Jason: I’m at sea over this computer user manual. I don’t know what I should do.
Jen: How can a manual leave you so confused? It’s supposed to be easy to understand.
Jason: Here, you take a look at it then.
Jen: Hmm…I think you’re right. I am at sea with this manual too.
Jason: I told you.

Jason이 제게 "I’m at sea over this computer user manual. I don’t know what I should do. 컴퓨터 사용설명서가 뭐 이렇게 혼란스럽게 돼있어. 어떻게 하라는 건지 모르겠네.”라고 하자 제가 “How can a manual leave you so confused? It’s supposed to be easy to understand. 사용 설명서가 혼란스러울 게 뭐 있어? 다 쉽게 해놨겠지.” 라고 했습니다.

Jason이 “Here, you take a look at it then. 자, 그럼 네가 한번 읽어봐.” 라고 하자 제가 “Hmm…I think you’re right. I am at sea with this manual too. 어, 네 말이 맞구나. 읽어봐도 뭘 어떻게 해야 할지 감이 안 잡히네.”라고 대답했죠.

Now keep today’s expression ‘I’m at sea’ in mind and we'll listen to the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Jason: I’m at sea over this computer user manual. I don’t know what I should do.
Jen: How can a manual leave you so confused? It’s supposed to be easy to understand.
Jason: Here, you take a look at it then.
Jen: Hmm…I think you’re right. I am at sea with this manual too.
Jason: I told you.

Today’s expression is be at sea. If someone is at sea it means that they are confused, lost or bewildered. 말 그대로 ‘I’m at sea’는 ‘나는 바다에 떠 있다’ 라는 말이죠. 즉 ‘당혹스럽다, 또는 어찌할 바를 모르겠다.’ 라는 말입니다. ‘분명하지 않다. 불확실하다’라는 뜻도 있고요.

바다 한가운데에 떠 있다고 한번 상상해보세요. 어떻게 해야 할지도 모르고 어디로 가야 할 지도 모르기 십상일겁니다. 어휴, 생각만 해도 아주 당황스럽네요. 오늘 본문에 보면 Jason과 제가 컴퓨터 사용 설명서를 읽고 나서도 이해가 안 가니까 아주 난감해 했죠. 이런 상황에서 쓸 수 있는 표현이 바로 ‘I’m at sea’입니다.

예문을 통해 알아보죠. "I’m having a hard time solving this math problem. I’m at sea with this.”라고 하면 ‘이 수학 문제 어떻게 풀어야 할지 모르겠어. 어쩌지?” 라는 뜻이 됩니다.

Now you know what today’s expression means right? Then let's listen to the conversation for the last time.

Jason: I’m at sea over this computer user manual. I don’t know what I should do.
Jen: How can a manual leave you so confused? It’s supposed to be easy to understand.
Jason: Here, you take a look at it then.
Jen: Hmm…I think you’re right. I am at sea with this manual too.
Jason: I told you.

Let’s review. If someone is at sea it means that they are confused, lost or bewildered. BE AT SEA or I’M AT SEA. Now try using this expression on your own.