- 12月 06 週一 201012:13
道地的口語-At odds
- 12月 03 週五 201011:35
世界公民weekly預告:全美最性感的城市-德州奧斯丁
- 12月 02 週四 201011:23
告別"How to say"的年代
如果要列英文錯誤排行榜，"How to say?"這句話肯定列得上前十名。我們很不自覺地，每次不知道該說什麼時，就來一句“How to say?”（怎麼說）。基本上“How to say?”文法上就不對。當找不到合適的詞時，老外會怎麼說呢？
1. How do I put it? / What should I say?
這是最常用的兩句了。簡單明瞭，通俗易懂。
2. I don't know what to say.
過於激動、氣憤、惱怒、悲傷或者高興的時候，總會一時語塞、說不出話來。這時，你就可以說"I don't know what to say!"。比如：
You say you spent $100 on that car! I don't know what to say! I can't believe you did that!（你說你花了100美元買車！我真是不知道該說什麼好了，真是難以置信！）
3. Something like it/ whatever you call it
有時真的找不到合適的表達法。就可以說：
A: What do you think of the idea of permanent education? That is, letting people go on learning until they die?
B: Well, that sounds quite new to me. Do you mean evening schools, or something like it?
實在不知道permanent education是怎麼回事，於是就用and ... and something like it?來代替了。類似的說法還有whatever (you call it)。
4. A sort of ..., you know.
這個a sort of..., you know 最適合想了半天卻什麼也沒想出來的場合，讓對方從你說話的context中去判斷你要表達的意思。例如：
This man is so popular here. He is just a sort of ..., you know.
這個人在這裡真受歡迎。他真是…，你知道的。
5. You know what I mean.
前面說很多，不容易總結，便可以用You know what I mean。例如：
To be honest, this will be difficult. You know your application form will be read not just by me but by at least three members of the academic council, and it's no easy matter to have all of us agree on one thing... you know what I mean.
說實話，這很難。你知道不只一個人要看你的申請，學院委員會至少還有兩個人要看。要讓大家都同意可不是件容易的事……你知道我的意思。
6. 此外，你還可以用一些conversational fillers來爭取一些思考的時間。
常用的有：well then，now，actually，of course，in fact，I mean，you know，you see，as a matter of fact，shall I say...，sort of，kind of，like，and等等。
1. How do I put it? / What should I say?
這是最常用的兩句了。簡單明瞭，通俗易懂。
2. I don't know what to say.
過於激動、氣憤、惱怒、悲傷或者高興的時候，總會一時語塞、說不出話來。這時，你就可以說"I don't know what to say!"。比如：
You say you spent $100 on that car! I don't know what to say! I can't believe you did that!（你說你花了100美元買車！我真是不知道該說什麼好了，真是難以置信！）
3. Something like it/ whatever you call it
有時真的找不到合適的表達法。就可以說：
A: What do you think of the idea of permanent education? That is, letting people go on learning until they die?
B: Well, that sounds quite new to me. Do you mean evening schools, or something like it?
實在不知道permanent education是怎麼回事，於是就用and ... and something like it?來代替了。類似的說法還有whatever (you call it)。
4. A sort of ..., you know.
這個a sort of..., you know 最適合想了半天卻什麼也沒想出來的場合，讓對方從你說話的context中去判斷你要表達的意思。例如：
This man is so popular here. He is just a sort of ..., you know.
這個人在這裡真受歡迎。他真是…，你知道的。
5. You know what I mean.
前面說很多，不容易總結，便可以用You know what I mean。例如：
To be honest, this will be difficult. You know your application form will be read not just by me but by at least three members of the academic council, and it's no easy matter to have all of us agree on one thing... you know what I mean.
說實話，這很難。你知道不只一個人要看你的申請，學院委員會至少還有兩個人要看。要讓大家都同意可不是件容易的事……你知道我的意思。
6. 此外，你還可以用一些conversational fillers來爭取一些思考的時間。
常用的有：well then，now，actually，of course，in fact，I mean，you know，you see，as a matter of fact，shall I say...，sort of，kind of，like，and等等。
- 12月 01 週三 201011:19
這句英文怎說：”這事這麼重要你怎麼能瞞著我”
X：How can you not tell me such an important matter?
O：How can you keep such an important matter from me?
分析：
我們用tell sb. sth.表示“告訴某人某事”，比如：She told me a secret. 我們將其翻譯為：“她告訴我一個秘密。”
但是“不告訴某人”並不能準確的表達出“瞞著某人”這個概念，後者有故意不告訴某人的內涵，所以在這裡，用not tell me such an important matter並不是很準確。但是keep sth. from sb.則表示“不把某事告訴某人，瞞著某人”，例如：他有一個秘密瞞著我。我們就可以說成為：He is keeping a secret from me.
除此之外，還可以用hide這個詞來表示“隱瞞”，例如：You're hiding some important facts. 你在隱瞞某些重要事實。
O：How can you keep such an important matter from me?
分析：
我們用tell sb. sth.表示“告訴某人某事”，比如：She told me a secret. 我們將其翻譯為：“她告訴我一個秘密。”
但是“不告訴某人”並不能準確的表達出“瞞著某人”這個概念，後者有故意不告訴某人的內涵，所以在這裡，用not tell me such an important matter並不是很準確。但是keep sth. from sb.則表示“不把某事告訴某人，瞞著某人”，例如：他有一個秘密瞞著我。我們就可以說成為：He is keeping a secret from me.
除此之外，還可以用hide這個詞來表示“隱瞞”，例如：You're hiding some important facts. 你在隱瞞某些重要事實。
- 11月 30 週二 201014:49
Tokyo—著迷在東京裡的白晝與黑夜
文/Wendy周
（閱讀一個有趣的城市，讓你以英文暢遊全世界）
一個在我的travel list上倒數的城市，它的拘謹，讓我一直對於這個城市文化卻步，先入為主認為自己也許不大適合這樣一個嚴謹的文化，但它的精彩卻讓每個踏上那塊土地的人都讚嘆不絕，我決定，給它一次機會，拉著我的行李，炎炎夏日中，踏上了我的東京之旅。
I didn’t want to go. But I heard stories. I heard about its glories. I heard about its greatness. I heard about how unforgettable a city it is. I decided to give this city a chance.
對不起，我錯了。原來，我誤會東京了。原來它是一個充滿衝突的文化，強烈的外表拘謹和內心的熱情澎湃，這衝突的美創造出東京人的獨特。早上整個城市充斥著穿戴整齊的上班族，搭著電車，人人手裡拿著一本書，沉靜心情為接下來的一天工作做好準備。夜晚，開始著居酒文化，卸下白天的面具，輕鬆做回自己，明天，又是新的一天。白天與夜晚，我似乎來到不同的地方。
一個人，走在東京街頭，靠著足夠的肢體語言、一點點的日文、漢字、和偶而夾雜的英文，帶著我看到了新宿的大樓聳立，逛到渉谷109的女人天堂，到青山的表參道，通至原宿。坐著電車到淺草觀音寺，走進旁邊的串燒店，學著日本人喝起水果莎瓦酒，吃起眼前的美食，對我而言，這一幕幕都像五顏六色的顏料，在我腦海裡盡情揮灑著。晚上去六本木見識東京人的炫麗夜生活，在東京，它的精彩就像煙火大會上那一幕幕點燃天空的璀璨。這趟短暫旅途，在我心中留下許多伏筆，東京的白天與黑夜，我著迷了。
In Tokyo, a city that is described as one of the three "command centers" for the world economy, along with New York City and London. I watched people change from day to night. In the day, it’s as though they’re wearing a mask. A mask that is created by its cultural background. At night, it’s as though they shed their mask. They free themselves from the invisible stress coming from their cultural background. I feel for those people. I feel the pressure its culture has put on them. But I know that although they feel the pressure from the society itself, they’re born to live with it. It’s their destiny. It’s what creates their greatness. And they’re proud of it, which they should be.
As I walked along this metropolitan land, I feel like I can be a part of it. The great buildings in Shinjuku, the shopping malls in Shibuya, the delicious traditional dishes in Asakusa, and the trendy bars in Roppongi. Everything just kept on wooing me into liking this place a little more. My mouth’s still watering from the ramen I had in that tiny restaurant in a small alley located in Shinjuku. My head is still spinning from all the shopping in Shibuya 109 mall. My feet are still aching from the all night dancing and bar hopping in Roppongi. I think it’s not hard to guess that I want to go back again and enjoy more of that fascinating yet contradictory culture.
Woo：原本的意思是在形容一個人在討另一個人的歡心，為求得他的喜愛，通常用於男生在追求女生時，而在這邊用woo來比喻東京的一切好像在讓我更加愛上這塊土地。Example: Girls are often wooed by chocolates and flowers.
My Special Tokyo Experience
Tokyu Stay Hotel- “Home away from home”
這個散布於東京不同角落的連鎖飯店，是一間所謂的apartment hotel，不同於一般飯店在於它裡面每間房間均附有洗衣機和微波爐，是一間適合除了短期旅行的遊客外，需要較長期暫留的旅客也可以考慮，我選擇了他們位於西新宿的分館。在走過這麼多城市中，我想這是我的top list之一，因為它的交通便利，旁邊佈滿小餐廳和便利商店，飯店房間裡設備齊全又新，麻雀雖小五臟俱全，泡澡浴缸非常乾淨又舒服，lobby裡有供遊客使用的電腦及印表機，重點是它是一間平價飯店，對於travelling on a budget的人來說，簡直就是物超所值。
I know that going to one of the most expensive cities to live in, the accommodation cost wouldn’t be cheap. And I had my heart set on staying in Shinjuku area, which is not a cheap area to begin with. I found an apartment hotel, which is located in very close by a subway station. I loved it for its location, its friendliness, its cleanness, its convenience, and its comfort. At the end of a tiring day out going around the city, it felt great to know I was going back to a “home away from home.” And I might add that, this “home away from home” is even very affordable for most people.
Had my heart set on:意思為我的心意已定。
Home away from home:意思為好像回到家一般，在這裡提到旅館像是home away from home，意思可解釋為那家旅館舒服的跟回到家一樣。
Hanabi隅田川煙火大會
每年夏天舉行好幾場的煙火大會，在日本是他們的年度大事之一，而隅田川煙火大會又是今年最大的一場，家家戶戶都出動，許多女生穿著日式浴衣，附近店家紛紛賣起飲料、章魚燒、串燒、鯛魚燒、甜點，應有盡有。我在那兩萬發煙火下震撼了，感受到天空燦爛無比，大人小孩都盡情享受著這一個耀眼的夜晚。
The Hanabi, one of the most exciting and most important events for people in Tokyo. The word Hanabi means firework show in Japanese. Most people attending the event dress up in traditional Japanese clothing. I’ve never seen a more crowded subway before. The Hanabi I attended was the biggest one in Tokyo, which explained the crowd. The spectacular fireworks went on for ninety minutes. I was awed.
(本文同步刊於99/9/11工商時報"世界公民weekly"單元)
（閱讀一個有趣的城市，讓你以英文暢遊全世界）
一個在我的travel list上倒數的城市，它的拘謹，讓我一直對於這個城市文化卻步，先入為主認為自己也許不大適合這樣一個嚴謹的文化，但它的精彩卻讓每個踏上那塊土地的人都讚嘆不絕，我決定，給它一次機會，拉著我的行李，炎炎夏日中，踏上了我的東京之旅。
I didn’t want to go. But I heard stories. I heard about its glories. I heard about its greatness. I heard about how unforgettable a city it is. I decided to give this city a chance.
對不起，我錯了。原來，我誤會東京了。原來它是一個充滿衝突的文化，強烈的外表拘謹和內心的熱情澎湃，這衝突的美創造出東京人的獨特。早上整個城市充斥著穿戴整齊的上班族，搭著電車，人人手裡拿著一本書，沉靜心情為接下來的一天工作做好準備。夜晚，開始著居酒文化，卸下白天的面具，輕鬆做回自己，明天，又是新的一天。白天與夜晚，我似乎來到不同的地方。
一個人，走在東京街頭，靠著足夠的肢體語言、一點點的日文、漢字、和偶而夾雜的英文，帶著我看到了新宿的大樓聳立，逛到渉谷109的女人天堂，到青山的表參道，通至原宿。坐著電車到淺草觀音寺，走進旁邊的串燒店，學著日本人喝起水果莎瓦酒，吃起眼前的美食，對我而言，這一幕幕都像五顏六色的顏料，在我腦海裡盡情揮灑著。晚上去六本木見識東京人的炫麗夜生活，在東京，它的精彩就像煙火大會上那一幕幕點燃天空的璀璨。這趟短暫旅途，在我心中留下許多伏筆，東京的白天與黑夜，我著迷了。
In Tokyo, a city that is described as one of the three "command centers" for the world economy, along with New York City and London. I watched people change from day to night. In the day, it’s as though they’re wearing a mask. A mask that is created by its cultural background. At night, it’s as though they shed their mask. They free themselves from the invisible stress coming from their cultural background. I feel for those people. I feel the pressure its culture has put on them. But I know that although they feel the pressure from the society itself, they’re born to live with it. It’s their destiny. It’s what creates their greatness. And they’re proud of it, which they should be.
As I walked along this metropolitan land, I feel like I can be a part of it. The great buildings in Shinjuku, the shopping malls in Shibuya, the delicious traditional dishes in Asakusa, and the trendy bars in Roppongi. Everything just kept on wooing me into liking this place a little more. My mouth’s still watering from the ramen I had in that tiny restaurant in a small alley located in Shinjuku. My head is still spinning from all the shopping in Shibuya 109 mall. My feet are still aching from the all night dancing and bar hopping in Roppongi. I think it’s not hard to guess that I want to go back again and enjoy more of that fascinating yet contradictory culture.
Woo：原本的意思是在形容一個人在討另一個人的歡心，為求得他的喜愛，通常用於男生在追求女生時，而在這邊用woo來比喻東京的一切好像在讓我更加愛上這塊土地。Example: Girls are often wooed by chocolates and flowers.
My Special Tokyo Experience
Tokyu Stay Hotel- “Home away from home”
這個散布於東京不同角落的連鎖飯店，是一間所謂的apartment hotel，不同於一般飯店在於它裡面每間房間均附有洗衣機和微波爐，是一間適合除了短期旅行的遊客外，需要較長期暫留的旅客也可以考慮，我選擇了他們位於西新宿的分館。在走過這麼多城市中，我想這是我的top list之一，因為它的交通便利，旁邊佈滿小餐廳和便利商店，飯店房間裡設備齊全又新，麻雀雖小五臟俱全，泡澡浴缸非常乾淨又舒服，lobby裡有供遊客使用的電腦及印表機，重點是它是一間平價飯店，對於travelling on a budget的人來說，簡直就是物超所值。
I know that going to one of the most expensive cities to live in, the accommodation cost wouldn’t be cheap. And I had my heart set on staying in Shinjuku area, which is not a cheap area to begin with. I found an apartment hotel, which is located in very close by a subway station. I loved it for its location, its friendliness, its cleanness, its convenience, and its comfort. At the end of a tiring day out going around the city, it felt great to know I was going back to a “home away from home.” And I might add that, this “home away from home” is even very affordable for most people.
Had my heart set on:意思為我的心意已定。
Home away from home:意思為好像回到家一般，在這裡提到旅館像是home away from home，意思可解釋為那家旅館舒服的跟回到家一樣。
Hanabi隅田川煙火大會
每年夏天舉行好幾場的煙火大會，在日本是他們的年度大事之一，而隅田川煙火大會又是今年最大的一場，家家戶戶都出動，許多女生穿著日式浴衣，附近店家紛紛賣起飲料、章魚燒、串燒、鯛魚燒、甜點，應有盡有。我在那兩萬發煙火下震撼了，感受到天空燦爛無比，大人小孩都盡情享受著這一個耀眼的夜晚。
The Hanabi, one of the most exciting and most important events for people in Tokyo. The word Hanabi means firework show in Japanese. Most people attending the event dress up in traditional Japanese clothing. I’ve never seen a more crowded subway before. The Hanabi I attended was the biggest one in Tokyo, which explained the crowd. The spectacular fireworks went on for ninety minutes. I was awed.
(本文同步刊於99/9/11工商時報"世界公民weekly"單元)
- 11月 29 週一 201010:54
英文溝通「怎麼說」比「說什麼」還重要
1. Can you pass me...? vs. Give me...
大家都不喜歡被人使喚、支配的感覺，換掉那些聽起來是命令的語句，例如"Give me the newspaper"，而使用"Can you pass me the newspaper?"
2. Could you give me five minutes? vs. Go away...
你工作非常的忙，但是你的同事卻請你幫忙...當你工作非常緊張而不能做其他的事情的時候，只說"Go away"肯定是不合適的。取而代之，說Could you give me five minutes?就能讓每個人都覺得愉快了
- 11月 26 週五 201011:08
世界公民weekly預告：2010年度熱門名英文字
歡迎閱讀明天11/27(六)工商時報裡的"世界公民weekly"專欄
內容搶先看：
2010年年度熱門名英文字："漏油"、"胡錦濤"居首
"怎麼說"比"說什麼"更重要
文法講座：用主動形式表示被動意義
Debug：找出英文錯誤，像擦掉眼鏡上的一層霧水！
千萬別錯過～
內容搶先看：
2010年年度熱門名英文字："漏油"、"胡錦濤"居首
"怎麼說"比"說什麼"更重要
文法講座：用主動形式表示被動意義
Debug：找出英文錯誤，像擦掉眼鏡上的一層霧水！
千萬別錯過～
- 11月 25 週四 201011:17
是記憶問題?還是應用問題?
這裡面的字句，你都認得吧！但如果你自己用英文說，也許不會那麼順暢，特別是畫線的部份，你可能不會說得那樣道地，原因不是英文單字記得不夠，而是記了沒有用出來。學英文如果沒分辨出問題在哪裡，就算記得再多，還是說不出來。
Word of mouth（口碑）
I heard this product by word-of-mouth.
這產品我從朋友那兒聽來的。
Word of mouth is a great vehicle for advertising.
口碑行銷是很好的廣告工具。
Pay on time（分期付款）
Do we need to pay the entire amount now or may we pay one time? 我們必須現在一次付清還是可以分期支付?
“To pay on time" 原意是到期支付。分期的意思也就是時間到了要付錢，對方到底是什麼意思，要看上下文情境。
Realize a profit (獲利)
We hope to realize a profit in just a few months. 我們希望在幾周內能獲利。
Realize a profit意思是創造利潤，也可以用show a profit。
Run with it (實施)
I like your idea for the new product. I'd like you to run with it. 我認為你對新產品的想法不錯，我們就這樣做吧！
Run with it也說成"take the ball and run with it"，這用法從橄欖球賽中而來，在賽局中，持球隊員必須設法避免給對方截停，才可以跑到得分的距離。
What someone is into (在幹些什麼)
You always seem so busy. What are you into? 你看起來總是那麼忙，忙什麼呢？
You look guilty. What are you into? 你看起好像很內疚，搞什麼呢？
- 11月 24 週三 201010:29
Job hunting?找工作嗎?如何激發你的動力
Job hunting? How to build motivation
找工作嗎？ 如何激發你的動力
文/ Chris G
The financial crisis of 2008 has left millions out of work, but this year, the economy is showing signs of a rebound. Many out-of-work people are once again job hunting and eager to rejoin the workforce. However, jobs are still hard to find, and many companies are still not hiring. What can you do if your job search has been long and without success?
2008年的經濟風暴讓上百萬人失業，不過今年景氣復甦，很多失業的人重新開始找工作，期待成為勞動市場的一部分。但是，工作依然難找，許多公司還是不僱用新員工，要是找工作的時間拖很久又沒結果，該怎麼辦？
Start your day with structure
以有計畫的態度展開你的一天
"Get up every morning at your usual time and dress as if you're going to work -- because you are going to work, except now your work is finding a new job," says Richard S. Deems.
每天早上一樣早起準備，就像要去上班一樣，因為你的確是去上班，只不過所謂的「上班」是找工作。Richard S. Deems 說。
While it may be tempting to sleep in or lounge around in pajamas, getting your day moving can provide a psychological boost. "I think that keeping a schedule has helped me," says Cherie C. of Denver, who has been unemployed for nearly a year. "I wake up with my partner as he prepares for work, shower, dress and tackle the job search."
雖然很容易就想賴床，或穿著睡衣在家裡東模模西摸摸，不過一起床就開始有事做可以增加心理上的正面效果。「我覺得每天有個要需執行的時間表很有幫助， 我跟我的另一半一起床後，他準備上班，我洗澡、穿衣服，然後開始面對找工作的挑戰。」住在丹佛的Cherie C.說。
Use your computer -- and then get away from it
用電腦—然後拋諸腦後
Designate certain periods of the day as computer time -- then resist the urge to constantly check e-mail or see if one new position got posted. Too much screen time can zap energy. Instead, find other productive ways to pass the time.
鎖定一天中的某個時段為「電腦時間」—再來就控制自己不要動不動就查你的電子信箱或看有沒有什麼新的工作機會。花太多時間在電腦前會耗力氣， 所以想些其他的方法來充實的運用時間。
While some job seekers may feel guilty about spending free time doing anything besides looking for employment, exploring interests can be rejuvenating -- and potentially rewarding -- during a trying time.
雖然有些找工作的人要是花太多時間在做其他跟找工作無關的事會感到內疚，但是探索一些有興趣的事情有時也能讓你在困難的日子中重拾活力—也能讓你得到收穫。
Give yourself a break
讓自己休息一下
"On days when I lack motivation and don't want to send a résumé, I really try to push myself to keep working, but sometimes I've found it's best to wait a day," Cherie C. notes. "Sending a résumé while in a sad or defeated mood could lead to typos or other errors that could cost me consideration for the job. I take a short break and try to refresh myself."
「當我沒動力也不想再寄履歷表出去，我會鞭策自己繼續努力找工作。不過我發現最好還是等一天再繼續。在你情緒低落或垂頭喪氣時，很容易在履歷表上打錯字或犯其他的錯誤，而這些錯誤會害我喪失工作機會。我會休息一下，讓自己恢復精神。」
It is easy to feel frustrated when your inbox is filled with rejections, but remember that setbacks are only a bump on a long career path that will have ups and downs. Take a look at your résumé to remind yourself of what you have accomplished, and when you're feeling better about your capabilities, get back to sending it out. Someone out there is waiting to read it.
當你的電子信箱裡全部都是回絕信的時候很容易感到挫敗，不過要記得這些挫敗只不過是在你高低起伏事業生涯裡的一小部分。看看你的履歷表提醒自己你有的一些成就，然後當你對自己的能力又感到有信心時，再繼續寄發，總是會有人賞識你的！
Tackle(v.)-
字典中的解釋是「對付」或「處理」，但隨著受詞的不同，意思也會有所不同。有時候，意思卻比較像「勇於面對並克服」。
例1： John is always tackling his boss’s requests. John 總是在處理/對付他老闆的要求。
這裡，tackle的東西是「要求」並且有"always"，是一種長時間的意思，所以此處為「處理或對付」較為恰當。
例2：The manager has to tackle to budget problem of his department soon. 主管必須儘快處理他部門的預算問題。
這裡，因為要tackle的事情是"problem"，所以意思為「處理」。（問題是被處理的）
例3：The newly elected president promised to tackle the economy once he is in the White House. 新上任的總統承諾他入主白宮後會勇於面對並克服經濟的不景氣。
在這句中，tackle 不是對付，也不是處理，因為經濟的不景氣是個挑戰，而且是必須解決、克服的。
在英文裡，很多字同時具有很多意思，會隨著句中的其他字而有所變化。 一開始或許有判斷的困難，不過隨著接觸次數的增加，就能自然的慢慢理解其中用法的差別。
Psychological Boost(n.)-
這個字分別為「心理上的」 與 「提高」。不過，特別要提的是"boost"自然的就有「加強」的意思，而且是正面的。也因此可以接在很多形容詞後來描述任何東西得到加強的效果。psychological雖然單看沒有特別的意思，不過因為boost有加強又有正面的意義，因此兩個字加在一起就是「心理上的正面效果加強」。
例：John got a confidence boost when he was promoted to manager. John升遷為主管時，自信增加。
(本文同步刊於99/8/7工商時報"世界公民weekly")
遇到學習瓶頸，英文好像遇到ceiling effect，怎麼樣都上不去了嗎？你需要1 on 1 Program
許一個2011年英語的願望！年度極優惠方案即將額滿，了解與報名請按此
- 11月 23 週二 201016:47
徘徊在金融風暴口，愛爾蘭會爆發「叮噹郵件」嗎?
Pity the Irish. In the past 18 months, Dublin has repeatedly unveiled commendably bold measures to fight financial crisis. First, it offered to guarantee the banks. Then it replaced its top regulator and central bank governor, and embarked on an unusually forceful effort to inject transparency into its troubled banks.
愛爾蘭人真可憐。18個月以來，愛爾蘭政府一再祭出抗衡金融危機的措施。先是提供銀行擔保，然後撤換了最央行最高首長，繼而又採取非常手段，讓陷入困境的銀行透明。
More remarkable still, it has also imposed a painful austerity plan, in a bid to reduce debt. This has hitherto been largely accepted by long-suffering voters; social cohesion still appears surprisingly high.
愛爾蘭政府還實施了痛苦的財政緊縮計畫，以求降低債務水準。到目前為止，長期受苦的選民們基本上己接受該計畫，社會凝聚力似乎仍然高得驚人。
Yet, instead of being rewarded by the markets, Ireland is now in the cross-hairs. Is there anything more that the Irish government can do to fight back? In essence, Dublin is now pinning its hopes on a combination of pragmatism and grit.
然而，愛爾蘭非但沒有得到市場的回報，反而成為眾矢之的。愛爾蘭政府還能怎麼反擊？都柏林現在也只能夠務實和堅忍度過。
While yields might have jumped this month, they could also drop equally sharply, if only Dublin could find a formula to produce that crucial psychological tipping point. Moreover, Ireland does not need to find that magic formula today: since it is not due to refinance government bonds until next summer, there are – theoretically – a few months to play with.
愛爾蘭債券收益率本月大幅躍升，但它們隨時可能迅速下降，只要愛爾蘭政府能夠找到一種方案來創造出關鍵的心理轉捩點。再者，愛爾蘭不需要立刻找出那個神奇的方案：因為政府債券要到明年夏季才需要再融資，從理論上說還有幾個月的時間。
How might it use that time? The parliament is expected to pass a budget plan next month. Once in place, this should reassure investors. Or so it is hoped. Then early next year, Irish regulators plan another big audit of the banks’ books, probably using a high-profile external company to add credibility.
政府會如何利用這段時間呢？預期議會將於下月通過一項預算計畫。一旦計畫到位，便應該能夠消除投資者的疑慮。或者說政府是這麼希望的。然後到明年初，愛爾蘭監管機構計畫對銀行帳目再進行一次大規模審計，或許會聘請一家知名的外部機構以增加審計的可信度。
The logic – or hope – behind this is that Ireland will win more investor confidence if it can show that it is not acting like Japan in the 1990s, namely sweeping problems under the carpet. In particular, Irish officials know that American investors (among others) are fretting that Ireland could suffer a US-style “jingle mail” problem, where homeowners start defaulting en masse on homes as prices fall. Thus the plan is to get outside experts to properly audit the mortgage books – and model the jingle mail risk.
這麼做背後的邏輯（或者說希望）是：如果愛爾蘭能夠證明自己並沒有像上世紀90年代的日本那樣隱暪問題，就能贏得投資者信心。尤其是，愛爾蘭官員知道，美國等地的投資者正擔心，愛爾蘭可能會遭遇美國式的“叮噹郵件”問題，即隨著房價下跌，住房擁有者開始集體拖欠房屋抵押貸款（因此用郵件將房屋鑰匙寄給銀行）。因此，愛爾蘭政府計畫聘請外部專家，對銀行抵押貸款帳簿進行嚴格審計——並建立叮噹郵件風險模型。
愛爾蘭人真可憐。18個月以來，愛爾蘭政府一再祭出抗衡金融危機的措施。先是提供銀行擔保，然後撤換了最央行最高首長，繼而又採取非常手段，讓陷入困境的銀行透明。
More remarkable still, it has also imposed a painful austerity plan, in a bid to reduce debt. This has hitherto been largely accepted by long-suffering voters; social cohesion still appears surprisingly high.
愛爾蘭政府還實施了痛苦的財政緊縮計畫，以求降低債務水準。到目前為止，長期受苦的選民們基本上己接受該計畫，社會凝聚力似乎仍然高得驚人。
Yet, instead of being rewarded by the markets, Ireland is now in the cross-hairs. Is there anything more that the Irish government can do to fight back? In essence, Dublin is now pinning its hopes on a combination of pragmatism and grit.
然而，愛爾蘭非但沒有得到市場的回報，反而成為眾矢之的。愛爾蘭政府還能怎麼反擊？都柏林現在也只能夠務實和堅忍度過。
While yields might have jumped this month, they could also drop equally sharply, if only Dublin could find a formula to produce that crucial psychological tipping point. Moreover, Ireland does not need to find that magic formula today: since it is not due to refinance government bonds until next summer, there are – theoretically – a few months to play with.
愛爾蘭債券收益率本月大幅躍升，但它們隨時可能迅速下降，只要愛爾蘭政府能夠找到一種方案來創造出關鍵的心理轉捩點。再者，愛爾蘭不需要立刻找出那個神奇的方案：因為政府債券要到明年夏季才需要再融資，從理論上說還有幾個月的時間。
How might it use that time? The parliament is expected to pass a budget plan next month. Once in place, this should reassure investors. Or so it is hoped. Then early next year, Irish regulators plan another big audit of the banks’ books, probably using a high-profile external company to add credibility.
政府會如何利用這段時間呢？預期議會將於下月通過一項預算計畫。一旦計畫到位，便應該能夠消除投資者的疑慮。或者說政府是這麼希望的。然後到明年初，愛爾蘭監管機構計畫對銀行帳目再進行一次大規模審計，或許會聘請一家知名的外部機構以增加審計的可信度。
The logic – or hope – behind this is that Ireland will win more investor confidence if it can show that it is not acting like Japan in the 1990s, namely sweeping problems under the carpet. In particular, Irish officials know that American investors (among others) are fretting that Ireland could suffer a US-style “jingle mail” problem, where homeowners start defaulting en masse on homes as prices fall. Thus the plan is to get outside experts to properly audit the mortgage books – and model the jingle mail risk.
這麼做背後的邏輯（或者說希望）是：如果愛爾蘭能夠證明自己並沒有像上世紀90年代的日本那樣隱暪問題，就能贏得投資者信心。尤其是，愛爾蘭官員知道，美國等地的投資者正擔心，愛爾蘭可能會遭遇美國式的“叮噹郵件”問題，即隨著房價下跌，住房擁有者開始集體拖欠房屋抵押貸款（因此用郵件將房屋鑰匙寄給銀行）。因此，愛爾蘭政府計畫聘請外部專家，對銀行抵押貸款帳簿進行嚴格審計——並建立叮噹郵件風險模型。
