Jen: Hey, can you read these instructions for me? I can’t make heads or tails of it.
Jason: Sure, let me see. Hmm…you’re right. These instructions are really hard to understand.

제가 Jason에게 “Hey, can you read these instructions for me? I can’t make heads or tails of it. 야, 이 설명서 좀 읽어 봐줄 수 있니? 난 뭐가 뭔지 하나도 모르겠어.”라고 하자 Jason이 “Sure, let me see. 물론이지. 내가 한 번 볼게. Hmm…you’re right. These instructions are really hard to understand. 음, 네 말이 맞네. 참 이해하기 어려운데.”라고 합니다.

Now keep today’s expression ‘make head(s) or tail(s) of’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Jen: Hey, can you read these instructions for me? I can’t make heads or tails of it.
Jason: Sure, let me see. Hmm…you’re right. These instructions are really hard to understand.

Today’s expression is make head(s) or tail(s) of someone or something. It means to understand someone or something. It is usually used with negatives such as CAN’T or NOT. Make head(s)or tail(s) of someone or something은 not과 함께 쓰이면 ‘이해할 수 없다. 알 수 없다. 갈피를 못 잡겠다.’라는 뜻이 됩니다.

통상적으로 can을 동반해서 can’t make heads or tails of 의 형태가 되죠. 오늘 본문에서 제가 어떤 설명서를 읽고 나서 이해가 안 간다고 했습니다. “I can’t make heads or tails of it. 뭐가 뭔지 하나도 모르겠어.” 라고요. 이처럼 뭔가 갈피를 잡을 수 없거나 앞뒤를 분간 못 할 때 쓸 수 있는 표현이 바로 ‘make head(s) or tail(s) of’입니다.

자, 이제 예문을 들어볼까요? “Tommy couldn’t make heads or tails of the problem.”라고 하면 “타미는 그 문제를 좀체 이해할 수가 없었다.” 라는 뜻이 됩니다.

두 번째 예문입니다. “I couldn’t make heads or tails of the movie I watched last night.” 라고 하면 ‘어제 본 영화는 뭘 말하는 건지 전혀 모르겠더라고.” 라는 뜻입니다. Now you know what today’s expression means right? Then we will listen to the conversation for the last time.

Jen: Hey, can you read these instructions for me? I can’t make heads or tails of it.
Jason: Sure, let me see. Hmm…you’re right. These instructions are really hard to understand.

Let’s review. Make head(s) or tail(s) of someone or something means to understand someone or something. MAKE HEAD(S) OR TAIL(S) OF. Now try using this expression on your own.