又中又英——“KOL” is not an acronym

　　Some years ago, a friend asked me if I had a favourite KOL. I was confused because I didn't know what he meant by KOL. The term was just starting to get popular in Hong Kong. My friend told me it meant "key opinion leader". People in the West seldom use the term KOL. Even Hong Kong's English media seldom use it. They use the word "influencer" instead. The word "key" has many meanings. In the case of KOL, it means having a lot of influence on others. But it also means the metal object to open doors, the letters and signs on a computer keyboard, and the piano parts that are pressed to produce a musical sound. Even though KOL is pronounceable, it is not an acronym.
　　The word "acronym" is a shortened word that can be pronounced using the first letters of other words. For example, the acronym "PIN" means personal identification number. You need a PIN to use your ATM card. ATM is an abbreviation for automated teller machine. It is not an acronym because it is unpronounceable. Even though KOL is pronounceable, it is not an acronym because when people use it, they say the individual letters instead of pronouncing it. There are similarities but also differences between a KOL and an influencer. The term "KOL" is used mostly in mainland China, Hong Kong, and some Asian countries.
　　KOLs, particularly those in Hong Kong, are also journalists, politicians, or writers. Many do not depend only on being a KOL to make a living. But very popular ones can make a living just by being a KOL through social media advertising and crowdfunding. They mostly do not promote or advertise products themselves. They share their opinions to influence their followers. Some popular KOLs do, however, promote products. Influencers in the West don't normally have other jobs, such as being a politician or journalist. They use social media to gain a large following to influence them. When they achieve that, they promote quality products as a way to make a living.
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　　几年前一位朋友问我，可有一位最喜欢的KOL。我当时感到困惑，因为我不知道他说KOL是甚么意思。这个词那时在香港刚刚开始流行起来。我的朋友告诉我，它的意思是「关键意见领袖」（key opinion leader）。在西方，人们很少会用到KOL一词，即使香港的英语媒体也很少会用到；相反他们会用到“influencer”一字。Key一字有许多意思，在 KOL这词里，它的意思就是对他人有很大影响力的。但它也解作用来开门的钥匙、电脑键盘上的字母或符号按键，以及钢琴上用来发出乐声的琴键。虽然KOL可以整个读出来，但它不是一个acronym。
　　Acronym即首字母缩略字，用其他字的首字母组合成一个可以读出来的字。譬如，首字母缩略字（acronym）“PIN”是personal identification number（个人识别码）的缩写，你需要一个PIN去用你的ATM提款卡。ATM就是automated teller machine（自动柜员机）的缩写，它也不是个首字母缩略字（acronym），因为它不能像一个字般读出来。即使KOL可以像一个字般发音，但它并非首字母缩略字（acronym），因为当人们使用的时候，他们会逐个字母读出，而非一整个字的读出。KOL和网红（influencer）虽然相似，但也有些分别。KOL一词多用于中国内地、香港及一些亚洲国家。KOLs，尤其是香港那些，也可同时是记者、政客或是作家，他们大多不会只靠做KOL为生；但一些非常受欢迎的，可以单靠做KOL，以社交平台广告及众筹为生。他们大多不会自己推销或给产品卖广告，而是分享见解来影响他们的追踪者。不过，一些受欢迎的KOL确实会推销产品。西方的网红（influencers）则一般都不会有其他正职，如做政客或记者，他们会使用社交平台去获取大量的追踪，从而影响他们；当他们成功获得大批支持者后，便会推销优质的产品，作为维持生计的方式。
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁