A Letter to Sir Sai Kwan: Summer Gathering致西關原居民函：暑期聚會

余OK

　　It was a letter I sent months ago to our friend Sir Sai Kwan excellent in writing and knowledgable of Cantonese. Today when reviewing my mails I got this invitation letter back and now take the pleasure in sharing with all friends here.

　　此函係在下月前與粵語協會健筆兼才子西關原居民兄聯絡邀請，今日整理郵件睇返，一齊分享吓：

Dear Sai Kwan,

 

It has been some time we have no correspondence. I hope you everything goes well.

 

We several members of Cantonese Association intend to get together lately. Possibly we will choose one Sunday in summer to meet in Canton. Our purpose of this gathering is to talk about how to develop our association in every possible way as well as to apply to be a registered organization. You are kindly invited with high respect.

 

As you may be aware that through great efforts our association keeps growing in recent years. However, currently we senior members find ourselves entering into the "bottle-neck position": how we can keep going and expand with no income to compensate our hard work. Facing the quite realistic situation, we seem to be unable to afford more as we are just office workers with not much salary. Moreover, what makes us most worried is until now there is no successor who can really take responsibilty to help us for routine affairs, making us hard to move forward. It is urgent to find some ways out especialy making profits for necessary maintenance and to attract more youth's participation.

 

You and other seniors with many years of experience, who, we trust, should have good and favourable advice for our consideration.

We shall be obliged if you could see your way to join in our gethering and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Yuok

 

 

西關君惠鑒：

　　睽違多時久疏音問。尙祈一切均安。
　　敝粵語協會若干成員擬於不日一敘。宜擇某一週日於省城晤面，暢談敝會如何邁步前路，又以申請成為官府註冊機構為亟。誠邀君親臨面授訣竅。
　　君料必注意到敝會同仝藉不懈之功近年取得些微成績。然吾等若干骨幹人員發現現時已進入「樽頸位」：勤苦無所得，敝會發展定必後勁不支。殘酷現實即如是，吾等乃一眾小職員，入息不豐，再作大投入倍感不濟。尤使吾儕焦慮自不止此，乃後繼力量欠奉，令吾等自顧不暇兼顧繁雜事務，何以分身成大業。故急需上佳途徑破此困局也，尤以取得營運成本及吸引更多後輩為重。
　　想君富多年江湖經驗，定能提出眞知灼見以助吾等。
　　若君能拔冗出席聚會，不勝感激。並希玉書回音為盼。
　　耑此。順頌
暑安
 
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　粵協余OK謹啓

[ 本帖最後由 余OK 於 2007-12-13 22:57 編輯 ]

卢总

唉，可惜西关原居民冇出现到！

余OK

　　且看當時西關兄如何短訊回覆：

 

OK吾兄如晤：

 

　　萬分抱歉，近日天口異常炎熱，前夜甫返省城，小兒即不幸高燒。今未見其好轉，唯有居家陪伴，以補平日照料之欠缺。人到中年，百事纏身。今番爽約，實不得已。萬望見諒。

 

西關敬上

 

　　PS：勞兄代向會內其他仁兄問安。近來拙作減量，乃因本職工作正遭遇罕見之大動盪。一待風平浪靜，即復筆耕。

茗荷介

原來人哋有回复啊～ 噉都好啲～ 话时话都好耐冇睇过佢嘅大作喇～

余OK

原帖由 茗荷介 於 2007-12-17 11:49 發表 原來人哋有回复啊～ 噉都好啲～ 话时话都好耐冇睇过佢嘅大作喇～

　　我多次提醒過好多人，對於相熟或有共同志趣嘅人，點解要「人哋」「我哋」噉稱呼，噉樣顯得好見外，係漢語表達上嘅一個嚴重缺陷，現代中文思維模式果然同傳統差噉一截。 [ 本帖最後由 余OK 於 2007-12-17 20:51 編輯 ]

茗荷介

原帖由 余OK 於 2007-12-17 20:48 發表 　　我多次提醒過好多人，對於相熟或有共同志趣嘅人，點解要「人哋」「我哋」噉稱呼，噉樣顯得好見外，係漢語表達上嘅一個嚴重缺陷，現代中文思維模式果然同傳統差噉一截。 ...

 

唔好意思，我呢度讲「人哋」并无任何组党结派之义。纯粹表示「佢」，第三方。唔系你，唔系我。

 

再讲，「人哋都唔系呢个意思」喺某种场合都可以表示「我唔系呢个意思」。噉系咪见外嘅表现呢？

余OK

原帖由 茗荷介 於 2007-12-17 21:23 發表   唔好意思，我呢度讲「人哋」并无任何组党结派之义。纯粹表示「佢」，第三方。唔系你，唔系我。   再讲，「人哋都唔系呢个意思」喺某种场合都可以表示「我唔系呢个意思」。噉系咪见外嘅表现呢？ ...

　　以在下對中文嘅感悟能力，當然明白呢點，因為從眾，多數人經已思維定勢覺得噉樣表達冇問題亦好自然。本來無可厚非，但畀我揀，我會以另外比較唔引起歧義講法，使之更顯得有人情味，否則早前亦不以文言入文去函，可惜民國38年後對人與人之間客套稱呼有較深體會者鮮矣（儘管呢啲客套被多數人斥之為out、唔等使，雖萬千人吾往也）。 [ 本帖最後由 余OK 於 2007-12-17 21:38 編輯 ]

卢总

阿荷介妹如果前后都用「佢」，噉就可以了却好多麻烦，而且又唔会产生歧义啦！

茗荷介

Okay, 可能系我表达有问题，在此向各位致歉。本人对西关兄景仰都嚟唔切，岂敢见外。

 

PS：至于你封英文信，有某啲地方觉得唔系好通顺，下面嘅稍作改动。当然唔一定啱，大家探讨下。

 

Dear Sai Kwan,

 

Haven't heard from you for some time. I hope everything goes well with you.

 

We several members of Cantonese Association intend to get together lately. Probably we will pick one Sunday in summer to meet in Canton. Our purpose of this gathering is to discuss ways to develop our association in every possible way as well as to apply to be a registered organization. You are kindly invited with high respect.

 

As you may be aware that through great efforts our association keeps growing in recent years. However, currently we senior members find ourselves entering into the "bottle-neck position": how can we keep going and expand with no income to compensate our hard work. Facing the quite realistic situation, we seem to be unable to afford more as we are just office workers without much salary. Moreover, what makes us most worried is until now there is no successor who can really take responsibilty to help us for routine affairs, making us hard to move forward. It is urgent to find ways out to attract more funds(?) for necessary maintenance and to attract more youth's participation.

 

You and other seniors with many years of experience, who we deeply trust, should have good and favourable advice for our consideration.

We shall be obliged if you could see your way to join in our gathering and we are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Yuok

余OK

　　在下對中文表達素來吹毛求疵，見笑！多謝對外文指點，因非自身母語自然疏漏百出，發此帖正是出於拋磚引玉之意，旺吓場，有乜好嘅原創文一齊share，大有裨益。 [ 本帖最後由 余OK 於 2007-12-18 10:02 編輯 ]

外外星人

原帖由 余OK 於 2007-12-17 23:39 發表 　　在下對中文表達素來吹毛求疵，見笑！多謝對外文指點，因非自身母語自然疏漏百出，發此帖正是出於拋磚引玉之意，旺吓場，有乜好嘅原創文一齊share，大有裨益。 ...

 

余OK虚心，好有前途！