To muddy the waters

2016/12/13 08:41:16 網誌分類: 生活

13 Dec

        　　Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has muddied the waters of the chief executive election. His surprise announcement last Friday not to compete in next March’s election sent shockwaves throughout the city. Everyone had thought he would try for re-election. Many people believed it was a?sure bet?he would win because the central government supported him. His sudden decision to serve only one term has made the chief executive election wide open. To muddy the waters?means to make a situation more confused and even harder to understand. CY Leung’s decision not to try for a second term has?muddied the waters because Hong Kong people are now even more uncertain and confused about who the central government will support.

         The word “shockwave” used this way means a feeling of shock caused by something unexpected. For example, it will send?shockwaves?across the world if Donald Trump suddenly decides the US will recognize Taiwan as an independent country. A sure bet means a certainty, or something that is sure to happen. It’s a sure bet that China will never allow Hong Kong to be independent. The expression “wide open” when used to describe a competition or an election means the result is unpredictable, undecided, or uncertain. When everyone thought CY Leung would try for re-election, many people believed the result was predictable and that he would win because the central government supported him. But now the result is uncertain because the election is wide open.

         Who will become Hong Kong’s next chief executive now that the election is?wide open? Nobody knows. I don’t think even the central government knows. Several candidates have said they will seriously consider joining the election but it is no longer a sure bet who will win because CY Leung has muddied the waters. But I am sure most Hong Kong people want the next chief executive to unite our divided society. I think that is a?tall order. A?tall order means something that is very difficult to do.

        * * *

         特首梁振英攪渾了特首選舉這淌水（muddied the waters of the chief executive election），他上星期五意外地宣佈不再競逐三月的選舉，令全城震驚（sent shockwaves throughout the city）。人人都以為他會競逐連任，許多人相信他勝出是鐵定的（sure bet），因為中央政府支持他。他只出任一屆特首的這個突然決定，令特首選戰中門大開、結果難料（wide open）。 To muddy the waters就是令一個狀況更複雜、更難以理解。梁振英不連任的決定已然攪渾了這淌水（muddied the waters），因為香港人現在更迷惘，不確定中央到底會支持誰。

        　　Shockwave在這裏的意思是因着某件預料不到的事情而感到震驚。譬如，若特朗普突然決定，美國承認台灣為一個獨立國家的話，那將會令舉世震驚（send shockwaves across the world）。 A sure bet即必然的事，或一些鐵定會發生的事。中國永遠不會容許香港獨立，這是一定的（sure bet）。用習語wide open來形容一場比賽或一場選舉時，意即其結果難以預料、不能確定。當人人都以為梁振英會爭取連任，許多人相信那結果是可預料的，他也將會勝出，因為他得到中央的支持。但現在的結果難料，因此這場選舉是wide open的。

        　　現在選舉結果難料（wide open），誰會是香港下任特首？沒人知道。我認為甚至連中央政府都不知道。有好幾位候選人已經表示，他們會積極考慮參選，但因着梁振英攪渾了這淌水（muddied the waters），再沒有甚麼是必然（sure bet）的了。但我可以肯定，大部分香港人都希望下一任特首能夠團結這個分化的社會。我也認為這是個tall order，意即艱難的任務。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

回應 (0)

我要發表

To muddy the waters

網誌分類

最新網誌

月曆