　He's a straightforward man and told everything he'd seen.

　　他是个直性子把看到的事儿都捅出来了。

1 equivocate   

v.模棱两可地，支吾其词

参考例句：

• Don't equivocate with me I want a straight answer to a straight question!别跟我绕弯子--我问的问题直截了当，回答也要直截了当！
• He is equivocating a lot about what is going to happen if and when there are elections.他支支吾吾地说着很多万一进行选举会发生的状况。

2 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

3 mumbling   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him mumbling to himself. 我听到他在喃喃自语。
• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 宴会结束时，他仍在咕哝着医院里的事。说着说着，他在一块冰上滑倒，跌断了左腿。

4 forthright   

adj.直率的，直截了当的 [同]frank

参考例句：

• It's sometimes difficult to be forthright and not give offence.又直率又不得罪人，这有时很难办到。
• He told me forthright just why he refused to take my side.他直率地告诉我他不肯站在我这一边的原因。

5 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。