親自「送」、「送」禮物、「送」到門口,都不是send!
公司要簽一份重要的文件,外籍老闆請Jack親自送到客戶手中。Jack回答:
I will SEND it there myself.
外籍老闆一臉不高興,再講一次:
You have to TAKE it there yourself.
這老闆不太講理啊,Jack一臉茫然,不是說要自己「send」了嗎?原來send和中文的「送」,意思不完全一樣。中文裡的「送」可以是親自送,也可以間接找人送; 而英語中的send 通常只表示間接地送,而不能指親自送。
來看看劍橋字典對Send這個字的解釋:
to cause something to go from one place to another, especially by post or email
讓東西從一個地方到另一個地方,經常是以「郵寄」方式。
今天就來拆解「送」的概念和send的誤區。
I will send it there myself.
(X)我會親自送去。
(O)我會親自(找人)寄去。
真要親自送,送去可以用take,送來可以用bring。例如:
他每天送他孩子上學。
(X)He sends his son to school every day.
(O)He takes his son to school every day.
今天下午我將親自把電腦送來。
(X)I’ll send the computer to you myself this afternoon.
(O)I’ll bring the computer to you myself this afternoon.
我會送他一份禮物。
(X)I will send him a gift.
(O)I will give him a gift.
送人禮物的「送」,也不是send,送人禮物是一種「給」的概念。直接用give a gift。
Who sent you here?
(X)誰送你來的?
(O)誰派你來的?
Send還有一個意思,是「派遣」,其實也就是一種間接的「送」,和先前提到間接帶去的意思相當。把人打發走,也可以用send away。
He was trying to explain but I became impatient and sent him away (= told him to leave).
他試圖解釋,但我卻開始不耐煩,把他打發走了。
所以送人離開、送人到門口這類的「送」,如果用send,像是打發人走,不太禮貌。
我送你到門口:
(X)Let me send you to the door.
(O)Let me walk you to the door.
送人到門口,其實是陪著人走過去,用walk即可。
I've sent off for a catalogue.
(X)我已經寄出目錄。
(O)我已經寫信索取目錄。
Send off有函索和訂購的意思。如果有索取的東西,就加一個for,是商業email好用的字,來多看例句,熟悉用法:
We had to send off to the headquarters for a replacement part.
我們只好寫信到總部索取替換的零件。
I've sent off for those bulbs I saw advertised in the paper.
我已寫信訂購我在報紙廣告上看到的那種燈泡。