Tone deaf 五音不全，充耳不聞

[圖片來源：Getty Images]

內容簡介

表達 “tone deaf” 可以形容某人 “五音不全”，但在現代英語中，它還有另外一個用法。聽菲菲和 Roy 的對話，學習如何用 “tone deaf” 來形容某人 “聽不進去他人的話”。

文字稿

（關於臺詞的備註: 請註意這不是廣播節目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能沒有體現錄制、編輯過程中對節目做出的改變。）

Feifei
大傢好，歡迎收聽 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目。我是馮菲菲。

Roy
And I’m Roy! Hey, Feifei, do you fancy doing some karaoke tonight with me and Rob?

Feifei
No, I do not. The last time we went out with Rob, you two managed to upset everyone. Everyone left. He is tone deaf!

Roy
His singing is not that bad! His mum says he’s got a lovely voice!

Feifei
雖然 “tone deaf” 可以形容 “聽不準音調，唱歌時五音不全的人”，但現在它更多地用來形容 “聽不進去別人的聲音，對他人的反饋充耳不聞的人”。

Roy
Ah, so you mean that fact that Rob said that he prefers cats during the annual dog welfare meeting. Yeah, that was a bit off.

Feifei
He always says the wrong things at the wrong time! He really is tone deaf. Let’s listen to these examples.

Examples
People who say they’ve enjoyed lockdown can sound a bit tone deaf. So many people have lost their jobs.

We’ve all been working so hard – the boss seemed tone deaf when he rejected our pay rise.

I can’t believe Sarah said she doesn’t believe in global warming to those activists. She’s tone deaf.

Feifei
這裡是 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目。我們正在介紹 “tone deaf” 這個表達的現代用法。它既可以描述一個人 “五音不全”，也可以形容某人 “聽不進去他人的聲音，對他人的感受、反饋或狀況不敏感，充耳不聞”。

Roy
Yes. It’s an interesting development of the meaning. So, ‘deaf’ refers to someone who can’t hear, while ‘tone deaf’ describes someone who can’t hear different tones or sounds.

Feifei
Yes, that’s right. And the new meaning is for someone who says the wrong thing at the wrong time – like Rob.

Roy
Yes, it sometimes gets used to refer to authority figures who say something that seems to be out-of-touch with a certain situation.

Feifei
That’s right! And, Roy, please don’t sing tonight. You really are tone deaf when it comes to singing. Your singing makes dogs bark.

Roy
Yeah, maybe that’s for the best. But then I think the dogs just want to be in the same band as me. I could create a new band called ‘Roy and the Dogs’!

Feifei
I can’t believe you just said that! I just formed a band called ‘Feifei and the Cats’ – your comment was tone deaf. Bye, Roy.

Roy
Bye!