加拿大總理哈珀(Prime Minister Stephen Harper)出訪歐洲,和德國總理默克爾(Chancellor Angela Merkel)會晤,她支持加拿大與歐盟的自由貿易協議,贏得哈珀的好感,他說:
“One of the things I appreciate about Chancellor Merkel’s leadership is the willingness to find correct and good solutions.”
Good solutions 當然是好事。Something that is good is pleasant, acceptable, or satisfactory. The comparative form is “better” and the superlative form is “best”.
Good and Well
Good 雖然是英語中最普通的一個字,但是 use and misuse of “good” for “well” 值得 ESL learners 留意。避免兩者用法混淆,最簡單最易記的幾個原則,good and well 分別在於:
Good is never an adverb. Well is very commonly an adverb. If you want to say that something is done to a high standard or to a great extent, you use “well”,not “good”, e.g. He speaks English well. His English is good.
Well 同時又可以是形容詞。Well is also an adjective. If you are well, you are healthy and not ill, e.g. He looked well. I am very well, thank you.
行文方面,English native speakers 英語本地人不知不覺也往往犯上文法上的錯誤。A common observation of “accident of style” 語法應用上失手:
Many athletes are fond of saying that “things went good”. The correct word here should be well.
請記着以下幾條用法準則:
1. When it is an activity being described, use well.
2. When it is a condition or a passive state being described, use good.
3. When you dress well, you look good.
4. When a meal has been cooked well, it tastes good.
5. Well may also mean good health. So you may tell your doctor that you feel good or well, as you please. Both are correct.
6. In casual speech, you can say real good, but in writing, you should always be really good.
Better
輪到 Better 這個字,意思最少有三個:
1. of a higher standard in quality 他的表現愈來愈好:His performance is getting better and better。
2. more able or skilled 能力更強,更熟練。
3. more suitable or appropriate 更合適,更得體。
至於和 Better 最相近的 synonyms 同義詞,值得在使用時仔細分別:
1. Superior 品質上佔優勢,higher in quality or nature than another: e.g. The company’s success is due to their superior product. 公司成功由於產品優勝。The appeal of this product is due to its superior quality. 產品由於質優吸引顧客。
2. Finer 更佳,of superior quality, skill, or appearance: e.g. This brand of coffee is finer than any other brand. 這精品咖啡比其他牌子更佳。
3. Preferable 較適合,更可取,more attractive and desirable than others: e.g. Many people find country life preferable to living in the city. 很多人覺得鄉村生活比都市生活稱心滿意得多。
4. Exceptional 卓越的,異常的,well above average: e.g. The fruit harvest is exceptional this year. 今年蔬果異常豐收。
慣用語方面,以下幾個很常見。Some useful idioms of Better:
Had better = “ought to” or “should”, e.g. You had better close the window. I’d better go.
Against your better judgement = you do it although you think it is wrong.
For want of a better word = it is not quite the exact or suitable word but there is no better one.
Have seen better days = is old and not working well.
Think better of something = decide not to do what one has intended to do.
One’s better half = one’s wife or husband.
Best
作為 Good 字的 superlative form 最高級形容詞,Best has the following meanings:
1. better than all others in quality, skill, or value 最上等的,最出色的,最優秀的。He won the best actor award. 他贏得最出色演員獎。
2. most appropriate, useful, or helpful: He is the best man for the job. 他是擔任這項工作的最佳人選。
3. the most enjoyable; happiest 最快樂的。Those days were the best of my life. 那些日子是我一生中最幸福的時光。
請記着,Best is also the superlative form of Well.
用作副詞 used as adverb,Best 的意思有:
1. In the best way,例如:She is the best dressed woman in the party. 舞會中最佳穿戴的女士。The one who does best will get the prize. 幹得最好的將獲獎。
2. Most = to the greatest degree or extent,例如:best known movie star 最著名的電影明星,the best loved singer 最受人愛戴的歌手。
用作名詞 used as noun,Best 最少有三個意思:
1. the best = the best person or thing 最好的人或事物。For example: We were the best of friends. 最要好的朋友。I feel that I have the best of both worlds. 兩全其美,兩頭受益。These three are the best of the bunch. 一堆人中較好的三個。
2. someone’s or something’s most effective, capable, or successful condition 最佳狀態,最能幹的表現,最優秀的品質,e.g. at your best 盡你最大的努力,例如完成一件事。值得留意的是 at best = assuming the most favourable conditions;即是說 the thing is not very good。So this phrase has a different meaning from “at your best”. At the best = if the best happens 至多如此,充其量而已,未必最好。例如反應不算熱烈,你只能漠然置之,你可以說:The response was, at best, cool.
3. the highest level that you can do or achieve 最高標準。For example: Just do your best. 盡力而為。His time in the race was a personal best = it was the fastest time he had ever achieved. 運動員個人最高的成績,跑手最快的記錄。
最後,試舉出幾個特別有用的慣用語 expressions:
All the best = a phrase to wish someone good luck, etc. 一切順利。
To make the best of something = to obtain the best results from a poor, unpromising situation 隨遇而安,既來之則安之。
As best you can = not perfectly but as well as you are able 盡可能,盡力而為。
At your best = 處於最佳狀態。
This is a good page of sound advice for correct solutions. Better luck next time for accident-free writing and speaking. All the best.
本專欄逢周二、五發表