閲讀臺灣地區評論文章（一）Commentary Articles in Taiwan (I) 文章特色 Some Features

閲讀臺灣地區評論文章（一）
Commentary Articles in Taiwan (I)

臺灣報紙評論文章特色
characteristics in the Taiwan's commentary pieces

（一） 以藍綠立場論事(兩極化)
臺灣報紙立場鮮明，大致可以分爲親中、反綠、反藍、反中和獨派，親中和反綠的被認爲是“統派媒體”屬於泛藍陣營，言論中有明顯的反對臺灣獨立的論述。反藍、反中以及獨派的媒體被認爲是“獨派媒體”，屬於泛綠陣營。政治議題、國家前途議題、經貿議題、教育議題，甚至文化科技議題等都會因爲媒體陣營的不同而出現完全不同的觀點。
(1) Clear distinction between Pan Blue and Pan Green ways of thinking (Polarization)
The opinions commonly heard and expressed can be grouped into two camps.  The Pro-unification camp in Taiwan  consists of Pro-PRC and Anti-green factions,while the Pro-Independence camp consists of anti-blue, anti-PRC and Advocate for Independence.  In Taiwan, almost in all aspects, let it be politics, economic-trade, education, culture or science, view points expressed by these two camp can be widely apart from each other.


（二）批判言辭犀利
由於臺灣選舉活動頻繁，報紙評論文章也被選舉活動牽動，其結果是，評論已選舉輸贏為終極目標，批判對手必然使用犀利言辭，極盡嘲諷之能。
(2) Rhetoric tends to be harsh
Due to the fact that Taiwan constantly is either preparing or holding elections, articles published on newspaper are inevitably election-oriented.  Commentators with ideological beliefs tend to use harsh and critical rhetoric to ridicule the opponents.

（三）泛政治化傾向
由於兩岸議題的敏感，各種問題都能觸發政治敏感神經，所有評論文章都脫離不了政治考慮。
(3) Over-Politicizing in topics
Given the sensitivity in the cross-strait issues, any issue is regarded as a cross-strait issue, and all commentary articles are to be read politically

（四）跳脫藍綠的自省式批判並不少見
各大報都有讀者論壇，容許個別讀者發表文章評論時政，讀者多能提出自省式意見，力求言論空間的自由與客觀。
(4) Neutral Introspective thinking on the rise sheds new light
All major newspapers create an opinion forum page to publish articles submitted by individual readers, who tend to more introspective and express more freely, breaking away from the traditional boundary.


（五）牽涉背景龐雜
臺灣雖小，但是政治生態變化迅速，評論文章裏所提及的人事物牽涉面廣，讀者必須熟悉背景，否則難以理解其中微妙。
(5) Lots of background information and allusions are shared and understood only by native readers
Readers may need to have acquired knowledge about the background in order to understand the complete who and what the article is referring to.  Taiwan may be a small piece of land on earth, but its political scenery swiftly varies.

中文评论文章的要件/中文評論文章的要件 Major parts in commentary articles in Chinese

中文评论文章的要件
中文評論文章的要件
Major parts in commentary articles in Chinese

When reading a commentary article, it is useful to understand what are normally included by the author

• 标题/標題
• Title

          The brief statement or expressions the author picked from his writing to be placed initially to highlight his opinion and to attract attention.  Reader may find repetition of the title in the text body with more clues from the context.

• 事件
• Event/Incident

      the author normally starts with a narration of what is currently happening, or something that has been popularly discussed in order to set his/her stage of argument.

• 意见/意見
• Opinions
• (a) the author may introduce views by others before he/she reveals his/her own views.
• (b) the author may switch to argue against a view by using the following devices:
• 但是/可是/只是/然而....... (preceded by 虽然 although、尽管 even though、的确 indeed、固然 clearly、...也无可厚非 nothing wrong in...）
• （而）問題是......
• （而）值得注意的是......
• (c) the author may heighten his argument in stronger tone, using the following devices:
• 没想到...竟然... (sth. happens to be ...)
• 照理说...应该..., 可是...竟然... (sth happens against what is normally expected)
• 除非....，否則......一定.... (there is little chance, unless...)
• 即使/就算...， 也不能...... (even if ..., however ....; denying the legitimacy of ...) 
• 究竟为什么...？这到底是怎么回事？(really wonder why or what happens, and this will bring the author to provide an answer)

• 道理
• providing rationale
• (a) the author may explain what he/she think to be the way to solve an issue
• (b) the author may point out where the real problem lies in
• (c) the author may cite experts' opinions to support his argument

• 例子
• Examples
• Examples may be provided in a geographic format, citing similar situations across the world's or country's map
• Examples may be provided along the timeline of history, citing stories in the past

• 结论/結論
• Conclusion
• typical expressions found in a concluding part are:
• 由此可见，......；不论.....， 可以确定的是....；......
• (a) solution：只有...，才....； 必须......， 才......
• (b) anticipation：期望......；让我们......

中国媒体评论员都评论些什么？what may trigger commentators' opinions? and what will they normally say?

中国媒体评论员都评论些什么？
What a commentator of Chinese media (either Central or local) tend to comment on?

（1）国家政策 State policies

• 反腐倡廉 fan3fu3 chang4lian2: Combating corruption and promoting integrity
• 矫正四风 jiao3zheng4 "si4 feng1": Ractifying the "four incorrect practices"

四风指形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风。
Formalism; bureaucraticism; epicurianism; wasteful and lavishing practices

• 打假 da3jia3 cracking down on counterfeiting
• 反分裂 fan3 fen1lie4  opposing separatism
• 依法治国 yi1fa3 zhi4guo2 ruling by laws
• 京津冀一体化项目 Jing1 Jin1 Ji4 yi1ti3hua4: integration of Beijing, Tianjin and neighboring Hebei cities
• 南水北调项目 nan2shui3 bei3diao4: conducing the water from the south to the north
• 一带一路项目 yi1lu4 yi1dai: one road and one belt (China's maritime silk roads to Europe)
• 城市交通治堵项目 jiao1tong1 zhi4du3: solving the congestion in cities
• 城市防汛治水项目 fang2xun4 zhi4shui3: flood prevention in the cities
• 党员违纪违法问题 dang3yuan2 wei2ji4: disciplinary violation of CCP members
• 官员带病提拔现象 guan1yuan2 dai4bng4 ti2ba2: officials promoted in spite of records of misconduct
• 裸官现象 luo3guan1: naked officials = officials having kids and wife reside in abroad

（2）社会现象 Social phenomena

• 奢靡浪费 she1mi2 lang4fei4: squandering and wasteful life style
• 攀比斗富 pan1bi3 dou4fu4: compete unrealistically and vying over wealth
• 缺乏公德 que1fa2 gong1de2: lack consideration for others
• 三公消费现象 san1gong1 xiao1fei4: three misconducts in using the public funds
• 三公： 公费出国、公车私用、公费招待(traveling, entertaining on public expenses and using public sedan cars for personal purpose)
• 农民工讨薪 nong2min2gong1 tao3xin1: migrant workers ask to be paid fairly and fully
• 乡镇农民上访潮 xiang1zhen4 nong2min2 shang4fang3 chao2: waves of rural peasants collectively visit grade-1 cities to petition for unfair treatment
• 企业欠薪现象 qi3ye4 qian4xin1 xian4xiang4: Chinese corporations delay or fail to pay workers full wages
• 学校填鸭式教育 xue2xiao4 tian2ya1shi4 jiao4yu4: cramming education by many schools
• 一孩政策后遗症 yi1hai2zheng4ce4 hou4yi2zheng4: the impact by the one-child policy on various social aspects
• 有关开放二孩政策的讨论 you3guan1 kai1fang4 er4hai2 zheng4ce4  de tao3lun4: discussion on the lifting the ban on two-children family
• 城管人员和民众冲突 cheng2guan3 ren2yuan2 he2 min2zhong4 chong1tu: conflicts between citizens and "urban management officers"
• 不法网络公关现象 bu4fa3 wang2luo4 gong1guan1: illegal PR efforts in the cyber space (false internet polling)
• 网络造谣罪行 wang3luo4 zao4yao2 zui4xing2: making and spreading rumors via internet
• 网络诈骗罪行 wang3luo4 zha4pian4 zui4xing2: conning and fraudulence via internet
• 封建迷信现象 feng1jian4 mi2xin4 xian4xiang4: feudalistic superstitions (obsessive belief in fengshui, fortune telling, evil sects, etc.)
• 中国烟民持续增加的现象 Zhong1guo2 yan1min2 zhong4duo1: increasing numbers of smokers

Commentators' view:
The government acknowledges the existence of issues and the need to address them
Although there has been success in addressing the issues, there is a lot to be done.
Government is duty-bound and no excuse is allowed. (政府责无旁贷，毫无借口）
Some issues require concerted efforts to solve: relevant authorities, individuals, social groups.
Although there has been measures promulgated, the enforcement is yet too poor. (政策已经出台，但落实情况太差）
Leading cadres should take the lead (领导干部起带头作用） for the general public to follow.

（3）外交话题 Foreign Relationship

• 中国海域主权争议 Disputes over the territorial waters of the China Seas
• 中印边界争议 Sino-Indo border disputes
• 北韩（朝鲜）发展核武问题 North Korea's willfulness in developping nuclear weapons
• 中国遭围堵问题 China's worry about being besieged by US-led containing deployment
• 中国和平崛起承诺 China's commitment to "Rise in Peace"

Commentators' view:
China is determined on its course to go forward and maintain peaceful relations with neighbors.  Regarding North Korea, China wants to make it clear that China won't support the willful action of nuclear detonation by North Korea.  (朝鲜一意孤行持续进行核爆）China's Hawks may announce that China is not afraid of being engaged in wars if needed, while the Doves stress China will resort to peaceful means, such as economic development.


（4）军事话题 Military topics

• 中国军队现代化 modernization of China's military forces
• 美国对台湾军售 US arms sales to Taiwan

Commentators' view:
China will continue to modernize its defense ability, but will never pose any threat to its neighbors
China appeals that US should not support any type of separatism in Taiwan by providing US weapons, and warns against any move toward that direction.


（5）科技话题 Scientific topics

• 气候极端变化议题 qi4hou4 ji2duan1 bian4hua4 yi4ti2: Extreme Climatic Changes
• 暴雨(bao4yu3; torrential rain)、雪灾(xue3zai1 snow storm)、干旱(gan1han4 draught)、泥石流(ni2shi2liu2 mudslide)、滑坡(hua2po1 landslide)
• 海水淡化技术 hai3shui3 dan4hua4 ji4shu4 ; technology in desalination of sea water

Commentators' view:
China will adopt effective measures to cope with the serious problems, including preventative actions and contingency actions.

评论文章的标题/評論文章的標題 (2) Expressions of Preference

评论文章的标题 II
評論文章的標題 II
What can one find in the title II

评论文章的作者也经常透过（1）对比；（2）选择   来表达自己的主张
評論文章的作者也經常透過（1）對比；（2）選擇   來表達自己的主張
In writing a commentary, the author often uses 1) contrast and 2) making choice to highlight his advocacy

不如 (bu4ru2, it would be better to ....)
（与其）Ａ......，不如 Ｂ.....

作者认为Ｂ是比较好的办法
作者認為Ｂ是比較好的辦法
the author regards option B is a better one

例： “喊破嗓不如甩开膀” 让改革掷地有声
        “喊破嗓不如甩開膀” 讓改革擲地有聲 
the author is comparing using voices 喊破嗓 with using actions 甩開膀 in carrying out reforms
 喊破嗓 : shout out loud to the point of hurting the voice/throat
甩开膀 : move one's arms free in marching 掷地有声: get responding sound when banging sth. on the ground


与其移民，不如移居
與其移民，不如移居
the author is comparing emigrating from Hong Kong with just moving away from Hong Kong without changing citizenship (currently more and more HKG people are moving to Taiwan to live and work)  
移民：to emigrate from or immigrate to (involving citizenship/ nationality)
移居 : to move or change residence

 
打房不如提高薪资
      打房不如提高薪資
the author is comparing hitting on the housing price with raising the wage level
打房：discouraging price hikes in housing market
提高薪资：raise the level of wages


要面子，不如要房子 外漂"蚁族"涌动返渝潮
         要面子，不如要房子 外漂"蟻族"湧動返渝潮
         the author is comparing seeking (unaffordable) faces with seeking (affordable) houses, when describing the current trend for migrant workers flowing back to Chongqing, Sichuan province from coastal cities where they wait for "opportunities"
        要面子：seeking faces, referring to staying in coastal cities to sound or look fancy
        要房子：seeking houses, referring to obtaining a house to live
        外漂蚁族：those who are squatting in the big cities in spite of poor living standard

宁/寧 
（ning2; would rather)
宁(可)　Ａ．．．也要　Ｂ．．．　　or 　　宁(可/愿)　Ａ．．．也愿　Ｂ．．．
寧(可)　Ａ．．．也要　Ｂ．．．　　or         寧(可/願)　Ａ．．．也願　Ｂ．．．
作者认为虽然Ａ不好，也可能很危险，但是为了Ｂ，可以接受Ａ
作者認為雖然Ａ不好，也可能很危險，但是為了Ｂ，可以接受Ａ
the author thinks that he would accept A for the sake of B, even A is something horrible

variation:
宁　Ａ．．．不　Ｂ．．．　　
寧　Ａ．．．不　Ｂ．．．　　
作者认为一定不接受 Ｂ，（尽管　不喜欢Ａ）
作者認為一定不接受 Ｂ，（儘管　不喜歡Ａ）
the author shows what he prefers in denying A or B, (he would accept A in order to avoid B)

both expressions are highlight the speaker's (writer's) strong will toward the goal shown in the latter part, even at the cost of the option stated in the former


例：为什么楼盘宁可受罚也要赶工？
        為什麼樓盤寧可受罰也要趕工？
       the author asks why the builders prefer rushing the construction project even at the cost of penalties

      宁走十步远不走一步险
      寧走十步遠不走一步險
      the author advocates that taking the safe path is the best policy, even it would takes longer to get there


作者认为目标是Ｂ
作者認為目標是Ｂ
the goal "B" is highlighted

other idioms
    宁死不屈
    寧死不屈
   would resist (not bending or bowing) at the cost of death

   宁缺勿滥
   寧缺勿濫
   would refuse to accept mediocre quality (not compromising)  even nothing is available


才
（只有）Ａ才能．．．　or（只有）Ａ才是．．．

作者认为Ａ是唯一的办法，或唯一正确的选择
作者認為Ａ是唯一的​​辦法，或唯一正確的選擇
the author believe A is the only way, or the only right thing to choose

评论文章的标题/評論文章的標題（1）Title of an opinion piece (1) modal verbs and adverbials showing Do or Don't

评论文章的标题
評論文章的標題
What can one find in the title

评论文章多半表达作者的想法和主张
評論文章多半表達作者的想法和主張
Normally, one may find author's views and advocacy in an opinion piece (commentary)

以下的字词出现在动词之前表达作者认为“应该”或“不应该”做的事
以下的字詞出現在動詞之前表達作者認為“應該”或“不應該”做的事
the words introduced below are often found preceding an action verb to denote whether the author advocates for or disapproves

应	應	yīng	◊ should
该	該	gāi	◊ should, ought to
宜	宜	yí	◊ should, ought to (mostly, but not always, used in the negative) (宜=suitable)
要	要	yào	◊ must, need to, should
让…V	讓…V	ràng	◊ let, allow ◊ have or make (sb do sth), cause
且让	且让	qiě ràng	◊ why not allow (suggestive)
务必	務必	wùbì	◊ be sure to
不可不	不可不	bùkěbù	◊ must, should
不应	不應	bù yīng	◊ should not
不该	不該	bù gāi	◊ ought not
不宜	不宜	bùyí	◊ inadvisable; should not
得	得	děi	◊ must, have to ◊ need, take, require
不必	不必	bùbì	◊ need not
别让…V	别让…V	bié ràng	◊ don’t allow or don’t tolerate
莫让…V	莫让…V	mò ràng	◊ don’t allow or don’t tolerate
勿	勿	wù	◊ do not, must not,
切莫	切莫	qièmò	◊ do not by any means
岂能	豈能	qǐnéng	◊ how can...(literary-style phrase used to form a rhetorical question implying that the action mentioned is not possible/appropriate; the colloquial modern equivalent is zěnme néng 怎麼能 /怎么能)
岂可	豈可	qǐkě	◊ how could (you)
难道？	難道？	nándào	◊ do you mean to say...?; really...? (in a rhetorical question, indicating doubt or surprise)
非…不可吗？	非…不可嗎？	fēi...bùkě ma	Does one really have to …?
避免	避免	bìmiǎn	◊ avoid, avert
提防	提防	dīfang	◊ guard against, take precautions against

YES, OK, advisable		NO, forbidding, unadvisable
应	應	不应	不應
该	該	不该	不該
宜	宜	不宜	不宜
要	要	勿、莫	勿、莫
得	得
务必	務必	不必	不必
让、且让	讓、且讓	别让、莫让	別讓、莫讓
		切莫	切莫
		岂可？	豈可？
		岂能？	豈能？
		难道要？	難道要？
		非…不可吗？	非…不可嗎？
不可不	不可不
		避免	避免
		提防	提防