“gobsmacked”
2021/06/22 04:13:12 網誌分類: 生活
I don’t think many Hong Kong people know this expression too. It sounds like bad grammar but grammar is not important for slang words or expressions. The expression “my bad” is used when people accept they are wrong or something is their fault. I was wrong not to have learned Chinese. It was my bad but I can’t change that now. The British slang word “gobsmacked” sounds complicated but it simply means you are so surprised or astonished that you are lost for words. The expression “lost for words” means you are so surprised or shocked you don’t know what to say.
For example, some people are lost for words or gobsmacked at award ceremonies when they win even though they didn’t expect to win. As a Hong Kong-born, I am lost for words at how the national security law has changed Hong Kong. There are many things I admit were my bad. I didn’t join gatherings with school friends because I was busy with work. But I was gobsmacked when they said they understood I had a busy schedule. I have said many times before Hong Kong teachers and people should not regard learning English as learning grammar. Britain’s royal family members use correct grammar but Hong Kong people are not part of Britain’s royal family. Learn grassroots English, especially if you decide to emigrate to Britain.
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每天早上我會收聽英文及中文電台新聞報道，收看英文及中文電視新聞報道，也讀英文的報章。我希望我能閱讀中文報章，但我不懂讀和寫中文。於在學時期，我選擇了學習另一個語文——是我的錯（my bad）！上星期讀英文報紙時，遇到一個我已很久沒有用到的字。那個字是gobsmacked。我不認為許多香港人知道這個字，它是一個英式俚語。我喜歡這個字，因為它聽起來很有趣，卻有着一個簡單的意思。習語“my bad”則是一個美式俚語。
我也不認為許多香港人知道這個習語。驟耳聽來它像有着糟糕的文法，但其實對於俚語字或俚語的習語來說，文法不是那麼重要。當人要承認自己做錯，或某事是自己的過失時，便會用到習語“my bad”。我那時候不去學中文，實在是做錯了決定。那是我的錯（my bad），但我現在亦不能改變過去的決定。英式俚語“gobsmacked”聽起來好像好複雜，但它的意思很簡單，就是你感到意外或驚訝得lost for words。習語“lost for words”表示你很意外或震驚，以至說不出話來。
譬如在頒獎典禮上，即使有些人沒有預計過自己會拿獎，但當知道自己得獎的一刻，還是會驚喜得說不上話來（lost for words），或是目瞪口呆（gobsmacked）。身為在香港出生的人，我對於《國安法》怎樣改變了香港，亦是啞口無言（lost for words）。有許多事情，我不得不承認是我不好（my bad）。我沒有參與舊同學的聚會，因為過往我總是忙於工作，但當他們說他們明白我的日程安排忙碌，對此我亦驚訝得說不上話來（gobsmacked）。我從前說過無數遍，香港的教師與香港人都不應將學習英語視為學習文法。英國皇室成員會用上正確的文法，但香港人不是英國皇室家族的一員。去學草根的英語吧，尤其是你決定要移民英國的話。
中譯：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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