capitulate

2019/09/12 04:12:32 網誌分類: 生活

12 Sep

        　　My editor told me some of the words I have been explaining recently are too simple. He suggested I explain harder words. Today I will explain a few words that I am sure will stump my editor. The word “stump” has many meanings but if you are “stumped”, it means you are unable to understand something because it is too difficult. I am sure the word “capitulate” will stump not only my editor but also many Hong Kong politicians and government officials. 　　　In military terms, capitulate means to accept defeat. But it also means to unwillingly agree to do something. Will Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor capitulate to the demands of protesters? Will Beijing capitulate to the demands? Will the anti-extradition bill protesters capitulate to the chief executive’s plea (emotional request) to end protests?

        　　Many critics say Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had been too impetuous with the extradition bill. The word “impetuous” means doing something suddenly without thinking of the results of your actions. Her impetuous behaviour caused Hong Kong’s worst political crisis since reunification. Neither she and Beijing nor the protesters are willing to capitulate. Some people say what Hong Kong now needs is an interlocutor. I am sure this word will stump my editor! An interlocutor is someone who takes part in a conversation or dialogue, but it can also mean a person who represents another person in a dialogue, such as a middleman.

        　　Many people have suggested that Hong Kong needs an interlocutor or middleman to talk to both the protesters and the chief executive.

        　　This is difficult because the protests are leaderless. No interlocutor can represent the protesters and be a middleman to talk to the government. Government supporters say the protesters are obstreperous. This means they are noisy and difficult to control. The protesters say they are obstreperous because they are fighting for their freedom. I hope we will not soon have a dirge for Hong Kong. A dirge is a song of mourning for a dead person.

        *****

         我的編輯告訴我，我最近解說的一些字詞太簡單了，他提議我去解說更難的字。今天我解說的幾個字，肯定會難倒（stump）我的編輯。

        　　Stump有許多意思，但若你被stumped，即是說你搞不懂某事，因為它太深奧了。

        　　我肯定“capitulate”這個字，難倒的（stump）不但是我的編輯，也包括許多香港政客和政府官員。作為軍事術語，capitulate是指投降；但它也解作不情願地、被逼接受或同意做某事。特首林鄭月娥會否屈服於（capitulate）示威者的訴求？北京又會否被逼接受（capitulate）這些訴求？特首呼籲停止示威抗議的請求（plea），反引渡條例的示威者又會否屈從（capitulate）？

        　　許多批評者也說，林鄭月娥在引渡條例上太impetuous了。Impetuous意即太衝動、魯莽，做事太不顧後果。她鹵莽的（impetuous）舉動引發了香港自回歸以來最嚴峻的政治危機。現在不論是她與北京，抑或示威者，都不肯屈服（capitulate）。有些人說，香港現在需要一位 interlocutor。我肯定這個字也會難倒（stump）我的編輯了！An interlocutor是對話者，但它也可解作在對談中代表另一個人的代言人，類似是中間人。許多人也建議香港需要一個對話者（interlocutor）又或中間人，去跟示威者與特首兩邊調解溝通。

        　　這是困難的，因為示威都是「無大台」、沒有領袖的；沒有一個代言人（interlocutor）可以代表示威者，又或作為中間人去跟政府對話。政府的支持者說，示威者是 obstreperous，意指他們是吵鬧又任性的，難以控制。示威者說他們是難以駕馭的（obstreperous），因為他們正在為自由而戰。

        　　我希望我們香港不會很快有一首 dirge。A dirge就是哀樂或輓歌，為逝去的人而唱的。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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