
上过British Council开办的Modern English Writing课。
工作电邮来往频繁,经常收到各个部门的指示性邮件,由Please或Kindly开头。老师要我们查字典,分别Please和Kindly的用法。
Kindly 有两种用法。一种是别人帮你做事;另一种是请别人做事。在第一种情况下,是指想得很周到或起到帮助作用。第二种属于指示性,意思却和第一种不同。
查看之下才知道,Kindly是在生气的时候才可以用,例如小孩在图书馆里吵闹,履劝不听就可说Kindly keep quiet。另一种情况是想讽刺人,例如女生遇到想占便宜的不良分子时可说Kindly keep your hands in your pocket。
一般情况请别人作事时用Please…比较恰当,例如Please take a queue number,Please come again。
以下是用Lingoes软件查看(Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 5th Edition)对Please及Kindly的解释和用法。
If someone kindly does something for you, they act in a thoughtful and helpful way.
- He kindly carried our picnic in a rucksack.
- He had very kindly asked me to the cocktail party that evening.
If someone asks you to kindly do something, they are asking you in a way which shows that they have authority over you, or that they are angry with you. Adverb before verb (formal situation)
- Will you kindly obey the instructions I am about to give?
You say please when you are politely asking or inviting someone to do something.
- Can you help us please?
- Would you please open the door?
- Please come in.
- `May I sit here?’—`Please do.’
- Can we have the bill please?
朋友,除了误用Kindly,还能看出以上两个牌子其他怪怪之处吗?
