All Ears English Podcast EP1781
Why Native English Conversations Aren’t Linear and How to Follow Them
現實中的談話通常是非線性的,不會像教科書從頭到尾都在討論同一個話題。故此集Lindsay及Michelle向各位聽眾介紹切換談話主題所使用的慣用語。
“Side note”
You are talking about something then you stop and say: side note. And you switch to another topic and then maybe you go back to the first one. It’s very useful to transit between topic and over topic.
Examples:
I have to be there at 6:30 am. Side note, remind me to tell you the story of the traffic I got into yesterday. Oh, anyway, I am not looking forward to that date.
→從此例中可以發現,談話者先描述他明天要做的事,而後話鋒一轉,提及昨天的交通事故,最後又講回自己並不期待明天約會。Side note 即作為轉換話鋒的過渡詞,類似”By the way”、” incidentally”的用法。
Side note的衍生
On a different note
除了Side note,另外還有On a different note(=on another note)。On a different note與Side note的差別,主要是前者切換話題的感覺更為瑣碎(choppy),也有預告將大幅轉換主題之意。
Examples:
- On a different note, I think we should talk about the new marketing strategy before the next meeting.
- On another note, do you know any good place to get hair cut around here?
On a more serious note
此用法不只轉換談話主題,也改變了對話的語氣(tone)。
使用時機:
通常可以用在致詞或演講,前段講了一段輕鬆的玩笑話,後面要接著講正事時。
If you have been joking around then you want people to focus and become a little more serious. Or at some point you are going to change the tone, become more deeper or profound.
Examples:
Brandon isn’t a perfect guy–we all know how terrible his taste in clothes is! On a more serious note, he is perfect for Randy and vice versa
On an X note:按不同情緒,可以客製化填入各種形容詞
Just to capture the mood that you might be changing. 例如:on a funnier note, on a weirder note, on a strange note…
Don’t overuse!
並不是每次轉換話題時都需要使用這些過渡慣用語,重點是「自然地轉換話題的感覺」。如果第一次用了side note轉換話題,接下來想繼續聊別的事時,可以使用“however,” “so,” “because”等常用連接詞。
Role Play
Part I
L: So I think we should play (it) safe and reserve the room for about 50 people.
M: Sounds good.
L: On a different note, are you booking the car or should I?
(第二次換話題) after that for the next point you could just say: oh, and what about this, how about the food, are you going to take care of the food or am I?
Part II
M: Can you help me move this?
L: Of course! You know I have strong muscles. Side note, have you seen the new gym on 37th?
M: I haven’t. I will check it out.
Part III
L: I think you should take out that part.
M: Why? I’m teasing, but then I say “on a more serious note.”
L: Ok let me read it. “On a more serious note, the company has been having trouble in the past few months.” That is serious!
M: Yeah. It would be fine but it’s important to bring up.