又中又英｜For the birds

I came across an interesting expression while reading a book that is not commonly used by Hong Kong people. The expression is “for the birds”. It is an idiom that many fluent English speakers use but I don’t think I have heard many Hong Kong people use it. The idiom “for the birds” or “strictly for the birds” is used to describe something stupid or useless. Some local friends have told me the government’s promotion of a night economy is strictly for the birds. They ridiculed the idea of night markets as a barrel of laughs.

The idiom “a barrel of laughs” is used to describe someone or something that is very funny. If a person is always making funny jokes, you can say that person is a barrel of laughs. Some of my local friends ridiculed the night markets as a barrel of laughs because they find it funny the government thinks night markets can boost Hong Kong’s economy. Some ridiculed the prices at night markets, telling me that four fish balls or four pieces of dim sum cost $20. I suppose the government believes some people won’t mind paying high prices to enjoy the atmosphere of night markets.

I haven’t been to Hong Kong’s night markets yet because I don’t enjoy standing up and eating. I prefer sitting down with a whiskey and snacks while enjoying the harbour view. Unfortunately, Hong Kong doesn’t have many restaurants with outside seating by the harbour. I went to night markets in Taipei just to feel the atmosphere without eating anything. Some night markets there had tables and chairs.

我读某本书的时候，遇到一个有趣的习语，并非香港人常用的。那个习语就是“for the birds”。这是一个许多操流利英语的人会用到的成语，但我不认为我曾听过有几多香港人用过。成语“for the birds”或“strictly for the birds”是用来形容某事物愚蠢或无用。一些本地的朋友曾跟我说，政府推广夜经济是strictly for the birds ——荒唐可笑，毫无意思的。他们嘲笑举办夜市的想法是 a barrel of laughs。

成语“a barrel of laughs”是用来形容某人或某事物很好笑。若一个人很搞笑，常常说好笑的笑话，你便可以说那个人是a barrel of laughs。我的一些本地朋友嘲笑夜市是a barrel of laughs，因为他们觉得，政府以为夜市可以振兴香港经济，实在太可笑了。一些朋友嘲笑夜市货物的定价，告诉我四粒鱼蛋或四粒烧卖索价二十元。我猜想，政府大概认为一些人并不介意付更高的价钱去享受夜市的气氛。

我还未去过香港那些夜市，因为我并不享受站着吃东西。我较喜欢安坐，边喝着威士忌，吃着小食，边欣赏海港景致。可惜，香港并不多餐厅有海旁的户外座位。我到访过台北的夜市，只为感受气氛，并没有吃甚么。那里一些夜市则有枱有凳可坐。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻