T he expression "turn over in one's grave" means a dead person would be very angry if he knew something he didn't like was happening. If the son of a rich man wasted his dead father's money on women and gambling, you could say: "Your father would turn over in his grave if he knew." To atone for something means to do something right to compensate for having done something wrong. For example, some criminals atone for their crimes by doing charity work when they come out of prison.
Should the Philippines use the word "sorrow" or "apology" to atone for the hostage tragedy? I think either word is OK because I think it is time to let the eight dead victims rest in peace. To express sorrow means to express sadness or grief. If your best friend's wife dies in a car accident, you would express sorrow to your friend. To give an apology means to express regret for something you have done wrong. But you can also use the word "sorry" to apologize for something. If you accidentally push someone in the MTR, you can say: "I am sorry" or "I apologize". They have the same meaning. If your friend's wife dies in a car accident, you can also say: "I am sorry for your loss." Since the word "sorry" is linked to the word "sorrow" and since saying sorry also means apologizing, we should not waste time squabbling over whether the Philippines should use the word "sorrow" or "apology".
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在馬尼拉人質慘劇中喪生的八個香港人，若泉下有知，恐怕亦死不瞑目（turning over in their graves）。三年過去了，香港和菲律賓還在爭論（squabbling）菲律賓應否為慘劇補償（atone）。現在雙方則在爭吵着（squabbling），馬尼拉應該用「悲傷」（sorrow）抑或「道歉」（apology）的字眼，去為慘劇作出補償（atone）。悲劇已然發生，不能易轉。兩個字同樣用以表達遺憾，再在字眼上爭拗（squabbling）又有甚麼意思？是以，在九泉之下的八位死者， 想必是死不瞑目（turning over in their graves）了。
習語 turn over in one's grave意思是死者因為知道某件他極不喜悅的事要發生，因此很憤怒。若是一個二世祖將他先父的錢揮霍在女人與賭博上，你可以說：「要是給你父親知道，他定必死不瞑目（turn over in his grave）。」To atone for something解作因為做錯了某件事而作出彌補，例如，有些罪犯出獄後，會做慈善工作，以彌補（atone）自己所曾犯過的罪行。
菲律賓應用「悲傷」（sorrow）抑或「道歉」（apology）去為人質慘劇補償（atone）？我認為兩個字眼也可以，因為我覺得，是時候讓八位受難者入土為安。To express sorrow即是表達哀傷，要是你好友的太太在車禍中喪生，你便會向你的朋友致哀（sorrow）。To give an apology就是你為曾經犯錯的事情表達歉意。你也可以用sorry來致歉，若你在港鐵不小心推撞到某人，你可以說"I am sorry"或"I apologize"，意思是一樣的。要是你朋友的太太死於車禍，你可以說"I am sorry for your loss."因為sorry這個字與sorrow這個字相關，而saying sorry也解作道歉，因此我們就不應再浪費時間爭拗（squabbling），菲律賓應用「悲傷」（sorrow）抑或「道歉」（apology）哪一個字眼好了。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=267071§ion_name=wtt&kw=126