句型整理

本篇的句型出自於李嘉誠 (和記黃埔集團) 的「和記 3G」投資案，刊登於 TIME Magazine, Vol. 160, No. 121 ，中文翻譯參照《時代解讀雜誌》。

◎ If Li Ka-shing is a visionary, then what does he see in high-speed mobile networks?
如果李嘉誠能夠洞燭機先，他在高速行動網路中看到什麼？
(名詞轉化為動詞)

 

◎ Until recently, Li Ka-shing’s business judgement seemed above reproach, thanks to his decades of virtually flawless maneuverings in everything from container ports to hotel management.
直到最近，李嘉誠的商業判斷似乎無可挑剔，(因為) 他數十年來從貨櫃港業務到飯店管理等各方面的策略幾乎毫無瑕疵。

(解說) thanks to - 由於 (because of) ：可以指好事，也可以當作反語來使用
1. The play was a great success thanks to fine acting by all the cast.
(全體演員表演出色，那齣戲劇極為成功。)
2.  Thanks to the bad weather and being trapped by a bad cold, I had plenty of time to revisit old photos.
(那時天氣不好，我又重感冒，因此有很多時間去重新翻閱舊照片。)

“virutally” =  almost (幾乎)

“manueuver” = 謹慎與熟練的動作 (這個單字很常用，網友一定要會。)

in everything from … to … = 這是很典型的英語用法，類似的說法還有下面這個：
Nick’s dancing falls somewhere between Michelle’s and Mike’s. (介於兩者之間)

 

◎ When he made a contrarian call, everyone assumed he was right and the world was wrong.
當他逆勢操作的時候， 每個人都假定全世界都錯了，只有他才是對的。

(解說) “contrarian” 專指做法與一般大眾不同的投資人 (a person who deliberately behaves in a way that is different from the general public)

 

◎ While almost every telecom company on the planet has postponed or shelved plans to build data-intensive, high-bandwidth mobile networks, Hutchison Whampoa is charging ahead undeterred.
全球電信公司幾乎已經延後或擱置興建資料密集、高頻寬行動網路計劃，和記黃埔卻勇往直前。

(解說) ”shelve” 指暫時擱置 (delay dealing with something)，中文有「束之高閣」的說法，中英文在此有異曲同工之妙。

“be charging ahead undeterred” - 用現在進行式表示「持續做某件事」，細節請參考英文解說『英文「現在進行式」的使用時機 (2)』。

 

◎ While his rivals are worrying about how investment in new network technolgoy will impact their already-shaky bottom lines, Li is clearly taking a longer view. He can afford to.
他的競爭對手都在擔憂，投資新網路科技會對他們原本已經搖搖欲墜的財物狀況造成怎樣的衝擊，李嘉誠明顯將眼光放遠，因為他頂得住。 

(解說) 
“while” 在這裡是表示「對比」，細節請參照版主的英文講解『英文單字 “While” 的常見用法』。

“bottom line” (這個字眼經常出現) 
1. 決定性因素 (deciding factor) 或關鍵因素
eg.  If you don’t have royal customers you go out of business. That is the bottom line.

2. 公司的損益表底線、公司最終的盈餘 - 這是本句話的意義
(the amount of money that is considered to be a profit or a loss after everthing has been considered and calculated)

“be taking a longer view” 這句話用現在進行式：表示「持續做某件事」，細節請參考英文解說『英文「現在進行式」的使用時機 (2)』。

 

◎ Due to Hutchison 3G’s position as one company within a diversified conglomerate, it has the financial resources and management conviction to take chances when others must scale back.
和記 3 G 只是多角化企業集團的ㄧ員，所以當別人不得不縮小規模時，它卻有財務資源與經營信念可以冒險一搏。

(解說) 
“Due to” - 因為。詳細說明請參考英文解說『英文中各種「因為」說法的差異』。

“diversify” 是「多角化」的意思，表示該公司從事或者投資許多行業與項目。”diversified” 用來形容 “conglomerate” (企業集團 - a large corporation formed by merging different firms)

“Take chances” - 表示「冒險」的意思 (這是固定用語，chance 後面要加 s)

“scale” 這個單字有很多意思，最常見的就是 「範圍、等級與刻度」。本句的 “scale”  為動詞，表示「增減」的意思 (scale up / scale down / scale back)。
eg. Lupu, a pioneer in the computing industry of the Asia-pacific region, has recently scaled up production of high quality LCD panels to meet demand.

 

◎ The world’s telecom-investment climate is considerably more frigid than it was just a few years ago.
全球電信投資氣氛比起幾年前要低迷許多。

(解說) 
“climate” - 傾向；思潮；風氣

“frigid” - 原本指氣候嚴寒，本句話是指投資者觀望不前 (climate + frigid:  詞語搭配，請參照版主的英文解說『英文的『詞語搭配』』 )
 

◎ Saddled with debt, frightened by sinking stock prices, and wary of technological delays, most carriers have postponed their 3G-investment plans and instead are settling for less costly upgrades of existing networks through technolgoy known as 2.5G.
大多數電信業者背負債務、因股價下跌而擔心害怕、又要提防技術開發的延誤，早已延後它們的 3G 投資計畫，改採投資較少的方式，將現有網路透過所謂 2.5 G 技術加以升級。

(解說)
“saddled, frightened, wary” 前面省略 “being”，透過整個分詞構句來修飾 “most carriers”，中文翻譯時可利用整個句子來說明，善用中文的靈活結構。

“settle for” - 勉為其難接受某件事 (be forced to accept sth that is not quite satisfactory)

“are settling for” - 用現在進行式表示「狀態的持續與進行」，這種寫法可讓句子靈動起來，詳細說明請參照『英文「現在進行式」的使用時機 (2)』。

 

◎ Hutchison has introduced a confident new brand name, “3,” along with a snazzy logo and enough empowerment-through-technology hype to make you think it’s 1999.
和記推出自信滿滿的新品牌「3」，配上時髦的標誌，並且大量宣傳「科技就是力量」，讓你誤以為現在還是 1999 年。

(解說)
“snazzy”= smart and stylish 時髦的；帥氣的 

“empower” 這個單字十分常見，中文卻不好翻譯。下面的解說參考 「google 字典」：

a. to give sb the power or authority to do sth 授權；給 (某人) … 的權力 
The courts were empowered to impose the death sentence for certain crimes.
(法院有權因某些罪行判處罪犯死刑。)

b. to give sb more control over their own life or the situation they are in 增加（某人的）自主權；使控制局勢
The movement actively empowered women and gave them confidence in themselves.
(這場運動使婦女更能主動掌握自己的命運，對自己充滿信心。)

** empower**
If someone is empowered to do something, they have the authority or power to do it.
To empower someone means to give them the means to achieve something, for example to become stronger or more successful. (這是最常見的用法說明)

根據上述的英文解釋，”empowerment-through-technology” 就表示「透過科技讓你獲得主導權 (掌握自己的生活)」，所以版主很欣賞《時代解讀雜誌》的翻譯：科技就是力量。

 

◎ Although the company might not make it original goal of a full-scale launch by year-end, Hutchsion 3G spokesman, Peacock , says he’s confident that it won’t miss by more than a few weeks. More important than making a deadline is ensuring that the product delivers as promised.
雖然和記可能無法按照原定目標，在年底之前全面推出服務。該公司的發言人皮卡克表示有信心，延遲推出再晚也不會超過幾星期。確保產品能夠提供先前承諾的服務，這比及時推出服務還要重要。

(解說) 
“make one’s goal” - 達成目標；相關說法還有 “reach one’s goal” 以及 “attain one’s goal”。 

“deliver” - 履行諾言，不負所託 (to do what you’re expected to do; to do what you promised to do)
這個英文單字很有趣，要說清楚得花費點唇舌，版主日後會撰寫專文討論這個有點難、又太難的單字。

 

◎ That’s a wise philosophy considering how high the stakes are. Being the first mover in any new technology is a huge risk, especially within an industry where consumers have come to resent being promised so much yet receiving so little.
由於事關重大，這種想法是明智的。在新科技中當拓荒者，總得冒極高的風險，尤其行動通訊業常提出一大堆承諾，最終卻跳票連連，消費者早已厭倦這種行為。

(解說) 
“considering” - 考慮到；有鑒於

“stakes” 通常指賭注或者投資的本錢 (很常見的英文單字)

“at stake” - 冒著風險 (being risked, either to win to lose, depending on the outcome of an event)
This decision puts our lives at stake.
(一下這個決定，我們的生命就吉凶難卜了。)

 

◎ As a new entrant, Hutchison 3 G is hoping to leapfrog the competition and establish an important early foothold in the telecom standard in the future - a future in which slower rivals are stuck with outmoded networks, just when consumer demand for high-speed wireless data services starts to sizzle.
作為新進業者，和記 3 G 希望能夠越過競爭對手，及早在未來的通訊標準之中建立重要據點。在未來的世界，準備不足的業者只有過時的網路，而消費者卻開始熱切要求高速的無線數據傳輸服務。

(解說) 
“the competition” - 整體名詞，泛指所有競爭對手。
“undersell the competition” 就是「銷售價格低於競爭對手」。

“outmoded networks” - 表示網路已經被 “outmode (使變為過時或者不流行) “，就是退流行了。

“sizzle” 就是煎炸食物時發生的嘶嘶聲，本句話顯然是比喻用法，表示蠢蠢欲動。
There are five sausages sizzling in the pan.
(煎鍋上有五條香腸，發出嘶嘶的聲響) 

 

◎ But even granting the company a relatively painless rollout, the hurdles left to overcome are legion, as skeptics are delighted to point out.
不過，和記 3 G 即使能順利開辦服務，但如同幸災樂禍的懷疑者指出，要克服的阻礙仍然不少。

(解說) 
“rollout” - 版主以前的老闆 (師大教授) 曾經問過版主這個英文單字是什麼意思，當時版主查完之後對這個單字就比較瞭解了。
rollout - 顧名思義，就是「將某個東西軋平 / 正式推出 (新產品) /推動 (新的政治運動) 」。

“legion” - (形容詞) 眾多的 (用在負面的意義時可翻成「罄竹難書」)

 

◎ Hutchison is entering a saturated marketed of entrenched incumbents with an untested product and no killer application.
和記踏入的市場已經飽和，競爭對手早已根深蒂固，同時該公司的產品未經過考驗，也缺乏殺手級的應用。

(解說) 
“entrench” - 用壕溝保護著，表示競爭對手已經站穩，很難擊敗他們。

“killer application” - 殺手級應用，台灣業界的標準說法，版主初次聽到行銷人員使用這種講法時還有點不習慣。
“killer” 的英文解釋：something that is very exciting ; something that is very skillful (刺激又精采) - 難怪是殺手級!

類似的說法還有 “a kick-ass product” - 這句話就是說產品推出後可以大賣或者轟動，大踹對手的屁股。

版主曾經在看洋基報導時讀過類似的用語: Let’s go kick some butt. (讓我們大幹一場 /讓對手死得很難看)  = to act aggressively, directly, and as physically as necessary /to raise hell. 
(sample usage)
A: Do I have to come over there and kick some ass around? 
B: Let’s go out there and kick some butt.  

**
在電影《神鬼戰士》(Gladiator) 中，羅素克洛 (Russell Crowe) 飾演的男主角 Maximus 說過一句版主認為非常經典的話：

Maximus: At my signal, unleash hell.

把地獄釋放出來 (unleash hell)，就是要讓對方吃足苦頭，讓對手死得很難看，把對手殺得哭天搶地，把對手殲滅殆盡。中西方文化的差異，由此可見一班。

 

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