Movie English – Enchanted (魔法奇緣) (Sara Li)

I like watching movies, do you? When you enter a cinema to watch an English movie, would you choose those with both English and Chinese subtitles, or choose those only with Chinese subtitles? It is indeed very useful to learn colloquial English (English from below) in English movies because they are what native English speakers say in daily life!

 

Now, I’m going to introduce you one of my favorite movies - Enchanted (魔法奇緣). There is a plenty of colloquial slang that we’d never learn in formal education.

 

Here are some captions from the English subtitles:

 

Prince Edward: You’ve met your match, you foul[1] bellowing[2] beast!

Bus Drive: Everybody stay on the bus.

Prince Edward: Giselle? My love? The steel beast is dead, peasants! I’ve set you all free!

Bus Drive: Are you crazy? Nobody stabs my bus! I’ll tear you apart[3] ! Do you hear me? You get down here right now!

 

Queen: Yes, oh her…I’m taking her out for fresh air. She seems to have swooned[4].

Nathaniel: You poisoned her! She’s the evil hag[5]. She sent the girl here.

 

Explanation:

1.      Foul是形容詞，指骯髒、可惡可憎的

Example: The foul smell came from the toilet.

2.      Bellow可作名詞或動詞，解作咆哮

Example: “Keep quiet!” the teacher bellowed acroos the room

3.      Tear apart是片語，本指令人傷心，但在電影裡解作撕開兩邊

Example: Seeing you hurt really tears me apart.

4.      Swoon是動詞，指暈倒，也可解作歡喜若狂

Example: The young girls swooned when they saw their favorite actor in person.

5.      Hag是名詞，指女巫或醜陋的老太婆

Example: It is very rude to call your grandmother a ‘hag’.

 

It is not easy to get the meaning if you just look at the English subtitles. So, choose the movies which have both English and Chinese subtitles! I’m sure you’ll learn a lot.