這句話其實很簡單,但國內翻譯專家卻把它講得很複雜,解釋半天,終究也說不出其中文對應,只好想個說法隨便帶過,不知這句話就是台語的<diao-guan-gei>,用中文來說,一為抬身價,如:
Why won't you call him back? Are you playing hard to get?
妳幹嘛不回他電話?妳在抬身價嗎?
一為吊胃口,如: My advice is, play hard to get for a while and they might offer you more money.
我的建議是,吊一下胃口,說不定他們會給你更好的價錢。
我之所以強調翻譯必須有精準的對應關係,主要是只有這樣,中譯英時,才能找出正確的英文對應,如:
妳幹嘛吊我胃口? Why do you play hard to get with me?
如果王小姐不想這份工作,我就給別人,抬身價沒用。
If Miss Wang doesn't want the job, I'll give it to someone else. It's useless to play hard to get.