這句話的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺乏興趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don""t care at all.或I don't give a hoot.例如:
人家如果問:What do you think of the budget-cut?(你對(duì)預(yù)算削減有何看法?)
你回答:I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜歡李先生的政見嗎?)
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但是有時(shí)說話者也有「口是心非」:例如:
I couldn't care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升級(jí)或加薪)
而實(shí)際上他是根本在乎升級(jí)和加薪的,那么人家也許就會(huì)回答說:Yes, you do(care).
至于I couldn't care more.就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或I care deeply.同理:
I couldn't agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn't please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我盡量使你高興)
I couldn't be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外為了「自尊」,不愿強(qiáng)調(diào)自己的錯(cuò)誤,所以很少人說:
I couldn't be more wrong.
注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句與否定句互用。
不過,嚴(yán)格來說,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care的程度可能減少)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也許增加)(主詞可用任何人稱代名詞:he, she, you, we, they等。但只用could,不用can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是:真實(shí)的,誠(chéng)懇的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是to make no bones about it.(bone要加s, it是指something)例如:
His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(當(dāng)A先生談到墮胎問題時(shí),他是誠(chéng)懇的。)
When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)