英知匯——別人評判你的英語發音「off」是什麼意思?

* 《英知匯》包含散碎的、往往也有相當縱深的、學校和培訓機構常見教學內容之外的英語知識點薈萃，篇幅一般不長，幾分鐘內可以閱讀完。

* 本系列的文章都以英文為主，因為用英語自身來理解和學習英語是最好的方式，這一系列的文章希望在學習英語知識的同時，幫助大家在英語閱讀能力上有所提升，並樹立英語思維；

* 推薦的閱讀的方法是：先原文，適當看解析閱讀，還有疑惑再看雙語對照。

* 英語單詞的音標使用Dictcom和IPA雙音標標註，如果需要了解Dictcom音標，請參看我們的《dictionary.com所用的音標體系》一文。腦海中存在單詞的讀音，有助於詞彙的記憶，因此我們儘量給出單詞的音標。* 本篇文章難度係數6.7，由《小仙英語伴讀》人工智慧難度分析系統提供評分。

#英語知識#

What does the word "off" mean when it is describing someone's pronunciation?【譯】當形容某人的發音時，「off」是什麼意思？【單詞】describing 原型：describe [dih-'skrahyb][d'skrab] vt. 描述；說成；形容【單詞】pronunciation [pruh-nuhn-see-'ey-shuhn][prnnsi'en] n. 發音；讀音

I got some feedback regarding my English pronunciation and it contained this message:【譯】我收到了一些關於我英語發音的反饋，其中包含以下信息：【單詞】feedback ['feed-bak]['fidbk] n. 反饋；反饋意見【單詞】regarding 原型：regard [ri-'gahrd][r'ɡɑd] v. 尊敬；視為；留意；和 …… 有關【單詞】contained 原型：contain [kuhn-'teyn][kn'ten] vt. 容納；包含【單詞】message ['mes-ij]['mesd] n. 消息；信息；要點；寓意

I think you are doing a good job at least 90% of the time.【譯】我認為你至少90%的時間做得很好。【短語】at least 至少；例句：At least, I asked him not to. 至少，我告訴過他不要這樣做。【單詞】least [leest][list] adj. 最小的；最少的 adv. 最小；最少；最輕微n. 最小；最少

Occasionally it is a little bit off, but it wouldn't be noticeable to me if we were just chatting.【譯】偶爾會有點不對勁（a little bit 「off」），但如果我們只是聊天，我就不會注意到。【短語】a little bit 有點兒；例句：This bread is a little bit stale. 這麵包有點兒不新鮮。【單詞】Occasionally 原型：occasionally [uh-'key-zhuh-nl-ee]['kenli] adv. 偶爾【單詞】noticeable ['noh-ti-suh-buhl]['ntsbl] adj. 顯而易見的；顯著的；值得注意的【單詞】chatting 原型：chat [chat][tt] vi. 閒談；談天 n. 閒談；聊天

I've also seen people asking about their pronunciation get answers like "it sounds a little off and so on.【譯】我也見過別人詢問他們的發音怎麼樣，得到的回答是「聽起來有點不對勁（it sounds a little off）」之類的。

So, I'd like to know what the word "off" means in this kind of contexts.【譯】所以，我想知道在這種情況下「off」是什麼意思。【單詞】contexts 原型：context ['kon-tekst]['kntekst] n. 上下文；環境；背景

"a bit off" means "slightly incorrect".【譯】「a bit off」的意思是「有點不對勁/稍微有些不正確」。【單詞】slightly [slahyt]['slatli] adv. 些微地；稍微【單詞】incorrect [in-kuh-'rekt][nk'rekt] adj. 不正確的；錯誤的

One way to think of it is as being a short form of "slightly off target" or "a bit off target": "a bit" being an informal way of saying "a small amount".【譯】一種理解它的方式是：可以理解為是「slightly off target（稍微偏離目標）」或「a bit off target（有點偏離目標）」的簡短說法。「a bit」是一種非正式的表達「a small amount（少量）」的說法。【單詞】informal [in-'fawr-muhl][n'fml] adj. 非正式的；不拘形式的

In the feedback "off" indicates that there is a discrepancy between your pronunciation and the English pronunciation for which you are aiming but "a bit" indicates that the discrepancy is small.【譯】在反饋中，「off」表示你的發音和你所要達到的英語發音目標之間存在差異，但「a bit」則表示差異很小。【單詞】indicates 原型：indicate ['in-di-keyt]['ndket] v. 指示；象徵；顯示；暗示，預示 v. 表明；指明【單詞】discrepancy [dih-'skrep-uhn-see][ds'krepnsi] n. 差異；不一致；分歧【單詞】aiming 原型：aim [eym][em] n. 目標；對準；槍法 vt. 瞄準；針對 vi. 瞄準

"Off" can be used to mean any degree of error depending on the modifier used with it, for instance someone with quite poor pronunciation could be described as having pronunciation which was "a long way off".【譯】「Off」可以用來表示任何程度的錯誤，這取決於它使用的修飾語，例如，發音很差的人可以被描述為發音「a long way off（差得很遠）」。【單詞】error ['er-er]['er] n. 錯誤；過失；誤差；謬誤【單詞】depending 原型：depend [dih-'pend][d'pend] vi. 依賴；依靠；取決於【單詞】modifier ['mod-uh-fahy-er]['mdfa] n. 修正的人；修飾語【單詞】instance ['in-stuhns]['nstns] n. 例子；場合；情況；要求；訴訟程序 vt. 舉例說明；

【短語】for instance 例如

If someone else's pronunciation was really bad it could be described as being "miles off" or even "completely off" which again can be thought of as analogous to the accuracy of shooting at, or throwing something at, a target.【譯】如果別人的發音真的很差，可以用「miles off（差得太遠）」甚至「completely off（完全不對）」來形容，這又可以被認為是類似於向目標射擊或投擲東西的準確度。【單詞】miles 原型：mile [mahyl][mal] n. 英裡；海裡【單詞】completely [kuhm-'pleet][km'plitli] adv. 完全地；十分地；全然【單詞】analogous [uh-'nal-uh-guhs]['nlɡs] adj. 類似的【單詞】accuracy ['ak-yer-uh-see]['kjrsi] n. 準確(性)；精確度【單詞】shooting 原型：shoot [shoot][ut] v. 發射；開槍【單詞】throwing 原型：throw [throh][θr] v. 扔；投；擲；拋

In terms of trying to hit a physical target "miles off target" is metaphorical (unless you are thinking of seriously inaccurate aerial bombing) but "completely off target" means that the shooter, thrower or bomb aimer has failed to hit the target at all.【譯】就試圖擊中物理目標而言，「miles off target（偏離目標數英裡）」是比喻性的說法（除非你認為空中轟炸嚴重不準確），但「completely off target（完全偏離目標）」意味著射手、投擲者或炸彈瞄準者根本沒有擊中目標。【短語】in terms of …… 依據……；按照……；在…方面；例句：In terms of money, he's quite rich, but not in terms of happiness. 就錢來說他很富有，但就幸福來說就不然了。【單詞】hit [hit][ht] vi. 打（擊）；襲擊；達到 vt. 要求；打（擊）；碰撞；擊中【單詞】physical ['fiz-i-kuhl]['fzkl] adj. 物質的；身體的；體力的；物理的；肉體上的，身體上的 【單詞】metaphorical ['met-uh-fawr, -fer][met'frkl] adj. 隱喻性的；比喻性的【單詞】unless [uhn-'les, uhn-][n'les] conj. 除非；如果不 prep. 除 …… 外【單詞】seriously ['seer-ee-uhs-lee]['srisli] adv. 嚴肅地；認真地；嚴重地【單詞】inaccurate [in-'ak-yer-it][n'kjrt] adj. 不準確的；錯誤的【單詞】aerial ['air-ee-uhl]['eril] adj. 空中的；空氣的；航空的；空想的【單詞】bombing 原型：bomb [bom][bm] n. 炸彈 vt. 轟炸；投彈於 vi. 投彈；失敗【單詞】shooter ['shoo-ter]['ut] n. 射手；槍炮【單詞】thrower ['throh-er]['θr] n. 投擲者；噴射器【單詞】bomb [bom][bm] n. 炸彈 vt. 轟炸；投彈於 vi. 投彈【單詞】aimer [eym]['em] n. 瞄準器；射擊員【單詞】failed 原型：fail [feyl][fel] vi. 失敗；沒做成某事；表現欠佳

Think of a darts player whose dart has missed the board completely.【譯】想想一個飛鏢手，他的飛鏢完全沒有擊中棋盤。【單詞】darts 原型：dart [dahrt][dɑt] n. 飛鏢；投射【單詞】player ['pley-er]['ple] n. 比賽者；演奏者