'We'll See' 喺對話入面究竟想講乜
點解呢句咁難捉摸
'We'll see' 聽落開放又冇傷害性。佢好似可以保留一個可能性,但又唔使作出承諾。好多學習者都會用佢嚟避免講一句乾脆嘅 'no',或者有禮貌咁拖延一個決定。
困難之處在於,'we'll see' 好少真係代表一個五五波嘅或者。視乎語氣同情況,佢可以代表真正嘅「我需要多啲資料」,亦可以係一個委婉、溫和嘅 'no',講者希望你唔使佢直接講都會明白。
正因為呢句說話刻意避開承諾,聽嘅人通常分唔清究竟應該繼續抱住希望,定係放低呢個諗法。呢種模稜兩可,就係問題嘅核心。
大家通常想表達乜
'We'll see' 通常傳遞以下其中一樣訊息:
- 真正嘅或者:個決定老老實實取決於某啲仲未知嘅嘢。
- 拖延:講者未準備好決定,需要時間。
- 委婉嘅拒絕:講者唔太可能答應,但唔想公開拒絕。
- 一種終止壓力嘅方式:講者想暫時唔好再被人問。
委婉嘅拒絕係最常見嘅隱藏意思,尤其當呢句說話係帶住一聲嘆氣、一個微笑,或者迅速轉話題咁講出嚟嗰陣。
佢聽落會係點
一句明朗、真誠嘅 'we'll see' 可以聽落充滿希望同開放。但一句平淡或者疲倦嘅 'we'll see',通常聽落好似一個有禮貌嘅拒絕。對等緊答覆嘅人嚟講,佢可以令人覺得含糊,甚至令人氣餒,因為佢冇畀任何嘢佢去計劃。
當大人對細路講呢句,佢普遍會被理解成一個溫和嘅「多數唔得」。喺工作場合,如果人哋預期會有一個更清楚嘅答覆,'we'll see' 可以聽落唔肯承擔或者迴避。佢可能令人搞唔清究竟應該繼續準備,定係放低個諗法。
更好嘅講法
如果你想做到既體貼又清楚,就話畀聽嘅人知個決定取決於乜,或者畀一個委婉但誠實嘅答覆。
| 如果你想表達⋯ | 不妨咁講⋯ | 語氣 |
|---|---|---|
| 老實講係取決於某啲嘢 | It depends on whether the budget is approved | 清楚、誠實 |
| 我需要時間去決定 | I'm not ready to decide yet, can I tell you tomorrow? | 平和、公道 |
| 多數唔會發生 | I don't think we can do that, but I understand why you'd want to | 溫和、直接 |
| 我想認真考慮 | Let me look into it and give you a real answer | 溫暖、可靠 |
| 我暫時需要停止被人追問 | I can't give an answer right now, let's revisit it later | 有禮、堅定 |
簡短例子
一句含糊嘅回應令聽嘅人靠估:
A: Can we add a team trip next month?
B: We'll see.
一個更清楚嘅版本就誠實咁設定期望:
A: Can we add a team trip next month?
B: It depends on the budget review, I'll know by Friday.
當答案真係 no 嗰陣,就溫和但清楚咁講出嚟:
A: Could I take the whole week off?
B: I don't think the full week will work, but two days should be fine.
當你真心需要時間嗰陣,就畀一個期限:
A: Will you join the project?
B: I'm not sure yet, let me confirm by tomorrow morning.
簡單原則
如果 'we'll see' 代表一個真正嘅或者,就講出佢取決於乜。如果佢代表 no,就講一個體貼嘅 no。一句乾巴巴嘅 'we'll see' 無論點都通常會被當成拒絕。
練習:揀出更好嘅語氣
一位朋友邀請你去一個週末活動,而你幾乎肯定去唔到。
- A. We'll see.
- B. I probably can't make it, but thanks for thinking of me.
- C. Maybe, we'll see.
Answer: B — 一個溫和、誠實嘅 no,比起一句暗示 no 嘅含糊說話更體貼。
一位隊友問某個功能呢個月可唔可以推出,而呢樣嘢真係取決於測試。
- A. We'll see.
- B. We'll see how it goes.
- C. It depends on testing, I'll know by Wednesday.
Answer: C — 佢講出個決定取決於乜,亦畀咗一個時間表。
喺決定要唔要帶領一項新任務之前,你需要時間。
- A. We'll see.
- B. Let me think it over and give you an answer by Friday.
- C. We'll see, maybe.
Answer: B — 佢顯示出你認真對待呢個請求,亦設定咗一個清楚嘅期限。