全通翻譯/翻譯社

學英文到了一個階段，工作上的溝通不再是問題，模糊地帶多解釋幾句也可以釐清，但是無法擺脫的是一種，文法正確的僵硬感，句子沒有錯，對方也理解，但你就是感覺自己聽起來不自然。

這個階段的學生，我們會告訴他，需要補充的不是impressive的大字，是過去沒有注意到的小字，這些字不存在文法書中，卻時時出現在對話。今天介紹的幾種用法，試著用在句子裡，你會開始聽到其他過去不曾注意的小字，也會聽到自己的道地感。

有沒有自己練英文的好方法。有，自己練英文最有效的方法是「視譯」。 

視譯的原則是，找一篇中英對照的文章，先讀中文，眼睛看到的中文，用英文說出來，然後對照原文，馬上可以發現我們口說哪裡有錯。要注意的是：一開始選擇較簡單的文章，持續且大量地做。如果程度已經不錯，可以計時練習。　

經過大量的練習，你會有這様的感覺：就算在中文嚴重干擾的情況下，都還能講漂亮英文，哪有不會說的英文!

「第一次出國，看到Mango這個字，還以為是個髒話，因為直翻，以為是Man go--男人去的地方。」一個世界公民學生提到她的海外經驗，周遭的老外、老中都笑翻了。

不管是英文到中文，或是中文到英文，逐字翻譯都會鬧笑話。逐字翻譯，常會講出文法沒有錯，但是中文味很重的英語。例如，借廁所用“May I borrow your toilet?”（May I use the bathroom?）；全身酸痛就：“I’m painful.”(I ache all over才對)。

今天幫大家整理10句最常見的直翻英語錯誤和解決策略。

你寫過辭職信嗎？怎麼樣的辭職信會讓老闆又驚又喜？不久前有一封離職信在網路上火紅，號稱全世界最甜美的辭職信，寫在蛋糕上的辭職信，英國的Daily Mail網站上的標題是：Saying goodbye is such sweet sorrow。 原來服務於英國機場的移民官Chris Holmes，太太剛生了小孩，他想開家蛋糕店，可以更有彈性陪伴家人，於是他別出心裁把離職信「寫」在蛋糕上，離職前也趁機為自己的新事業打廣告。 當他親自把蛋糕端給上司，主管又驚又喜。Chris說：「我的離職屬於好聚好散型，希望讓大家嚐到好滋味。」('I thought it was a good natured resignation and hopefully left a nice taste in their mouths.)   我們一起來看這封信他怎麼寫：

To The Management,
Border Force, Stansted:

(給一個不得不所以然的原因) Today is my 31st birthday, and having recently become a father I now realise have precious life is and how important it is to spend my time doing something that makes me, and other people, happy.

While an economic crisis results in untold misery for countries and their people, a new study of health in Cuba has suggested there could be a silver lining during lean times.

儘管經濟危機會給許多國家及其人民造成說不盡的苦難，但是古巴的一項新健康研究指出，經濟困難時期的黑暗也有一線光明。

Researchers appear to have implied that people can lose weight during a recession due to a reduction in eating and increasing physical activity.

A large rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its awful smell is blooming again at an Ohio State University greenhouse, and there’s more excitement because another corpse flower there is expected to open soon.

一株因氣味難聞而以屍體花聞名的大型雨林植物，再度盛開於俄亥俄州立大學的一座溫室，而且更令人興奮的是，另一株屍體花也快開花了。

A 6-foot titan arum opened Tuesday to release its rotting-flesh smell two years after it first flowered. A second corpse flower opened briefly at the greenhouse last May, and a third is expected to open in seven to 10 days.

About a third of women worldwide have been physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner, according to the first major review of violence against women.

第一份檢視婦女受暴的重要評論指出，全球約3分之1婦女遭前任或現任伴侶施加身體或性攻擊。

In a series of papers released by the World Health Organization and others, experts estimated nearly 40 percent of women killed worldwide were slain by an intimate partner and that being assaulted by a partner was the most common kind of violence experienced by women.

More than half of U.S. workers would prefer a root canal than to work during vacation, but they cave in to bosses’ demands by using mobile technology on their down time, a new Harris poll showed.

哈瑞斯民意調查新公布的民調顯示，美國半數以上的勞工度假時，寧願接受根管治療也不想工作，但他們還是會對老闆的要求妥協，在度假時使用手機。

Mobile devices let people stay connected with work 24/7, which is both "revolutionary and a curse," said Terrie Campbell, vice president, strategic marketing at the global technology company Ricoh Americas Corp, which commissioned the poll.