雅思趣味阅读之What the British say VS What the British mean

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美国人经常吐槽的就是英国人的客气、讽刺和“转弯抹角”(understatement)。美国人讲话比较夸张，平时普通的赞美翻译成中文基本上都是”爱死你了“、”你是世界上对我最好的人“这类。而在英国，"not bad"是好，"quite good"反而是不好。

英国人如是说：Ever been told by a new neighbour ‘You must come for dinner’ then spent weeks waiting for a follow-up invitation that never arrives?Or been thrilled when the boss said he’d bear your ‘very interesting’ idea in mind and been surprised when it was never mentioned again.Then you’ve been victim of the uniquely British trait of being too prim and polite to say what we really mean. And if it can be baffling for us, imagine what it must be like for foreigners who take our every word at face value.

美国人如是说：It’s not always easy to understand what British people think simply by listening. Sometimes, you have look beneath the surface. This guide will help you do that.

千呼万唤的British English指导手册。

其实要想更加直观的体会英国人的这种拐弯抹角，看几部休格兰特主演的电影就行了，什么？连他都不认识！太对不起你所朝思暮想的伦敦腔了。