2013-03-28
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=231947§ion_name=wtt&kw=126
Central government leaders were stating the obvious when they said chief executives elected through universal suffrage should love Hong Kong and China. The expression "to state the obvious" means to say something that is already clear to everyone, or that everyone already knows. For example, it is stating the obvious to say that blind people cannot see. Hong Kong people are not so stupid as to elect a leader who hates Hong Kong and China. That's why central government leaders were stating the obvious.
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ut I think it is not enough for our future chief executives to only love Hong Kong and China. They should also love to watch French movies and drink coffee. Some people may complain that this would give an edge to Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah if he decides to run for chief executive. To give an edge to someone means to give someone an advantage over others. Tsang has said he belongs to the middle-class because all middle-class people love to watch French movies and drink coffee. It is true he would be given an edge if future chief executives must also love French movies and coffee. But this rule would qualify middle-class people to run for chief executive too. They just have to tell the central government they love Hong Kong, China, French movies and coffee.
To open the door to even more qualified candidates, chief executives must also love wine. This would give an edge to Henry Tang Ying-yen. Middle-class people may grumble (complain, gripe) that they cannot afford wine. But this rule would allow upper-class people to run for chief executive too. To allow even more people to run, future chief executives must also love to live in subdivided flats but hate to throw bananas at senior government officials. This would open the door to Hong Kong's poor-class but shut the door to Longhair Leung Kwok-hung who loves to throw things at officials in the Legislative Council. Candidates for chief executive will have the biggest edge (best advantage) if they love Hong Kong, China, French movies, coffee, wine, and living in subdivided flats but hate throwing bananas.
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唯恐你不知道，中央政府領導們明言（stating the obvious）普選選出來的特首必須愛國愛港。習語to state the obvious意即表明一些眾所周知的事情。例如，說盲人看不見東西，等同說阿媽是女人（stating the obvious）。香港人不會蠢得選一個恨國恨港的領袖，因此中央政府只在說着一個人所共知的事實（stating the obvious）。
不過，我們的未來特首只是愛國愛港，我認為是不夠的，他們也必須愛看法國電影和喝咖啡。或許會有人投訴，要是財政司司長曾俊華角逐特首，那分明是益了（give an edge）他。 Give an edge予某人即是有利於他，讓他優勝於他人。曾俊華說他屬於中產，因為所有中產人士都愛看法國片和喝咖啡。要是未來特首必須愛看法國片和喝咖啡，固然他就有優勢（given an edge）。但這條規則也讓中產人士得以參選特首啊。他們只消跟中央政府表明自己愛國愛港愛法國片愛咖啡的心便行了。
為了廣開門路予更多合資格的候選人，特首更應愛酒。這就讓唐英年佔優（give an edge）了。中產會抱怨（grumble）他們喝不起酒。但這條規例容許上流人士也競選特首。為了讓更多人競選，未來特首也得喜歡住劏房，但討厭向政府高官擲蕉。那就可以為香港窮人大開中門，同時給那喜歡在立法會向官員擲蕉的長毛吃閉門羹。愛國愛港愛法國片愛咖啡住劏房、討厭擲蕉的特首候選人，就最有優勢（biggest edge）了。mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧