Friday, May 17, 2013

Would you like...?

讀到《楊鐵樑留言信箱》,見以下例句:

Would you like to call again?(可以請你再打來嗎?)

又讀《英文,放馬過來!》一書,見以下例句:
Would you like to see a movie tonight?(今晚想不想看電影?)

Would you like究竟是請人家做一件事,還是問人家想不想做某件事呢?

(1) 根據A Concise Grammar for English Teachers 所言,Would you like... 是有禮貌地表示請求、提議或邀請,而不是提出疑問,例如:

Q: Would you like (to have) some tea?
A: Thanks, but I'd prefer coffee.
Q: 請喝點茶,好嗎?
A: 謝謝,但我想喝咖啡。
因此,《楊鐵樑留言信箱》的中譯沒有錯。
(2) 不過,《新世紀英漢辭典》指出,Would you…表示:

(a) 你可以……嗎?
(b) 請你……好嗎?
(c) 你要不要?
例句:
Would you like (to have) a glass of beer?

你要不要來一杯啤酒?

(3) 「要不要」就是「想不想」,因此《英文,放馬過來!》的中譯也說得過去。

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