2008年8月6日 星期三

One Pirate World

Chinese=中華? 考倒洋博士賴幸媛

TVBS
更新日期:2008/06/04 19:35

針對我國將以中華台北
的名義加入WHO,立法院民進黨今天把矛頭,對準陸委會主委賴幸媛,要求她把Chinese Taipei就字面意義直接翻譯中文,不過這下尷尬了,「Chinese」這個字怎麼翻,似乎都沒有「中華」的意思;民進黨立委群起考問,要怎麼化解這個敏感問題,可真把留學英國的賴幸媛當場給考倒了!

民進黨立委遇上賴幸媛,逮著機會,先來個英文大考驗。蔡同榮:「Chinese Taipei英文怎麼翻?怎麼翻成中文,你翻給我聽聽看。」賴幸媛:「官方翻中華台北?」蔡同榮:「賴主委啊,Chinese Taipei,外國人看是不是中國的台北?你有沒有在聽啊?」賴幸媛:「啊,中國的台北啊?」

綠 營立委:「如果依照你所學的英文,Chinese Taipei是什麼意思?外國人的感覺是怎樣?」賴幸媛:「…。」 Chinese這個英文單字看似簡單,一涉及了敏感的主權名稱問題,可真是讓賴主委怎麼回答都不對勁。 管碧玲:「Chinese是不是China的所有格代名詞?」賴幸媛:「Chinese可以理解成中國人,也可以理解成比較文化的。」 尷尬啊尷尬,綠營立委立刻來個冷嘲熱諷。管碧玲:「我是問你Chinese,你為什麼不敢回答?迴避回答?」賴幸媛:「我不是不答 ,我剛剛還在理解。」管碧玲:「你理解的真慢,你要去何嘉仁上課是不是?你要何嘉仁教你是不是?我們學英文的小朋友也會啊!」 一個小學生都知道的英文翻譯,一遇上敏感的主權問題,可真把留學英國的賴博士給一次考倒。

Chinese = Zhonghua? Dr. Lai Xingyuan fails the test

Concerning using the name "Zhonghua Tapei" to enter the WHO, DPP legislators today took aim Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairperson Lai Xingyuan, asking her to translate "Chinese Taipei" into Chinese. The situation turned a bit akward as however one translates "Chinese", it doesn't seem to mean "Zhonghua". DPP legistlators insisted, if you want to solve this sensitive question, one really should ask British-educated Lai Xingyuan to come out and address this.

When DPP Legislators came across Lai Xingyuan they took advantage of the opportunity and gave her an English test. Cai Tongrong started, "Chinese Taipei, that English expressionm, how does that translate into Chinese?" Lai Xingyuan responded, "The official translation is Zhonghua Taipei." Cai Tongrong shot back, "Lai Xingyuan, when foreigners hear 'Chinese Taipei', don't they think 'Zhongguo Taipei' (China's Taipei)?" Lai Xingyuan, after a pause responded, "Hmmm, Zhongguo Taipei, eh?"

DPP legislators continued, "If you go based on what we studied when we learned English, what does 'Chinese Taipei' mean? What will foreigners think?" This English word, Chinese, appears very simple, but it is connected to sensitive questions concerning sovereignty. This caused Lai Xingyuan's response to be a little difficult. Guan Binling later said, "Is Chinese the possessive form of China?" Lai responded, "You can read it as meaning Chinese people and you can also read it as meaning Chinese culture." After this awkward pass, DPP legislators kept up their assault. Guan Binling continued, "I asked you about Chinese, this word, why are you avoiding the question?" Lai, "I'm not avoiding the question! I just got what you guys are getting at." Guan Biling, "You're more than a bit slow! You want to go to Hess and take some English classes? You want Hess to give you some lessons? Even our children there studying English could figure this out!" Even grammar school students know the English translation. Run into a sensitive question of sovereignty, best to ask British-eduated Dr. Lai to help you figure it out.