Aust Winner 澳洲长风论坛

[jeffiwu]

电话留言

中国家庭并不常用电话答录机（Answering Machine）,但在北美家庭，几乎家家都用。外来电话拨入时，若该电话号码的主人不在，就会让拨入者听到一段留言，这叫Answer。绝大多数的Answer都是千篇一律的：说明主人不在，请拨入者留下简短信息及姓名电话号码等。以下几则特别的 Answer 体现了美国佬的幽默，你能体会出其幽默所在吗？ 同时，本人希望读者能举一反三，从美国家庭电话留言中学到一些有用的东西，从而可以应用到商务电话留言当中来：
　　1) My wife and I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you’ll leave your name and number, we’ll get back to you as soon as we’re finished.
　　2) Hi. This is John. If you are the phone company, I already sent the money. If you are my parents, please send money. If you are my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money. If you are my friends, you owe me money. If you are a female, don’t worry, I have plenty of money.
　　3) Hi, I’m not home right now but my answering machine is, so you can talk to it instead. Wait for the beep（beep：主人的Answer讲完以后，Answer Machine会发出一声beep, 这时候来电话者就可以开始留言了。）.
　　4) Hi! John’s answering machine is broken. This is his refrigerator. Please speak very slowly, and I’ll stick your message to myself with one of these magnets（磁铁）.
　　注：通常情况下，来电话者面对录音讲话都不太自然，所以语言往往很急促，三句两句话就完了。这可苦坏了接听留言的主人，听多少遍都听不清留言者到底是谁，讲了些什么。对于母语非英文的人，这种感觉会更深。所以，以下这两段幽默干脆就首先告诉电话拨入者，我的Answer Machine不好使，你且慢慢来。
　　5) Hello, this is Sally’s microwave. Her answering machine just eloped（私奔） with her tape deck（磁带驱动器）, so I’m stuck with taking her calls. Say, if you want anything cooked while you leave your message, just hold it up to the phone.
　　6） Hello, you are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages. My owners do not need siding（墙板，壁板）, windows, or a hot tub（浴盆）, and their carpets are clean. They give to charity（慈善团体） through their office and do not need their picture taken. If you’re still with me, leave your name and number and they will get back to you.
　　7） Hi. I am probably home. I’m just avoiding someone I don’t like. Leave me a message, and if I don’t call back, it’s you.
　　8） This is not an answering machine -- this is a telepathic（心灵感应术） thought- recording device. After the tone, think about your name, your reason for calling and a number where I can reach you, and I’ll think about returning your call.
　　注：tone：与对第3）句beep 的注释含义完全一样，主人的Answer讲完以后，Answer Machine会发出一声beep, 这时候来电话者就可以开始留言了。
　　9) Hi, this is George. I’m sorry I can’t answer the phone right now. Leave a message, and then wait by your phone until I call you back.
6) Hello, you are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages. My owners do not need siding（墙板，壁板）, windows, or a hot tub（浴盆）, and their carpets are clean. They give to charity（慈善团体） through their office and do not need their picture taken. If you’re still with me, leave your name and number and they will get back to you.
　　7) Hi. I am probably home. I’m just avoiding someone I don’t like. Leave me a message, and if I don’t call back, it’s you.
　　 This is not an answering machine -- this is a telepathic（心灵感应术） thought- recording device. After the tone, think about your name, your reason for calling and a number where I can reach you, and I’ll think about returning your call. 注：tone：与对第3）句beep 的注释含义完全一样，主人的Answer讲完以后，Answer Machine会发出一声beep, 这时候来电话者就可以开始留言了。
　　9) Hi, this is George. I’m sorry I can’t answer the phone right now. Leave a message, and then wait by your phone until I call you back.
　　10) If you are a burglar(夜贼), then we’re probably at home cleaning our weapons right now and can’t come to the phone. Otherwise, we probably aren’t home and it’s safe to leave us a message.
　　11) You’re growing tired. Your eyelids(眼皮) are getting heavy. You feel very sleepy now. You are gradually losing your willpower(毅力) and your ability to resist suggestions. When you hear the tone you will feel helplessly compelled to(感到无助而被迫做某事) leave your name, number, and a message.
　　12) Please leave a message. However, you have the right to remain silent. Everything you say will be recorded and will be used by us.
　　注：you have the right to remain silent：电影电视里警察出示逮捕令时常讲的一句话。西方社会讲究人权，任何疑犯在未审判之前不得认为有罪，因而不能逼供、更不可拷打：他们有权保持沉默。
　　13) Hello, you’ve reached Jim and Sonya. We can’t pick up the phone right now, because we’re doing something we really enjoy. Sonya likes doing it up and down, and I like doing it left to right ... real slowly. So leave a message, and when we’re done brushing our teeth, we’ll get back to you.

[jeffiwu]

当要找的人不在的时候，通常的对话见下：
a: Hello, This is carol. May I speak to Miss Chen?
b: Yes, one moment please. I'll get her for you.
a: Thank you.
b: I' m sorry, she' s not at her room right now.
a: Oh, I' ll call her again.

简译：
a: 喂，我是卡罗，可以请陈小姐听电话吗？
b: 好，请等一下，我为你转接。
a: 谢谢。
b: 对不起，她现在不在。
a: 那我等下再打给她。

另外，还有如下的几种说法：
1. It’s nothing important. 没什么重要事。
2. It’s nothing urgent. Thank you ,good-bye. 没什么要紧事，谢谢您，再见。
3. I’ll call her again. 我会再打给她。
4. I’ll call back later. 我稍后会再打来。
5. Please ask Miss Chen to call me back. 请陈小姐给我回电话。
6. Could you tell her to call Carol as soon as possible? 能不能请她尽快打电话给卡洛？
7. Ask her to call Carol at home after seven, please. 麻烦她在七点后打电话到卡洛家。
8. Can I leave a message? 我可以留言吗？
9. Please have her return my call.请她回电话给我。
10. Could you ask him to to call me back? 可以请他给我回电话吗？
11. Please tell her Carol called. 请告诉她卡洛找她。
12. Let me call back later again. Thank you. 我稍后再打电话来。谢谢你。
13. Please tell him to phone 2233-4455. 请他给2233-4455回电话。

[jeffiwu]

抱歉这么晚打来的说法：

1. I’m sorry to call you so late. 对不起这么晚打电话来。
2. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time. 抱歉这种时候找你。（含有希望没有打扰到你的意思）
3. I hope I didn’t wake you up so early. 我希望这么早没有吵到你。
4. I’m sorry to call you so early. 对不起这么早打电话来。
5. I’m sorry to bother you at this hour. 很抱歉在这时打扰你。

[jeffiwu]

有急事时的表达方法：

1. It’s urgent. Could I have her mobilephone number?
2. Could you tell me where I can reach her?
3. This is an emergency. I need to get in contact with him right now.

[jeffiwu]

上面的翻译：

1. 我有急事，可不可以告诉我她的手机号码？
2. 能不能告诉我在哪里可以找到她？
3. 我有急事，需要马上跟他联络。

[jeffiwu]

打错电话时常说：
1. I’m sorry I have the wrong number.
2. Is this 02-2718-5398?
3. Sorry to have bothered you.
4. I’m sorry. I think I must have dialed the wrong number.
5. Could I check the number? Is it 2211-3344 ？

简译：
1. 抱歉我打错电话了。（打错电话通常用：have the wrong number 表示）
2. 这里是02-2718-5398吗？
3. 很抱歉打扰你了。
4. 很抱歉。我想我一定是打错电话了。
5. 我可以核对一下电话号码吗？是不是2211-3344？