Mark和外籍同事一起擔任面試官,Mark很欣賞這位應試者,想要錄用他。外籍同事卻說:"I don't trust him, but yes, he is talented. I'll give you that."Mark差一點要問外籍同事,”give me what?”到底要給我什麼?

"I'll give you that"不是要送你禮物,而是說「我同意你的部分觀點,我承認你說的這一點是事實」,也就是「有所保留地同意他的觀點,而不是全盤接受」。

1.I'll give you that.

(X)我要送你禮物。

(O)這點我同意/這點我沒意見。

Give在這個句子裡的意思是,「向……承認;對……讓步」,語氣有一種「好吧,這點你對」。多來看一個例句,熟悉應用場景:

It's nice - I'll give you that - but I still wouldn't want to live there.(這裡很好,這點我同意,但我還是不想住這裡。)

有時也會直接用I give you that,意思一樣:

It's too late to go to the party. I give you that.(現在去參加聚會是太遲了。我承認你是對的。)

2.Don't give me that.

(X)不要給我那個。

(O)不要唬弄我/別給我來這一套/少騙人了。

"Don't give me that.”也是一個常用片語,當別人講一句話你不信的時候,就可以用。

A:But I was going to let you have it tomorrow.(但我本來打算明天把它給你的。)

B:Don't give me that!(別跟我來這一套!)

3.I'll give you notice.

(X)我會通知你。

(O)我會給你解雇通知。

Notice是「通知」,大家應該很熟。所以有人要發通知給人時,想當然爾,就說"I'll give you notice.”這其實是錯的。Give you notice意思是解雇你,請你離開,是fire人時比較委婉的說法。

Notice的意思是「提前通知」,例如:

The next time you visit, can you give me more notice?(你下次來之前能否早點通知我?)

但notice在商業場合,也特別指「因辭職或解雇而終止雇傭合約的通知期」:

Do I have to work out my notice?(我一定要做滿通知期才能離職嗎?)

My boss gave me a month's notice.(老闆提前1個月向我發出了解雇通知。)

要發通知給別人,正式一點可以用confirmation:

We will send you written confirmation of our offer shortly.(我很快會發給你一封書面晉用通知書。)

輕鬆一點,可以說message:

I'll send you a message.(我再發訊息給你。)

商業英文學得又快又準:http://bit.ly/2HSHW7p

責任編輯:易佳蓉
核稿編輯:鍾守沂