November 10, 2009

• <The use of populistic wording>

  轉載自明報

  馬時亨：新職工作壓力較少 (09:30)

  獲委任為中策集團主席的前商務及經濟發展局長馬時亨表示，這是一份兼職工作，壓力較政府少很多。

  馬時亨接受電台訪問時表示，他較早時接獲中策行政總裁柯清輝的電話，邀請他成為主席及非執行董事，經與太太商量後，決定接受新職。

  他表示，這只是一份兼職工作，壓力較政府工作少很多，而他的身體狀況亦較一年前為好，體重下降，腦中風的風險下降。

  至於中策股價急升，他呼籲股民炒公司消息時要小心。

  曾任商務及經濟發展局長的馬時亨，於去年中以患上腦動靜脈血管畸形呈辭。他當時稱以另類方式服務社會，又表示不想壓力大，估計擔任全職工作的機會不大。

  根據政府要求，問責官員離職後需要有一年的冷河期，才能重投私人市場。如今馬時亨的冷河期剛屆滿才3個月，便出任新工作。

  —————-

  Everything looks fine, and indeed is factual stuff until the very last paragraph. I have no idea whether 1-year grace period is sufficient or not. But as long as the rule is 1-year, anyone – including Ma – should not be blamed for taking new job after 12 months. You can say the rule is outdated, the grace period should be longer. But don’t blame someone who follows the rules.

  Look at the “屆滿才3 個月”. This is as if Ma has done something wrong, and he is greedy & untrustworthy. As far as his new capacity as chairman of 中策 is concerned, I don’t think it necessary to use the word “才”. This is purely the personal views of the editor.

  What if I change the wording a little bit?

  根據政府要求，問責官員離職後需要有一年的冷河期，才能重投私人市場。如今馬時亨的冷河期已屆滿足足3個月，可出任新工作。

  So you can see nothing has really changed, but the stance is entirely different.

  This also applies to “雖然”, “但是”, “儘管”. These wordings are very good at directing your state of thinking. To put it further, readers could be easily misled with these wordings.

   

  • 9:11 pm
  • 6 Comments