某天深夜十一時，學生傳來作文，著栗修改。雖已呵欠連連，但還是打起精神，打開電腦，閱讀學生的「大(鑊)作(文)」。
首先映入眼簾的是標題「What do you consider luxury?」，見 luxury 一字孤家寡人，立即猶豫是否該在其前加上 a，於是便去翻字典。據字典釋，若解作「奢華」(the enjoyment of special and expensive things)，luxury 是不可數名詞，不用加 a；若解作「奢侈品」(a thing that is expensive and enjoyable but not essential)，才要冠詞的幫忙。由於標題沒指明是奢侈品，所以不加 a 應沒問題。
看完標題便讀正文。學生在文中寫道，食物在發展較落後的國家屬奢侈品 (To people living in the less developed countries, food is a luxury)。起初栗不以為然，只著力替她修改錯漏百出的句子，但想深一層又好像有點不對勁──食物不是生活必需品嗎？雖然那些地方的人民三餐不繼，但這並不會讓食物變成奢侈品吧？
雖然已近午夜，但還是撥電話給學生，跟她查證。誰料她說那篇是作文改正來的！(竟然還錯了那麼多？) 若是那樣，問題便來了：到底是栗因太累而看錯題，還是學生的老師馬虎了事？
學生會不會將 "奢侈品" 等同為 "稀有品"? ~~
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:11:00]暖暖：有可能。如果她跟我說「物以稀為貴」，到時我就不知道該如何對答了......
想 food is not a kind of luxury, 但 warm and full stomach （溫飽）對他們也許是吧。
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:12:00]乏言先生果然是才子 ！我就只想到 having enough food
讓我抄下跟學生說
作文改正都有人幫手改,而家0的學生真係luxury。
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:13:00]南爾：錢作怪......誰叫栗妹貪財
I see nothing wrong with that sentence worded symbolically to point out abject poverty. If some people have to skip meals, or go 2 or 3 days without food at times, then food is indeed a luxury, from their prospective.
回覆刪除唔．．我個人一看也認為你的學生也非言之無理啊，在非洲地區的好多人，三餐不繼，食物對他們來說真的可說是奢侈品啊．
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:14:00]Nicole: 因為據字典釋，奢侈品是「可有可無的東西」，所以我便覺得學生的句子有問題了。
Agree with Teacher.
回覆刪除food is a luxury for those who live in poverty
[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:16:00]雲兒：That really depends on the definition of 'luxury'.
叫得「咬文嚼栗」，就會變得如此鑽牛角尖的了
如果說成是貧窮國家的奢侈品也可理解
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:16:00]無蹟：我還是那句，奢侈品是「可有可無的東西」
不知她成篇文是怎樣的。但如根據題目我會多些我眼中的luxury多一點。 (Btw，是否錯覺？我中學時作文好像沒作過如此難的題目。好像很難作似的。）
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:09:00]芝芝：我想是因為世界變得複雜了吧？現在的教育制度，要求要貼近生活、貼近時事，反映在作品題目上面，便變成了這個樣子......
Upon a second look, I see what the problem is here. Luxury should not be translated as 奢侈品 , but the noun form of 奢侈.
回覆刪除奢侈品 should be translated as "luxury items". Then, I'd agree with your statement that food is never 奢侈品 , but could be a luxury for some.
Am I making sense, or am I getting too cute by half here? Anyway, time for bed. Good night!
[版主回覆11/26/2008 07:57:00]Morning, Teach :
That's exactly my problem! According to OALD, luxury is 奢侈品 if it is a countable noun (no need to add 'item'). As my student wrote 'food is a luxury', that's why I think she was wrong.
My colleague suggested changing the sentence to 'having enough food is a luxury'. I think that sounds better but I'm not sure if it's necessary.
To me, the English world is full of mysteries ...
(PS. I bought 'An Officer and A Gentleman' last night )
奢侈品係可有可無 我諗食物唔係可有可無 即使非洲人唔係成日都有食物
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:00:00]小蝴蝶：對！我就是覺得奢侈品是可有可無，所以才認為學生的句子錯了
恕小弟才疏學淺，點解 blog 主係話加 a 而唔係加 s 呢？
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 08:03:00]井兄：因為 luxury 是抽象名詞，雖然可數 (countable)，但甚少加 s。如果像 Teacher 所指，改為 luxury item，便應在 item 後面加 s。
食物絕對是必須品.
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 20:29:00]所以我才覺得不能說是 luxury
Chestnut, thanks for your support. I really wasn't sure I was making sense last night because I was already wilting. Now that I'm awake, I reaffirm my earlier statement that there's nothing wrong with your student's original sentence.
回覆刪除
Tell me what you think of Officer and Gentleman after you see it.
[版主回覆11/26/2008 20:30:00]Thanks, Teacher!
If everything goes smoothly, I'm going to watch the film this weekend. Sure will let know what I think about the film afterwards.
咁係咪即係抽象名詞就係 加 " a" 呢？
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/26/2008 20:28:00]不是啊，井兄。一般來說，如果是可數名詞 (countable nouns)，數量又是一的話，才會在之前加上冠詞 (a, an, the)。
我起初看到題目時，以為 luxury 是可數名詞，所以才考慮是否該加 a 。
謝謝栗妹.
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/27/2008 07:56:00]小月：別客氣啦
uh..., on your response to 井兄 , "the" could precede both countable and uncountable nouns. Maybe I misread your statement.
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/27/2008 07:55:00]You're right, Teach. I'll tell 井兄.
Thanks a lot!
哦，原來 blog 主係話 o 係前面加個 a 字，係在下自己誤會 o 左 o 者！真係失禮哂咯！
回覆刪除[版主回覆11/27/2008 07:57:00]井兄：有問題便問，這是非常好的態度呢！怎會失禮？
關於冠詞的使用，請參看樓下 The Teacher 的補充。除了可數名詞外，the 亦可用於不可數名詞，我說錯了