是誰提問?焦糖布丁 - 古德明

是誰提問?焦糖布丁 - 古德明

問:六月十六日《頭條日報》有專欄批評民建聯主席李慧琼,說她記者會上不回答英文問題:After answering several questions in Cantonese, a reporter asked her a question in English。這一句文法有錯嗎?
答:(After) answering several questions這樣的分詞子句(participle clause),本身沒有主詞(subject),其隱去的主詞,應與其後子句的主詞相同。所以,上述那一句answering的主詞是a reporter,全句意思是:「一個記者用廣東話回答了幾條問題之後,用英語向她(李慧琼)提問。」但這應不是作者的意思。
作者要說的無疑是:「李慧琼用廣東話回答了幾條問題之後,一個記者用英語向她提問。」要表達這個意思,有兩個寫法:(1)After she had answered several questions in Cantonese, a reporter asked her a question in English。(2)She having answered several questions in Cantonese, a reporter asked her a question in English。第一個寫法較為通用,第二個寫法則一般只見於文字。
問:有法式糕餅店的廣告說:Creme burlee has arrived in town。這一句,改為Creme burlee is in town,不是較為簡潔嗎?
答:Creme brulee is in town可譯作「本市有焦糖布丁」,而Creme brulee has arrived in town則可譯作「焦糖布丁現已傳來本市」。第二句有「焦糖布丁本市現在才有售」含義,突出其新穎,把has arrived改為is,這新穎含義就沒有了。