又中又英——Greener pastures

　　Now that so many people are leaving Hong Kong for Britain and other places to find greener pastures, there are some words I need to explain. I explained these words several years ago but many people are still confused or have forgotten. That's understandable because the words can be very confusing. Before I explain those words I will explain the expression "greener pastures". The expression means a new and more interesting place that offers better opportunities. Many people who leave Hong Kong for places like Britain, Canada, and Taiwan believe they are greener pastures. Tens of thousands have already left since Britain offered a new pathway to citizenship for BNO passport holders.
　　Some people often use the word "immigrate" for "emigrate". To "emigrate" means to leave the place where you live to live permanently in another country. To "immigrate" means to come into the country where you have chosen to live permanently. Simply put, when you leave Hong Kong to settle in another country, you are emigrating. When you arrive in that country you have immigrated. It is confusing but the beauty of the English language is that it is simple, with an alphabet of only 26 letters, yet confusing, especially for people whose first language is not English. It can get even more confusing. Once you have emigrated from Hong Kong to immigrate to another country, you are an immigrant.
　　An immigrant is a person who has come to a different country to live permanently. An emigrant is a person who has left the place the person lived in to become an immigrant in another country. The French word "emigre" describes a person who has left his or her country to settle in another country for political reasons. Are Hong Kong people leaving for other countries emigrants or emigres? It's for them to decide. Although these words are confusing, English is a beautiful language to learn. Don't be discouraged by the confusion.
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　　既然现在有那么多人离开香港，移居英国与其他地方，去寻找「更绿的牧场」（greener pastures），在此课题上我有几个字需要解释一下。我几年前也有解释过这些字词，但许多人仍然分辨不清，又或已经忘却了。那亦是可以理解的，因为这些字确可以令人相当费解。在解释那些字词前，让我先解释习语 "greener pastures"——此习语是指能够提供更好发展机遇的新环境，一个更有趣、更美好的去处。许多人为了移居英国、加拿大、台湾等地而离港，他们是相信这些地方是更好的去处（greener pastures），可在当地有更美好的生活。自从英国为英国国民（海外）护照持有人提供一个新的入籍途径以来，数以万计的人已经离港。
　　有些人说起移居外国（emigrate）时，常用上 "immigrate" 一字。To "emigrate" 意即离开你本来居住的地方，移民到另一个国家长居；to "immigrate" 即迁入你选择长居的那个国家。简单来说，当你离开香港去在另一个国家安顿下来，那你就是emigrating；当你已抵达那个国家，你便已immigrated。这或会令人很困惑，然而英语美丽之处，正正在于它本身很简单，只有二十六个字母，却又有时复杂难懂，尤其对于母语非英语的人而言。它还可以令人更混淆：当你已经离开原居（emigrated from）的香港去迁入（immigrate）另一个国家，你便成为一个immigrant。
　　An immigrant就是外来的移民、侨民，来到此地长居；an emigrant则是移离原本居住地，去成为另一个国家的移民（immigrant）。法语字 "emigre" 是形容一个人因为政治原因，离开本地而移居外国的流亡者。香港人离开而前赴他国，是移民（emigrants）抑或流亡者（emigres）？那就由他们自己定夺了。虽然这些字词颇令人困惑，英语仍是一个值得学习的美丽语言。莫要被这些混乱的字词难倒而却步啊！
中译：七刻
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Michael Chugani 褚简宁