'I Don't Understand' vs 'I'm Not Sure I Follow':點樣開口求助
點解呢句話會咁棘手
喺任何對話入面，開口求助都係你可以做嘅最有用嘅事情之一。但你揀邊啲字眼，會改變呢個請求畀人嘅感覺。'I don't understand' 係大多數學英文嘅人最先諗到嘅一句，因為佢清晰又直接。
清晰係好事。問題在於，太過直接嘅講法有時聽落會平板生硬，視乎場合甚至會帶少少似投訴。'I'm not sure I follow' 意思一樣，但感覺更柔和、更有合作意味。
兩句都冇錯。當中嘅技巧係知道邊一句啱當下嘅場合。
大家通常想表達咩
當學英文嘅人就理解上嘅問題求助時，佢哋通常想講：
- 你講嘅有部分我冇聽到。
- 我需要你用另一種方式解釋。
- 有啲嘢喺我心目中暫時仲講唔通。
- 我想確認大家想法一致。
呢個出發點係正面嘅。你係想填補一個落差，唔係要指出對方有問題。
聽落會係點
'I don't understand' 又短又絕對。喺一個親切、有耐性嘅場合，佢完全冇問題。但喺緊張嘅一刻，或者當有人已經解釋過兩次之後，佢就會聽落有少少生硬，似係將責任完全放晒喺對方身上。佢亦可以聽落似「你解釋得唔好」。
'I'm not sure I follow' 令呢個請求變得柔和。'not sure' 同 'I' 呢幾個字眼，將落差溫和咁放喺你自己嗰邊，令件事感覺似團隊合作。佢邀請對方再試一次，又唔會令對方覺得被批評。
呢個分別雖然細，但係真實存在嘅，尤其係喺職場上，或者同你唔太熟嘅人相處嗰陣。
更好嘅講法
你可以令你嘅請求保持清晰，同時又聽落友善、容易回應。
| 如果你想表達⋯ | 試吓咁講⋯ | 語氣 |
|---|---|---|
| 你講嗰段我有部分冇聽到 | Sorry, could you say that part again? | 輕鬆、容易 |
| 我需要另一種解釋方式 | I'm not sure I follow. Could you put it another way? | 溫和、樂於接受 |
| 有一個細節令我搞唔清 | I'm with you up to here, but I lost the last step | 具體、友善 |
| 我想確認自己理解正確 | Let me make sure I understand. You mean...? | 細心、有合作意味 |
| 我需要多啲細節 | Could you walk me through that part a bit more? | 有禮貌、好奇 |
簡短例子
一位同事好快咁向你解釋一個新工具。
較生硬："I don't understand."
較順耳："I'm not sure I follow. Could you show me that step again?"
一位老師向你解釋一條數學題。
較生硬："I don't understand this."
較順耳："I'm with you until the second part, then I get lost."
喺一封令人摸不着頭腦嘅訊息之後回覆電郵。
較生硬："I don't understand your email."
較順耳："Thanks for this. I want to make sure I follow. Are you asking for the report today or tomorrow?"
一位客戶同客服傾偈。
較生硬："I don't understand what you mean."
較順耳："Sorry, I'm not quite following. Could you explain that one more time?"
簡單原則
當你需要講得好清晰、而場合又親切嗰陣，就用 'I don't understand'。當你想令呢個請求感覺似團隊合作嗰陣，就用 'I'm not sure I follow'。指出你究竟喺邊個位置開始跟唔上，仲會更加有幫助。
練習：揀出較好嘅語氣
一位同事已經向你解釋過兩次，但你仍然需要幫忙。你想保持友善。你會講：
- A. I still don't understand.
- B. I'm not sure I follow. Could you try one more way of explaining it?
- C. You're not explaining this well.
Answer: B — 佢令呢個請求保持溫和，亦將落差放喺你自己嗰邊。
喺一個會議入面，除咗最後一步之外你全部都明白。你會講：
- A. I don't understand.
- B. I followed it all except the last part. Could you go over that again?
- C. None of that made sense.
Answer: B — 講明落差究竟喺邊，令呢個請求容易回應。
回覆一封令人摸不着頭腦嘅工作電郵。你想聽落有禮貌又清晰。你會寫：
- A. I don't understand your email.
- B. Your email was unclear.
- C. Thanks for this. Just to be sure I follow, do you need it by Friday?
Answer: C — 佢有禮貌、具體，亦邀請對方做一個簡單嘅確認。