F riends told me Mo Man-ching had written an article criticizing Chow Yung for using bad English in an open letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. I read Chow Yung's open letter to search for bad English. I also read an English translation of Mo Man-ching's article. Chow Yung's letter had some minor English mistakes. I sometimes make English mistakes too in my columns and on my TV show. No one is perfect. I wonder why Mo Man-ching criticized Chow Yung's minor mistakes. I have heard her make English mistakes too. It's no big deal. Mo Man-ching faulted Chow Yung for writing "Dear Mark" instead of "Dear Mr Zuckerberg".
I worked as a reporter for many years in the US. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is often called "Bill" instead of "Mr Gates" at conferences. These high-tech bosses are very informal people. They don't mind at all. Mo Man-ching's criticisms sounded more like nitpicking. To nitpick is to look for small and unimportant mistakes. Chow Yung wrote to Mark Zuckerberg to complain about his Facebook posts being deleted. Mo Man-ching and Chow Yung are political enemies. I point out the English mistakes of other people in my columns so we can all learn. I do not do it for political reasons. Instead of nitpicking about Chow Yung's English, Mo Man-ching should support him to prove she really supports free speech. She should write to Mark Zuckerberg to complain about Facebook censoring some of Chow Yung's posts to prove she supports the free speech of her political enemies.
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周融的英語是否真的那麼差，毛孟靜的英語又真的那麼好？當然不是。很少人可以矢言自己的英語完美。我不認為那些能操完美英語的人，會自吹自擂或苛責（berate）他人的爛英文。正如我以前所說，英語在網絡時代，演變日新月異。面書、推特和電郵已然改變人們寫英文的方式。許多人，特別是年輕人，選擇（opt）使用隨意而非正統的英語。他們更關心訊息都能清楚易明，更甚於正統形式或是文法上的微枝末節。
有朋友告知，毛孟靜寫了一篇文章，批評周融用糟透的英文寫公開信給面書創辦人馬克．朱克伯格。我讀了周融的公開信，去找找那些爛英文；也讀過毛孟靜那篇文章的英文翻譯。周融的信有些微小的英語錯漏。我有時在專欄和電視節目中，也會犯上一些英語的錯處。
世上無完人，我很疑惑為何毛孟靜會批評周融的微小錯處。我也曾聽見過她犯下英語的錯處。那根本沒甚麼大不了。毛孟靜挑剔周融寫了"Dear Mark"而非"Dear Mr Zuckerberg"。
我曾在美國任職記者多年。微軟的聯合創辦人比爾．蓋茲，在會議中常被稱為"Bill"而非"Mr Gates"。這些高科技公司的老闆都是不拘禮節的人，他們根本毫不介意。毛孟靜的批評看來像是雞蛋裏挑骨頭（nitpicking）。To nitpick就是吹毛求疵，找尋微細而無關痛癢的錯處。周融寫信給馬克．朱克伯格，投訴他面書上的帖子被刪除。毛孟靜和周融是政敵。我在專欄中指出別人的英文錯處，是讓我們人人都可以學習。我不會因為政治原因而這樣做的。
如其挑剔（nitpicking）周融的英語，毛孟靜更應支持他，以證明她真的支持言論自由。
她應該寫信給馬克．朱克伯格，投訴面書審查周融的一些帖子，證明她支持政敵的言論自由。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=330801§ion_name=wtt&kw=126