WINNERS AND LOSERS

有人說過：資本主義世界，永遠有贏家或輸家： In a capitalist society, there will always be winners and losers。Winners see the gain. Losers see the pain.   

 

WIN 作動詞用，有獲勝和贏得的意思。前者例如 You win a game, fight, argument, election。後者例如 You win a prize, a medal, or support。WIN 指在競賽、戰爭、比併中獲得勝利，或者因此而贏得獎金或戰利品。

 

 

EARN 通常指你為你所做的工作獲得報酬：The reporter earns $3000 a month working for a newspaper。GAIN 通常指你獲得有用和期望得到的東西，不一等和金錢有關：You gained useful experience while working for the newspaper。WIN和DEFEAT及BEAT，用法也有分別：You do not say that someone wins an enemy or opponent。In a war or battle, you say that one side defeats the other 。In a game or contest, you say one person defeats or beats the other。You win hands down 你輕易取得勝利。You win by a long chalk means you win very conclusively 你毫不含糊地贏得勝利。You win some rounds means you are partly successful 你贏得部份勝利。

 

WIN 作名詞用，相等於 SUCCESS 成功 or VICTORY 勝利。運動方面，兩勝三負是 two wins and three defeats。雙贏的局面是 win-win。一個各得其所的局面便是 a win-win situation all around。例如：The agreement or solution is a win-win for everyone。反之，便是 It’s a no-win situation。

 

WINNING作形容詞用，有兩個配詞用法很有趣：A winning smile 是迷人的一笑；a winning way of doing something is one that makes somebody like you 例如令人傾倒的神態；a winning streak is a period of time when you win every game or competition你手風順，運氣好。

 

A WINNER 贏家 is a VICTOR 勝利者。成者為王，敗者為寇。A winner takes all 贏者通吃 = a situation where the one who defeats others takes all the spoils of the conflict 一切戰利品，歸為已有。運動場上、賭場上、商場上、情場上，勝利者歡呼，失敗者嘆息，司空見慣。當某人失意時，你可以安慰他這樣說：You  can’t win them all =You win some, you lose some 。

 

VICTORY 可以配上不同的形容詞：a dramatic victory 戲劇性的勝利, a decisive victory 決定性的勝利 ,  a narrow victory 微弱的險勝, a surprise victory 意外的成功, a landslide victory 壓倒性優勢的選舉勝利, a well-earned victory 理所應得的勝利等，都很常用。

 

VICTORY 前面運用合適的動詞，可以考慮不同的搭配：roar, romp, coast, cruise, storm, sweep to victory 均表示輕易大獲全勝 = a runaway success：Michel Phelps swept to victory in 2008 Beijing Olympics with 8 gold medals。Fernando Torres led the Spanish team to runaway victory in the 2012 European Cup。英國首相 Winston Churchill 邱吉爾 1940年5月13日在國會第一次演講：You ask: ‘What is our aim?’ I can answer in one word: ‘Victory!’ Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be: for without victory there is no survival 不勝則亡。至於傷亡慘重，得不償失的勝利，只好說：a Pyrrhic or hollow victory which is not worth winning because the winner has suffered or lost so much in winning it。

 

 

用法方面：Defeat is always uncountable in these combinations：You had to admit defeat認輸. You can choose to concede defeat or fight back。

 

Defeated 等同 conquered, vanquished, overthrown 失敗或 戰敗 。

 

DEFEAT 可以配上不同的形容詞：a heavy defeat大敗, a crushing defeat慘敗, a humiliating defeat恥辱的失敗, a tight defeat惜敗, a shock defeat意想不到的挫敗。If you say:  We aren ‘t going to take defeat lying down=You won’t accept it easily，不輕言敗！

 

冠在 DEFEAT 前面，表示 admit  defeat 的動詞，acknowledge, concede, accept 都很常用。例如：美國總統選舉，失敗一方會大方和對方握手，以示民主公平競爭的風範：The presidential candidate  accepted defeat gracefully and shook hands with the winner。表示遭受失敗 experience a defeat 的動詞搭配，crash to, face, taste, suffer 都很常用。例如：該政黨在大選中慘敗：The political party suffered a humiliating defeat in the general election。

 

 

挫折和逆境是通向成功的道路。

 

功敗垂成仍為敗：A miss is as good as a mile，換言之，錯誤再小也是錯：there is no difference between only just failing in something and failing it badly because the result is still the same。

有關WINNERS AND LOSERS 成敗得失的英文雋語，可以列舉幾句，供大家賞玩：

 

Winners see the potential;

Losers see the past.  成者看到前面的潛力，敗者只眷顧失去的過去。

Winners are a part of the team;

Losers are apart of the team.成者合群，敗者離群。

Winners believe in win-win;

Losers believe for them to win someone has to lose. 成者相信雙贏，敗者相信先要別人輸，自已才會贏。

 

逢星期二、五刊登

 

封面圖片：網上圖片