2013年3月5日 星期二

頭條日報 頭條網 - Middle-class=coffee+French movies?! by Michael Chugani

2013-03-05

Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=228821§ion_name=wtt&kw=126


I want to thank Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. He has given hope to Hong Kong's 1.2 million poor people. Tsang explained on radio how easy it is for poor people to join the middle-class. There are two simple steps: drink coffee and watch French movies. He defined (described exactly the meaning of) middle-class people as those who drank coffee and watched movies, not how much they earned. So, if you are poor, don't despair (lose hope). Just drink coffee and watch French films (British English for movies). If you drink a lot of coffee and watch many French films, you might even hurtle (go very fast) past the middle-class and reach the rich-class. But if you stop doing that, you might tumble (fall suddenly) back to the poor-class.

        T sang earns over $300,000 a month, lives in a big mansion in Shouson Hill, has a chauffeur (driver), and flies first-class, all paid for by taxpayers. But he says he belongs to the middle-class because he watches French movies and drinks tea, which he prefers. With such a high salary, Tsang must be able to afford excellent-quality tea. Can a poor person who can only afford coffee in a "cha chaan teng" (local tea restaurant) rather than in Starbucks still join the middle-class? Tsang should hold a press conference to reassure poor people who aspire (yearn, hope, have an ambition) to join the middle-class that they can still do so even if they only drink coffee in a cha chaan teng.

        The French movie Amour just won the Oscar for the best foreign-language film. Will poor people who aspire to join the middle-class get there faster if they watch Oscar-winning movies? Tsang should clarify (make clear) that too at his press conference. If the theatre staff won't allow you to bring your own coffee to a French movie you can explain that the financial secretary said that's the way to join the middle-class. Poor people who cannot afford a theatre ticket for Amour can consider buying a fake copy from Shenzhen. Is that OK, Mr Tsang ?

        * * *

        我想多謝財政司司長曾俊華。他為香港一百二十萬窮人賦予希望。他在電台說明,窮人要成為中產是多麼容易的事。那只需要兩個簡單的步驟:喝咖啡和看法國電影。他定義(defined)中產為喝咖啡和看電影的人,不論收入。所以,要是你窮困,不用沮喪(despair),只消喝咖啡和看法國電影(films,movies的英式英語)便行。若你喝許多咖啡,看許多法國電影(films),你甚至可以突飛猛進(hurtle),超越中產而躋身富戶;但只要你稍一停歇,你便會急墮(tumble)做回窮光蛋一族。

        曾俊華一個月賺超過三十萬,在壽臣山住大宅,有司機(chauffeur),搭頭等機,全由納稅人找數。他卻說他屬於中產階級,因為他看法國電影和喝茶——他偏好喝茶多於咖啡。以這樣的高薪厚祿,他一定負擔得起最上乘的茶葉。一個窮人只喝得起茶餐廳而非星巴克的咖啡,又能否晉升為中產?他好應開個記者招待會,確保嚮往(aspire)成為中產的窮人,仍能夢想成真,即使他們只喝得起茶餐廳的咖啡。

        法國電影《愛》剛剛奪得奧斯卡最佳外語片。看奧斯卡得獎電影,可否讓有志(aspire)成為中產的窮人快一步晉級?曾也應該在記招一併澄清(clarify)。要是戲院職員不准你自攜咖啡觀賞法國電影,你大可解釋,財政司司長說那是成為中產的方法。買不起《愛》片戲票的窮人,可以考慮於深圳買翻版。曾先生,這又可以嗎?

        mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧