問:「遮羞布」英文怎樣說?
答:「遮羞布」最好譯做fig leave(無花果樹葉)。《聖經.創世紀》第三章說,亞當、夏娃嘗禁果之後,為赤身露體感到羞恥,就以無花果樹葉遮蔽下體。因此,在特別「守禮」的時代,如英國維多利亞女王時代,裸體男女的雕像或圖畫,往往以無花果樹葉遮掩生殖器。今天,fig leave常用來說掩飾可恥行為的事物,例如:During the umbrella movement, law and order was trotted out by the Leung Chun-ying government as a fig leave to cover up its abuse of power(雨傘運動期間,梁振英政府以「遵守法律,維護治安」為遮羞布,掩飾弄權瀆職)。
Fig leave之外,mask(面具)、veil(面紗、罩紗)二字,也常比喻「用以掩飾的事物」,例如:The authorities put on the mask of law and order to cover up their violation of human rights / The authorities drape a veil of law and order over their violation of human rights(當局以「遵守法律,維護治安」之面具/面紗,掩飾其侵犯人權之事實)。
問:向公司請假,日期如為八月六日至十日,應說from 6 August to 10 August還是from 6 August and 10 August?
答:「由……至……」英文可說from... to或between... and,例如:(1)I would like to take five days' leave, from 6 August to 10 August(我想休假五天,由八月六日至十日)。(2)No one is allowed to take leave between 6 August and 10 August(八月六日至十日期間,所有人不得休假)。