2013-06-18
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=242395§ion_name=wtt&kw=126
It seems I have struck a raw nerve with my column last week about a pretty girl from the Philippines sharing her umbrella with me when it started to rain while I was on my way to record my TV show. Readers have inundated me with e-mails to disagree with what I wrote. I had said in my column that I was dumbfounded (greatly astonished) by the kindness of the Filipina who shared her umbrella with me because Hong Kong people don't normally share their umbrellas with strangers. Most of the readers who e-mailed me said I was wrong to say Hong Kong people don't share their umbrellas with strangers. They said they often shared their umbrellas.
T
he expression "strike (or hit) a raw nerve" means to offend or upset someone by mentioning something sensitive. For example, you'll hit a raw nerve by asking Leung Chun-ying if the central government has a Plan B to fire him. Many readers were offended that I said Hong Kong people never shared their umbrellas. I think they were offended because most Hong Kong people believe they are considerate (thoughtful of others). For this reason, it is sensitive to say Hong Kong people are inconsiderate (opposite of considerate). I am sure I'll hit a raw nerve if I say Hong Kong people are inconsiderate because they seldom offer their MTR seats to the elderly. To be "inundated (flooded, overwhelmed) with e-mails" means to receive a lot of emails. Filipinos are people from the Philippines, but a female Filipino is usually called a Filipina.
It was not my intention to strike a raw nerve when I wrote that I was dumbfounded when a Filipina stranger shared her umbrella with me since people in Hong Kong don't normally share umbrellas. But the truth is I have never seen anyone in Hong Kong sharing their umbrellas. It rained heavily a few days ago while I was in Central. Luckily, I had an umbrella. I wanted to share it with a pretty Hong Kong girl who was getting very wet. But I didn't dare because I was afraid she would think I wanted to molest (abuse) her sexually.
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看來我上星期的專欄觸動了大家的神經（struck a raw nerve），文中提及當我正往錄影電視節目的途上，天開始下起雨來，一位菲律賓籍的漂亮女子好心跟我分享雨傘。讀者電郵紛至沓來，差點要淹沒（inundated）我，盡不認同我所說的。我在專欄中曾說那位菲籍女子（Filipina）的善意，令我非常驚訝（dumbfounded），因為香港人平常不會與陌生人分享雨傘。大部份來郵的讀者都說我這樣說並不正確，且說他們常常與人分享雨傘。
習語strike (or hit) a raw nerve是指說到了別人的痛處，冒犯了人或令人難過。例如，要是你問梁振英，中央政府是否有後備計劃要辭退他，那就是刺痛了他的神經（hit a raw nerve）。我說香港人從不跟人分享雨傘，亦冒犯了不少讀者。我認為他們感到冒犯，是因為大部份香港人都相信自己是為人設想（considerate）的。是以，聲稱香港人不顧他人（inconsiderate，considerate的反義詞）自然就變得敏感。我肯定，要是我說香港人罔顧他人（inconsiderate），因為他們在港鐵鮮有讓座與老人家，也準會觸動公眾神經（hit a raw nerve）。To be "inundated (flooded, overwhelmed) with e-mails"即是收到許多電郵。Filipinos就是菲律賓人，女性Filipino通常被叫做Filipina。
我寫到一位陌生菲籍女子（Filipina）跟我分享雨傘，令我錯愕（strike a raw nerve）萬分，因為香港人平常不會跟人分享雨傘，原意並不是為了觸動大家的神經（strike a raw nerve）。事實是，我在香港確實從未見過有人分享雨傘。數天前我身處中環，又下起大雨，還好我有一把雨傘。我本想與一位被淋得濕透的漂亮香港女子共享雨傘，卻又不敢真的這樣做，因為我怕她會以為我想性騷擾（molest）她。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧