at her wits’ end

2020/01/09 04:12:35 網誌分類: 生活

09 Jan

        　　It has been seven months since protests started against the government’s now-withdrawn extradition bill. The bill itself belongs to the dustbin of history after Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the bill is dead. But the protests have morphed (gradually changed) from anti-extradition protests to anti-government protests. Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is at her wits’ end trying to stop the protests, which often turn violent. People often ask me what the best way is to end the protests. I don’t have the answer. Some people suggest that all sides should start with a clean slate but that’s easier said than done.

        　　If something belongs to the dustbin of history, it means it will be forgotten in history. The expression can be used for people, events, or ideologies. The expression “ash heap of history” has the same meaning. History won’t pay too much attention to the extradition bill, except to say it was the cause of Hong Kong’s worst political crisis since reunification. History will pay more attention to the protest movement, describing it as a movement for greater democracy and against mainland interference in local affairs. If you are at your wits’ end, it means you are so worried, confused, or annoyed that you don’t know what to do next.

        　　To start with a clean slate means to forgive or forget about the mistakes or problems of the past so you can make a new start. Starting with a clean slate is easier said than done because neither the government nor the protest movement wants to forget about the past. The government has refused to accept the demands of the protesters, including more democracy, an independent inquiry into the causes of the protests, and an amnesty for those arrested. The protesters have refused to accept that all those arrested are rioters, and have also refused to accept anything less than an independent inquiry chaired by a judge. This means starting with a clean slate is impossible.

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        　　反對政府那現已撤回的引渡條例的持續示威，自開始至今已經過七個月了。在特首林鄭月娥宣佈修訂草案已壽終正寢之後，草案本身已被掃進歷史的垃圾桶（dustbin of history）中。然而抗議活動已由反修例示威蛻變（morphed）為反政府示威。林鄭月娥對於怎樣停止這些不時變得暴烈的抗議活動，實在是黔驢技窮（at her wits’ end）。人們常問我，要結束這些抗議活動，有甚麼最好的方法？我沒有答案。有些人提議各方人士皆不計前嫌，重新開始（start with a clean slate），但這確實說易行難。

        　　若某事屬於 dustbin of history，意即它會被遺忘於歷史之中。這個習語可以用於人、事又或意識形態。習語“ash heap of history”也是同一意思。歷史不會太理會那條引渡條例草案，除了說它是香港回歸以來最嚴重政治危機的因由。歷史會更關注整場抗議運動，將之形容為爭取更大民主及反對內地干預本地事務的運動。若你是 at your wits’ end，意即你非常擔憂、迷惘或苦惱，因你已束手無策、無計可施。

        　　To start with a clean slate意即不計前嫌，原諒或忘掉過往的錯失或問題，好能重新開始。盡棄前嫌（starting with a clean slate）確實是說易行難，因為不論是政府抑或抗議運動，雙方都不願忘掉過去。政府拒絕接受示威者的訴求，包括更大幅度的民主、成立獨立調查委員會，以及特赦被捕人士。示威者已拒絕接受說那些被捕者是暴徒，而若非由法官主持的獨立調查委員會，他們亦已表明拒絕接受。這就意味著，不計前嫌而重新開始（starting with a clean slate）是不可能的。

        中譯：七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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