二零一九年香港民變期間,公安不少在制服上貼一「警察勁揪」徽章。警務處助理處長曾豔霜最近通告同袍,說非官家徽章不應擅貼。我讀其通告,真覺哭笑不得。
請看通告第三段:「The Independent Police Complaints Council noted that the display of a badge printed 警察勁揪 was for morale - boosting purpose(護警會明白,當時展示印有『警察勁揪』四字的徽章,旨在激勵士氣)。」短短一句英文,文法就一錯再錯。
按a badge printed是a badge was printed(一個徽章被印下)的縮略,例如:He was wearing a white shirt with a school badge printed on the pocket(他身穿白襯衫,襯衫口袋上印了個校徽)。換言之,a badge printed是指徽章印在某物之上,而不是有文字或圖案印在徽章之上。
要說「徽章上印有『警察勁揪』四字」,英文是「警察勁揪 was printed on the badge」或「on the badge was printed 警察勁揪」。假如前文已有badge一字,則其後的badge可用關係代名詞(relative pronoun)which取代,例如「the display of a badge on which was printed 警察勁揪」。另一說法是「a badge which / that bore the phrase 警察勁揪」,縮略說法是「a badge bearing the phrase 警察勁揪」。無論如何,「a badge printed 警察勁揪」根本不知所云。
限於篇幅,明天再談句子的第二個錯誤。