break it gently委婉地開口

他明明在誇她，卻故意說成打廣告，自嘲裡全是喜歡。

What am I doing? ... or ...?

自嘲地夸人、把真心話包進玩笑時用；正式場合別這麼繞。

What am I doing, writing poetry or a sales pitch? ／ Am I praising you or advertising shampoo?

中性

What am I doing 輕快上揚，poetry 與 advertising 重讀。

What am I doing, writing a poem or a birthday card? 我這是幹嘛，寫詩還是寫生日賀卡？

三個短詞一路鋪開，把散著頭髮被海風吹的感覺寫活了。

It's wonderful like this, all ... and ...

形容自在、自然的狀態時用；寫正式報告這樣疊詞會顯隨意。

It feels lovely like this, open and easy and windblown. ／ This is perfect, all loose and free in the wind.

literary

loose、free、windblown 三個詞各頓一下，句尾放輕。

It's wonderful like this, all quiet and open and green. 這樣多好，安安靜靜，開闊，滿眼綠色。

一句輕描淡寫的解釋，把她的孤獨和身世都帶出來了。

It's just I've never known anyone who ...

解釋自己反常的原因時用；對不熟的人說會顯得交淺言深。

It's just that I never knew anyone who laughed much. ／ I suppose I've never been around people who laughed.

中性

just 輕讀，never known anyone 連讀，句尾放平。

It's just I've never known anyone who cooked at home. 只是我從沒認識過在家做飯的人。

一句平淡的話，把對亡母的思念藏在「捨不得用完」裡。

I've made it last a long time.

說某件有紀念意義的東西被自己珍惜很久時用；對剛認識的人說太重。

I have made it last for years. ／ I have been eking it out for a long time.

中性

made it 連讀，last 重讀，a long time 收尾。

I've made it last a long time, this old watch of his. 他這塊舊錶，我一直省著戴，戴了很久。