“You know what/是大多数美国人的口头禅. 它是一个典型的不能按字面意思来理解的句子.发问者并不是问你知道什么,而是象征性地问一句“你知道吗?不妨把“You know what?看成是“You know this?或者“Guess what?这句话就容易理解了.举例如下:

You know what? We’rethrouygh.(你知道吗?我们玩完了.)

You know what?I’ve never liked physics, and I never will.9你猜怎么着?我从来就不喜欢物理,今后也不会喜欢.)

在一般情况下,you know what带有明显的负面情绪,或轻蔑,或反感,或不耐烦,说出来有助于情绪的宣泄.比如:

轻蔑:She thinks she’s the center of the universe and the whole world should revolve around her. You know what? She’s absolutely wrong.(她大错特错.)

反感:I’m so fed up with people trying to force their religions down my throat! You know what? I don’t care what you believe in. Just go away! (我真受不了有些人硬性推销他们宗教信仰的行为!知道吗?你爱信啥信啥,我管不着.别来烦我就是了!)

注释在美国的不少地方会有人上门推销宗教,比如劝你信奉基督教.

不耐烦:Good grief! It’s been two hours, and you still haven’t made up your mind. You know what? That dress is great. You should take it. (天哪!已经2 个小时了,你还没下定决心,知道吗?那条裙子很不错.你应该买下它.)

当然,“You know what? 有时可以是中性,不一定带有负面的情绪.比如你突然想到一个点子的时候,你可以说“You know what? We should try this.”(你知道吗?我们应该试试看.)不过从总体上来看,这句话还是偏消极的.

另外,还有一个跟“You know what?类似的,但感觉上比较客气一点的说法:“I ’ll tell you what. I’m gonna go out there and give it my best shot. It really doesn’t matter if I win or not.(我告诉你,我一定会竭尽全力.至于羸不羸,真的不那么重要.)

Tell you what. I have decided to study frech.(告诉你,我决定学法语了.)