又中又英 | Talked in riddles

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po was talking in riddles when he broached the issue of government-subsidized transport fares for people aged 60 and above during his budget speech. He looked as if he didn’t want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. Many Hong Kong people were hoping the financial secretary would again give consumption vouchers. He had given consumption vouchers for three years starting in 2021 to stimulate the Covid-hit economy. But this time he did not even touch it with a ten-foot pole. He didn’t mention consumption vouchers during his budget speech.

To talk in riddles or speak in riddles means to deliberately say things in a confusing way to make it harder for people to fully understand. To broach means to begin a discussion of something difficult. If you don’t want to touch something with a ten-foot pole, it means you prefer not to have anything to do with it. Chan Mo-po looked uneasy broaching the issue of subsidized transport fares because it is close to the hearts of older people. If an issue is close to your heart, it means it is personally and emotionally important to you.

People 60 and above now pay just $2 for public transport. The financial secretary said the government must re-think the subsidy because its cost will rise as the population ages. He talked in riddles when he said the government will not end the subsidy scheme but must find ways to save costs. Does he mean increasing the $2 fare or limiting its use? He didn’t say. He dared not mention the consumption voucher issue because that is also close to the hearts of people.

财政司司长陈茂波在其财政预算案发言期间，尝试提出（broached）关于六十岁及以上人士交通费用补贴的相关议题时，一直在打哑谜（talking in riddles）。他看来好像完全不想介入（touch it with a ten-foot pole）其中。许多香港人之前一直期望财政司司长会再派消费券。他为了振兴备受疫情打击的经济，由二零二一年起，已有三年派了消费券。但今次他甚至连碰都不想碰（touch it with a ten-foot pole），在发表财政预算案时，完全没有提及过消费券。

To talk in riddles或speak in riddles是指刻意地说些莫名其妙的话，去令人难以完全明白。 To broach是去开始探讨一个难题。若你不想去 touch something with a ten-foot pole，即是你压根儿不想与某事情有任何瓜葛、不愿卷入某事。陈茂波提出（broaching）公共交通津贴事宜时，看来很不自在，因为它是长者最关注、心系（close to the hearts）的事情。若一件事是 close to your heart，那即是它对你来说，在个人和情感上都很重要。

现时，六十岁或以上人士乘搭公共交通工具时，只需付两元车费。财政司司长说，政府必须重新考虑这项补贴，因为当人口老化时，开支便会上升。当他说，政府不会结束津贴计划，但必须找方法节省开支时，他一直在打哑谜（talked in riddles）。他的意思是会给两元车费加价，还是会限制其使用范围？他没有明说。他甚至不敢提及消费券，因为那是市民心之所系（close to the hearts）。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻