keep your word守信用

一句話立住人品，把風險和擔當拴在一起，比任何保證都硬。

I would never ask anyone to ...

表明自己不佔人便宜、願意同擔風險時用；正式和日常都合適。

I would never ask you to do what I wouldn't. ／ I take the same risk I ask of you.

中性

never 與 risk 重讀，I wasn't willing to take 收穩。

I would never ask the team to take a risk I wasn't willing to take. 我絕不會讓團隊去冒我自己不願冒的險。

讓步和底線擺在同一句裡，先舍再守，立場一目瞭然。

I'll give up ..., but they are not getting ...

談判中表明可以讓步、但有底線時用；語氣強硬，適合正式攤牌。

Take the other firms, but not the metal. ／ Everything else can go; the metal stays.

中性

sign away 連讀，but 後稍頓，not getting 重讀。

They can have the office, but they are not getting my team. 辦公室可以給他們，但我的團隊別想動。

用最樸素的二分法拒絕人情交易，不容含糊，也不留情面。

I either ... or I don't.

拒絕曖昧安排、要求把話說明時用；語氣生硬，對熟人也一樣。

Either it is mine or it isn't. ／ I don't do ownership halfway.

中性

either 與 or 兩處重讀，I don't 收得乾脆。

I either own the shares or I don't; there is no in-between. 這些股份要麼歸我，要麼不歸我，沒有中間地帶。

把承諾推回給對方自己執行，一句話既給臺階也劃清界限。

If you intend to ..., then ...

要求對方把承諾落到實處時用；語氣平板但很硬，適合談條件收尾。

If you mean to keep your promise, keep it. ／ A promise is only real when you act on it.

中性

intend to 連讀，keep your 弱讀，末尾 keep it 放重。

If you intend to help, then help; don't just talk. 你要是打算幫忙，那就幫，別光說。

一句法案的通俗版，把所有商業自由收進一個冷冰冰的規則裡。

Nobody can ... more than ...

轉述規則、點明限制時用；陳述事實的平靜語氣，反而更有壓力。

No one is allowed more than one company. ／ One person, one company, by law.

中性

Nobody 重讀，more than one 連讀，company 收平。

Nobody can bring more than one guest tonight. 今晚每人只能帶一位客人。

把讚許說成一個簡單的判斷，還用全名叫人，顯得鄭重。

You're a good man, + 名字

鄭重誇一個男人有擔當、有品格時用；半正式，適合當面道謝或敬重場合。

You're a decent man, Hank. ／ You are a good man, and I mean it.

中性

good man 稍作停頓，全名一字一字念清楚。

You're a good man, Tom, and everyone here knows it. 你是個好人，湯姆，這兒的人都知道。

用否定句替自己辯護，把懷疑頂回去，委屈和自尊都在裡面。

I've never given you any reason to ...

被懷疑、被誤解時自辯用；語氣偏委屈和不滿，適合熟人之間的爭執。

I have never given you cause to doubt me. ／ Nothing I've done deserves this suspicion.

中性

never given you 連讀，any reason 放慢，mistrust 重讀。

I've never given you any reason to doubt my word. 我從沒給過你任何理由懷疑我說的話。