“pardon”

2016/09/22 08:41:20 網誌分類: 生活

22 Sep

        　　Did you know American presidents have unlimited powers to pardon criminals or even to pardon people accused of breaking the law but who have not yet been charged? The word “pardon” has several meanings. If someone says something to you but you did not hear it properly and want that person to repeat it, you can say “pardon me” or “I beg your pardon”. Used this way, the word “pardon” means “what?” or “what did you say?” If you accidentally step on someone’s foot you can also say “pardon me”, which means “sorry” or “excuse me”. But if an American president pardons a criminal, it means the criminal is officially forgiven and can be released from prison. If the criminal has already finished the prison sentence, the president’s pardon means that person’s criminal record will be cancelled.

         One of the most famous pardons by an American president was in 1974 when President Gerald Ford pardoned?Richard Nixon who had resigned as president because of the Watergate scandal. There was a high possibility Nixon would be charged with crimes involving the Watergate scandal but Ford, who replaced Nixon as president, pardoned?him before the Department of Justice could charge him. American presidents can?pardon?people at any time but usually do so during their final days as president. By pardoning people just before they finish their term as president, they don’t have to care about criticism.

         President Barack Obama’s last day as president will be?January 20?next year. Many Americans, including famous movie stars, have started a campaign for Obama to?pardon?Edward Snowden, the former CIA and National Security Agency computer expert who leaked military secrets of US government spying on Americans as well on people around the world. Is Snowden a?villain?(bad person, criminal) or a hero? As an American myself, I am?in two minds. This means I am unable to decide. He is a hero for revealing the US government spied on its own citizens. But many Americans feel he is a villain?for revealing defence secrets that put US national security at risk. I don’t think Obama will?pardon?Snowden.

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        你可知道，美國總統有無限權力特赦（pardon）罪犯，甚至特赦（pardon）那些被指控犯了法，但未被落案起訴的人？Pardon 有幾個意思，若有人跟你說話但你聽不清楚，希望那人再說一遍，你可以說“pardon me”或者“I beg your pardon”，在這種用法裏，“pardon”的意思是「甚麼？」、「你剛剛說甚麼？」若你意外踩到某人的腳，你也可以說 “pardon me”，意思就是「對不起」或「不好意思」。但若一位美國總統pardons a criminal，便是指特赦罪犯，那罪犯會被正式赦免，免除服刑而獲釋；若那名罪犯已經完成服刑，那麼總統的特赦（pardon）便意味着那人的犯罪紀錄會被刪除。

        　　其中一個最有名的美國總統特赦（pardons），是一九七四年福特總統特赦（pardoned）因為水門醜聞而辭任總統的尼克遜。尼克遜很有可能因着許多與水門事件相關的罪行而被起訴，然而，接替尼克遜擔任總統的福特，卻在司法部起訴他前特赦了（pardoned）他。美國總統可以於任何時間特赦（pardon）人，但通常在其任期尾聲才會這樣做。在總統任期剛要完之前特赦（pardoning），便不用理會批評。

        　　奧巴馬最後一天當總統是明年一月二十日。許多美國人，包括知名的電影明星，開展了要求奧巴馬特赦（pardon）愛德華．史諾登的行動，他就是前美國中央情報局及國家安全局的電腦技術員，洩露美國政府監聽美國以至全世界人民的機密。史諾登是壞蛋（villain）還是英雄？身為美國人，我正是in two minds，意即我猶豫未決。對於揭發美國政府監聽本國公民，他是英雄；但也有許多美國人認為他是罪犯（villain），因他揭露了國防機密，令美國國家安全受到威脅。我不認為奧巴馬會特赦（pardon）史諾登。

        　　＊許多讀者提議我在專欄中包含讀音，我的編輯終於找到法子了。由今日開始，我的專欄會加上 QR code，你只須用手機掃描 QR code，就可以聆聽我朗讀專欄的錄音。希望這能幫助大家改善英文字詞的發音。mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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