wheels are in motion機器已經轉起來了

把一樁聯姻拆成三個分句和一個祭壇比喻，憤怒說得有條有理。

X owns A, you own B, and I'm supposed to ..., is that it?

想讓對方自己承認一樁見不得人的安排時用；語氣很衝，別對客戶說。

You get the factory, he gets the land, and I get married, is that it? ／ So I am the price of this deal, is that it?

口語

三個分句都用升調往前推，human sacrifice 重讀，is that it 降收。

She gets the credit, you get the title, and I do the work, is that it? 她拿功勞，你得頭銜，活全我幹，是這麼回事嗎？

用熱狗和芥末兩個笑話般的頭銜，把一樁大生意貶成了小販結親。

As if X were being offered in marriage to Y.

想反唇相譏、說對方把事講俗了時用；正式談判裡太刻薄。

You make it sound like a market stall deal. ／ As if two shops were being merged.

literary

vulgar 重讀，As if 輕起，hot dog dynasty 與 mustard king 都對仗著念。

You make it sound like a schoolyard trade, as if we were swapping marbles. 你說得像小學生做交易，好像在換彈珠。

四個字把賺錢降格成邊角料，野心和傲氣全在其中。

X is the by-product.

想說明自己真正在意的是別的、錢只是順帶時用；對投資人說會被誤解。

Profit is just a side effect. ／ The money is a by-product of the work.

正式

Money 重讀，by-product 放慢並降調，整句要淡定。

Fame is the by-product; the work is the point. 名氣只是副產品，作品本身才是重點。

用最正式的說法表最硬的態度，越禮貌越沒有商量餘地。

I have no intention of doing something.

鄭重地表明絕不做某事時用；對朋友說會顯得生硬、有距離。

I am not going to marry Elizabeth Tyson. ／ I have no plans to marry her.

正式

no intention 重讀，of 弱讀，Elizabeth Tyson 一字一字念清。

I have no intention of moving to another city. 我壓根沒打算搬到別的城市。

用虛擬語氣把「只為錢」這條路否掉，順勢替自己的野心找理由。

If X were all there was to Y, it'd hardly be worthwhile ...

想反駁「只圖錢」的指責、抬高自己做事的理由時用；聽著有點冠冕堂皇。

If money were the whole point, none of this would be worth it. ／ If profit were everything, I would not bother.

正式

were all there was 連讀，hardly 重讀，worthwhile 拖長。

If grades were all there was to school, it'd hardly be worth going. 要是上學只為了分數，那去學校就太不值當了。

把做生意的好處一口氣列成日常生活，反問裡全是理直氣壯。

What's wrong with ... that gives people X, Y and Z?

想為一件有爭議的事辯護、列舉好處時用；語氣強，容易顯得說教。

What's so bad about something that builds schools and parks? ／ What is wrong with a drive that leaves people better off?

正式

libraries、hospitals 逐項重讀，反問句尾上揚。

What's wrong with a hobby that gives people friends and fresh air? 一個能帶來朋友和新鮮空氣的愛好，有什麼不對？

把公司和家混成一句，既像辯解，也像一句提早認輸的獨白。

No one would ever understand it.

想說某樣東西只有自己懂、別人進不來時用；拿來搪塞家人會傷人。

No one else would ever get it. ／ Nobody outside would understand this place.

中性

This is my home 一句一頓，No wife would ever 連讀，understand it 降收。

This workshop is my home; no one else would understand it. 這間工作室就是我的家，別人不會懂的。