sacred and profane神圣与亵渎

用 sacred 与 profane 一组对立词，把私情升格成信仰，既深情又专断。

X is sacred, the others were profane.

强调某段关系独一无二时用，当众说会显得夸张，私下再说。

Our love is sacred; everything else was a mistake. ／ This is holy, the rest was nothing.

literary

sacred 重读，profane 降调，两个词形成对峙。

This promise is sacred; the others were just talk. 这个承诺是神圣的，别的都只是嘴上说说。

把「我信不信神」翻过来问，一句话就把信仰的主动权交了出去。

The question is, does X ...?

把话题从表面翻到更深处时用，适合严肃对谈，玩笑场合别说。

The real question is, does anyone believe in me? ／ It is not about my faith; it is about being trusted.

中性

question 重读，逗号后停顿，句尾升调。

The question is, does anyone believe in me at all? 问题在于，到底有没有人相信我。

把撇清的套话直接引出来反驳，一句就戳穿所有事后装无辜的人。

That's what they all say, "..."

拆穿某人常用借口时用，熟人之间可以，正式场合别拿来顶人。

That's the excuse they always give. ／ Everyone says that afterward.

口语

all 重读，引语压低声音，句尾收干净。

That's what they all say, "I forgot the deadline." 他们都说这套：「我忘了截止时间。」

把身体的反应比成一根面条，俗得可爱，情话里带一点自嘲的幽默。

You just ... and I go as limp as a noodle.

跟亲密的人开玩笑、撒娇时能用；公开场合或对不熟的人说，会让人尴尬。

One touch and I turn to jelly. ／ You only have to look at me and I melt.

口语

just touch me 连读，重音落在 limp，noodle 拖长收尾。

One step outside and I go as limp as a noodle in this heat. 这种天气我一出门就软得像根面条。

拿一个荒诞的身份假设来表忠心，夸张到好笑，却把「我只要你的信仰」推到台面。

I wouldn't care if ... turned out to be ...

想强调自己不在意对方出身或过去时能用；语气偏戏剧化，写正式文书时别用。

It wouldn't matter to me if that turned out to be true. ／ I couldn't care less who your family was.

中性

wouldn't care 连读，重音在 Turk，if 从句加快带过。

I wouldn't care if the whole plan turned out to be your idea. 就算整个计划其实是你的主意，我也不在乎。