I want to grow in a garden. I want to have the sun. I want to eat and drink and sleep and make love and that's it. -- Carlos Kleiber

No "Maybe" Please

at April 29, 2005

中国人是如此的偏爱用"maybe"这个词。老美的tech talk，下边提问题的，没说两句就有好几个"maybe"。

很多时候，当我问“（某某模块的工作机制）是这样的么？”，我希望听到要么是"yes"，要么是"no"，要么是"部分正确"。千万不要回答我"maybe"。对于非此即彼、非黑即白的问题，对的就是对的，错的就是错的，conditional的就根据condition分别讨论。"maybe"算什么答案？

当然，对于“你爱她么”这种问题，可以回答"maybe"——这说明回答的人自己还没想清楚。那就请去想清楚再回来。

还有一些摘自email的"maybe"，似乎只是为了让自己委婉一些：

  • "I think maybe it is not a good idea to blahblah"
  • "Thing will get even worse if blah blah, ..., maybe we need think about it seriously"
  • "To track those bugs easily, maybe we'd better provide the corresponding build version when we file bugs"
  • "A configuration spec should be defined. Maybe PM can push it."
  • "(We have a lot to do, so) maybe we have time only to browse the code."
  • "One solusion maybe: ..."

为什么不能说的更确切一些、更肯定、更明确一些呢？例如：

  • "I think it is not a good idea to blahblah"
  • "Thing will get even worse if blah blah, ..., we need think about it seriously"
  • "To track those bugs easily, we'd provide the corresponding build version when we file bugs"
  • "A configuration spec should be defined. PM could push it."
  • "(We have a lot to do, so) we hardly have time to browse the code."
  • "One solusion: ..."

我真的很讨厌太多的"maybe".

April 29, 2005   14 Comments 

youyouzaizai { April 29, 2005 01:01 PM }

中国人偏爱用"maybe"这个词，跟千百年来的教化定势有关，讲求中庸之道，研究太极推手，很多人都被教导要学会擅用"maybe"。
太多的"maybe"的确招人厌恶，是死是活来个痛快！我们都让自己多点勇敢多点担当，"maybe"一定会少很多。

Lisa { April 29, 2005 01:44 PM }

Englishmen , as far as I've seen , prefer using ' probably ' in purpose of circumbendibus.

MAY { April 29, 2005 06:22 PM }

我想有时候maybe代表了不自信，嘿嘿~~很不好意思本人也是一个常用maybe这个词的人。好吧，有时承认自己没自信也没什么可耻的。^_^
BTY，一直以来世人都对于“中庸”二字的解释有失偏颇，或者，是太多的人误会了老祖宗的意思？
“中庸”者，不偏谓之中，不倚谓之庸，中庸，乃不偏不倚者是也。老祖宗教导我们要中庸，是为君子之道，是希望咱们对人对事能够不偏不倚，公正对待。只是没想到自己倒是被误会了，哦，或是在人误导之下被误会了几千年啊！

女猫加菲 { April 29, 2005 10:58 PM }

阿拉不大说maybe，通常喜欢讲 perhaps，要么i am not sure/I cannot make sure……

许久不留言了，发现下头的那个提示，血红血红D，咳！革命要流出淋漓的鲜血，直面惨淡D人生啊！

signal { April 30, 2005 02:00 AM }

To mvn
Maybe U'r Right,hehe.

mas { April 30, 2005 02:55 AM }

Maybe "Maybe" may be a word maybe some ppl may be maybe more comfortable with when a point may be accepted.

bybye { April 30, 2005 08:22 AM }

我喜欢用it can be

PS:
木村拓哉竹内结子合作的PRIDE
里面的MAYBE挺经典

samu { April 30, 2005 12:56 PM }

maybe表示客气，建议，这么理解的话会不会好一点呢？

JJ { April 30, 2005 01:48 PM }

中庸的精髓maybe（姑且这么认为）是追求合理的精神
也是所谓的尺度 是非常有见底的
而不是一般理解上的‘折中’ 态度
凡事不温不火
当过则过 当让则让 是为中庸

呵呵 以我的理解
maybe更多的反映一个人的风格
和是否自信无关
maybe的建议更加柔和一些
不代表不坚决坚定

呵呵 个人喜欢这种风格
当然在必要的时候也会说definitely

sam1111 { May 2, 2005 10:59 AM }

ca se 做多了，我现在也有这毛病，总是满嘴的maybe, somewhat, somehow ...

rIPPER { May 10, 2005 01:10 AM }

I believe maybe 'I believe' is better than 'I think'. ;)

JJ { May 10, 2005 01:58 PM }

long time no see MVM's new topic
maybe MVM is falling in the love river with someone.

:)

mvm { May 10, 2005 02:49 PM }

我只是太忙太忙了:(

yuanyuan { September 2, 2007 10:50 AM }

我们中国人一般都比较喜欢使用ＭＡＹＢＥ，一种习惯吧，所以在说英语时难免会出现中国式英语，呵呵，婶婶也教育过我许多遍了，不要总是把说中文的习惯用到英语中，一定要努力改正．

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