“diddly squat”

2018/09/11 04:12:22 網誌分類: 生活

11 Sep

        　　British politician Boris Johnson used a colorful slang expression recently that I have not used in a long time. He said the United Kingdom would get diddly squat from British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plans. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone in Hong Kong use the expression “diddly squat” before. The adjective “colorful” means a lot of different bright colors, but used this way it means interesting or lively. Brexit is a new word that means Britain leaving the European Union. It’s a combination of the words “Britain” and “exit”. The slang expression “diddly squat” means a very small or worthless amount or nothing at all.

        　　When Johnson said the United Kingdom would get diddly squat from May’s Brexit plans, he meant the UK would get nothing at all or not anything at all from the Brexit plans. The expression can be used in different ways. For example, if you give useless suggestions to your boss to increase business, your boss can say your ideas are worth diddly squat, or nothing at all. If you talk a lot of nonsense, people can reply that what you say is diddly squat. Many people say independence advocate (supporter) Andy Chan Ho-tin’s ideas for Hong Kong independence are diddly squat. Used this way, the expression means his ideas are useless and worth nothing.

        　　Johnson is well-known for using colorful language. In addition to using the expression “diddly squat”, he also said May’s Brexit plans would result in the UK “lying flat on the canvas”. Canvas is a type of strong rough cloth used to make tents, bags, sails on boats, and many other things. Artists use canvas for oil paintings. The floors of boxing rings are also canvas-covered. When Johnson said May’s Brexit plans would result in the UK lying flat on the canvas, he meant the UK would be knocked out by the European Union and be left lying flat on the floor, just like when a boxer is knocked out by an opponent.

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        　　英國政客鮑里斯．約翰遜最近用了一個很有趣（colorful）的俚語，是個我很久沒有用過的俚語。他說，從首相文翠珊的脫歐（Brexit）方案中，英國所得到的將是diddly squat。我想我從未聽過香港任何人用過“diddly squat”這個習語。形容詞 colorful即色彩繽紛而絢麗，但在這裏則解作生動有趣的。Brexit是個新詞，意即英國脫離歐盟，它來自於 “Britain”和“exit”二字的結合。俚語diddly squat 意即非常小或沒價值的數目，又或甚麼也不是。

        　　當約翰遜說英國會從文翠珊的脫歐（Brexit）方案中取得 diddly squat，他的意思是從脫歐（Brexit）方案那裏英國將甚麼也拿不到，又或所得的是一文不值。這個習語可以有許多用法。譬如，若你就着如何提升生意額，向老闆提出無用的建議，你的老闆便可以說你的想法只是diddly squat，又或甚麼也不是。若你說了一派胡言，人們可以回應指你說的是 diddly squat。許多人也說，港獨擁護者（advocate）陳浩天對香港獨立的想法是 diddly squat——在這裏，此習語的意思是他的想法一無是處、一文不值。

        　　約翰遜以有趣（colorful）的用語而聞名。除了習語“diddly squat”之外，他也說文翠珊的脫歐（Brexit）方案會令英國“lying flat on the canvas”。Canvas就是帆布，用來製造帳篷、手袋、風帆及其他許多東西。藝術家會用油畫布（canvas）來畫油畫。拳擊擂台的地面也用帆布覆蓋（canvas-covered）。當約翰遜說，文翠珊的脫歐（Brexit）方案最終會令英國 lying flat on the canvas，他的意思是英國會被歐盟擊倒，昏倒躺地，正如一位拳擊手被對手擊昏一樣。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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