又中又英——“footloose and fancy-free”
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
2020-10-20 04:16 HKT
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Did you know Hong Kong is one of the most walkable cities in the world? An American non-government organization studied over 1,000 cities around the world. The study used three different measures to find out which cities are most walkable. The first measure studied the number of people living within 100 metres (328 feet) of a car-free place, such as parks or pedestrianised streets. Hong Kong came first in this category, followed by Moscow, Paris, Bogota, and London. But Hong Kong was not among the top five in the other two categories, which looked at living close to healthcare, schools, and being able to walk directly to a destination without detours. Only Bogota in Columbia is in the top five in all three categories.
The word “walkable” used this way means an area that is safe and suitable for walking. The word “pedestrianised” means a street or area closed to traffic and only pedestrians are allowed. The word “detour” means a long and roundabout route instead of a direct route to a destination. Britain’s Guardian newspaper used an interesting headline for its news report of the study. The headline was “Footloose and car-free”. This is a play on words by twisting the expression “footloose and fancy-free”. The Guardian used the word “car-free” in its headline because one category of the study involved closeness to car-free or pedestrianised areas. It used the word “footloose” because the study involved walkable cities. People have to use their feet to walk.
But the expression “footloose and fancy-free” has nothing to do with walkable areas. If you are “footloose and fancy-free” it means you are not married, do not have romantic commitments, do not have many responsibilities, and therefore can travel anytime or do whatever you want. Some people like to be footloose and fancy-free. Others prefer to have commitments. I am footloose and fancy-free because I am no longer married, have no romantic commitments, do not have to support anyone, and am a freelance journalist.
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你可知道，香港是全世界最适合步行（walkable）的城市之一？一个美国非政府组织研究了全球逾千个城市，这项研究用了三个指标去找出哪些城市是最适合走路的（walkable）。第一个判断的标准是在一个无车的地区，例如公园或行人专用（pedestrianised）街道的一百米（三百二十八呎）之内，住了几多人。在这一项中香港居首位，其次是莫斯科、巴黎、波哥大和伦敦。然而，在其余两个项目中，香港则五甲不入，那两个指标就是去看跟医疗保健、学校等设施住得有多近，以及是否能不需绕道（detours）便能直接步行到达目的地。只有哥伦比亚的波哥大在三个范畴里都位列头五位。
Walkable在这里是指一个地方是安全的、便利行人走路的、「好行」的。Pedestrianised是指禁止车辆驶入的行人专用区或街道。Detour是指迂回而长的绕道，而非直接到达目的地的路线。英国的《卫报》报道这个研究时，用了一个有趣的标题。标题是：“Footloose and car-free”，这是一个食字的双关语，将习语“footloose and fancy-free”扭了一下。《卫报》在标题中用了“car-free”一字，因为该研究的其中一个范畴就是涉及与无车（car-free）或行人专用（pedestrianised）区有多近。人们要用双脚走路，它就用了“footloose”一字，因为研究牵涉到「好行」（walkable）的城市。
然而，习语“footloose and fancy-free”其实跟「好行」的（walkable）地区毫无关系。若你是“footloose and fancy-free”，即是说你没有结婚、没有任何恋爱关系、没有任何家庭或感情的责任，因此能随时去旅行、无拘无束地做任何自己想做的事。一些人喜欢这样毫无羁绊、逍遥自在的单身生活（footloose and fancy-free），另一些人则想要有恋爱的牵系。我也是个无拘无束的单身汉（footloose and fancy-free），因为我不再是已婚人士，没有拍拖，也不需要供养谁，还是个自由身新闻工作者。
中译：七刻
[email protected]
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
The word “walkable” used this way means an area that is safe and suitable for walking. The word “pedestrianised” means a street or area closed to traffic and only pedestrians are allowed. The word “detour” means a long and roundabout route instead of a direct route to a destination. Britain’s Guardian newspaper used an interesting headline for its news report of the study. The headline was “Footloose and car-free”. This is a play on words by twisting the expression “footloose and fancy-free”. The Guardian used the word “car-free” in its headline because one category of the study involved closeness to car-free or pedestrianised areas. It used the word “footloose” because the study involved walkable cities. People have to use their feet to walk.
But the expression “footloose and fancy-free” has nothing to do with walkable areas. If you are “footloose and fancy-free” it means you are not married, do not have romantic commitments, do not have many responsibilities, and therefore can travel anytime or do whatever you want. Some people like to be footloose and fancy-free. Others prefer to have commitments. I am footloose and fancy-free because I am no longer married, have no romantic commitments, do not have to support anyone, and am a freelance journalist.
＊＊＊＊＊
你可知道，香港是全世界最适合步行（walkable）的城市之一？一个美国非政府组织研究了全球逾千个城市，这项研究用了三个指标去找出哪些城市是最适合走路的（walkable）。第一个判断的标准是在一个无车的地区，例如公园或行人专用（pedestrianised）街道的一百米（三百二十八呎）之内，住了几多人。在这一项中香港居首位，其次是莫斯科、巴黎、波哥大和伦敦。然而，在其余两个项目中，香港则五甲不入，那两个指标就是去看跟医疗保健、学校等设施住得有多近，以及是否能不需绕道（detours）便能直接步行到达目的地。只有哥伦比亚的波哥大在三个范畴里都位列头五位。
Walkable在这里是指一个地方是安全的、便利行人走路的、「好行」的。Pedestrianised是指禁止车辆驶入的行人专用区或街道。Detour是指迂回而长的绕道，而非直接到达目的地的路线。英国的《卫报》报道这个研究时，用了一个有趣的标题。标题是：“Footloose and car-free”，这是一个食字的双关语，将习语“footloose and fancy-free”扭了一下。《卫报》在标题中用了“car-free”一字，因为该研究的其中一个范畴就是涉及与无车（car-free）或行人专用（pedestrianised）区有多近。人们要用双脚走路，它就用了“footloose”一字，因为研究牵涉到「好行」（walkable）的城市。
然而，习语“footloose and fancy-free”其实跟「好行」的（walkable）地区毫无关系。若你是“footloose and fancy-free”，即是说你没有结婚、没有任何恋爱关系、没有任何家庭或感情的责任，因此能随时去旅行、无拘无束地做任何自己想做的事。一些人喜欢这样毫无羁绊、逍遥自在的单身生活（footloose and fancy-free），另一些人则想要有恋爱的牵系。我也是个无拘无束的单身汉（footloose and fancy-free），因为我不再是已婚人士，没有拍拖，也不需要供养谁，还是个自由身新闻工作者。
中译：七刻
[email protected]
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
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