有讀者問Pitch的用法。Pitch這個字經常出現在我們中英文夾雜的口語中,例如:我們要做一個sales pitch、練習一下elevator pitch、你的pitch不對……

但pitch真正的含意究竟是什麼?如何熟練地應用到英文口語中,今天來瞭解pitch在商業場合的應用實例。

1.You gave a good pitch.

(X)你球投得很好。

(O)你講得很好/你說得很有說服力。

pitch最直接的意思是「投球」,所以棒球的投手就叫作pitcher。從「投擲」這個概念引申出「向別人投放想法,試圖說服他」,所以pitch有「竭力勸說」的意思。

Sales pitch是「銷售術語」,說服別人買產品;Elevator pitch「電梯遊說」,是在共乘電梯的短時間裡把一個產品或創意說清楚,比喻「言簡意賅、鏗鏘有力」。

有一個片語叫make a pitch for,是「努力爭取」:

She made a pitch for the job but she didn't get it.(她努力爭取這份工作,但沒有成功。)

pitch當動詞,也很好用:

The salesman stood at the door, pitching his products.(推銷員站在門口,極力推銷他的產品。)

I'd like to pitch you a couple of my ideas, if you don't mind.(你不介意的話,我想向你介紹我的幾個想法。)

2.Let's pitch in.

(X)我們去投球吧!

(O)大家都來吧!/動手開幹吧!

Pitch in是指「開始或投入做某件事」,也有「幫忙、支援」的含意。這用法大家可能不熟,多看幾個例句:

If we all pitch in together, it shouldn't take too long.(如果我們齊心協力,那並不需要很長的時間。)

My boss pitched in with an offer of help.(我老闆主動提出要幫忙。)

Everyone at the office pitched in to buy a gift for the soon-to-be-wed couple.(辦公室裡的同事一起出錢買禮物給即將要結婚的新人。)

3.He speaks at a lower pitch.

(X)他講話很有說服力。

(O)他講話時聲音較低。

這裡的pitch就不是「說服」了。Pitch也有「音高」的意思。所以我們說人pitch不準,就是指「音高不準」。來看一例:

I am bad at singing. I'm never on the right pitch.(我唱歌不好聽。我的音高從來都不準。)

從「音高」這個意義延伸,pitch可以指「事情的力度、程度」

If you teach children and adults in the same class, it's difficult to get the pitch right.(把孩子和大人放在同一個班級教,就很難完全找出適合學生的難度和他們的興趣。)

也可以當動詞,意思是「調到某一個水準」:

A teacher's got to pitch a lesson at the right level for the students.(老師必須把課程的難易度定得與學生的水準相符。)

責任編輯:易佳蓉
核稿編輯:鍾守沂