又中又英
又中又英
又中又英

a bolt out of the blue

2019/12/03 04:13:42 網誌分類: 生活
03 Dec
          Last week's election victory by the democracy camp came like a bolt out of the blue. The Hong Kong and international English language media used many different words to describe the bolt out of the blue election results. Many used the word "landslide". Some also used words such as "drubbing" and "thrashing". No one expected the establishment camp to get such a drubbing. That's why the democracy camp's triumph (victory) came like a bolt out of the blue. The expressions "a bolt out of the blue" or "a bolt from the blue" have the same meaning. They mean something very surprising and unexpected, like lightning from a clear blue sky.

          Very few people had expected the democracy camp to win by a landslide. That's why it was surprising and unexpected.The word "landslide" means a large amount of rocks, mud, or earth suddenly moving very fast down a steep slope. But the word "landslide" also means winning an election with a large number of votes. If one side in a sports competition or election got a drubbing, it means that side was defeated by a large margin. The word "thrash" means to physically hit or beat someone. But if one side got a thrashing, it also means that side was heavily defeated in a competition or election. It is similar to the word "drubbing".

          Last Monday morning, when I saw on the TV news that the establishment camp got a thrashing in the district council elections, it was like a bolt out of the blue for me. I had not expected the democracy camp to thrash the establishment camp or win with a landslide. I sensed the democracy camp would do well but never imagined it would do so well. Many media reports said it was a "protest vote". This means people using their votes to protest against the government. In democratic societies, a huge protest vote would cause the downfall of the government. But that, of course, would not happen in Hong Kong because it is not fully democratic.

        ******

          上星期,民主陣營在區選的勝利,完全是出乎意料(a bolt out of the blue)。香港和國際的英語媒體,用了許多不同的字詞去形容這個出乎意料的(a bolt out of the blue)選舉結果。許多媒體用了「landslide」一字,有些也用了例如「drubbing」和「thrashing」這一類的字。沒有人會預料得到,建制派會遭到如此的慘敗(drubbing)。因此,民主陣營的勝利(triumph)來得出乎意料(a bolt out of the blue)。習語「a bolt out of the blue」或「a bolt from the blue」的意思是一樣的,它們也解作晴天霹靂,就是一些非常出乎意料的突發事情。

          很少人會預計得到,民主陣營可以大比數壓倒性地(landslide)勝出。因此這實在是很令人訝異、非常意外。「Landslide」是指山泥傾瀉;但「Landslide」也可以指以大比數的票數勝選、大獲全勝。若在體育比賽或選舉中的一方「got a drubbing」,意指那一方被打得落花流水,以很大的差距慘敗。「Thrash」是指抽打或用力擊打某人;但若一方「got a thrashing」,意指那一方在比賽或選舉中被徹底擊敗。它跟「drubbing」一字意思相近。

          上星期一的早上,當我透過電視新聞報道,見到建制派在區議會選舉中大敗(thrashing),真是完全出乎我的意料(a bolt out of the blue)。我從沒有預料到民主陣營會徹底擊敗(thrash)建制派,又或壓倒性地大勝(win with a landslide)。

          我事前感覺得到民主陣營會有不錯的成績,但從未想過會有這麼好的成績。許多傳媒報道說,這是一個「protest vote」,意思即是人民用他們的選票去反對政府。在民主社會,大量的「抗議票」(protest vote)足以推翻政府。但當然,這在香港不會發生,因為香港並非全面的民主。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

        
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