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From its humble beginning by the sea 從一個小漁港開始

When I was young in Hong Kong, many text books would carry this almost cliché saying that Hong Kong used to be a small fishing village. While it has since then changed umpteen times, there are enough bits and pieces left to allow one to trace back the beginnings of this place.
小時候的課本常言道,香港從前是個小漁港。雖然這地方改頭換面了不知多少次,但歲月總會留下一點痕跡給後人看的。

Hong Kong is still inseparable from the sea, and the sea is a part of many people’s lives.
香港這地方與海仍有不可分割的淵源,是不少人生活的一部分。

For my one week in Hong Kong, I stayed in a seaside district which is also a stronghold of Hong Kong fishery. The typhoon shelter is filled with fleets of fishing boats where the fishery households also do their business and call home.
這次回港一週,住的地方不止與海為鄰,而且是香港傳統漁業的據地之一,避風塘內泊滿了一艘又一艘的漁船,既是漁民的謀生工具,也是他們的商鋪和他們的家。











In contrast to the seafaring lifestyle, many have chosen to live in one of the many high-rises hugging the sea front. Fortunately the place doesn’t appear overly crowded with so many buildings. There is still plenty of open space to let the see breeze in and counteract the oppressive summer heat. This is indeed much more comfortable than the middle of the busiest part of the city.
沿著海傍的海濱長廊漫步,正好讓人感受這個小漁港的氣息。小小的地方,蓋了一幢幢的住宅高樓,但不見得特別擠,而且四周開揚面海,盛署中仍有陣陣海風吹來,為炎熱的天時降溫,比起鬧市舒服多了。











The seaside promenade provides an open area to the local residents who welcome some space for recreation. The place comes to a buzz in the evenings when the heat has abated, with many enjoying a walk, jog or just a chat. Although expressly forbidden, many are also fishing along the edge of the promenade. I doubt if there is really a good catch for many people, but many probably enjoy fishing as a good pastime or a chance to meet up with other friends. This is another aspect to the city that never sleeps: there’s more to karaoke, shopping and eating that keeps the city energetic well into the night.
海濱長廊更為居民提供休憩的地方,實在造褔人群。入夜後天氣沒那麼熱的時候,海濱長廊熱鬧起來,散步的、跑步的,聊天的到處都是,而雖然明文規定禁止釣魚,但站在長廊邊垂釣的人可不少,其實我覺得,真正可以釣到魚的人不多,漁獲亦不特別好,但垂釣也不失為消磨時間和跟好友聚面的好理由。一提到香港是不夜城,大家往往想到的是唱K、血拼和吃夜宵,但晚間的海濱長廊,正好反映香港入夜後仍活力盎然的另一面。











Hong Kong will always have a special place in my mind, not least because of the sea and the lively ambience.
這個海,和這股生氣,正是我對這個地方念念不忘的原因。

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不求甚解,可以嗎?

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正字正確

廣州最近掀起保衛廣東話運動,早前星期日明報副刊一篇 文章 ,已對此作了精譬分析,我也不必插嘴了。 不過我想談談另一個相連的問題,相信久不久也會困擾好些港人,就是怎樣才算「正確」、「正統」的書面語。 我們自少便被老師耳提面命,廣東話絕不可用於寫作(雖然現在大行其道,我在網上留言甚至偶而寫電郵都會用廣東話),粵語和港式詞彙應以書面語(以普通話為標準的用語)取代,於是把雪櫃寫成冰箱、櫃桶寫成抽屜,諸如此類,從小已習慣,我也沒異議。 但香港實在很多獨有的或跟國內有差別的詞彙,應用於主要給香港人看的場合當然沒問題,但國內或其他華人就可能覺得蹩腳甚至不一定明白。同樣國內的好些用詞,港人看到也會覺得有點不自然甚至礙眼。我寫網誌不時都會掙扎,究竟用國內的用詞好(我想一般來說應該是比較「正規」的,而且近幾年跟來自國內的人多了交往,或多或少都學到一點他們的用語),還是香港的說法好(始終不少讀者都是香港人,用上國內的詞語他們或許會覺得有點怪怪的),所以我盡可能兩者兼用,港式說法通常以括號並列,但我有時祇會用國內的用詞,也有時祇用香港的說法,可見我也往往拿不定主意。 問題是應該怎樣劃界線,區別「正確」和「不正確」的書面用語呢?我們應該遵從甚麼的「標準」?比方說在香港,學生寫了一句「我的志願是太空人」,公認是沒有問題的,老師一般也不會勉強學生寫「我的志願是航天員」,好了,這樣便是承認了香港和國內的用語確有區別,但既然如此,為甚麼把該句寫成「我嘅志願係太空人」時,老師便一定不會容許?又或者為甚麼寫作時硬要把雪櫃寫成冰箱、櫃桶寫成抽屜?這道界線是誰定的,定立時又有甚麼理據?香港可不像很多國家般,有一個高高在上的法定語文機構(例如法國的Académie française),又或有權威性的詞典(例如英國的牛津字典,和國內的辭海),對語文作出一定規範,難免令人寫作時感到無所適從,甚麼香港和粵語詞彙可以用於書面、哪些不可。 用語的取向,也涉及文化取態的問題,我像一般港人一樣也認同寫作時要用書面語,盡量跟隨普通話的「標準」,但不會全盤用國內的詞彙和行文,一來不習慣,二來不免總有種維護本土文化的潛意識,特別是香港和國內社會制度上和文化上始終有點隔閡,這種矛盾不一定輕易化解。 究竟甚麼才算是「標準」、「正確」的書面中文,我想大概沒有「標準答案」,往往靠個人的見識和學養才可作出定奪,但隨著香港跟國內交往越來越