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millstone

2018/10/25 04:12:26 網誌分類: 生活
25 Oct
          In my previous column I wrote that many Hong Kong people opposed Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s proposal for a massive (huge, large) artificial (man-made) island east of Lantau to provide land for future housing. Critics said the artificial island is too expensive, would damage the environment, and once the project began, there would be no turning back even if Hong Kong’s economy declines. Some critics and headline writers used the word “millstone” to describe the mega (enormous, gigantic) man-made island. They warned that the artificial island could be a millstone because it would use up a lot of Hong Kong’s fiscal reserves.

          A millstone is each of two circular stones used to grind something, such as grain. To grind something means to reduce it into small pieces or powder by crushing it. Millstones are very heavy. That’s why the word “millstone” also means a heavy burden or responsibility. The word is often used in the expression “a millstone around someone’s neck”. If you have a millstone around your neck, it means you have a heavy burden or responsibility you cannot escape from. For example, Hong Kong’s housing crisis is a heavy responsibility Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor cannot escape from. That’s why the crisis of unaffordable housing is a millstone around her neck.

          The word “fiscal” relates to money, such as government revenues and taxes. The word “reserves” relates to the money governments or banks keep for future payments or emergencies. The expression “fiscal reserves” used this way means the money a government has collected from taxes and other revenues and saved for future needs. The Hong Kong government has trillions of dollars in fiscal reserves. Former financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah was often criticized for not spending enough of the fiscal reserves to help Hong Kong people. But critics of the east Lantau artificial island say the project will use up too much of the government’s fiscal reserves and there will not be enough left for future emergencies. That’s why they say the project is a millstone around the government’s neck.

        * * *

          在上一篇專欄中我寫道,許多香港人也反對特首林鄭月娥的提議,為了給將來的住屋需要提供土地,在東大嶼興建大規模(massive)的人工(artificial)島。批評者說這個人工(artificial)島太昂貴了,會破壞環境,而且工程一旦開始了,即使香港經濟衰退也不能回頭。有些批評者和標題寫手會用上“millstone”一字去形容這個巨型的(mega)人工島。他們警告說,這個人工(artificial)島會是一個重擔(millstone),因為它會耗掉香港許多的財政儲備(fiscal reserves)。

          A millstone就是石磨,用以磨碎(grind)物件如穀物等。To grind something就是磨碎某物,將其碾成碎粒或粉末。石磨(millstone)是非常重的;因此,“millstone”一字也解作沉重的擔子或責任。這個字常被用於習語“a millstone around someone’s neck”之中。若你有a millstone around your neck,即是說你有不能逃避的沉重負擔或包袱。譬如,香港的房屋危機是林鄭月娥不能規避的沉重責任。因此,市民買不起房屋的危機是她沉重的負擔(millstone around her neck)。

          Fiscal即是財政的,例如政府的收入和稅款。Reserves則關乎政府或銀行的儲備,用作將來的支出或應急。習語“fiscal reserves”在這裡解作一個政府從稅收或其他收入所得,為將來需要而儲起的財政儲備。香港政府有數以萬億計的財政儲備(fiscal reserves)。前財政司司長曾俊華就常被批評沒有動用足夠的財政儲備(fiscal reserves)去幫助香港人,解民所困。然而,東大嶼人工(artificial)島的批評者則言,計劃會耗用政府太多的財政儲備,餘下的將不足以應付將來的緊急需要。因此他們說這個計劃是政府沉重的包袱(millstone around the government’s neck)。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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