他遭「上海」了
(edited)
IPFS
最近有點忙,但剛剛留意到一則有趣的冷知識,忍不住想分享一下。
原來上海一名在英文可作動詞用,解強迫或拐騙人辦事。例句如:
The two groups were shanghaied into signing the agreement, despite their objections.
那兩群人遭強迫簽署協議,不管其反對。
The homeless are being shanghaied off the streets in some cities.
在好些城市,露宿者正遭驅趕。
這用法源於十九世紀中葉時,海上貿易正盛,美國西岸卻長缺水手,也許礙於當時水手屬危險的行當。據聞不少船長因而巧取豪奪,如迷暈受害人後再丟上船出海,憑此保證勞力。而上海乃當時大家耳熟的航線終點,每逢受害人於陸上失蹤後,留下的人就淡淡一句:「他遭『上海』了」。心領神會,大家就明他已身處海上。情況頗像廣東話所謂「賣豬仔」。
但這用法畢竟過時了,正如許多早已變得老土的潮語一樣,聊為管窺往昔風情的化石。
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