What musical instrument do you play?
现代的父母都希望子女有多元化发展,希望孩子琴棋书画样样精通,所以从小就让小朋友学习不同乐器,想问人家会玩什么乐器,可以说:What musical instrument do you play?(你会玩什么乐器呢?)。乐器也有不同种类,弦乐器叫String instruments,管乐器叫Wind instruments,只爱纯音乐/演奏曲可以说:I like instrumental music.另外,问别人有没有音乐才能,可以说:Are you musical?
对 话
Brian: What are you doing at band practice? I didn’t know you played.
Marcus: I’ve just started. I’m going to give you guys a run for your money.
Brian: But you haven’t got a musical bone in your body. What musical instrument do you play?
Marcus: This! The comb and tissue paper. Stand back, I’m going to tune this baby up.
Brian: You’re really bad.
布莱恩:你在乐队排练做什么?我不知道你会玩乐器。
马卡斯:我刚刚开始,我会叫你们听得满意。
布莱恩:但你毫无音乐天赋,你会玩什么乐器?
马卡斯:这个,梳子和纸巾。退后,我要演奏它。
布莱恩:你实在太差劲了。
马卡斯加入了乐队,对布莱恩说:I’m going to give you guys a run for your money。布莱恩说:But you haven’t got a musical bone in your body。
Not have a musical bone in one’s body直译是‘体内没有一根音乐骨头’,等于说‘毫无音乐天赋’。这是成语说法,那musical一字可用其它字取代,例如:(1) The mayor works heart and soul for the public. He does not have a selfish bone in his body.(市长尽心尽力为民众服务,没有一点私心)。(2) He did not have a bad bone in his body(他是个不折不扣的好人)。
A (good) run for your money本是赛马用语,指你下注的马匹虽然没有获胜,但已尽力而为。现在这成语常用来说‘物有所值’或‘金钱、气力等花得不冤’,例如:The t’ai chi class gave him a run for his money/He got a run for his money in the t’ai chi class.(他上太极课,获得不少)。马卡斯那一句是说:‘我会叫你们听得满意。’A run for one’s money还有‘激烈竞争’的意思,例如:You won’t find it easy to beat them. They will give you a run for your money.(你要打败他们可不容易。他们会全力争胜)。
布莱恩问马卡斯玩什么乐器。乐器叫musical instrument,简称为instrument,可分为多种。钢琴、鼓等敲击乐器叫percussion instrument;箫、笛等木管乐器叫woodwind instrument;喇叭之类铜管乐器叫brass instrument;琵琶、小提琴等弦乐器则叫string/stringed instrument。