漫威電影《尚氣》(Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings),我看的是英文原版,從台詞裡直接練英聽學英文之餘,
也為自己創造小小的英文語境,看完自然就會想要用英文搜尋相關的文章。
梁朝偉的角色是個重男輕女的大家長,
但這整部電影的其他所有角色,都在努力破除傳統女性三從四德的刻板印象 (stereotype)。
我看完找來了以下的報導。
為免劇透太多,我把報導內容略為編輯刪減過:
【注意,就算是外國人寫的原文,也有些文法瑕疵,務請小心辨識。】
The Women of ‘Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings' on Owning Their Power
Shang-Chi might rise as the latest Marvel Hero in Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, but he’s not the only one. Fighting alongside him and giving him strength are a group of strong, powerful women — or as Michelle Yeoh calls them, “warm, adorable, kickass goddesses.”
During Shang-Chi’s quest to find himself, he’s aided by his closest friend Katy and his estranged, take-no-prisoners sister, Xialing. As Simu Liu, who plays the titular Shang-Chi, puts it, “One badass hero after another, and all so incredible. And they all shine in their own ways.”
“All these women represent different facets of what a woman is,” Yeoh continues. “We're strong, we're independent, and we're smart. We have abilities, and we won't allow anybody to tell us any different. And we will go out on a limb to do what we need to do, whether it is to protect ourselves or to defend the people that we love. That's what it takes to be a woman.”
【初階】beginner:單字篇
estranged 是形容詞,從拼法來看,
可以猜到跟 stranger 有關,意思是疏遠的。
接著,
名詞 facet 是指面向,它源自 face。
說完臉來說屁股:
關於 ass 的形容詞,這短短 3 段就有兩個:
kickass 跟 badass,它們是近義詞,都指很棒很酷。
但是,畢竟 ass 本身有不雅之嫌,
所以只有在跟平輩麻吉講話時,才會用 kickass 跟 badass。
例:Can I have a ride in your badass new car?
我可以坐在你的炫酷新車裡兜圈子吹吹風嗎?
注意,在正式作文時千萬不要使用這一類口說用語,
不然評卷老師會 kick your ass 踢你屁股讓你雷殘。(大誤)
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【中階】intermediate:短語篇
第二段的 take-no-prisoners 跟第三段的 to go out on a limb
某程度上意思有點關連。
遇到不認識的說法,最重要是懂得怎樣去猜——
首先,prisoners 除了囚犯之外,也是指戰俘、俘虜,像是 prisoners of love (愛的俘虜) 就不能翻譯成 "愛的囚犯" 了,語感很怪。
然後,to take no prisoner,對戰時不留俘虜,不肯妥協和談,非虜即殺,換句話說就是趕盡殺絕、不留餘地、果斷進取狠辣無情。
至於 go out on a limb,意思首先要從 go all out (全力以赴) 開始猜,
由此可知 go out 是去拼、去付出,
然後 limb 除了人或是動物的肢體之外,也是指樹的枝條;
拼到要往幼細脆弱隨時折斷的樹枝爬出去,
就是很拼很拼、不計代價的意思。
take no prisoners 跟 go out on a limb 的相同之處,
在於兩者都很拼,
不同之處在於 connotation (涵意),
前者負面,後者中性——
為達目的不擇手段殺殺殺,傷的是別人,
為了到達目的地不惜爬樹甚至樹枝,傷的是自己。
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【高階】advanced:句型篇
楊紫瓊用了一個不錯的句型:
"We have abilities, and we won't allow anybody to tell us any different."(我們可不許別人胡說我們不是有實力。)
—— to tell somebody any different,另有說法,
是個很常見又實用的口說句型,但通常是用反面語氣,
如 can't tell somebody any different。
例句:"It's fall and you can't tell me any different." (秋天來了,毫無疑問。)
此外,這篇也示範了正式寫作時,
一個適合用在文章開首的萬用句型:
(Someone) might (do something), but (something else happens).
使用這個句型,可以換個角度去點出正題所在,好比說,我要寫一篇鼓勵朋友進修自強的文章,
可以考慮這樣開始——
By returning to the university for a Master's degree, I might have missed the chance to start a family early. However, I have gained something more precious: Career advancement, and most importantly, self assurance.
回到大學唸碩士班,我確實是失去了早早成家立室的機會,但我所得到的更珍貴:事業晉升,而且還有最重要的自信心。
↑
看到嗎?在 but 或是 however 之後,才是真正想要強調的重點所在,在之前的只是幌子。
比起單刀直入、平鋪直敘地說 "A Master's degree has brought me not only career advancement but also self assurance." (唸碩士班不僅為我贏得事業晉升,更讓我變得更自信)
用「但是」的寫法更引人入勝不會沉悶。
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結論:快去看《尚氣》吧,
不然我會忍不住在這裡劇透哈哈哈哈!XD