英文，一字之差，謬以千里 @ 聯合翻譯有限公司/聯合翻譯社

文章來源：http://blog.udn.com/corecorner/3632064

英文一字之差，經常謬以千里。網路上盛傳一則笑話，日本首相用錯了一個who和how，意思差了好遠，也鬧了大笑話：

Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic English conversation training before he visits Washington and meets President Barack Obama...
日本首相森總理在訪問華府會見歐巴馬總統前，先做了基礎英語談話訓練。

The instructor told Mori Prime Minister,” when you shake hand with President Obama,” please say” how are you ". Then Mr. Obama should say," I am fine, and you? “Now, you should say” me too ". Afterwards we, translators, will do the work for you."
翻譯官告訴森總理，當你與歐巴馬總統握手時，請說「你好嗎」（how are you）歐巴馬會回答「我很好，你呢? 」這時你必須回答「我也是」(me too)，接下來就是我們翻譯人員的事了。

It looks quite simple, but the truth is...
看起來很簡單，但實際情況卻是…

When Mori met Obama, he mistakenly said “who are you?” (Instead of "How are you?".)
"當森總理會見歐巴馬時，他誤說成「你是誰?」(who are you，他把who和how誤用了)

Mr. Obama was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor: “Well, I'm Michelle's husband, ha-ha...
歐巴馬有點驚訝，但仍幽默以對︰「我是蜜雪兒的老公，哈哈….」（蜜雪兒是歐巴馬的太太）

Then Mori replied” me too, ha-ha....”
森總理回答：「我也是，哈哈....」

Then there was a long silence in the meeting room…
然後，會議室裡一陣沈默...

網路笑話不一定真，有意思的是很多英文差一字就差千萬里的例子。曾有一架飛機在紐約上空油料不足，機師不會用緊急求救用語「Mayday」，而是反覆說「priority」（優先），塔台人員不知道狀況緊急，以為希望優先降落，沒有及時處置，最後飛機真的飛到一滴油都沒有，失事墜毀。

當然了，講對英文對多數上班族而言不會是生死交關，但如果講對不太費力，還是講對好。以下來看看一字之差，謬以千里的英文範例，on a cloud, under a cloud 以及in the clouds的意思有多大的差別。

1. on a cloud
On a cloud是很高興的意思，高興得走路輕飄飄，好像走在雲端。
I've been on a cloud all day long--I heard this morning that I’ll be promoted next month.
我今天一天都很高興，因為早上聽說，我下個月會升官。

2. under a cloud
Under a cloud是負面的意思，under a cloud在雲底下的人高興不起來，因為under a cloud是丟臉、被人懷疑的意思。
See that man sitting at the table by himself? He's supposed to be a very smart lawyer, but he's been under a cloud ever since he was mixed up in a scandal.

看見桌子邊獨自坐著的人了嗎？他本來是一個很能幹的律師，但是自從他涉入公司醜聞以來，就一直被人懷疑。

3. in the clouds
每個人都day dream(做白日夢)的時候。一邊走路，一邊在想心事，完全沒注意到身邊發生什麼事。老外管它叫：in the clouds。In the clouds可以解釋為：心不在焉，absent-minded。
I was really embarrassed at the meeting--the boss asked me a question and I didn't even hear him; I was daydreaming and my head was in the clouds.
在會議中我真是非常難堪。老闆問我問題，我根本沒有聽見。我剛好在做白日夢，心不在焉。