为什么不是寄灵在包庇她呢？
“Why couldn't it be Ji Ling covering for her instead?”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
你说 她在替寄灵隐瞒
“You said she was covering up for Ji Ling.”
为什么不是 寄灵在 包庇 她呢？
“Why couldn't it be Ji Ling covering for her instead?”
你还对我说… 我知道一个人
“You also said to me… There's only”
“You have it completely backwards; consider the other possibility.”
In Chinese argumentation, introducing a counter-hypothesis as a negative question ('Why not X?') prompts the other party to re-examine their premises without sounding overly aggressive.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
why couldn't it be; why isn't it
A rhetorical framing useful for challenging an assumption by proposing the opposite case.
to shield; to cover up for someone; to harbor
Carries a strong negative connotation regarding illicit protection or shielding a wrongdoer from justice.
Presents a counter-hypothesis in an inquisitive yet firm manner.
