又中又英
又中又英
又中又英

Another one bites the dust

2020/06/09 04:12:24 網誌分類: 生活
09 Jun
          Another one bites the dust. Most people know this expression as the title of a hit song by the rock group Queen. The group's singer, the late Freddie Mercury, always gives an electrifying performance when he sings this song. It is one of my favourite songs. Although many people know the expression "another one bites the dust" only as the title of a song, the expression has many interesting meanings. I was reminded of the expression last week when I read a news report about the Shamrock Hotel in Jordan closing down this month after 68 years in business. I know this hotel very well because my family lived close by on Austin Road when I was young.

          An electrifying performance means a very exciting or thrilling performance. The late Michael Jackson always gave electrifying performances. The expression "bite the dust" means to fall in a way that your body hits the ground heavily. If a boxer punches someone so hard that he falls heavily to the ground, you can say he bit the dust. The expression can also mean to die or to fail. If an old and sick person dies, you can say he bit the dust. The Shamrock Hotel is biting the dust because the coronavirus has caused its business to fail. I used the expression "another one bites the dust" to describe the Shamrock Hotel because many old hotels in Hong Kong have closed or have been demolished.

          The famous Excelsior Hotel closed last year. The Furama Hotel, Hong Kong Hilton, Ambassador Hotel, and many others have been demolished. I went to these hotels many times when I was growing up. If one person after another dies, you can say "another one bites the dust". For example, if soldier after soldier dies in a war you can say "another one bites the dust". If one business after another fails, you can also say "another one bites the dust". Many Hong Kong restaurants have bitten the dust because of the coronavirus and many more will bite the dust.

        *****

          Another one bites the dust——大部份人都知道這句習語,因為它是搖滾樂隊皇后樂團一首流行歌的歌名。樂隊的主音,已故的費迪‧墨格利,唱這首歌時的演出總是激動人心的(electrifying)。雖然許多人純粹因為它是歌名才知道習語“another one bites the dust”,但其實這個習語有許多有趣的意思。上星期當我讀到,佐敦新樂酒店開業六十八年後將於本月結業的新聞報道時,就想起了這句習語。我對這間酒店非常熟悉,因為我年輕的時候,我家就住在酒店旁的柯士甸道。

          An electrifying performance意即非常激動人心、令人振奮的演出。已故的米高積遜就常常帶來令人興奮的(electrifying)演出。習語“bite the dust”意即重重地倒在地上。若一位拳手給對手一記重擊,令他重重地倒在擂台上,你便可以說“he bit the dust”。這個習語也可解作送命或大敗。若一位患病的老人去世,你也可以說“he bit the dust”。新樂酒店要倒閉了(biting the dust),因為新冠肺炎疫情令它的生意慘敗收場。我用到習語“another one bites the dust”去形容新樂酒店,因為香港已經有許多老字號酒店結業或被拆卸。

          知名的怡東酒店就在上年結業。富麗華酒店、香港希爾頓酒店、大使酒店,還有許多其他的老酒店均已一一拆卸。我成長的時期,就曾去過這些酒店許多遍。若某人死後,另一人接着過世,你便可以說“another one bites the dust”。譬如,戰爭中士兵一個接一個的陣亡,你便可以說“another one bites the dust”。若一家公司倒閉後,又有一家公司敗下陣來,你也可以說“another one bites the dust”。因為新冠肺炎疫情,香港已有許多餐廳關門大吉(bitten the dust),預計還有更多食肆陸續倒閉(bite the dust)。中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

        
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