T he word alien has many meanings. Something that is unfamiliar or strange can be described as alien. For example, hairy crabs are common here but would be considered alien （unfamiliar） in the US although some have been found in rivers there. Things from a foreign country, such as a culture, can also be called alien. For example, many Chinese people consider the African culture as alien， and Africans consider the Chinese culture as alien. In the US, illegal immigrants are called illegal aliens. We don't know if other planets have living things but in science fiction movies and novels people from other planets are called aliens.
The word "alienate" （verb） has a different meaning. If you alienate your friends or family members, it means you cause them to become unfriendly or unsupportive of you. For example, if your girlfriend supports Occupy Central but you do not, you can alienate her by angrily telling her she is wrong to support Occupy Central. Friends who become alienated with each other by always arguing will often not remain friends any more. A friend of mine told me he alienated his brother so much while arguing over Occupy Central that they don't even talk anymore. Have you alienated your family members by arguing about whether or not to support Occupy Central？
***
你支持抑或反對佔中公民抗命示威？這是人人掛在口邊（on everyone's lips）的問題，甚至在家人和朋友間也互相問着這道問題，家人和朋友間不時想法分歧。有不少朋友告訴我，家中出現激烈爭論，有些家庭成員支持佔中，又有其他的反對。公民抗命示威已然離間了（alienated）家人和朋友。當一個問題或議題是on everyone's lips，是指有許多人在談論着它。大部份香港人都在談論着佔中示威，因此它是城中熱話（on everyone's lips）。
Alien這個字有多重意思。某樣陌生或怪異的事情也可被形容為alien。譬如，大閘蟹在這裏很常見，但在美國就會被視為異稟（alien），即使那邊的河域也能找到毛蟹。外國的東西，例如文化，也會被說成是alien。例如，許多中國人將非洲文化視為異族的（alien），同樣非洲人也會將中國文化視為異族的（alien）。在美國，非法入境者會被稱為illegal aliens。我們不曉得其他星球上是否存在着生物，但在科幻電影和小說裏，來自其他星球的人就會被稱為外星人（aliens）。
動詞Alienate有幾個意思，若你alienate你的朋友或家人，即是你在疏遠他們，令他們對你不再友善或支持。例如，若你女友支持佔中而你不是，你可憤而說她支持佔中是錯的，與她不和（alienate）。因着激烈爭拗而彼此不和（alienated）的朋友，通常都不能再做朋友。有一位朋友跟我說，他因為爭論佔中而疏遠（alienated）了他的兄弟，甚至不再談話。你有沒有因為支持佔中與否，與你的家人鬧不和（alienated）﹖
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=304261§ion_name=wtt&kw=126