又中又英｜Dai pai dongs

When you have the desire, you will make it happen. I hope Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan makes this expression his motto (rule, slogan). It means that if you really want to achieve something difficult, you will find a way to do it. The expression “where there is a will, there is a way” has a similar meaning. I am sure Tse Chin-wan knows both expressions. Legislator Judy Chan Ka-pui recently suggested during a Legco meeting that the government should revive dai pai dongs to attract tourists. It’s an excellent suggestion but Tse Chin-wan told her he had faced challenges finding suitable sites.

The public expects highly paid officials like Tse Chin-wan to overcome challenges. Why should taxpayers pay high salaries to officials who are unable to do that? I loved going to tai tat tei in Sheung Wan for char siu rice when I was growing up. It was a big night bazaar with dai pai dongs and hawker carts, but the government closed it for hygiene reasons. Dai pai dongs are now a dying breed with just 17 left. A dying breed means a type of person or thing that is becoming rare. They will soon be as dead as a dodo.

A dodo is a type of bird from Mauritius that cannot fly. These birds became extinct (ceased to exist) in 1662. As dead as a dodo means completely dead. Tse Chin-wan has already failed in convincing the public to pay for garbage disposal. But many Hong Kong people love dai pai dongs. Tse Chin-wan should rise to the challenge, which means to make the effort to succeed despite difficulties.

When you have the desire, you will make it happen. 我希望環境局局長謝展寰可以記着這句格言（motto）。它的意思是，當你真的渴望成就某樣困難的事的時候，你怎樣也會找方法去辦成。習語“where there is a will, there is a way”都是類近的意思。這兩句習語我肯定謝展寰也知道。立法會議員陳家佩最近在一個立法會會議中建議，政府應該振興大牌檔，以吸引遊客。這是一個絕佳的建議，但謝展寰跟她說他在找尋合適的位置上面臨挑戰。

公眾會期望像謝展寰般拿着高薪的官員們可以克服種種挑戰。官員們無法辦到，納稅人又為何要支付他們這麼高的薪水？我童年長大的時候，喜愛去上環的大笪地吃叉燒飯。那是一個很大的夜市，有大牌檔有小販車，但政府因為衞生原因關閉了它。大牌檔現在儼然成為dying breed，僅餘17間。A dying breed是瀕危物種，或愈來愈稀有的某一種人或事物。它們很快會是 as dead as a dodo。

A dodo是渡渡鳥，是毛里求斯一種不會飛的鳥。這種鳥於1662年絕種（extinct）了。As dead as a dodo是指死翹翹的。謝展寰在游說公眾為垃圾棄置付費一事上，已經失敗了一次。但許多香港人也愛大牌檔。謝展寰好應 rise to the challenge，意即迎難而上，即使面對困難也竭力去取得成功。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻