swear up and down賭咒發誓

一句行話式的自白，把整座警局的壓力和不甘都擺在檯面上。

We'd never gone that long without ...

講某個記錄被打破、久拖未決時用；正式彙報裡要改成更中性說法。

We had never let a case sit that long. ／ That was the longest such case on our books.

口語

We'd never 連讀，that long 重讀，句尾下沉。

We'd never gone that long without shipping a release. 我們從沒拖這麼久才發一版。

髒話加誓言，一個人想讓人相信時的用力全在這句裡。

I swear to God, I ...

賭咒保證時用；但裡面帶髒字，正式場合絕不能說。

I swear on my life that I did it. ／ Hand on heart, I am the one who pulled the trigger.

口語

swear to God 連讀，fucking 重讀，整句又急又衝。

I swear to God, I never touched your bag. 我向上帝發誓，我根本沒碰過你的包。

兩句 Sure 把敷衍和不相信說到骨子裡，比反駁更傷人。

Sure you did. Sure.

表面附和、實則不信時用；這個反諷很嗆人，別對傷心事的人講。

Yeah, right, of course you did. ／ Whatever you say, sure.

口語

兩個 Sure 前實後虛，第二個更輕更長。

Sure you finished it. Sure. 行行行，你做完了，肯定做完了。

一句「我們覺得」,把定罪前的直覺和偏見一起交代了。

We felt as though someone had ...

說出團隊當時的主觀判斷時用；寫結論時要補上證據，別隻憑感覺。

It looked as if David was behind it. ／ All signs pointed to David for that burglary.

中性

felt as though 連讀，David 後略停，committed 重音在後。

We felt as though the client had known all along. 我們覺得客戶其實一直都知道。

一次改口把整起案子的責任往外推，也把別人推進了牢裡。

I didn't do it, but I was there, and I know who did.

撇清自己又承認在場時用；警方筆錄裡這等於是關鍵證詞。

I wasn't the one who fired, but I saw who was. ／ I had nothing to do with it, though I was present.

中性

didn't do it 連讀，but I was there 平推，who did 重讀。

I didn't send the email, but I was in the thread and I know who did. 郵件不是我發的，但我在群裡，我知道是誰發的。

用最無害的一句話形容真兇，反差本身就是全片最冷的一刀。

He just seemed like a ... kid.

形容一個人外表與行為落差極大時用；說涉案的人要謹慎，別當玩笑。

He came across as an ordinary, friendly boy. ／ Nothing about him looked dangerous.

中性

just seemed like 輕快連讀，friendly kid 重音落在 friendly。

He just seemed like a polite young man, and then we read the file. 他看起來就是個有禮貌的年輕人，直到我們讀了卷宗。