問：一本介紹聯合國兒童權利公約的小冊子說： Every child should have their own name and belong to a country（兒童都應有自己的姓名、國籍）。單數的 every child為什麼配複數代名詞 their？而複數的 their之後為什麼又用單數的 name？
答：從前， everybody、 every child、 nobody等單數名詞，會配 he、 him等單數代名詞，以 he等兼指男女。但是，現在女權勃興，往往以上述傳統寫法為「舊社會歧視女性」的殘餘，於是有 he or she、 him or her這樣的「男女平等」寫法。但這寫法讀起來很累贅，一般人索性就用 they、 them等作 everybody等的代名詞，算是「不分男女的單數詞語（ singular unisex words）」，例如： Everybody took their seat（人人都就座了）。假如不用單數的 everybody，改用複數的 people，則 seat通常也會用複數形式： People took their seats。
「不分男女的文法（ unisex grammar）」，即使名作家都會用，例如蕭伯納（ Bernard Shaw）有以下一句： Nobody would ever marry if they thought it over（要是事前想清楚，誰都不會結婚）。
問：「聯合國兒童權利公約」英文叫 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child。按 child並不是指某個孩子，為什麼冠以 the？
答：英文常用「 the+單數名詞」，指那名詞說的那一類人、物，例如成語 An apple a day keeps the doctor away（一日一蘋果，醫生遠離我）， the doctor泛指所有醫生。同樣， the rights of the child泛指所有兒童的權利，改為 the rights of children也無不可。
（古德明）
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
還記否？螺絲「滑牙」
問： Remember（記得）、 know（知道）等關乎認知的動詞，假如用過去時式，會不會有「現在已非如此」含義？例如 I remembered his telephone number（我記得他的電話號碼）一語，是不是說現在已經不記得？
答：過去式動詞只表示「過去如此」，卻沒有「現在不是如此」的意思。例如你談到昨天碰見某人： I had met him only once, and just remembered his name（我以前只見過他一次，僅僅記得他的名字）。這並不是說你今天就不記得他的名字了。
當然，過去記得或不記得、知道或不知道，現在都可能不同。所以，英文偶然會過去和現在時式並用，表示過去如此，現在如彼，例如美國 Arcade出版社出版的 Family Sayings有以下一句： I never knew, and I still do not know, what Terni, Paola and Mario used to whisper about（我始終不知道，現在仍然不知道，泰爾尼、保拉、馬里奧當時常常低聲私語，談的是什麼）。假如從前不知道，現在則知道，那可以這樣說： I never knew, though I know now, what they used to whisper about。
問：廣東話所謂「螺絲滑牙」，英文怎麼說？
答：「螺絲滑牙」，即螺絲扣勩了。這「滑牙」英文叫 strip，例如： Make sure that you don't use a wrong size screwdriver, or the screw may get stripped（切勿用不合大小的螺絲鑽，否則螺絲可能「滑牙」）。
螺絲的紋叫 thread。螺紋磨掉了，英文可以說： The thread is gone。
（古德明）
答：過去式動詞只表示「過去如此」，卻沒有「現在不是如此」的意思。例如你談到昨天碰見某人： I had met him only once, and just remembered his name（我以前只見過他一次，僅僅記得他的名字）。這並不是說你今天就不記得他的名字了。
當然，過去記得或不記得、知道或不知道，現在都可能不同。所以，英文偶然會過去和現在時式並用，表示過去如此，現在如彼，例如美國 Arcade出版社出版的 Family Sayings有以下一句： I never knew, and I still do not know, what Terni, Paola and Mario used to whisper about（我始終不知道，現在仍然不知道，泰爾尼、保拉、馬里奧當時常常低聲私語，談的是什麼）。假如從前不知道，現在則知道，那可以這樣說： I never knew, though I know now, what they used to whisper about。
問：廣東話所謂「螺絲滑牙」，英文怎麼說？
答：「螺絲滑牙」，即螺絲扣勩了。這「滑牙」英文叫 strip，例如： Make sure that you don't use a wrong size screwdriver, or the screw may get stripped（切勿用不合大小的螺絲鑽，否則螺絲可能「滑牙」）。
螺絲的紋叫 thread。螺紋磨掉了，英文可以說： The thread is gone。
（古德明）
Thursday, August 5, 2010
親戚、急不可待
問： Kin和 relative都是指「親戚」，意思有分別嗎？
答：血緣或婚姻上的親戚，都可以叫 kin或 relative，但 kin多見於舊式英文，是個複數名詞，指「眾親戚」；「一個親戚」是 a relative，不可說 a kin，例如：（ 1） He liked his aunt, but not his other kin/ relatives（他喜歡姑母，卻不喜歡其他親戚）。（ 2） He did not invite a single relative to his wedding（他沒有邀請任何一個親戚出席他的婚禮）。
此外， kin還可以指「同族（而沒有親戚關係）的人」， relative卻不可以，例如： The Indians hated the whites for killing their kin and plundering their land（印第安人恨白人，因為白人殺他們族人，掠他們土地）。
問：英文有沒有 I can't wait for learning from you soon這樣的說法？意思是不是「我等不及向你學習」？
答： Can't wait或 can hardly wait不是「等不及」，而是「急不可待」或「熱切盼望（某些事、物）」的意思，例如：（ 1） I can't wait to see him（我急不可待想見他）。（ 2） I can't wait for your next letter（我盼望收到你下一封信）。讀者示下那一句，由於沒有上下文，無法斷定是什麼意思。假如是說「我熱切期望向你學習」，較自然的說法是 I can't wait to learn from you，那 soon字應刪去；假如要保留 soon字，則宜用 look forward to代替 can't wait： I look forward to learning from you soon。
【代郵】慶文先生：僕九月起將於《明報月刊》撰寫專欄論英文為骨之現代漢語，日後或可編輯成書，謹覆。
（古德明）
答：血緣或婚姻上的親戚，都可以叫 kin或 relative，但 kin多見於舊式英文，是個複數名詞，指「眾親戚」；「一個親戚」是 a relative，不可說 a kin，例如：（ 1） He liked his aunt, but not his other kin/ relatives（他喜歡姑母，卻不喜歡其他親戚）。（ 2） He did not invite a single relative to his wedding（他沒有邀請任何一個親戚出席他的婚禮）。
此外， kin還可以指「同族（而沒有親戚關係）的人」， relative卻不可以，例如： The Indians hated the whites for killing their kin and plundering their land（印第安人恨白人，因為白人殺他們族人，掠他們土地）。
問：英文有沒有 I can't wait for learning from you soon這樣的說法？意思是不是「我等不及向你學習」？
答： Can't wait或 can hardly wait不是「等不及」，而是「急不可待」或「熱切盼望（某些事、物）」的意思，例如：（ 1） I can't wait to see him（我急不可待想見他）。（ 2） I can't wait for your next letter（我盼望收到你下一封信）。讀者示下那一句，由於沒有上下文，無法斷定是什麼意思。假如是說「我熱切期望向你學習」，較自然的說法是 I can't wait to learn from you，那 soon字應刪去；假如要保留 soon字，則宜用 look forward to代替 can't wait： I look forward to learning from you soon。
【代郵】慶文先生：僕九月起將於《明報月刊》撰寫專欄論英文為骨之現代漢語，日後或可編輯成書，謹覆。
（古德明）
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
介系詞+關係代名詞
問： In which、 of which、 from which三個說法，意思有什麼分別？怎樣使用？
答：這是介系詞（ preposition）和關係代名詞（ relative pronoun）合用的問題，類似說法還有 about/ over/ to which、 in/ to/ from whom等等。介系詞和關係代名詞合用的方法，簡單得很。請看以下句子：（ 1） This is the house. He once lived in it（這棟房子，他曾經居住）。（ 2） We visited Dartmoor Prison. Escape from this prison is said to be very difficult（我們參觀達特木爾監獄。據說，要逃出這個監獄十分困難）。（ 3） I examined his invention. The ingenuity of it was admirable（我細看他的發明，精巧得令人歎服）。（ 4） The orphans were taken good care of by an old woman. They grew very attached to her（那些孤兒獲一位老婦人悉心照顧，對她十分愛慕）。
關係代名詞可以取代名詞或代名詞，並把句子接連起來。接連的時候，假如被取代的名詞、代名詞之前有介系詞，那麼，這介系詞也會用在關係代名詞之前。例如：（ 1） This is the house in which he once lived。（ 2） We visited Dartmoor Prison, from which escape is said to be very difficult。（ 3） I examined his invention, the ingenuity of which was admirable。（ 4） The orphans were taken good care of by an old woman, to whom they grew very attached。留意這四句和前文那八句文法結構的同異，你自然就能掌握 in which等等的意思和用法。
（古德明）
答：這是介系詞（ preposition）和關係代名詞（ relative pronoun）合用的問題，類似說法還有 about/ over/ to which、 in/ to/ from whom等等。介系詞和關係代名詞合用的方法，簡單得很。請看以下句子：（ 1） This is the house. He once lived in it（這棟房子，他曾經居住）。（ 2） We visited Dartmoor Prison. Escape from this prison is said to be very difficult（我們參觀達特木爾監獄。據說，要逃出這個監獄十分困難）。（ 3） I examined his invention. The ingenuity of it was admirable（我細看他的發明，精巧得令人歎服）。（ 4） The orphans were taken good care of by an old woman. They grew very attached to her（那些孤兒獲一位老婦人悉心照顧，對她十分愛慕）。
關係代名詞可以取代名詞或代名詞，並把句子接連起來。接連的時候，假如被取代的名詞、代名詞之前有介系詞，那麼，這介系詞也會用在關係代名詞之前。例如：（ 1） This is the house in which he once lived。（ 2） We visited Dartmoor Prison, from which escape is said to be very difficult。（ 3） I examined his invention, the ingenuity of which was admirable。（ 4） The orphans were taken good care of by an old woman, to whom they grew very attached。留意這四句和前文那八句文法結構的同異，你自然就能掌握 in which等等的意思和用法。
（古德明）
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
應感羞愧、向人提議
問：我修讀一個英文課程，曾打電話給老師請假，那美國人說： Shame on you，那是不是罵人話，和 What a shame一樣？
答： What a shame或 It is a shame只是「真可惜」的意思， shame字改為 pity也可以，例如： What a shame that you weren't there（你當時不在場，真可惜）。
Shame on you則是「你應感到羞愧」的意思，不一定是罵人話，要看說話語氣而定，例如：（ 1） What, you didn't take the opportunity to date her? Shame on you!（什麼，你沒有乘機約她外出？真不成器！）（ 2） You betrayed us to get promotion. Shame on you!（你出賣我們，以求升遷，真是可恥）。第一句的 shame on you是戲語，第二句則當然是責備。
問： He suggested to Washington that he become the king of the United States（他向華盛頓提議，由華盛頓做美國國王）這一句，文法正確嗎？查網上資料，「向某人建議」英文是 to suggest someone，不可說 to suggest to someone，例如 I suggest you that close the window（我提議你把窗關上）。
答：網上資料不可輕信， He suggested to Washington這說法也沒有錯。「向某人建議」絕對不可說 to suggest someone。第七版《牛津高階英漢雙解詞典》 suggest條下就特別注明， Can you suggest me a good dictionary?（你可以介紹一本好字典給我嗎？）這說法並不正確。要更正，這一句應改為 Can you suggest a good dictionary to me?讀者所說見於網上那一句，也應改正如下： I suggest that you（ should） close the window。
（古德明）
答： What a shame或 It is a shame只是「真可惜」的意思， shame字改為 pity也可以，例如： What a shame that you weren't there（你當時不在場，真可惜）。
Shame on you則是「你應感到羞愧」的意思，不一定是罵人話，要看說話語氣而定，例如：（ 1） What, you didn't take the opportunity to date her? Shame on you!（什麼，你沒有乘機約她外出？真不成器！）（ 2） You betrayed us to get promotion. Shame on you!（你出賣我們，以求升遷，真是可恥）。第一句的 shame on you是戲語，第二句則當然是責備。
問： He suggested to Washington that he become the king of the United States（他向華盛頓提議，由華盛頓做美國國王）這一句，文法正確嗎？查網上資料，「向某人建議」英文是 to suggest someone，不可說 to suggest to someone，例如 I suggest you that close the window（我提議你把窗關上）。
答：網上資料不可輕信， He suggested to Washington這說法也沒有錯。「向某人建議」絕對不可說 to suggest someone。第七版《牛津高階英漢雙解詞典》 suggest條下就特別注明， Can you suggest me a good dictionary?（你可以介紹一本好字典給我嗎？）這說法並不正確。要更正，這一句應改為 Can you suggest a good dictionary to me?讀者所說見於網上那一句，也應改正如下： I suggest that you（ should） close the window。
（古德明）
Monday, August 2, 2010
美人計
There was in Persia in the fifth century a king called Cavades. When he was deposed and imprisoned by his subjects, his queen, who alone remained attached to him, never failed to bring him necessaries with her own hands, though she was not permitted to see him.
One day, the queen noticed that the jailer appeared captivated by her beauty, and she soothed him so far as to be allowed access to her husband. Her visits were at length premitted to take place free from observation, and one evening she changed clothes with her husband. Thus disguised, Cavades stole out of the prison. He fled to the king of the Euthalites, by whose assistance he was afterwards restored to his throne and kingdom.
五世紀波斯有個國王叫卡瓦德斯。他被臣下推翻了，繫在獄中，只有王后依舊忠於他，雖然不獲准和他見面，卻總是親自給他送必需品。
有一天，王后發覺獄卒似乎被她美色所迷，就致力討好這獄卒，終於獲許見丈夫。後來，她甚至可以在沒有看守之下探監。一天晚上，她和丈夫更換衣服。卡瓦德斯男扮女裝，溜出監獄，逃去投靠優泰萊特人的國王，獲他協助，最後奪回王位和國家。
【附注】 At length兩字連用，可以解作「終於」或「最後」，也可解作「詳細地」，例如：（ 1） We waited for hours and hours. At length he arrived（我們等了好幾小時，他終於來了）。（ 2） He spoke at length about the matter（他詳細談到這件事）。
（古德明）
One day, the queen noticed that the jailer appeared captivated by her beauty, and she soothed him so far as to be allowed access to her husband. Her visits were at length premitted to take place free from observation, and one evening she changed clothes with her husband. Thus disguised, Cavades stole out of the prison. He fled to the king of the Euthalites, by whose assistance he was afterwards restored to his throne and kingdom.
五世紀波斯有個國王叫卡瓦德斯。他被臣下推翻了，繫在獄中，只有王后依舊忠於他，雖然不獲准和他見面，卻總是親自給他送必需品。
有一天，王后發覺獄卒似乎被她美色所迷，就致力討好這獄卒，終於獲許見丈夫。後來，她甚至可以在沒有看守之下探監。一天晚上，她和丈夫更換衣服。卡瓦德斯男扮女裝，溜出監獄，逃去投靠優泰萊特人的國王，獲他協助，最後奪回王位和國家。
【附注】 At length兩字連用，可以解作「終於」或「最後」，也可解作「詳細地」，例如：（ 1） We waited for hours and hours. At length he arrived（我們等了好幾小時，他終於來了）。（ 2） He spoke at length about the matter（他詳細談到這件事）。
（古德明）
Sunday, August 1, 2010
敗者為獸
In the Battle of Ankara in 1402, Timur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, defeated Bajazid, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and took him prisoner. He gave Bajazid a very civil reception at first, and asked,"Now, tell me truly what you would have done with me, had I fallen into your power?"
Bajazid is said to have replied,"I would have enclosed you in an iron cage, and carried you about as a spectacle of derision to the world."
Timur said,"Then, proud man, as you would have done to me, even so shall I do to you." An iron cage was made, into which Bajazid was thrust, and he was carried along in Timur's train like a wild beast for nearly three years until, despairing of obtaining his freedom, he struck his head with such violence against the bars of the cage, as to put an end to his wretched life.
一四○二年，成吉思汗後人帖木兒在安哥拉一戰之中，打敗並活捉了鄂圖曼帝國的蘇丹巴耶塞特。他接見巴耶塞特時，最初很客氣，問道：「要是我落在你手上，你會怎樣對我？老實告訴我吧。」
據說，巴耶塞特的回答是：「我會把你關進鐵籠裏，帶在身旁，供世人取笑。」
帖木兒說：「你真狂妄。既然你會這樣對待我，我就照樣對待你好了。」他叫人造了個鐵籠，把巴耶塞特推進去。巴耶塞特像野獸一樣，被帶在帖木兒的隨從之中，過了將近三年。最後，他自覺沒有機會恢復自由，用力把頭撞在籠子的鐵條上，結束了悲慘的生涯。
（古德明）
Bajazid is said to have replied,"I would have enclosed you in an iron cage, and carried you about as a spectacle of derision to the world."
Timur said,"Then, proud man, as you would have done to me, even so shall I do to you." An iron cage was made, into which Bajazid was thrust, and he was carried along in Timur's train like a wild beast for nearly three years until, despairing of obtaining his freedom, he struck his head with such violence against the bars of the cage, as to put an end to his wretched life.
一四○二年，成吉思汗後人帖木兒在安哥拉一戰之中，打敗並活捉了鄂圖曼帝國的蘇丹巴耶塞特。他接見巴耶塞特時，最初很客氣，問道：「要是我落在你手上，你會怎樣對我？老實告訴我吧。」
據說，巴耶塞特的回答是：「我會把你關進鐵籠裏，帶在身旁，供世人取笑。」
帖木兒說：「你真狂妄。既然你會這樣對待我，我就照樣對待你好了。」他叫人造了個鐵籠，把巴耶塞特推進去。巴耶塞特像野獸一樣，被帶在帖木兒的隨從之中，過了將近三年。最後，他自覺沒有機會恢復自由，用力把頭撞在籠子的鐵條上，結束了悲慘的生涯。
（古德明）
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