對方說太快了😨
有時候不是你的英文聽力不好，尤其在線上會議或是視訊的狀況下，很多時候是技術上的問題導致你沒聽清楚，反之亦然。Also, let’s be honest. 也不是每個英文母語人士都咬字清晰或很有口條😬。
當對方說太快或解釋不清楚時，適當地介入不但能夠調整步調，也可以讓對方理解雙方認知程度，這才是有效的溝通。
今天教你幾句話阻止對方說得又臭又長！
What you are saying is that …
🗣️ 情境：你是這個意思嗎？
A: I think our manager is going off the deep end1 and I don’t think I can take it anymore. 我覺得我的主管真的走入深淵，我快承受不了了。
B: So what you are saying is that you’re quitting? 你的意思是你要辭職嗎？
A: No, I’m not there yet. But now I am not opposed to it. 還沒到那個程度，但我現在不排斥辭職。
🗣️ 情境：等等，是這樣嗎？
A: Eric and I are taking a break. He is just … 我跟艾瑞克兩個最近需要冷靜一下，他真的是…
B: Hold on. Are you telling me that you two broke up? 等等，你是在跟我說你們方手了嗎？
A: Not necessarily, it is complicated. But we have not texted each other for a few weeks. 不算是，有點複雜，但我們有幾個禮拜沒有傳訊息了。
wait, hold on, one moment, so 都有「等一下」的意思，是有效插話的方法，不用害怕沒禮貌，只要你後面的問句是合理的，對方有義務解釋自己的說詞！
Let me get it straight.
🗣️ 商用情境：讓我釐清一下。
A: Once you install2 the software Ultra9000, you will need to install the plug-in called Mini2000 as well. So if you look over here…
B: Wait, Let me get it straight. I can’t just install the first one?
A: No, you need both of them. They go hand in hand3.
B: What do you mean by “hand in hand“?
A: It is like buying a book shelf and then the books. So in this case4, Ultra9000 is the book shelf, and Mini2000 is the book.
B: That makes sense. Thanks!
⬇️ 小筆記 ⬇️
💡 Let me get it straight. = Let me see if I got it right (or not). 直譯就是看看我有沒有搞錯。Get something right/wrong. 就是把某事搞對或搞錯的常見口語說法。例如 I got the time wrong. 我把時間搞錯了。
💡 What do you mean by …? 指某某是什麼意思，上過我的課（尤其團班）的同學一定會接觸到的用法。不管是沒聽清楚或不懂這字在句子的用法或情境，用這問句邀請對方加以解釋或闡述，調整步調相當有效。例如 A: You don’t know Amy. She is crazy. B: I don’t know her but, what do you mean by crazy? What did she do?
你需要英文聽力和認知理解能力，對方相對的也應該要有自我解釋的能力。It is not always about you!
good off the deep end (expression) 走入深淵、做過頭
install (v) 安裝
go hand in hand (expression) 攜手，此指兩者缺一不可
in this case 在這狀況下