香港回歸祖國第十五個年頭。回想起當年還小的我,在回歸的那一刻,聽見家人都在說:「We come back home!」又眼見祖父在收看回歸節目時眼泛淚光,實在摸不著頭腦。長大後,始發覺這個「回歸」─「back」的背後,帶著那種思念故鄉、慎終追遠的情懷。
文字上,英文「back」字面上除了解作「歸來」的意思,還有其他用法可供參考:
名詞back 可解不利位置
We give low priority to the back burner.(次要的東西)
We are on our back foot as we are forced to be defensive of your position.(不利位置)
We hate backseat drivers as they are always giving advice which is either wrong or unwelcome.(干涉與自己職責無關事情的人)
動詞back 常指歸回原處
We back the wrong horse as we give our support to the losing side in something.(支持失利的一方)
We have to go back to the drawing board as we have to go back to the beginning and start something again.(歸回原處)
We have our back to the wall because we are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre.(陷於困境)
英國「back end」解秋天
不說也不知,在英國,back後加上end字是解作「秋天」。此外也有一些常用的成語,如「as bare as the back of one's hand」意指「一無所有、一貧如洗」。「Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours」意即「朋比為奸」。如果碰見那些說三道四的人,可以這樣形容他:「Speak through the back of one's neck.」中國社會裡,常言「不義之財,不可貪之」,因為來得不正,去得也不正。英文裡可以這樣說:「What is got over the devil's back is put under his belly.」
隨著七一回歸,街道上將紛紛掛上「賀中秋慶團圓」的訊息。作為一個中國人,我們也該好好享受一下回家的感覺,「to share weal and woe of the people in the same boat」。
Glossary:
Back burner 次要的東西
Back foot 不利位置
Backseat drivers 干涉與自己職責無關事情的人
Back the wrong horse 支持失利的一方
Back to the drawing board 歸回原處
Back to the wall 陷於困境
■香港專業進修學校語言傳意學部講師 鍾麗珊、廖尹彤
網址:http://clc.hkct.edu.hk/
聯絡電郵:clc@hkct.edu.hk
逢周三見報
|