W hen terrible things happen, I often say to myself: "What the f..k." This foul expression has suddenly become popular in Hong Kong after a YouTube video showed school teacher Alpais Lam Wai-sze using it against the police during a protest by two rival groups in Mong Kok. It is common for English speakers to say "what the f..k." But Lam has become a household name for saying it. To be a household name means to be very well-known. Movie star Andy Lau Tak-wah is a household name in Hong Kong. The words obscenities, profanities, foul language, and swear words all mean bad language. To restrain myself means to stop myself from doing something.
Alpais Lam Wai-sze was unable to restrain herself from saying "what the f..k" when she felt the police were taking the side of one group against the other during the protest. One video even showed her using a Cantonese foul expression, which sounds very much like "delay no more." Many parents and retired policemen held a protest in Mong Kok to criticize Lam. They said, as a teacher, she should not use obscenities. But hundreds of Lam's supporters also protested. They shouted in unison (all at the same time) at the parents and policemen: "What the f..k! What the f..k!" I laughed when I watched that video on YouTube. Hong Kong people have become so childish. Instead of saying "what the f..k", you can say "what the hell". It is more acceptable.
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我得招認（confession）：我不時會說粗言穢語（foul language）。但我只是與好朋友，例如知名專欄作家陶傑，一起的時候才會罵髒話（swear words）。我跟不太熟識的人一起時，從不用不敬的用語（profanities）。我的朋友不時問我，我在電視節目裏怎麼抑制得了自己（restrain myself）不用下流的話語（obscenities）。其實我上電視的時候，要限制（restrain myself）自己罵髒話（swearing）是很容易的，因為我知道怎樣控制自己。但當有糟糕的事發生，我就很難控制自己（restrain myself）了，例如當我在寫專欄的時候，電腦突然壞掉，或者我穿西裝上電視節目時，卻忽然下起雨來。
當糟糕的事情發生，我往往會跟自己說： "What the f..k."（「他媽的甚麼事」）。自從有YouTube片段顯示，旺角兩個敵對團體示威期間，學校老師林慧思以此句抗議警方之後，這個粗口習語（foul expression）在香港忽地紅起來。說英語的人說"What the f..k."是很平常的，可是林說出來以後，她就變成家喻戶曉的名字（household name）了。To be a household name即是很出名，影星劉德華在香港就是個家喻戶曉的名字（household name）。Obscenities、profanities、foul language和swear words全都解作粗言穢語（bad language）。To restrain myself 即是制止自己做某事。
示威期間，當林慧思感到警察偏幫一方，她就未能抑制自己（restrain herself）不去說"what the f..k"了。另一個片段更見到她說廣東話粗口（foul expression），發音跟英語的"delay no more."相近。許多家長和退休警員在旺角集會抗議，批評林慧思。他們說，身為老師，不應該用下流語句（obscenities）。但數以百計支持林的人也在抗議。他們齊聲（in unison）向家長和警員叫喊着："What the f..k! What the f..k!" 我在YouTube看片時笑了。香港人變得很幼稚。不說"what the f..k"，你可以說"what the hell"，這比較可以接受。mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=251029§ion_name=wtt&kw=126