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“tweetstorm”

2018/07/05 04:12:32 網誌分類: 生活
05 Jul
          Most people who follow politics know US President Donald Trump is an avid user of Twitter. He often sends out tweetstorms before dawn when most people are still asleep. He uses Twitter to criticize his political enemies, praise his supporters, and even to fire senior officials without first letting them know they will be fired. The adjective “avid” means very interested and enthusiastic about something. Many Hong Kong people are avid fans of the World Cup. A “tweetstorm” is a series of tweets (Twitter messages) sent one after the other by the same person. The word “dawn” means the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise.

          Last week Trump used Twitter to attack Harley-Davidson for its decision to move some production of motorcycles for European customers out of the US to avoid Europe’s trade tariffs on US goods. Europe began charging higher tariffs for some US goods after Trump charged higher tariffs for some European goods. Trump angrily criticized Harley-Davidson for being the first US company to “wave the white flag” in the trade war. To “wave the white flag” means to surrender. During times of war, soldiers sometimes actually waved a white flag to say they want to surrender. But the expression “wave the white flag” can also mean to surrender in other things without actually waving a white flag. For example, you can say: “The politician waved the white flag by deciding not to join the election because he knew he would lose”.

          Another expression for “wave the white flag” is “throw in the towel”. This means to admit defeat or to stop doing something because you know you cannot succeed. I tried to learn Mandarin but threw in the towel after a while because I knew I could never learn to speak it well although I can speak fluent Cantonese. Maybe one day I will find someone who can teach me to speak Mandarin well. Don’t forget that although “waving a white flag” means to surrender, a “red flag” has a totally different meaning. It means a warning of danger.

        ***

          大部份有留意政治的人都會知道,美國總統特朗普是個熱衷的(avid)推特使用者。他常常在黎明(dawn)前許多人還熟睡之際,瘋狂發推文(sends out tweetstorms)。他會用推持去批評他的政敵,讚揚他的支持者,甚至在沒有事先知會高級官員的情況下炒掉他們。形容詞“avid”是指對某事非常酷愛或熱衷。許多香港人都是熱衷(avid)世界盃的擁躉。A “tweetstorm”是同一個人一個接一個地發出一連串的推文(tweets)。Dawn是指日出前的破曉。

          哈利電單車決定將部份針對歐洲顧客的生產線遷離美國,以避開歐洲對美國出口貨徵收的關稅,上星期特朗普就以推特攻擊它。特朗普向某些歐洲進口貨品徵收更高的關稅後,歐洲亦開始向部份美國貨徵收更高的關稅。特朗普憤怒地批評哈利成了第一家在貿易戰中「舉白旗」(“wave the white flag”)的美國公司。To “wave the white flag”即是投降。在戰爭時期,士兵們有時真的會舉白旗(waved the white flag)以示投降之意。但習語“wave the white flag”也可以是指在其他事情上投降,不用真的舉白旗(waving a white flag)。譬如你可以說:「那名政客舉白旗(waved a white flag),決定不去參選了,因為他知道自己必敗。」

          跟“wave the white flag”相近的另一個習語是“throw in the towel”,意即認輸,或因覺自己成功無望而放棄。我試過學普通話,但過了一會兒後就「丟出毛巾」放棄(threw in the towel)了,因為即使我能說流利的廣東話,我知道自己永遠不能說得一口好的普通話。或許有一天,我可以找到一個能教我說好普通話的人吧。謹記,雖然「舉白旗」(“waving a white flag”)是指投降,但“red flag”(「紅旗」)就有截然不同的意思,它是表示危險的示警信號。

        mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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