Small change “零錢”還可以指“不值一提的事”

[圖片來源：Getty Images]

內容簡介

菲菲為瞭介紹本集的《地道英語》搭配，打開瞭自己的錢包給 Neil 看。她給 Neil 展示的這樣東西在英語裡可以形容事物或人“微不足道、無足輕重，沒有價值”。你知道菲菲展示的是什麼東西嗎？來學習一個含義豐富的英語口語表達。

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，歡迎來到 AYYBLOG 英語教學的《地道英語》節目。你是 Neil。

Neil
And hello, you are Feifei.

Feifei
Neil, a question: if you looked into my purse, what would you find?

Neil
Not much! Probably lots of small coins that aren’t worth much.

Feifei
Well, I’m not rich – but yes, you would find small change. 在英語裡，“零錢、小面值硬幣”的說法是“small change”。

Neil
OK, is this the phrase for this programme?

Feifei
Not exactly. The phrase is ‘small change’ but it’s not about money. Something that is insignificant or trivial, meaning not important, can also be described as ‘small change’.

Neil
Like getting a seat on the train during the rush hour is small change for me.

Feifei
And getting chocolate sprinkles on top of my cappuccino is small change for me.

Neil
Really? That’s ‘big change’ for me!

Feifei
原來，搭配“small change”除瞭可以指“零錢”以外，還可以用來表示“不重要、沒有意義或微不足道的事情”。

Neil
Let’s hear some examples that are far from being ‘small change’.

Examples
I’ve only got a cold so my health problems are small change compared with your broken leg.

Eating out every night is small change to Molly – she can afford it with the huge salary she’s on.

Where I sit on the plane is small change to me, as long as we arrive on time.

Feifei
這裡是 AYYBLOG 英語教學的《地道英語》節目。在這集節目裡，我們正在學習“small change”這個說法。它除瞭有“零錢”的意思以外，還可以被用來形容事情相比之下“沒有價值、不值一提”。這個說法後面可以接介詞“to”指某事對某個人來說一點也不重要。

Neil
We can also describe someone as being ‘small change’, so they are not important. Feifei, do you think I’m small change in this programme?

Feifei
Of course not, Neil. 除瞭事物以外，我們還可以用“small change”來描述某人“無足輕重”。You are very important to this programme, and besides we couldn’t afford the other presenter!

Neil
Ha ha. Very funny. So now we’ve explained ‘small change’, can you lend me some?

Feifei
You mean money? How much do you want?

Neil
Ten pounds?

Feifei
Neil, that is not small change, and your request is not small change either. So the answer is ‘no’!

Neil
Ah, well, it was worth a try. See ya.

Feifei
Bye.