又中又英 | A New York minute | 褚简宁

　　When I lived in New York City for about eight months soon after I left Hong Kong in 2021, I explored many parts of it by walking or taking the subway. It's unlike any other city I have ever lived in. It doesn't even look or feel like other American cities. Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and the Broadway shows attract tourists from all over the US and the world. Central Park is so big with so many interesting things to see and do, including riding on horse-drawn carriages, that I never got to see and do everything.

　　New York City also has several nicknames, including The Big Apple and The City That Never Sleeps. The Big Apple was popularized by a horse-racing writer in the 1920s. He used it to describe New York City’s famous racetracks and the huge prizes. The City That Never Sleeps refers to New York City’s energy, bustling atmosphere, nightlife that lasts until nearly dawn, and its 24-hour subway system. I enjoyed the bustling atmosphere in Times Square and the Broadway theater district nearby. But I am no longer a spring chicken, which means I am no longer young. It is no longer possible for me to dance and drink until dawn at a nightlife district!

　　I thought about my time in New York City when I heard an expression about the city that most people outside America may not understand. The expression is “a New York minute”. It means a very short time or in an instant. A New York Minute doesn’t literally mean one minute but describes New York City’s fast-paced lifestyle. A TV comedian once joked that a New York Minute is the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the driver behind you impatiently honking!

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　　我2021年离开香港后，便在纽约市住了约8个月，当时我靠步行或乘搭地下铁，探索了那里的许多地方。它完全不像我曾经住过的其他城市，它甚至看起来或感觉也不像其他美国的城市。时代广场、自由神像以及百老汇的演出，吸引美国以至世界各地的游客到访。中央公园非常大，有许多有趣的事物可看和做，包括乘坐马车，它大得我从未能看过或做过所有事情。

　　纽约市也有好几个外号，包括「大苹果」（The Big Apple）和「不眠之城」（The City That Never Sleeps）。The Big Apple之名因为1920年代一个撰写赛马专栏的作家而普及，他用大苹果来形容纽约市知名的赛马场与巨奖。而The City That Never Sleeps则是用来形容纽约市充满活力与熙攘的氛围，夜生活延续至近日出，以及其24小时行车的地铁系统。我享受时代广场与百老汇剧院区域周边那热闹的气氛，但我已不再是「春鸡」spring chicken，意即我已不再年轻。我已不可能在夜生活区域喝酒跳舞至天光！

　　我想到了在纽约市的日子，源于我听到一个关于这个城市的习语，美国以外的人大多听不明白。那个习语就是“a New York minute”，这个「纽约一分钟」是指极短的时间，又或立即、马上。A New York minute不是真的指一分钟，而是形容纽约市节奏急促的生活模式。一个电视喜剧艺人曾开玩笑道，a New York minute就是曼哈顿的交通灯转绿灯，与后面的司机不耐烦地响咹催促你快开车的间距！

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Michael Chugani褚简宁　　
中译：七刻