翻譯：注意

可以是pay attention to，也可以是take note of，等等。

相似字有「注重」，英文是attach importance to。

詞語: feed into

係書度見到這句：　so your situation analysis feeds naturally into your strategies and plans...

feed 是餵哺，feed into卻原來解「影響」。

句構: Following is/are...

例子: Following are some methods to help you break down your planning. 

Following指「以下」。Following are即「以下是...」。

The BBC, but NASA

延長句子方法(3)：後置名詞修飾語之分詞詞組

當講到participle phrase, 不外乎講兩種，一種叫做present partipial phrase,即用verb-ing開始的phrase, 一種是past participial phrase,即用過去分詞開始的phrase.例如:

Present partipial phrase: Entering the 21st century, China has emerged as an economic powerhouse that can rival that of Japan, the US and the Europe.

Past participial phrase: Written by the personnel director, the office manual details the rules of employment.

記得以前教學生呢種句子結構時,好多時學生係唔明究竟個分詞應該係present participle定past participle. 其實要分究竟應用邊種分詞,只係睇個動作係主動定被動.一點也不複雜.

呢度要特別講兩個特別情況, 一個係錯的, 一個係模稜兩可的.

錯的句子結構叫dangling modifier. 例子:

Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.

句子中having finished the assignment係個participial phrase, the TV was turned on係個main clause. 問題係:究竟那participial phrase修飾main clause哪部分? the TV? TV唔會做功課喎. 其實個作者係想講:

Having finished the assignment, Tim turned on the TV.

呢句句子個participial phrase好明顯係修飾Tim. 

係Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on呢句句子,我地叫Having finished the assignment係dangling modifier. 因為呢句participial phrase要修飾的東西,根本唔見咗, (dangle,即吊咗係半空,搵唔到落腳點)

另一種情況就相反,唔係搵唔到要modify的物體,卻係有多過一個可修飾的句子部份.例:

The woman closed the door, driven by the wind.

究竟driven by the wind係指the woman定係the door? 

基本上,兩種句子也要提防.

句構：Asyndeton

今日我遇到一個問題，就係例如以下一句：

I like apples, bananas, oranges, and watermelons.

句中的and可否不要？

上討論區問呢個問題，有高手回答。

原來，跟中文一樣，英文也有修辭手法。其中一種就係為了句子更有節奏感，而刻意不加and:

I like apples, bananas, oranges, watermelons.

這種手法叫Asyndeton。

相反，又可以在一系列事物之間不斷加and，變成：

I like apples, and bananas, and oranges, and watermelons.

同樣，也是增加了節奏感。

詳細可參考這個網址：http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm#Asyndeton

句構： future obligation

在討論區我問了以下兩句有無分別;

"It is not only to deepen students’ understanding of positive values, but also to enable them to know how to uphold positive values."

vs

"It not only deepens students’ understanding of positive values, but also enables them to know how to uphold positive values."

你們認為有無分別?答案可參考各位高手的答案.

句構：不定式與分詞詞組的分別（目的vs因果）

昨日在討論區問了如下問題：

In response to the long-term measures recommended by the School Board, the then Principal initiated the Pledge Day on “Clean LA", to encourage all schools to make the “Clean LA” commitment on that day.

I wonder if it sounds better to replace the to-infinitive clause with a participle clause:

In response to the long-term measures recommended by the School Board, the then Principal initiated the Pledge Day on “Clean LA", encouraging all schools to make the “Clean LA” commitment on that day.

because I think it is seldom to use to-infinitive clauses after a comma.

我覺得個答案幾好。原來to-infinitive詞組與分詞詞組，有一點點微秒的分別。

文法：英文冠詞的問題

在討論區問了個關於英文冠詞的問題:

Apart from disposing of rubbish carefully and changing the water that hold plants every week, name two other methods to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water.

Can I omit the "the" before "accumulation"? I always think the use of articles is one of the most difficult thing in English learning.

答案竟然是:....

句構：讓...

中文有種句子,是什麼什麼「讓」什麼什麼的,例如: 手機讓我們生活更加方便.

英文譯讓,有多種譯法, 可以用enable, let, allow, make, 例如:  X allows Y to ......

其實還有其他，可參考這裡的例子。

翻譯：指出

「指出」有多種譯法:

noted, pointed out, stated 等等....

成語(3):設身處地

Put yourself into somebody's shoes, 即設身處地，從別人的角度設想。

詞語：expeditiously

從速的英文, 用呢個字我鍾意.

延長句子方法系列(2)：後置名詞修飾語種類

延長句子,要用postnoun modifier(後置名詞修飾語）.有幾多種postnoun modifier呢？

第一種是adjective, 最普通的形容詞. 形容詞一般加係前面,加係後面的情況,可以係一般adjectives,也可能是participles.會開一篇詳談. 

第二種也是普遍的prepositional phrase,也是十分常用. 我也會寫一篇介紹.

第三種有少少似第一種的participle,但不是單詞,而是短語(phrase),叫participial phrase.像participle一樣,分present participial phrase及perfect participial phrase. 也會開一篇講.

第四種是類似prepositional phrase的不定詞短語(infinitives).Infinitives的主要成份是動詞,因此可能有動詞補語(complements)或副詞短語(adverbial),比prespositional phrase複雜少少.會有一篇講.

第五種noun modifier是relative clause,也是今篇要講的內容.

第六種是名詞短語(noun phrase). 名詞一向可以係另一個名詞之前作adjectival,例如ice cream, bus stop.同時也可以係postnoun adjectivial,例如

the party last night
the ride home

最後一種係大家估唔到的adverb. Adverb可修飾名詞?對呀, adverb可作adjectivial. 例:

That is my idea exactly.(exactly是idea的adjectival)

The residents here have no future. (here是residents的adjectival)

說回今篇的題目. 其實relative clause好多中學生大概中二都會學。relative clause又名adjectival clause, 好明顯係因為relative clause根本就係去modify名詞. 例如:

Friends are people who can share joy and pain with you.

呢度想指出一樣野. 就係句中的relative clause, 中學生都會學係defining relative clause,或叫restrictive relative clause. 意思即係因為句子它要修飾的名詞唔清楚係邊個, 所以要指明.例如上面個句, Friends are people, 咁係咩人? 就係啲會同你share joy and pain嘅人。所以呢個relative clause係去限制(restrict)個Noun phrase可能的referents(所指).

我想補充一點,就係呢種無comma的 relative clause, 除咗restrictive之外, 有時更加似係descriptive. 例如:

Mary has a daughter who is very diligent. 

呢句嚟講, who is very diligent係咪去限制daughter呢?你可以話, Mary has a daughter who is diligent呢句,係想講Mary個女究竟係咩類型、咩性格等. 所以與其用restrictive去形容,不如用descriptive. 

延長句子方法(1):用狀語修飾動詞

首先大家要明白咩係狀語(adverbial).

狀語即係modifier of the verb(動詞的修飾語),回答何時、何地、為何、如何等W問題(when, why, where, how) 

所以延長句子,首先要講的,係點樣可以以修飾動詞來延長句子.

基本上有五種修飾動詞的辦法:

第一種是副詞,例如: She goes to work late. Late是goes的副詞.

第二種是prepositional phrase. 例如呢句有三個介詞短語:

We hiked in Sai Kung for three hours on Sunday.

in Sai Kung答哪裡,for three hours答多久,on Sunday答何時.

第三種係大家都估唔到的,就係名詞短語(noun phrase).估唔到,因為無人唸到原來名詞也可作狀語用,但事實上呢種句子我地經常見到:

She walked home.

I am leaving next year.

I am going your way.

I travel a great deal.

He flies business class.

I sent the mail airmail.

He arrived yesterday.

有趣嗎? 舉例:He arrived yesterday, yesterday是答緊佢幾時到, 咁當然係adverbial, 但yesterday大家要知道係名詞嚟架.

第四種係動詞短語,最主要都是不定詞短語(infinitives).例:

Mary is taking a Semantics course this year to understand the relationship between words. 

句中的to understand the relationship between words是修飾is taking,解釋為何Mary要take a Semantics course.

這裡要留意, 不定詞作副詞時, 它的subject也是main clause的subject, 例如在上句, to understand的subject跟is taking的subject一樣是是Mary. 

補充一句, 不定詞跟in order to大致上也是一樣的,只係in order to係一個phrasal preposition. 例如上句, 就等於:

Mary is taking a Semantics course this year in order to understand the relationship between words. 

我說大致上,因為有啲時候infinitives不是解"為了", 例如:

I arrived home only to find the light had not been switched off. 

如果呢句的infinitive係解"為咗"就唔合理, 因為我返屋企的目的唔係去發現燈未熄.咁點解呢? 其實句子反而係較似:

I arrived home and found the light had not been switched off. 

咁幾時知呢個infinitives係解「目的是」,幾時唔係咁解? 呢個真係好難講,只能夠話大部分情況都係解「目的係」,唔係咁解的情況有限.



最後第五種就係呢篇介紹的adverb clause, 或adverbial clause. 例如這句:

No matter the size of your campaign, this chapter helps you to integrate printed materials, which may include print advertising as well as e-brochures.

          No matter what you do, you'll succeed if you don't give up. 

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t win her heart. 

No matter..., 我們叫subordinate clause. no matter我們叫做subordinate conjunction. No matter what you do或no matter how hard I try都是subordinate clause.

留意,no matter what 可精簡為whatever, no matter how 精簡為however:

Whatever you do, you'll if you don't give up.

However I try, I just can't win her heart. 

參考:http://www.learnerhall.org/2013/01/no-matter-whatwhichwhohowwherewhen.html

數字數量系列(2): 一億英文係咩?

中文的1億, 英文是叫one hundred million, 因為million是一百萬.所以無一個字係解"億".

倒轉來說, 英文的billion, 中文係無一個對應的字的. 1 billion即10億. 

所以睇英文文章講到呢啲大數字, 個腦要轉一下先可理解個數究竟有幾大. 

翻譯：提高警覺

當然英文不是increase the alert. 英文有所謂stock phrase, 用開的英文主要是stay/ remain vigilant, 當然也有enhance the awareness, 或heighten the alertness. 

成語(2):同心協力

同心協力的英文是什麼?

可以簡單的寫"work together to", 或者用"join forces"，但通常都用"make concerted efforts to"。

也可以是make a concerted effort to, 例如：

We made a concerted effort to solve the problem.

翻譯：練習1

衞生署網頁關於登革熱資料:

登革熱

Dengue Fever

further practice: 其他政府有關登革熱的網頁:

1. 登革熱

Dengue Fever

2. 蚊蟲及其防治

Mosquito pests and their control

3. 二零一五年滅蚊運動

Anti-mosquito Campaign 2015

4. Guidelines to prevent dengue fever (有中英文版)

5, 衞生署旅遊健康服務登革熱專頁（www.travelhealth.gov.hk/tc_chi/popup/popup_dengue.html）[中英文]

成語(1)：身體力行

除了google translate, 我也喜歡用Linguee這翻譯網頁。例如，打入「身體力行」，佢會俾好多例子人地點譯，並附上出處，例如政府的網頁。另外，佢也會顯示這中文成語的英語習語是：

practice what one preaches 

翻譯：比較

雖然話google translate幾好，但翻譯呢家野有好多種方法。我比較政府官方和google translate譯以下這一句：

張建宗在致辭時說，要改善環境，需要每一位市民做好個人衞生，同時注重公眾地方的清潔。他呼籲市民攜手同心，響應這次運動，共建一個清潔及清新的城市。

翻譯：

（Google) Mr Cheung said in his speech, to improve the environment, every citizen needs good personal hygiene, while focusing on cleaning public places. He urged the public to join hands in response to the movement, to build a clean and fresh city.

(官方）Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheung said all citizens should attach importance to personal and environmental hygiene. He called for concerted efforts to support the campaign and build a cleaner and fresher city.

其實Google咁譯都無咩問題，雖然唔係咁靚，但睇落都明。政府將「注重」譯作attach importance 係好過focusing on。在第二句，政府譯法精簡些，「呼籲」譯call for可以的，攜手同心政府譯作concerted efforts，但urged the public to join hands我覺得ok喎，夠直接。而「響應」，我覺得Google譯in response to係好過support，因為support係支持，有些分別。而「運動」，當然是campaign啦.

翻譯：在適當時間

初頭譯at suitable times, 但同事說appropriate比suitable好。但原來at appropriate times也錯，因為要at the appropriate time.

to-infinitive clause vs -ing participle clause

文法／翻譯：take action

「訂立目標，並付諸實行」如何譯?

同事譯咗To set goals and take actions. 

望落無咩問題,但今日我才發現, 是take action,不是actions. Actions指一個個動作，而take action指的「採取行動」中的action是指過程，不可數，如牛津所解： the process of doing something in order to make something happen or to deal with a situation。

翻譯：跨學科

今日用google translate翻跨學科一詞, 出了interdisciplinary. 同事叫我望下官方用開咩字,原來官方用開cross-curricular. 所以,有時都要預備下一啲約定俗成的翻譯.

句構：wish

今日做翻譯工作時,發現Google Translate真係幾有用!當然唔可以完全靠佢,但用佢先譯一次,再執,慳好多時間!

當我譯下面呢句個陣:

祝大家身心健康、活出精彩人生!

本來我譯: I wish you health and have a wonder life.

後來再唸吓,修改成:

I wish you health and a wonderful life.

因為wish這個字幾得意,可以作ditransitive verb, 如I wish you happy birthday, wish後跟兩個名詞. 當然I wish you have a wonderful life也可以(參考牛津),但health and a wonderful life達到平衡效果.

翻譯：平安、豐盛、恩惠

幫朋友譯一些東西,以下是原文:

由最初希望記錄佔領運動的成年人，到見證一班基督徒在佔領區的足跡，Tim與香港人一同經歷謊言、暴力、恐嚇，同時感到平安、豐盛、恩惠。

我將它譯成:

Tim changed from recording the adults’ occupy movement, which was his original plan, to witnessing the activities of the Christians in the occupied areas. While putting up with the lies, violence, and intimidation as other Hongkongers did, he has also experienced peace, abundance and grace.

 最後幾隻字：「平安、豐盛、恩惠」，我開頭唸過用peace, prosperity , gratefulness。但prosperity 解的「繁榮」，比較物質性，abundance則可解「足夠」，所含的不單指物質，因此我用abundance.

而恩惠，gratefulness來自grateful，意指感恩。其實gratitude更加好，原因與意思無關，只因個字靚啲（如此文所言）。但再想，恩惠與感恩又有啲唔同，因此最後都係用grace，即恩典。