農曆新年快到了，先看看上年度《Newsweek（新聞週刊）》如何用英文描寫新年的節日活動。
"On Saturday, the Chinese year of the pig will end and millions of people around the world will welcome the year of the rat, including New Yorkers.
The 21st annual Chinese New Year Parade will kick off on February 9 at 1 p.m. ET and the celebration will continue until 4:30 p.m. ET. The Lunar New Year celebration begins at Mott..."
鼠年是Year of the Rat，而多數人認為牛年是Year of the Ox，不應用Year of the Cow，Ox是雄牛，Cow是母牛，若牛年需要做到忙個不停，用雄性的ox會比較形象化，貼合傳統，雖然我認為女性比較勤力，至少男性永遠不會懷孕生子。美國喜歡用kick off來形容活動的開始，可能和他們喜歡美式欖球賽以踢球開始有關。
"About 500,000 people attend New York's Chinese New Year parade each year to enjoy dragons, floats, and seas of red and gold. The New York City Parks Department advises an early arrival for a great spot to view the amazing spectacles and performances. The parade also boasts a variety of food and vendors that can be enjoyed by spectators of all ages."
還記在中學時，有同學在考英語口試，試題需要用到舞龍和年宵攤位的詞彙，立時啞口無言。學詞彙當然可令描述一步到位，在會話時我們目的在於溝通，不必勉強一定要用上最貼切的名詞和動詞，上方的dragon便是舞龍，這文也以「a variety of food and vendors」替代官方英文「fair installs」，不但其他地方官方用字會有不同，更實際的是，我們不能隨時如電腦般以秒計找到需要用的詞彙。在一個對話，我們不須太執着每個字也精準，傳達得到需要的訊息才是我們的目的。
技術字不但是必須，在使用具針對性的字時，還要留意讀者是誰，看看《太陽報》在上年度講解倫敦的新年活動時對專有名詞的處理手法：
"Thousand of people will gather in the capital to enjoy music, traditional cuisine and performances tomorrow. ... A thanksgiving procession will begin at 11am in Trafalgar Square, followed by firecrackers, speeches and a Lion's Eye-Dotting Ceremony, where someone dressed in a lion costume will be given paint-dotted eyes."
我們常常聽到點睛，即使不明其用意，也知是舞龍和舞獅的「kick off」程序，對外國人則需多解說，簡而到點是畫龍點睛；如滔滔不絕，則是畫蛇添足。
■康源 專業英語導師
隔星期五見報