T he word "moving" used this way means very emotional. A similar word is "touching". An authoritarian leader is a strict leader who demands total obedience, usually by curtailing personal freedoms and human rights. The word "autocratic" has a similar meaning. As I pointed out in my previous column, Lee Kuan Yew was a tough talker who said many memorable things. The word "memorable" means worth remembering, or easily remembered. This is one of his most memorable quotes: "I have been accused of many things in my life, but not even my worst enemy has ever accused me of being afraid to speak my mind."
His quote impressed me very much. If you are impressed by someone, it means you admire or respect that person. Lee Kuan Yew had a way with words. To have a way with words means to be very good at using words in an effective way. He used simple words for his quote yet it was a very effective quote. To speak your mind means to express your opinion in an honest way without being afraid. Some people criticized Lee Kuan Yew's authoritarian way of governing Singapore but even his critics agreed he was never afraid to say what he wanted to say. He always spoke his mind.
＊ ＊ ＊
你可有觀看新加坡強人（strongman）李光耀的喪禮？我在電視上看直播，是個很感人（moving）的喪禮。他的敵人批評他是個獨裁（authoritarian）的領袖，限制（curtailed）新聞自由、言論自由和反對派。然而，滂沱大雨亦無阻成千上萬的新加坡人出來觀看他的送葬隊伍（funeral procession）。即使他以專制（autocratic）統治，新加坡人卻仍然愛戴和尊敬他。習語funeral procession就是送葬隊伍，靈車載着靈柩送往土葬或火化，其後則有車隊隨行。正如我在上一篇專欄中解釋過，俚語strongman是指用強勢領導、威權或武力去統治的政治領袖。
Moving在這裏解作非常感人，類近的字是touching。An authoritarian leader就是一位獨裁者，通常以限制（curtailing）個人自由與人權來要求完全的服從。Autocratic也有相近的意思。一如我在上一篇專欄中指出，李光耀說話強硬，曾有過許多令人難忘（memorable）的話。Memorable解作值得紀念或難忘的。這是他令人最難忘的（memorable）名言之一：「我一生受過各樣的指責，但就是我最大的敵人，亦從未指責過我不敢直抒胸臆（speak my mind）。」
他這句名言令我相當欽佩（impressed）。若你被某人impressed，即是說你很敬佩他。李光耀用字很有一套（had a way with words）。To have a way with words就是非常擅於遣詞用字，能言簡意賅地表達。他用上簡單的字詞，卻能成就至理名言。To speak your mind就是毫不怯懼地直抒己見。有些人批評李光耀以獨裁（authoritarian）手腕管治新加坡，但他的批評者也不得不認同，他從不怯懦於說他想說的。他總是有話直說（spoke his mind）。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=325237§ion_name=wtt&kw=126