The Godfather · 1972 — 第 9 / 9 章 · 3'32" · B2

父亲点明谁是叛徒:hold the strings

父亲喝着酒,还是把最危险的事说透:对方会先 move against(对某人下手),再找一个你绝对信任的人安排会面。后头他又说,自己拒绝被 big shots(大人物)牵着走,只盼轮到儿子时由他来 hold the strings(掌控局面)。听懂这几句,职场和家里那些「谁说了算」的话就好接了。

发生了什么

有人把危险说死:对方会 move against(对某人下手),再拉一个你绝对信任的人出来,拿「保证安全」把人约走,到了就是暗杀。酒、孩子、电话查过没有,都只是中间的家常。说到自己这一生,他不肯被 big shots(大人物)牵着线跳舞,只希望轮到下一代,由儿子来 hold the strings(掌控局面)。第一句用来讲有人开始针对你;后两句用来讲谁说了算。公司里、家里,都用得上。最后他留下一句:谁来约那场会面,谁就是叛徒。

家庭 · 亲子冲突警告坦白亲子B2美音无脏话
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这场戏看什么

  • 杀局怎样被说成四步
  • 迈克尔何时用 handle it 打断叮嘱
  • 叛徒规则怎样收在最后一句

留意这几个短语

move againstbig shotshold the stringswhat's bothering you

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本章短语

hold the strings

握着提线、掌控局面to be the one in control

教父本以为自己退下来后,迈克尔会成为牵动那些线的人。

In that office, the assistant quietly holds the strings.在那个办公室,真正掌控局面的是那位助理。

本章还有

  • move against

    对某人下手、采取敌对行动

  • big shots

    大人物、要人(常带不屑)

  • what's bothering you

    你在烦什么、有什么心事

本章全部批注

36 句台词里标了 35 处

短语 · B2move against someone

对你下手、针对你

Barzini will move against you first.
发音move against you

move 的尾音滑进 against,against 的 t 轻带一下再贴上 you,重音落在 against 第二音节上。

Barzini will move against you first.
短语 · B1set up a meeting

安排一次会面

He'll set up a meeting with someone you absolutely trust.
短语 · B2absolutely trust someone

绝对信任

He'll set up a meeting with someone you absolutely trust.
语法 · B2someone you absolutely trust

关系词省略:someone you absolutely trust 里 someone 后面直接接 you absolutely trust,中间省掉了关系代词。这种省略在口语里很常见,等于说一个你绝对信任的人。

He'll set up a meeting with someone you absolutely trust.
短语 · B2guarantee someone's safety

保证某人的安全

Guaranteeing your safety.
短语 · B2be assassinated

遭到暗杀

And at that meeting you'll be assassinated.
短语 · B1more than one used to

比以前更……

I like to drink wine more than I used to.
短语 · A2be good for someone

对某人有好处

-Anyway, I'm drinking more. -It's good for you, Pop.
短语 · B1be happy with someone

对某人满意、在一起开心

Are you happy with your wife and children?
短语 · B2keep going over something

反复讲、反复过一遍

I hope you don't mind the way I keep going over this Barzini business.
短语 · A2not at all

一点也不、完全不

-No, not at all. -It's an old habit.
短语 · B1an old habit

老习惯

-No, not at all. -It's an old habit.
短语 · B2spend one's life doing something

一辈子都在做某事

I spend my life trying not to be careless.
短语 · B1be careless

大意、疏忽

Women and children can be careless, but not men.
语法 · B1can be careless

can be 表可能:can be careless 用 can 加 be 加形容词,表示有可能处于某种状态,等于说大意是允许发生的。后半句 but not men 把这种许可收回,形成对照。

Women and children can be careless, but not men.
短语 · A2look like someone

越来越像你

He looks more like you every day.
短语 · A2smarter than someone

比某人聪明

He's smarter than I am. He's three and can read the funny papers.
短语 · B2arrange for someone to do something

安排某人做某事

I want you to arrange for a telephone man to check all in- and out-going calls.
发音arrange for

arrange 的尾音直接搭上 for,中间不留缝,for 弱化成轻 /fər/,重音在 range。

I want you to arrange for a telephone man to check all in- and out-going calls.
短语 · B1take care of something

把某事处理好了

-I did it already. I took care of that, Pop. -That's right. I forgot.
短语 · B2what's bothering someone

你在烦什么、有什么心事

教父看出迈克尔有心事,便直接问他到底在烦什么;迈克尔起初不愿说,父子俩的对话由此展开。

What's bothering you?
短语 · A2handle it

把它处理好

I'll handle it. I told you I can handle it, so I'll handle it.
短语 · B1apologize for something

为某事道歉

I worked my whole life. I don't apologize for taking care of my family.
短语 · B2dance on a string

被牵着线跳舞

And I refused to be a fool, dancing on a string held by all those big shots.
短语 · B2big shots

大人物、要人(常带不屑)

教父说自己一辈子拒绝当被大人物牵着线跳舞的傻瓜。

And I refused to be a fool, dancing on a string held by all those big shots.
语法 · C1dancing on a string held by

现在分词作伴随:dancing on a string held by all those big shots 用现在分词短语补充说明 fool 的状态,held by 又是过去分词修饰 string,两层分词叠在一起,画面感很强。

And I refused to be a fool, dancing on a string held by all those big shots.
短语 · B2hold the strings

握着提线、掌控局面

教父本以为自己退下来后,迈克尔会成为牵动那些线的人。

that when it was your time, you would be the one to hold the strings.
语法 · B2you would be the one to hold the strings

would 表过去将来:you would be the one to hold the strings 用 would 表示从过去看将来的预期:教父原以为到迈克尔的时代,掌控者会是他。be the one to do 强调主角就是这个人。

that when it was your time, you would be the one to hold the strings.
俚语 · C1pezzonovante

大人物(意大利语,带讽刺)——意大利语里指大人物、要人,用在这里带轻蔑,等于说又一个自以为了不起的官。跟懂这词的意裔长辈说才有味道,纯英语场合用会让人听不懂。

Another pezzonovante.
短语 · A2not enough time

时间不够

Just wasn't enough time, Michael. Wasn't enough time.
发音enough time

enough 末尾的 gh 不出声,元音直接滑进 time,两个词挤在一起说。

Just wasn't enough time, Michael. Wasn't enough time.
短语 · B1get there

到达那一步

We'll get there, Pop. We'll get there.
短语 · B2come to someone with something

带着某事来找你

Now listen, whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting, he's the traitor. Don't forget that.
短语 · B1the traitor

那个叛徒

Now listen, whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting, he's the traitor. Don't forget that.

看懂「父亲点明谁是叛徒」

这一章能学到

  • 用 set up a meeting 听出会面可能是局
  • 用 handle it 把事从长辈手里接走
  • 用 taking care of my family 听出辩护
  • 用 Don't forget that 把认人规则钉死

发音重点

  • move against you — move 的尾音滑进 against,against 的 t 轻带一下再贴上 you,重音落在 against 第二音节上。
  • arrange for — arrange 的尾音直接搭上 for,中间不留缝,for 弱化成轻 /fər/,重音在 range。
  • enough time — enough 末尾的 gh 不出声,元音直接滑进 time,两个词挤在一起说。
Women and children can be careless, but not men.

女人和孩子可以大意,男人不行。 一句话把责任划给角色,冷酷却好记。它是老头子的家训,也是他一生谨慎的自白。

Just wasn't enough time, Michael. Wasn't enough time.

只是时间不够,迈克尔。时间不够。 把一生遗憾收进一句重复:不是做错什么,只是来不及。重复让无力感落地。

that when it was your time, you would be the one to hold the strings.

等到你的时代,会是你来牵那些线。 把权力交接说成一幅提线木偶的画面:从被牵的人变成牵线的人。既是期许,也是家族对成功的定义。

But I never wanted this for you.

可我从来不想让你走这条路。 一句否认里有全部父爱:安排了一生,却不想儿子接这份苦。越平静越让人心软。

关于这一章的问题

hold the strings 是什么意思?

字面是握着提线,这里指掌控局面。他不愿再看人被牵着走,盼轮到下一代时由对方来 hold the strings。讲谁说了算、谁掌权,这句就能用。

「对某人下手」英语怎么说?

说 move against。原句 Barzini will move against you first,就是会先对你下手,属于采取敌对行动。比 attack 更像暗中布局,不是当场开打。有人开始针对你,这句就能用。

big shots 是什么意思?

就是大人物,也叫要人,口气里常带不屑。这里指把人当木偶、牵着线的那些权势者。吐槽有权有势的人,用 big shots 很自然,不必总说 important people。

「你在烦什么」英语怎么说?

问 What's bothering you。比 What's wrong 更对着心里那件事,不是只问出了什么状况。朋友或家里人心不在焉、还没吵起来时,用这句最顺。

为什么同一件危险的事要讲个不停?

对方说这是老习惯。一句 I spend my life trying not to be careless,就是一辈子都在小心,生怕大意。女人和孩子可以大意,男人不行。反复讲,是怕人听过就忘。

comes to you with 怎么用?

就是带着某件事来找你。Whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting,意思是不管谁拿这场会面来找你,此人就是叛徒。有人拿提议上门,先看来的是谁,可以用这组说法。

教父 · 共 9 章

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