20140706

再談 air quotes


早兩天寫的那篇〈特首夫人的 air quotes〉,本來只是借題發揮的小品,借特首夫人的錯誤示範,介紹 air quotes 的標準手勢。當然,我不諱言有取笑特首夫人之意,但文章的主要內容的確是談 air quotes。也許是特首夫人太惡形惡相,惹人反感,這篇文章在《主場新聞》那邊轉載,竟然有九千多個 likes!另一方面,網誌這邊卻不斷有人來挑戰我的說法,有一兩位態度是友善的,其餘則似是挑機,不知是為了維護特首夫人的形像,還是為了要證明我犯錯。

最先有人提出的反證,是美國影星 Robert Downey Jr. 使用單手指(食指)的 air quotes。這個反證很容易應付,因為不難在網上一些人的評語中看出 Downey 這個手勢不標準,一般來說是會被取笑的,例如有人說只有 Downey 這麼有型有款的人才可以“use one-finger air quotes and get away with it”

較有力的反駁,是指出英國人在書寫時通常用單引號而少用雙引號,因此,他們做 air quotes 也許會只用食指,以示那是單引號,有別於美國人慣用的雙引號。一位讀者甚至找到一個臉書網頁,內容是提倡英國人應該用「單引號」的 air quotes。這個網頁於 2010年設立,到四年後的今天只累積了 91 個 likes,而且空蕩蕩沒有張貼甚麼,也沒有留言,這說明了兩點:一、即使在英國,air quotes 的標準手勢還是用雙指,否則沒有必要提倡單指的 air quotes;二、這個提倡得不到熱烈支持。(我在網上也找不到其他類似的網頁。)

也許有人會問:既然英國人在書寫時通常用單引號,為何做 air quotes 時卻用「雙引號」?這個不難解釋,因為 air quotes 源於美國,而且在八九十年代才開始流行,再傳到英國,英國人只是沿用美國人的手勢。上面提及的臉書網頁只能顯示有些「本土意識」較強的英國人不甘抄襲美國人的手勢,倡用有「英國本土特色」的 air quotes,奈何不成氣候,在英國仍然不是標準手勢。

說特首夫人不像 Robert Downey Jr. 那樣有型有款、可以“use one-finger air quotes and get away with it”,相信沒有人會反對。要我承認笑錯了特首夫人,就只有一個理由:她明知會被人取笑,也故意用單指而不用雙指的 air quotes。然而,特首夫人是香港人,不是英國人,何必要那樣刻意地表現得比英國人更「英國」呢?假如是真的,會十分耐人尋味。

22 則留言:

  1. 複雜(簡單),特首夫人是對的,她認為.

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  2. 網誌這邊卻不斷有人來挑戰我的說法,有一兩位態度是友善的,其餘則似是挑機,不知是為了維護特首夫人的形像,還是為了要證明我犯錯。
    ========

    吓,挑機?唔多覺喎,以我標準,連[挑戰]都未算(挑戰有潛在你錯我啱之爭),似[我有另一睇法]多啲。。。我真正唔明,到底係我另類標準,定香港人太計較?我去外國英文 blog 多(亦只限於六七 個 selective blog),2013先第一次瀏覽中文 blog (因緣際遇, so far 去過四個 blog),以我非常有限經歷,香港人對留言態度,斤斤計較多喲喎。只有一個 blog 主是謙謙君子,可惜 Yahoo 關 blog 後不知去向。

    我個人睇法簡單:air-quote 通常用兩手指,用一手指少見,但冇乜所謂。我估大家唔妥嘅係:梁太要窒人就唔該用啱手勢先啦好心!I kind of understand where this argument is coming from。。。但宏觀而論,為無關痛癢 faux pas 而笑人,君子不為也。

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    1. Oh Gosh, Horai, are you not starting your own blog? Why don't you be one of the gentlemen to openly writing your own stuff. I hope this time you won't leave n number of comments in people's blog.

      Having said that, I think HK people just do not like Mrs Leung and Mr Leung in general. The newspaper also emphasis her disgusting facial expression which was a bit unfair to her too. Well, what comes around and goes around, they are fake people.

      Rosemary

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    2. @Rosemary: 你話梁振英夫婦過犯重重面目可憎,我好似冇出聲[護駕]過喎。。。

      但我一出聲,就似乎雖無過犯但面目可憎,惹你嫌,敢問原因?恕我直言:你是嫌我敢駁嘴逆你偶像(我自己真唔覺得有逆),或視我意見助桀為虐?請俾面作答,解我疑惑(說真的)。交流免不了有辯駁歧見,blogger 連少少分歧都接受唔到? I think you should give Mr Wong more credit than that。

      玩吓 parellel argument 吖:

      中共收回香港後[容許]一國兩制,說你有言論自由反政府,但其後又説長期反政府聲音騷擾社會繁榮安定,大家要適可而止,否則引起社會分化,嚴重影響[一國兩制](= 挑戰中共主權) ====》大家對此心態,有何高見?

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    3. 個個都係批判我之後即閃,不屑解釋唔妥我之因由,我有點莫名其妙。Huh?What gives?判罪都要有判詞嗰犯先服喇係嘛?

      各位如嫌棄我喋喋不休,想必也明白中共為何痛恨異見糾纏。。。吓,分別在於你的異議有理?那我們重視的是內容理據,對不對? 唉!

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    4. 什麼「君子不為也」?還是「以小人之心度君子之腹」?你看來不明白王Sir文章結尾那段話的意思。

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    5. //各位如嫌棄我喋喋不休,想必也明白中共為何痛恨異見糾纏。。。//

      把「中共為何痛恨異見糾纏」與「棄我喋喋不休」相提並論大概若果不是對中共無知就可能是患了「政治幼稚病」?


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    6. Horai,

      你連黃牌、紅牌都唔識分呀!你以前的留言,十之八九是 what? 尾部是嘿嘿嘿嘿!!!!呀。

      誰唔妥呀?你幾多料,你自知嗎?唉!

      想要提成,要學嘢,先跟文少十年八年先喇!!!唉!

      人家叫你開blog,其實你知唔點解呀?細路。
      嘿嘿嘿嘿!!!!!不要怒,否則會爆呀嘛。唉!

      漏咗這一句添 “嘿嘿嘿嘿嘿!!!!!”。
      唉!

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    7. @匿名(10:42): 係?文少邊位(真唔知),你心儀偶像?英明神武風流倜儻琴棋書畫詩酒花樣樣皆精財貌雙全萬��追捧? 嘩,點申請加入 fan club?

      並非是無聊鬥無聊,有少少教育價值:惡形惡相戾氣十足駁斥是下策,心平氣和談笑間攻死穴才是高手。。。梁太我下星期開班授徒有冇興趣呀?嘿嘿嘿嘿

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    8. 香港到底仲有幾多猛人凡靚(音 land)必捧嘅,有冇好心人幫我一次過列哂出嚟?以上位匿名捧到上天五體投地狀,令我深深感動。。。眾多神人下凡,我如有名單在手,我就不信我緣薄至此位位都錯失[學嘢]仙機!

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    9. Hoai,

      I want you to know that no one is avoiding you after leaving you comment. We just do not have the time that you have. Also, I know I am doing it (the first and the last time): it is unethical to use people's platform to response your comment WHEN the comment is unrelated to the article. Do you not understand?

      You sometimes left malicious comment or "humble malicious" comments. Do not deny, I don't know your intention. Maybe try to show that you also have the quality on the subject??? Or just for argument sake. I need you to know, I don't learn anything from your comment at all. It just shows how sour and negative you are as a person. I like and love to see opposite opinion or other voices, but the way you present just so offending AND POINTLESS argument.

      That's why I suggest you should open your blog and I will visit for sure. Let us know your beautiful ideas about issues in the world. I bet there are so many of your "fans" will visit too. Just don't leach on other's blog to survive. Get it??

      Rosemary

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    10. @Rosemay et al (please pay attention to the et al part):

      Okay, let's settle the score once and for all, I'm tired of all these whinings:

      1) Your initial comment (4:01) led me off-topic, for crying out loud. Geeze.

      2) If I too consider your comments pointless and "learn nothing", what would you do?Tit for tat. This is a loaded question, I'm quite prepared to throw your answer right back at you.

      3) You seem to be very OK with the quadzillion "sour and negative comments" hurl at CY et al (and a few at me) here on a daily basis, why the double standard(not that I'm defending CY)?Because in your opinion they (I) deserve them? I see. So it's not sour and negative comments you object per se, they just have to be directed at people you dislike. I see. But then, may I ask, why am I not entitled to the same right to dis people I don't like? Your rights somehow trump mine?

      4) Did you in all fairness apply the same objective criteria to all here?If you single me out and persecute me for sins that everyone here happily commits (but politically "on your side", for lack of a better term), then what REALLY is your grudge?

      5) Last but not least, you're speaking on behalf of the blogger, saying what comments are welcome what are not. Does Mr Wong share your value judgment? If yes, let's hear it from the man himself.

      I hope someone sees past the noise and understands the actual principle involved here. Play fair, otherwise none of us will have true equal rights. And one day, that little bit of fair-play mentality from your opponent may mean a world of difference to you. And to answer those who have the ingenuity to turn every single debate into a politically one, I forestall your question: no, the end does not justify the means, not in my book.

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    11. Correction: And to answer those who have the ingenuity to turn every single debate into a political one .... This is the last and only time I would correct a mistake, Grammar Police be damned!

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  3. 去到主場 Fb 睇過得七千幾個 like 詐
    誰在 FB stolen 兩千幾個 like?
    不過王教授不用生氣,
    再 roll 落啲原來仲有多一篇是相同的,
    個處有 九千幾個 like,
    So 總共 萬六以上個 Like 才對呀!
    勁勁勁。

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  4. "I ain't got no enough money"... Each word is English word, but is it correct English?

    For people without any fingers, air quoting with their toes (any toe) are OK, but for Mrs. 689, not conforming to "proper" way of air quoting is unacceptable, particularly with her education level. Added to it was her intention for making the air-quotes.

    In HK, would any English teacher accept their students to write "I ain't got no enough money" ?

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  5. Well done: 「一口『梁』氣JFung Remix」http://youtu.be/4XDOqUMqCNU

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  6. "她明知會被人取笑,也故意用單指而不用雙指的 air quotes"

    你怎知她是"明知"?我不覺得她是明知故犯。她看來像是想模仿鬼佬但又不知自己模仿得不好。

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    1. What/who taught her to use "air quotes"?! What would the first "air quotes" she has ever seen be like?!

      Does this explain why 她是"明知" ? Please remember that she has a very high education level !

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    2. //你怎知她是"明知"?//

      你連「要我承認笑錯了特首夫人,就只有一個理由:她明知會被人取笑,也故意用單指而不用雙指的 air quotes。」這句話的意思都理解錯!

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    3. "Please remember that she has a very high education level !"

      英國一間不知名的大學畢業,怎算 "very high education level"?

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    4. What the xxxx ... "唐青儀與丈夫梁振英是於英國布里斯托理工學院(即今西英格蘭大學)的同學,1981年結婚,1983年才在港取得律師資格,後放下事業照顧家庭。"

      "律師" is already "a very high education level".

      [ Obviously you don't know what "double meaning" means, and you don't know what is "一啖砂糖...xxxx". Plus it is highly possible that you don't have a sense of humor or tactics to corner your victims. ;P ]

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  7. 特首夫人犯上這個錯誤並不奇怪, 畢竟她不是地道的西方人, 但她懵然不知犯了這個錯誤, 就顯示了一點東西. 她手勢運用得頗為嫻熟, 應該不是第一次而是第N次使用這樣的air quotes, 但從來沒有人指正她的錯誤, 因為她性格強悍, 態度驕恣, 為人剛愎自用, 不接受別人的批評, 沒有人敢當面指正她, 亦沒有人出於好意私底下點醒她.

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