如何成為一名海盜船長：英語精讀講義

Hello.

你好。

So you want to be a pirate me lad? 用詞

所以你想成為一名海盜，小伙子？

Well,

那麼，

let me tell ye

讓我告訴你

being a pirate be all about branding. 文法

當海盜全靠品牌行銷。

Yar,

呀哈，

it's a business but branding be bringing in the booty 片語動詞

這是一門生意，但品牌行銷能帶來戰利品

and if ye be shipping with our jolly crew

如果你和我們這群快樂的船員一起出海

ye need love this jolly roger. 文化背景

你必須得愛上這面「快樂羅傑」海盜旗。

Question,

提問，

isn't waving a pirate flag 文法

揮舞海盜旗難道不就像

like waving a we are thieves flag?

揮舞一面「我們是小偷」的旗幟嗎？

It seems not helpful.

這似乎沒什麼幫助。

This skull and crossbones

這個骷髏和交叉骨頭的圖案

be more than just a bit of arg look at us. 文法

可不僅僅是「啊哈，看看我們」那麼簡單。

It's plumage prerequisite for plundering. 慣用語

這是掠奪前的必備裝飾。

As pirates we be wanting booty.

作為海盜，我們想要戰利品。

Booty be licious!

戰利品太誘人了！

But parties protect their booty preferring it unplundered.

但人們會保護他們的戰利品，希望它們不被掠奪。

So we must plunder asunder

所以我們必須強行掠奪

which 'tis a lot of work and risk.

而這需要大量的精力與風險。

Who needs that? 語氣意圖

誰會想要那樣？

See, we want free booty.

聽著，我們想要免費的戰利品。

When we ask for booty,

當我們要戰利品時，

booty to be granted and bounce.

乖乖交出戰利品，然後走人。

But why would a ship just give up? 片語動詞

但是一艘船憑什麼就這樣放棄？

The branding!

靠品牌行銷！

Plus a surprise reveal.

再加上一個驚喜的亮相。

Ye were right,

你說得對，

we don't fly the flag for fun.

我們掛這面旗可不是為了好玩。

We fly false flags 文化背景

我們會懸掛假旗

keeping the roger hidden for just the right moment. 片語搭配

把海盜旗藏起來，等待最佳時機。

Our ship be lean and mean 慣用語

我們的船輕快精幹

and we hide this too.

而這也需要隱藏。

With prey in sight 慣用語

當發現獵物時

we billow barrels behind so though our sails be full,

我們會在船後拖曳木桶，所以儘管帆都張滿了，

our speed be slow

我們的速度依然很慢

and we seem fat and full with supplies

看起來就像滿載著物資的胖子

kept above deck for greater effect.

堆在甲板上以求逼真。

Okay, that's pretty clever.

好吧，這相當聰明。

But this be my favorite.

但這是我最喜歡的一招。

A camouflaged hull.

經過偽裝的船體。

Painted canvas unfurled

展開畫有圖案的帆布

to cover the true number of guns.

來掩蓋真實數量的大砲。

Behold.

看吧。

That looks pretty fake.

那看起來挺假的。

Yar,

呀哈，

it need only look good from afar. 用詞

它只需要在遠處看起來逼真就行。

Ships be seen at a distance

在遠洋中，船隻都是在遠處

through a looking glass on the high seas. 講解

透過望遠鏡被看到的。

Branding is image not reality 表達脈絡

品牌行銷靠的是形象而非現實

and empire and merchants do the reverse

帝國和商人們則反其道而行

carving and painting fake cannon to intimidate

雕刻並畫出假大砲來威嚇他人

but fake guns don't shoot now do they? 語氣意圖

但假砲開不了火，不是嗎？

So we be sailing slowly along

所以我們就慢悠悠地航行著

all how do you do fellow countrymen? 語氣意圖

裝出一副「鄉親們，你們好啊」的樣子。

Then when close enough

然後在足夠近的時候

the reveal

揭開偽裝

cutting our cover

扯下掩蓋

unfurling the flag

展開旗幟

ditching the drag

拋開拖累物

and sullying pantaloons.

嚇得他們尿褲子。

That's branding.

這就是品牌行銷。

Do it right

只要做對了

and they won't fight.

他們就不會反抗。

Why again?

再問一次，為什麼？

I feel like you're not answering this question. 語氣意圖

我覺得你根本沒有回答這個問題。

Look,

聽著，

think like one of those poor seamen sods yonder.

站在那邊那些可憐的水手的角度想想。

Imagine ye be working for the empire

想像你在為帝國做事

minding yourself 用詞

本本分分地做自己的事

when surprise pirates

突然海盜給了你個「驚喜」

please present your booty. 語氣意圖

請交出你們的戰利品。

This guy's the worst.

這傢伙最討厭了。

Your captain can choose to fight or not

你的船長可以選擇戰鬥或投降

but if ye fight and if ye lose

但如果你們戰鬥並且輸了

we will torture crewmen to death

我們會把船員折磨致死

while others watch.

並讓其他人看著。

Oh,

喔，

that's not jolly.

那可一點都不快樂。

That's not jolly at all.

一點都不快樂。

Look,

聽著，

sometimes misguided men will try to hide booty

有時候一些想不開的人會試圖隱藏戰利品

and we can't have that. 語氣意圖

我們可不能容忍這種事。

We don't want to torture,

我們不想折磨人，

understand?

明白嗎？

I scorn to do anyone a mischief when it not for my advantage 用詞

只要不是為了我的利益，我不屑於去傷害任何人

but brands must mean something

但品牌必須得有它的意義

and torturing over hidden treasure

因為隱藏的寶藏而折磨別人

is quite memorable

是非常讓人難忘的

which generates effective word of mouth marketing. 片語搭配

這能產生有效的口碑行銷。

At least from those who have told us the truth about hidden treasure

至少從那些告訴我們寶藏真相

and thus get to keep their tongues. 慣用語

從而保住舌頭的人那裡傳開。

Ah,

啊，

so be the sailor's choice.

所以這就是水手們的選擇。

Fight,

戰鬥，

lose,

戰敗，

maybe torture for you,

也許你會被折磨，

maybe death for you.

也許你會死。

Pirates get booty anyway.

反正海盜都能拿到戰利品。

What a hassle for nothing

何必白白找麻煩呢

and we make it so easy to give up. 文法

我們讓投降變得如此容易。

If your captain simply surrenders

如果你的船長乾脆地投降

we leave everyone alone.

我們絕不碰任何人。

No fighting,

不打鬥，

no torture,

不折磨，

just a transference of booty between ships 用詞

只是兩艘船在公海上交會時

passing on the high seas.

轉移一下戰利品。

On the other hand, 表達脈絡

另一方面，

you could fight and you might win

你也可以戰鬥，你也許會贏

though maybe as less of a man than before

雖然你可能會少些零件

but lose

但如果你輸了

and you might beg for mercy 片語搭配

你可能會在你生命中最後也是最漫長的時刻

in the last and longest moments of your life.

乞求憐憫。

Boop.

啵。

The flag we raise lets ye know your options

在你們填裝那門大砲之前

before loading that cannon

我們升起的旗幟會讓你們知道自己有些什麼選擇

and we have one more surrender incentive.

並且我們還有一個勸降的手段。

Say the target captain calls his men to fight 表達脈絡

假設目標船長命令他的手下戰鬥

to protect his booty.

為了保護他的戰利品。

That captain is a fool 表達脈絡

那個船長是個蠢貨

and probably cruel

並且多半很殘忍

treating his men like mule

把手下當騾子使喚

feeding them gruel

給他們餵些稀粥

while admiring a jewel

自己卻在把玩寶石

the whole crew sick of his rule.

全船人都受夠了他的統治。

When they see our flag

當他們看到我們的旗幟

and the captain's command

聽到船長的命令時

the crew can mutiny

船員們就可以譁變

letting us aboard without resistance

讓我們毫無阻力地登船

and as thanks for their assistance

作為對他們協助的感謝

we be holding a court. 文化背景

我們會舉行一場審判。

A court of the captain

一場針對船長的審判

where his crew can complain.

他的船員可以在此控訴。

Knowing this chance

這種可能性的存在

corrodes a captain's confidence in command 表達脈絡

會侵蝕船長在指揮時的自信

given the crew's critique of his conduct

考慮到船員對他行為的批判

could conclude his career.

可能會終結他的職業生涯。

It's hilarious.

這真搞笑。

Though the empire calls us outlaws 文法

儘管帝國稱我們為亡命之徒

we also be angels of vengeance on the high seas. 慣用語

我們也是這公海上的復仇天使。

What branding?

什麼樣的品牌行銷？

Terror and mercy and justice combined. 表達脈絡

恐懼、憐憫與正義的結合。

It's beautiful.

太美妙了。

So,

所以，

that's the pirate's life.

這就是海盜的生活。

Sure

當然

the empire's noose will dangle over your head 慣用語

帝國的絞索會在你頭頂晃蕩

but you'll have brothers in arms and booty in hand. 慣用語

但你會有並肩作戰的兄弟和握在手中的戰利品。

What say ye? 用詞

你意下如何？

I'd like to talk to that guy before I decide. 語氣意圖

在我決定之前，我想先跟那傢伙談談。