又中又英——moot point

　　Hong Kong has avoided a total lockdown to break the chain of transmission of the coronavirus. But a lockdown has now been mooted by some infectious disease experts to stop the new outbreak before Hong Kong becomes a new coronavirus epicenter. A total lockdown has some benefits because Hong Kong is an overcrowded city, making it difficult to break the chain of transmission. But a lockdown can also be a nightmare because most Hong Kong families live in tiny apartments. Being cooped up in such tiny homes for even a week would make some people go crazy.
　　As I have explained before, the word “lockdown” means to restrict the movement of people for safety reasons, such as to prevent the spread of a disease. The expression “chain of transmission” means something being spread from one person to another. To “break the chain of transmission” means to stop the transmission. If something is being “mooted”, it means it is being suggested for discussion. The word “epicenter” used this way means the central point of something, or a place that has the highest level of an activity. Wuhan was China’s epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. New York was the epicenter in the US. To be “cooped up” means to be kept in a very small place for a long time.
　　When the pandemic first started in Wuhan, Hong Kong people reacted quickly by wearing facemasks and pressuring the government to close the mainland border. The government closed bars, nightclubs, karaoke lounges, and imposed social distancing rules in restaurants when the virus reached Hong Kong. But when the chain of transmission was broken, the government lifted the rules. People let their hair down, which means they relaxed, by going to bars and restaurants. There are now even stricter rules to stop the new outbreak. A lockdown can become a moot point if people follow the rules to stop the outbreak. The expression “moot point” used this way means something that is no longer worth discussing. A lockdown is a moot point, or no longer worth discussing, if we can control the outbreak.
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　　香港避免了全城封锁（lockdown）去切断（break）新冠肺炎的传播链（the chain of transmission）。然而，现在一些传播病专家提出讨论（mooted）要封城禁足（lockdown），以在香港变成一个新的新冠肺炎集中地（epicenter）之前，防止新一轮的爆发。全面封城禁足（lockdown）有一些好处，因为香港是个人口密集的城市，要切断流行病的传播链（break the chain of transmission）实在很困难。然而，封城禁足（lockdown）也会是一个噩梦，因为大部份的香港家庭都住在狭小的单位内。给关（cooped up）在这么狭獈的居所内，即使只是一周，也会令好些人发疯了。
　　正如我之前解释过，“lockdown”是指为了安全理由，例如阻止疾病的传播，而限制人们的活动。习语“chain of transmission”就是人与人之间的传播链。To “break the chain of transmission”就是去阻截这个传播链。若某事is being “mooted”，意即它被提出来讨论。 Epicenter在这里是指某事的中心，又或某种活动最活跃的集中地。武汉就是中国新冠肺炎大流行的中心（epicenter）；纽约则是美国疫情爆发的中心（epicenter）。To be “cooped up”意即长时间被禁锢、关押在非常狭小的空间内。
　　当这全球大流行疫症首先在武汉爆发，香港人反应迅速，立即戴上口罩，以及向政府施压要关闭与内地连接的边境。当病毒传入香港时，政府关闭了酒吧、夜总会、卡拉OK酒廊，又在食肆实施社交距离措施。然而，当传播链被切断（chain of transmission was broken）时，政府停止了那些规例。人们 let their hair down，意即他们不再那么拘谨了，开始去光顾酒吧和食肆。现在，为了阻止新一轮的爆发，规例变得更严谨。若人们能遵守规则，阻止疫情爆发，那封城禁足（lockdown）便可以变成一个 moot point。习语“moot point”在这里是指某事不用再争辩下去、已无讨论价值了。若我们能控制好疫情的爆发，那么我们也不用再讨论（moot point）禁足（lockdown）与否了。中译：七刻[email protected]
Michael Chugani 褚简宁