英文片語是令人頭痛的，有些看似簡單的片語，實際上有包含很多意思，沒有聽過或看過的話，第一次碰到鐵定傻眼。版主最近收到客戶的來信，發現一句頗為有趣的英文用法，請網友看下面的例句：

Wayne and his team have taken a lot of initiative to work with the tool before class and seem to have a solid understanding of the requirements. I believe they will succeed using the FTT tool, but we need to make sure we all stay on the same page and communicate needs and issues. (我們得確定大家都明瞭一切，彼此溝通有何需求，同時討論問題。)

從上下文約略可以判斷 “on the same page” 的意思，應該是「彼此獲得一致的訊息」。版主查詢了網路，找到這樣的解釋：

* on the same page = If people are on the same page, they have the same information and are thinking the same way.

(source) http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/on+the+same+page.html

 

既然意思搞清楚了，但是為何會有這種說法呢？原來這是源自於商業場合的片語，開會時如果大家都在看同一頁簡報，表示大家目前都專注於某一點，溝通上不會有問題。 

In business meetings and college classes people often make copies of a single report and hand a copy to each person at the meeting. While they discuss the different points in the report, each person needs to be reading from the same page (”on the same page”). Everyone is “on the same page” when they are all following along and understanding the basic idea that the group is sharing. “On the same page” has a further meaning of people being in basic understanding and agreement on something. Example: “Before we make any decisions today, I’d like to make sure that everyone is on the same page.” People are “on the same page” when they look at a problem or a situation in the same way and agree on a course of action. Example: “Each of us has been busy with his own projects lately, so I called this meeting today to bring us all together on the same page.”

(source) http://www.goenglish.com/1703.asp

 

真是有趣，版主在這些年學習英語的過程中，逐漸瞭解美國人是如何運用英語這種語言的。雖然愈接觸愈覺得學海無涯，但是心中卻有一股踏實感，知道自己總算走在正確的學習道路上，不再惶恐迷惑。那股踏實感完全來自於堅實的基礎、大量的學習，以及旺盛的好奇心。

順道提一個題外話，英文還有 ”not in the same ballpark“ 來表示彼此意見不一致，大家都沒有去同一個棒球場觀戰，當然不知道彼此在想什麼。

 

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