《中英對照讀新聞》Foreign tourists at a loss during disasters due to language woes-外國觀光客因語言問題在災難期間無所適從
◎張沛元
When American tourist Markhuri Davis arrived at a shelter in Sapporo in the wake of a powerful earthquake that rocked Hokkaido on Sept. 6, he was told bluntly, “No English.”
當美國觀光客馬寇瑞.戴維斯在(2018年)9月6日撼動(日本北海道)的強烈地震過後,來到札幌的一處避難所時,有人直截了當地告訴他,「不說英語」。
Davis, 37, couldn’t decide if the staff was just unable to speak English. He had no choice but to go to the Sapporo city government office, which ushered him to a shelter where many foreigners had evacuated.
37歲的戴維斯搞不清楚該名工作人員的意思是否只是他不會說英語(還是不接待說英語的人)。他別無選擇,只好前往札幌市政府辦公大樓,(工作人員)引導他去一個有許多撤離的外國人的避難所。
He recalled that he had to walk for a few hours to get to the municipal office and his smartphone battery was almost dead.
他回憶他得走上數小時才能走到市政府,而他的智慧型手機幾乎已經沒電。
In addition to causing tremendous damage, the strong earthquake wreaked havoc among foreign travelers amid the peak of tourist season in Hokkaido.
這起強震除了造成極大災害,也對在北海道觀光旺季來訪的外國旅客帶來浩劫。
《新聞辭典》
at a loss:慣用語,(1)無所適從,茫然困惑;(2)虧本的。例句:They said were very shocked and at a loss for words.(他們說他們很震驚以及不知道該說什麼。)
woe:名詞,困難;災難;不幸。
in the wake of something:慣用語,做為…的後果;隨…之後而來。wake,名詞,(船的)尾波,軌跡。例句:In the wake of Hurricane Michael devastating Florida as well as areas in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia, volunteers from all over the United States are making their way down south to help.(在颶風「麥可」摧殘佛羅里達州及喬治亞州、南北卡羅來納州與維吉尼亞州的部分地區後,來自全美各地的義工前往南方提供援助。)