生活中我們難免會(huì)犯些大大小小的錯(cuò)誤影響到別人,誠(chéng)懇道個(gè)歉也許就能將尷尬化解。Sorry一詞很多人常常掛在嘴上,當(dāng)然英語(yǔ)中表示道歉的不只它一個(gè),還有apologize, excuse me等,那么什么情況下該用哪個(gè)詞呢?別人跟你說(shuō)sorry時(shí)真的就是表示道歉嗎?今天我們就來(lái)解答這些問題!

Apologies 真正的道歉

With apologies, you admit to doing something to upset another person. 如果你做出道歉,那就表示你承認(rèn)自己做了某些打攪到別人的事。

Apologies can be informal:

Sorry一詞比較口語(yǔ),多用于非正式化的道歉,例如:
I am sorry that I was late. 對(duì)不起我遲到了。
I shouldn't have done that. Sorry, I'll never do it again. 我不該做出那種事的。對(duì)不起,以后不會(huì)了。

Apologies can be formal:

Apology(名詞)以及apologize(動(dòng)詞)常用于正式化的道歉,例如:
I do apologize for this interruption, Mr Jones. 很抱歉打斷你了,瓊斯先生。
Mr Jones sends his apologies for not attending the meeting. 瓊斯先生為不能出席會(huì)議致歉。

Things to say with apologies:

① 解釋原因:
We apologise for the delay, which has been caused by a traffic jam. 很抱歉,我們因?yàn)槎萝嚩诱`了時(shí)間。
I'm sorry about my homework, Ms Li, the dog ate it. 李老師,對(duì)不起我沒交作業(yè),它被狗吃掉了。

② 表示并非有意而為之:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. 對(duì)不起,我不是故意吵醒你的。
可以用提問的方式:
Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you ok? 噢對(duì)不起,你沒事吧?
Sorry I'm late. Were you waiting long? 對(duì)不起我來(lái)晚了,等很久了嗎?
也可以用感嘆句:
Oh no! I do apologise. Let me help you pick it up. 噢不!非常抱歉,我?guī)湍銚炱饋?lái)吧。

③ 插入一些詞加強(qiáng)道歉的語(yǔ)氣:
I'm sorry.
I'm very sorry.
I'm really very sorry.
I'm really so very sorry.
I'm really so very sorry indeed.

I apologise.
I do apologise.
I do most sincerely apologise.
I do most sincerely and abjectly apologise.

Excuse me

We say Sorry because we feel bad that someone is upset. We Excuse me if we think we are about to upset someone. 因?yàn)榇驍嚨絼e人而難過,我們說(shuō)Sorry;因?yàn)閷⒁驍嚨絼e人,我們說(shuō)Excuse me。例如:
Excuse me, do you have the time? 對(duì)不起,能占用你一點(diǎn)時(shí)間嗎?
另外可以用please來(lái)加強(qiáng)語(yǔ)氣,例如:
Excuse me please, I need to get off. 對(duì)不起(讓一下),我要下車。

* 這里要說(shuō)明下,在Sorry和Excuse me的使用上,英英和美英是有區(qū)別的:
英國(guó)人很喜歡用Sorry,所以有時(shí)他們會(huì)用Sorry代替Excuse me,例如:I'm sorry, but do you think you could move your car?
而美語(yǔ)中則可以用Excuse me表示Sorry的意思,例如:Excuse me, I didn't see you there.
又如,當(dāng)你沒有聽清或理解別人的話時(shí),英國(guó)人用"Pardon?"或者"Sorry?";美國(guó)人則用"Pardon?"或者"Excuse me?"。

Not really apologizing 看似道歉非道歉

① 道歉是為了攻擊:

有時(shí)人們?cè)诎l(fā)起攻擊性言論前會(huì)先說(shuō)句道歉,有時(shí)他們跟你說(shuō)對(duì)不起其實(shí)是說(shuō)你應(yīng)該向他們道歉。例如:
Excuse me, you are sitting in my place. 不好意思,你坐的是我的位子。

如果是真的道歉,那么所使用的語(yǔ)調(diào)應(yīng)為降調(diào),所以如果你聽到的"sorry"是升調(diào),那就表示對(duì)方是在攻擊你;另外,非道歉的道歉常常會(huì)加上一個(gè)but,例如:
I'm sorry, but you will have to leave. 不好意思,但你必須離開。

② 道歉是為了引出壞事:

I'm sorry, your car needs expensive repairs. 抱歉,你的車修理起來(lái)要很多錢。
I'm sorry to say he won't pass the exam. 抱歉,我不得不說(shuō)他考試肯定不及格。

③ 道歉只是表示遺憾:

Sorry一詞不一定表示道歉,有時(shí)它只表示遺憾、悲嘆、懊悔。你希望某些已經(jīng)發(fā)生了的事從未發(fā)生,所以你說(shuō)Sorry。例如:
I'm sorry to hear about your accident. 聽說(shuō)你出了事故我很難過。
I feel sorry for people with no homes. 我為那些沒地方住的人感到悲哀。

對(duì)于Sorry的兩種意思,我們可以通過丘吉爾在國(guó)會(huì)上致歉時(shí)說(shuō)的一句妙語(yǔ)來(lái)感受下,你能讀出其中的雙重含義嗎:You say that I called you an idiot. It is true and I am sorry.
答案(反白可見):【此句中的"It"和"sorry"都可以有2種理解,于是就可以得到2句意思完全不同的話:a. 你說(shuō)我把你叫做白癡,確有此事,我對(duì)我所說(shuō)的表示道歉。b. 你說(shuō)我把你叫做白癡,你確實(shí)就是個(gè)白癡,我為你感到難過。