問:坐有扶手的椅子,英文說to sit in a chair;坐沒扶手的,則說to sit on a chair。然則叫學生「坐正」,可不可說Sit straight on your chairs?
答:「椅子有扶手則用in」這說法,其實不大準確。沙發、公園的長椅等,都有扶手,但英文會說to sit on a sofa / garden bench,不說in。一人椅子而兩邊或一邊有扶手的,才必須用in,例如:He sat slumped in his rocking chair / armchair(他頹然坐在搖椅/扶手椅上)。
一般而言,說沒有扶手的椅子,的確應用on,但也有不少人用in。例如十八世紀初英國文學雜誌Tatler第八十期有以下一句:A fair young lady sat in an armless chair at my right hand(我右手邊有個美貌少女,坐在一張沒扶手的椅子上)。類似例子很多,留心一點就會發覺。
教室的椅子,多數沒有扶手。叫學生「坐正」,當然可說Sit straight on your chairs。不過,改用in也可以。
問:以下一句too far advanced三字是什麼意思?──She cannot be put on a plane to be repatriated to Indonesia because her pregnancy is too far advanced。
答:Advanced是「晚期的」,例如:He was found to have cancer only when it was very advanced(他患癌症,到晚期才發覺)。讀者示下那一句是說:「她懷孕已到快生產的時候,不能送上飛機,遣返印尼。」