又中又英——Wetting the baby＇s head

　　Although English is the common language in countries such as the US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, there are some expressions peculiar only to some of these countries. In a previous column I explained the expression "across the ditch" or "over the ditch". This expression is peculiar only to Australians and New Zealanders. The word "peculiar" means unusual or strange but used this way it means belonging to or found only in particular people. The expression "across the ditch" or "over the ditch" belongs to or is used mostly by Australians and New Zealanders. As I explained in a previous column, it refers to the Tasman Sea which separates Australia and New Zealand. When people travel between these two countries, they say they are going "across the ditch".
　　Last week, someone from Britain living in the US used an expression that is peculiar to Britain. He used it after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl. When a TV reporter asked the British person living in the US about Prince Harry and Meghan's new baby he said "I would like to invite the parents down for a pint. As we say in England, wetting the baby's head". The expression "a pint" used this way means a pint of beer. The expression "wetting the baby's head" traditionally refers to the Christian baptism when holy water is used to wet the baby's head.
　　But now the expression "wetting the baby's head" means to celebrate a baby's birth with drinks, especially alcoholic drinks. That's why the British person living in the US said he would like to invite Prince Harry and Meghan for a pint of beer as a way of wetting the baby's head. My research shows some Australians also use this expression but I don't think many Hong Kong people have heard of it. I asked a few friends and they said it meant making a baby's head wet!
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　　虽然，在许多国家如美国、英国、澳洲、纽西兰和加拿大，英文是共通语言，但有些英文习语是上述国家中的某些国家所独有的（peculiar）。在上一个专栏中，我解释过习语 "across the ditch" 或 "over the ditch"，它们是独特（peculiar）专属于澳洲人和纽西兰人的。Peculiar是指古怪的或奇特的，但在这里则指特定群体所独有的。主要只有澳洲人和纽西兰人在用习语 "across the ditch" 或 "over the ditch"，这是专属于他们的。正如我上次所解释的，它是指分隔澳洲与纽西兰的塔斯曼海，当两个地方的人要横越这个海去彼方时，他们便会说他们要去「过沟」（across the ditch）。
　　上星期，某位住在美国的英国人，用了一个英国独有的（peculiar）习语。之前被称为萨塞克斯公爵与公爵夫人的哈里王子与梅根，宣布他们第二胎的小女儿出生，其后那位英国人就用了该习语。当一名电视台记者问那位住在美国的英国人，怎样看哈里王子与梅根婴儿出生，他说：「我会邀请那对父母过来喝一pint，正如我们在英格兰所说的：wetting the baby's head。」习语 "a pint" 在这里是指一品脱啤酒。习语 "wetting the baby's head" 传统上是指基督教的婴儿洗礼，会用圣水沾湿婴孩的头。
　　但时至今日，习语 "wetting the baby's head" 则是指喝上一杯，特别是喝酒，来庆祝婴孩的出生。因此那位住在美国的英国人说，他会想邀请哈里王子与梅根来喝上一品脱（a pint）啤酒，作为庆祝婴孩出生（wetting the baby's head）的方式。我翻查资料发现，也有些澳洲人会用这个习语，但我可不认为有多少香港人听过这个说法。我问过几个朋友，他们都说这个习语是指弄湿婴孩的头！[email protected]
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁