有趣的日記

最近在看 Helene Hanff¹ 的《The Duchess of Bloomsbury²》，當中一篇日記，提到英式和美式用語的差別，雖然年代久遠³，但實在寫得可愛，不妨一讀：

Ena just phoned, they're back. They want me to have dinner with them tomorrow night and then see their flat in Ealing. She and Leo will pick me up here at hoppuseven. Nobody over here says 'six-thirty' or 'seven-thirty,' they say 'hoppusix' and 'hoppuseven.' (= half past six/seven) And 'in' at home is 'trendy' (時髦) here and 'give it up' is 'pack it in' (放棄) and 'never mind!' is 'not to worry!' (沒相干)

And when they pronounce it the same they spell it differently. A curb's a kerb (管制), a check's a cheque, a racket's a racquet – and just to confuse you further, jail is spelled 'gaol' and pronounced 'jail.'

And a newsstand's a kiosk (報紙檔), a subway's the tube (地下鐵), a cigar store's a tobacconist's (售賣香菸的商店), a drug store's a chemist's (藥房), a bus is a coach, a truck is a lorry, buying on time is hire purchase (分期付款), cash and carry is cash and wrap (買賣方式，指顧客跟批發商以廉價購入貨品，並自己提貨) and as Shaw once observed, we are two countries divided by a common language. I am now going to bed because it's quataposstwelve. (= a quarter past twelve/twelve fifteen)

(按：棕色字為美式用語；綠色字為英式用語；至於淺藍色的字，當然是栗子妹自己加的。)

~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~‧~

¹ Helen Hanff 是美國人，她是《84, Charing Cross Road》的作者。
² 這是作者自封的頭銜，Bloomsbury 指 Bloomsbury Street。
³ 該書於1974年初版。