Give us a bell 给我打电话

Give us a bell 给我打电话 

Rob

Hello, I'm Rob.

大家好，我是冯菲菲。欢迎收听《》节目。

Rob

So , what are you doing this weekend?

I thought I'd do some sightseeing in London. 虽然住在伦敦，但度假总是去别处，所以这个周末打算去逛逛没去过的伦敦景点。

Rob

Good idea. You mean the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey…

….yes and especially Big Ben“大笨钟”。I've always wanted to stand underneath and hear the clock strike 12.

Rob

Do you know what, I might the do same thing. When you're there, give us a bell and I'll come and meet you.

'Give us a bell'? There is no way I can give you a bell. Do you know how heavy it is?

Rob

Err, I don't want a bell from the clock tower. I just mean give me a call – on your phone. Give us a bell!

Why didn't you just say that! 其实在英式口语里，表达“give us a bell”的意思就是“给我打个电话”。这个说法源于带铃铛的电话时代，那时候的电话上都带有一个“bell 铃铛”，电话一响，铃就响。所以在“give us a bell”这个说法中，“bell”就代表了“call”。

Rob

You've got it. So will you 'give us a bell'?

Let me think about that while we hear some more examples.

Examples

When you get there, give us a bell and tell us what it's like.

Just give us a bell and I'll tell you how to get here.

After our blind date, he told me to give him a bell but every time I call him, his phone diverts to voicemail.

Give somebody a bell 的意思就是“给某人打电话”。但是在英式英语中，人们为什么说“give us a bell”，而不是“give me a bell”？

Rob

In informal English, we tend to say 'us' even when there's just one of us – just me. But of course 'us' can also mean more than one person.

在日常生活对话中，英国人有时会用“us”来表示“me”，当然根据说话的具体情况“us”也可以代表“我们”。But this weekend you want me to call you because you'll be on your own and you've got nothing else to do – so you want to spend the day sightseeing with me?

Rob

Yes. Just give us a bell and I'll be there.

Hmm, well, sorry I can't – I haven't got your number.

Rob

Well, I could give you a bell. What's your number again?

Ah, saved by the bell. Sorry, got to go, maybe next time. See ya.

Rob

Oh. Bye.