在聶永真和阿滴等人共同發起的 The New York Times 募資文裡頭，很多人特別喜歡這句話: "In a time of isolation, we choose solidarity." (在孤立的時刻，我們選擇團結。)

isolation 是孤立，反映出台灣被孤立。
solidarity 的相反詞也可以是 disunity，分裂、不團結。

這句話的強度，特別來自於兩個對照詞：isolation 跟 solidarity。而不管是在一句話中、一個段落中、還是一整個文章中，都可以用這樣的 contrast 來加強想要表達的想法。

"Through opposite and contrasting ideas, writers make their arguments stronger, thus making them more memorable for readers due to emphasis placed on them."

• 而在美國三大媒體回應中國將他們驅逐在外時，在他們的共同文中，也這樣寫:

In this moment of SHARED (共同的) crisis, China has decided to EXPEL (驅逐) American journalists from a number of news organizations, including the three we oversee, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

• 撰寫《人類大歷史》、《人類大命運》、《21世紀的21堂課》的作者Yuval Noah Harari 也在最近在Financial Times 以 "The World After Coronavirus" 為名撰文，他這樣寫著:

Will we travel down the route of disunity, or will we adopt the path of global solidarity?

If we choose disunity, this will not only prolong (延長) the crisis but will probably result in even worse catastrophes in the future.

If we choose global solidarity, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus but against all future epidemics and crises that might assail (攻擊) humankind in the 21st century.

簡單一句話送給大家:
• Times of crisis are also times of opportunity. (危機也是轉機)

➠ 你也喜歡在閱讀時可以不只是看意思，還可以看出背後的語言如何表達的嗎？「廣讀」也許可以給你不少新的知識、接觸各式各樣的單字。但「窄讀」才能讓我們對於語言、表達更敏感，更專注地做語言學習。

這時從 comprehension 到 production 將更容易發生。

✔︎ 如果你也喜歡窄式學習、如果你也喜歡正向心理學，歡迎看看我花了超級多時間籌畫，與 VoiceTube Vclass合作的線上課程 (早早鳥最後 48 hours)。

➠ ➠ 一秒了解、預購課程 ➠ ➠ https://bit.ly/2QLPhus

#Crux 點解可以等於 #戲肉
//• The crux of Hong Kong's crisis is Beijing's excessive emphasis on "one country" over "two systems". 香港危機的癥結，就是北京過分着重 「#一國」#先於「#兩制」。//
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2019-12-09 明報
A20 | 英文 English | 毛孟靜
Crux 與「戲肉」
許多事故、每 個爭議，都會有個中心點。這個癥結 所在，英文叫 the crux of the matter。

曾多次聽到有人把 crux 講成crust，這肯定是錯的。Crust 是指任 何物體硬的外層，像a thin crust of snow；而bread crust，就是 我們口語的麵包「皮」。

Crux，拉丁文中指十字，但與宗教的十字架無關，用於英文，解作困難difficulty 或puzzle 疑團， 包含一點在十字路口 （crossroads）徘徊的意思。

• The rule of law should have been the crux of democracy. 法治精神原應是民主制度的 核心。

• The crux of Hong Kong's crisis is Beijing's excessive emphasis on "one country" over "two systems". 香港危機的癥結，就是北京過分着重 「一國」先於「兩制」。

• The crux of Hong Kong's problems is that we need true universal suffrage — minus Beijing's power to screen out candidates who are politically "unfit" in its eyes. 香港問題的 核心，是我們要有真普選—— 除去北京可篩走政治「不適當」候選人的權力。

• The crux of the trial is his whereabouts at the time of the murder. 這場審訊的重點，是謀殺發生之際，他到底身在何處。

• Never mind the wedding ceremony. The crux is do you really love her ? 不必理會婚禮。重點是，你愛她嗎？

也有許多人用heart 心臟來代替crux，以示重要、中心部位，a critical, central point：the heart of the matter。

• Let's stop arguing superficially and get to the heart of the matter. 我們停止表面的爭 執，直接談問題的核心吧。

• Sigh. As expected, money was at the hear t of the matter. 唉！一如所料，講到底也不過是為了錢。

留意以上這句，譯做中文不必 用上重點、癥結、核心之類的 詞語，用回我們的常用語更能達意。

中英文一樣，不管寫作或說 話，最好避免重複用同樣的字。 在英語寫作中，懂得用同義詞 synonyms 非常重要。

譬如說，不想重複crux 或 heart of the matter，可以簡單改說the focus、the focal point 焦點。

• We mustn't digress. We must stick to the focus of the matter. 大家不可離題，必須專注事件的焦點。

更好的說法，可以是：

• We mustn't digress. Let's focus on what really matters. 視乎上文下理，crux 的同義詞另有core 核心、essence 精粹 及gist 主旨。

• Cash flow often lies at the core of the small shop's problems. 資金周轉不靈老是這家小店的最大問題。

• Don't tell me everything. I just need to know the essence/ gist of their argument. 不用什 麼都告訴我。我只要知道他們 論點的撮要/ 重點。

留意上述essence 及gist 的 用法，主旨是不必囉嗦，把重點 「一句過」說明就好。最後還有 許多人都未必知道的：

Meat of the matter，一樣解作事件主題、核心或重點。為什麼會用到meat 肉呢？這 個，也許記得我們口語中「戲肉」的肉就好。

文︰毛孟靜

香港大專學界國際事務代表團 x 「我要攬炒」團隊

816遮打【「英美港盟 主權在民」集會 | 「Stand with Hong Kong, Power to the People」Rally】—— 攬炒巴發言 Speech by the Scorched-Earth Team

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發言全文：
Full text of the Speech:

大家好，我係「我要攬炒」，好多謝大家出席呢一個晚會。
Hello everyone, I am “Scorched Earth”. Thank you all for coming to our rally this evening.

大專學界嘅集會結語，係向國際發出呼籲。而我攬炒，會以一個普通人身份向香港人致謝，亦多謝英國國會議員拍片支持，同表達少少對前路嘅睇法。
Hong Kong IAD closed their speech by making an appeal for international support I, as an ordinary HongKonger, would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation towards the Hongkongers and UK MPs who support Hong Kong, and give my two pennies on how the crisis of Hong Kong may develop in the near future.

點解我會叫自己做我要攬炒呢。其實源於6月9號當日，我發現幾乎所有香港政府高官同保皇黨都有外國護照。
You may wonder why I took the pseudonym “Scorched Earth”. On 9th of June, I noticed that almost all of the government officials and pro-government politicians are holding foreign passports.

佢地只係假放棄外國護照一次，就享有肆意出賣香港利益既權力，與民為敵。
They may just renounce their passports once, leaving the option of reclaiming them later, they would be empowered to take personal advantage in their positions at the expense of Hong Kong, and act against the benefits of Hongkongers.

賣港之後，啲官同保皇黨就手執外國護照，一走了之。所以，我要取消佢地嘅外國護照重發權利，生生世世留喺大灣區，共享大灣區榮耀。同佢地攬炒。
After abusing their power for their own benefits, they may still leave Hong Kong by reclaiming their renounced passports. I therefore seek to have their rights to reclaim their foreign passport removed. They will then be forced to stay forever in China and to face the same “bright” future as us. If Hongkongers burn, they burn with us - thus the selection of the pseudonym of “Scorched Earth”.

不知不覺間，香港人已經奮戰咗兩個月。而呢兩個月，有三個時刻特別令我感觸同決定奮戰落去，同大家齊上齊落。
It feels like not a long time, but Hongkongers have been fighting for over two months already There were three particular moments during the last two months that touched me and made me even more determined to fight on, shoulders to shoulders, with everyone.
————-

第一個時刻，係6月10號見到有年青人，絕望地回應當權者 「反正都無未來，不如一槍啪死我」
The first moment was back on 10th June, when a young protestor hopelessly said to those in power, ‘You might as well kill me with a bullet – there is no future for me anyway.’

第二個時刻，係7月1號，梁繼平義士同大家講「我地今次一輸就係輸十年」
Then on the 1st of July, when the fearless protestor Brian Leung said ‘If we lose this battle, we are giving up our next ten years.’

第三個時刻，係7月廿八號，元朗有義士既盾牌俾子彈射穿，記者問佢點解仲堅持，義士好堅定咁回答「光復香港，時代革命」
The third moment was on 28th of July in Yuen Long. A police bullet went through the shield of one of the protestors. When a journalist asked why he was still standing firm for his belief , he said without hesitation , ‘Reclaim Hong Kong. Revolution of our times’.

呢三個時刻，反映到香港人逐漸將絕望嘅心情，轉化為無比勇氣對抗暴政。
These three moments show exactly how HongKongers gradually turn their hopelessness into courage, to fight against tyranny.
————

呢一刻我哋可能覺得好疲倦、好憤怒、好氣餒，但係請我哋唔好放棄，因為呢個係光復香港，時代革命嘅最後機會。
We may be tired, angry, or dejected, but please do not give up. This is the last chance to reclaim Hong Kong and succeed in the revolution of our times.

「光復香港，時代革命」唔係一句空洞口號，更加唔應該俾人利用黎分化我哋。
“Reclaim Hong Kong. Revolution of our times’ is not merely a slogan, and most definitely should not be used by some to divide us.


因為「光復香港」指既係：
光復香港嘅自由、人權、民主、資源自主同國際定位
It is because “Reclaim Hong Kong” means, to reclaim the freedom, human rights, democracy, control of resources and positioning in the world of Hong Kong.

而「時代革命」嘅意思係：
聲稱五十年不變既時代之中，由香港人一齊由下至上撼動政權，改變政治體制。
And “Revolution of Our Times” means, within the 50 years promised to have no changes in way of life, Hongkongers to shaken the government from bottom up together and to change the political system.
———

學術上，只要社會大眾，嘗試由下而上令 政治體制 有變化，就係革命。所以，2014年係革命，2016年係革命，2019年都係革命。
Academically, ‘revolution’ is a bottom-up attempt by the masses to bring about structural changes to their political system. That is why, it was a revolution in 2014, so was 2016, and now, WE ARE IN A REVOLUTION in 2019.

1984年至今35年，香港人不斷退讓，抱薪救火，最終導致退無可退。
Since the Joint Declaration was signed in 1984, for 35 years HongKongers have been compromising, naively believing that this is the way to save ourselves. That led to the dead end we are facing today.

對我地年輕一輩黎講，與其2047年默默死去，倒不如趁香港尚有 一絲希望既情況用盡最後一口氣，創造未來。
To the younger generation, they either rot towards death upon the arrival of year 2047, or, whilst there is still a chance, they would rather sacrifice themselves in the hope of real changes, and to pave a new path for Hong Kong.

有年長一輩問，到底我地後生既有無勇氣，
將抗爭 交返俾 傳統大台領導。
Some from the older generation asked, whether these youngsters are brave enough to let the established political parties to lead the movement again.

我不禁反問，傳統思維一輩又有無勇氣，放棄三十年黎既模式，放手俾我地手足以新思維新方式改寫香港命運？
I would ask in return, whether the established parties be brave enough to let go of the same old way they have been operating for 30 years, and let the next generation lead in their new mentality?

———

當年青人日以繼夜，夜以繼日以不同方式向政府施壓既同時，旦願我地回過頭黎，會見到年長一輩企喺現場，默默支持我地。
When young men and women continue to pile pressure onto the government day by day with their ever-changing strategy of protests , I just hope we would see more from the older generation to be there in the sites of protest to support us.

年輕人需要既唔係金錢、唔係食物，而係活生生既人願意走出黎支持。
The support from people literally standing side by side with the young protestors means much more than supports in form of money and food.
——-

今日之所以邀請不同光譜、不同年齡層既人士上台，就係為咗向全世界展示出：
The reason that people from a broad spectrum and from different age group are invited today, is to show the world that:

無論香港情況幾嚴峻，香港人都唔會因為政治理念、年齡不同而廢言、割席，無論有幾多風波，我地依然團結為我地既訴求奮勇到底。
No matter how dire the situation is, how different our views and ages are, and how challenging the situation is, HongKongers will stay united.

由今日起，我地唔應該再分勇武同和理非。出得黎既就係手足，係抗爭者，用核彈都唔會割。
From now on, there should be no more classification of aggressive or peaceful protestors. Once we are together on the streets of Hong Kong, we are each other’s brothers and sisters, limbs and body. We are one. Nothing can divide us.

——-

我必須強調大專學界同攬炒都有同樣信念：就係拒絕大台。
I would like to emphasis HK IAD and our team do not condone any one single leading platform for the whole movement

如果有大台出現，我會出全力摧毀佢；假如有一日，我成為大台一部分，請大家一視同仁，將我拉落黎，拆我台。
If such a platform is ever formed, I will do my utmost to demolish it. If I ever become part of such a platform, I ask you to do the same to overthrow me and demolish the platform.

只要拒絕迷信大台模式，唔割席，唔氣餒，善用國際思維，我地一定會贏。
As long as we all believe in the leaderless model, stay united, keep our spirit, and to think global, we shall prevail.

香港人，寧化飛灰，不作浮塵，光復香港，時代革命！
We would rather live freely and burn, then to be subjugated and diminished. We are HongKongers.
“Reclaim Hong Kong. Revolution of our Times”