shabby journalism下三濫的新聞操守

用反話把圍攻說成受歡迎，苦澀裡透著一股不服。

I knew X, but I didn't know we were this popular.

被一群人圍攻時用來自嘲兼硬撐，說給同事聽；正式場合不合適。

I knew we had critics, but not this many. ／ We must be doing something right to get this much hate.

口語

didn't know 弱讀，this popular 重讀收尾帶笑意。

I knew the plan was bold, but I didn't know we were this popular. 我知道這方案大膽，可沒想到招來這麼多罵聲。

一句假設句立住新聞的底線：錯了就認，稿子照撤。

If we made a mistake, we'll ...

表明自己願意為錯誤負責，對合作方或公眾都適用，正式場合也體面。

If we got it wrong, we'll pull the story. ／ Should we be wrong, we will correct it.

正式

If we 連讀，come off 重讀，the story 收平。

If we made a mistake, we'll publish a correction. 要是我們搞錯了，就刊登更正。

把恐懼說到極致：不是不想幫，是連露面都不敢。

I can't even be seen ...

拒絕有風險的接觸時用，語氣重、帶罵人，熟人之間尚可，正式場合絕不要用。

I can't afford to be seen with you. ／ Being spotted with you would finish me.

口語

be seen 連讀，重音落在 bastards 上。

I can't even be seen meeting you this week. 這週我連被人看見跟你見面都不行。

一句話給對手定性，把整場反擊濃縮成一個詞：虛偽。

The hallmark of X is Y.

給某種做法下斷語、點出本質時用，評論和書面表達都合適；對個人說會顯得很重。

What defines X is Y. ／ X is marked above all by Y.

正式

hallmark 重讀，hypocrisy 放慢收尾。

The hallmark of this team is honesty. 這支隊伍的標誌就是誠實。