香港人口逐漸老齡化,近來經常聽到這人那人退休了。「退休」英文是 retire。說某某退休了,英文就是:He/She has retired.
這retire一般指自動退休,停止工作,所以是不及物動詞,即是後面沒有賓語(object)。
Be retired 被退休
然而,retire有時可以是及物動詞,後面加上賓語。如果說某些僱主retire someone,即是他們解僱了某人。通常是這人年屆退休年齡,或健康不佳。在這個意義上使用retire,多會用被動式passive,有點像現在的香港話「被退休」:
The company had to be restructured and he was retired at the age of 55.
公司要重組,他在55歲之齡被迫退休。
另一個相似的動詞是pension off,pension原是退休金,可想而知是發放退休金,着人退休離職,亦是多會用被動式:
He was pensioned off and replaced with a less experienced young man.
他獲發放退休金,被辭退了。他的位置被一個經驗較淺的年輕人取代。
Put out to grass 「放逐」
亦有較口語化的短語put someone out to grass(放逐到草地),同樣是令人退休離開崗位,通常因為這個人年紀大,工作能力不如前。這用語源於馬匹退役後被放回草地,不再服役,但沒有人飼養,在草地自由過日子。
所以,put out to grass亦比喻人年紀漸大,「被退休」的情形。加點變化,可以說turn someone out to pasture(放到牧場)graze(吃草)。
The company has decided to put the secretary out to grass even though she has not reached retirement age.
公司決定讓那名秘書退休,雖然她仍未到達退休年齡。
I heard that she will be turned out to pasture next month. She is not too old and so not quite ready for it.
我聽說她下個月就會被公司着令退休。她年紀不大,故此沒有作好準備。
Many workers have been put out to grass earlier and earlier as employers often use early retirement to cut cost.
由於僱主常常以提早退休節省成本,很多工人被着令退休的年齡越來越早。
The president refused to be turned out to pasture and would try her best to stay.
主席拒絕下野,會盡力保住職位。
被迫退休並不是什麼好事。上面的字句都有點負面意思。如果工作多年,到了退休年齡,退下來過悠閒一點的生活,那就另當別論了。■Lina CHU [ linachu88@gmail.com ]
隔星期三見報