economic 源自 economics (經濟學) 和 economy (經濟)，意為「經濟 (上) 的，與經濟有關的，與金錢有關的；經濟學的；有利可圖的，賺錢的」：Economic growth is slowing down. (經濟成長正在減緩中)；The government’s economic policies are often attacked. (政府的經濟政策常遭抨擊)；Such projects offer social and economic benefits to our local communities. (這樣的計畫為我們本地社區帶來社會和經濟效益)；The airline says this route is no longer economic, so they’re going to discontinue it. (航空公司說這條航線不再賺錢，因此他們準備裁撤)。

economical 源自 economy，意為「經濟的，省錢的，經濟實惠的，便宜的；節約的，不浪費的；(人) 節儉的」：It would be more economical to switch the machine off at night. (晚上把機器關掉會比較省錢)；an economical small car (省油的小汽車)；The material is an economical substitute for plastic or steel. (這種材料是塑膠或鋼鐵的低價替代品)；a beautifully economical process (非常節約的過程)；He always was economical when it came to buying presents. (說到買禮物，他總是很節儉)。

從上述可知，在大多數的應用中，這兩個形容詞都不是同義詞。所以，an economic price 是對賣方有利的價格，即「有利可圖的價格；賺錢的價格」，而 an economical price 則是對買方有利的價格，即「經濟實惠的價格；便宜的價格」。然而，有些字典仍列出 economic 也有「節約的，省錢的」(= economical) 的意思，如 We must assist our clients in the most economic way. (我們必須以最省錢的方式協助我們的客戶)。同樣地，economical 有時亦被用來表示「經濟 (上) 的；經濟學的」(= economic) 的意思，如 They bought an old house for economical reasons. (基於經濟上的原因他們買了一間舊房子)。但這樣的用法畢竟不多見，相信總有一天會銷聲匿跡。

economic 和 economical 的反義字都是在其前加上 un-，即 uneconomic 和 uneconomical。再者，由於 economic 和 economical 的副詞都是 economically，所以 economically 兼具它們兩者的意思，意為「在經濟 (學) 上；節約地；節儉地；省錢地；便宜地」：economically active people (賺錢的人)；Mary dresses very economically because she makes all her clothes herself. (瑪麗穿著節儉，因為衣服都是她自己做的)；Economically (speaking), the country is in a very healthy state. (從經濟學的觀點來說，這國家處於非常興盛的狀態)；The project is both technically and economically feasible/viable. (這計畫無論在技術上還是在經濟上都是可行的)。顯然地，economically 是個相當常用且實用的字。

本文亦刊載在下列網址：
http://www.cybertranslator.idv.tw/confusables/confusables5_text.htm#economic

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A Chinese new mother is producing so much breast milk that she baths her baby in the excess each day.

Mrs Luo, of Chongqing, says she is producing two liters of milk more than she needs to feed her six-week-old daughter Shan Shan.

Mother, husband and her mother-in-law had all been drinking the extra milk but she says they still have plenty left over.

Luo’s mother-in-law said they were all beginning to feel like they were drinking too much milk: “Then I suggested why not give the baby a breast milk bath, and they took my advice,” she said.

Luo said the milk bath makes her Shan Shan’s skin really smooth and white.

But she is looking for someone to donate her extra breast milk to as she feels that bathing her baby in breast milk is too much of an indulgence. (Chongqing Times – 重慶時報)

《字詞解析》

breast milk — (n.) 母奶。breastfeed (v.)：餵母奶。breastfeeding (n.)：餵母奶。

so…that — (phr.) 如此…以致於。在這個超常用的表示因果 (cause and effect) 關係的句型中 (其中 that 為附屬連接詞)，so 後面原本只能接形容詞和副詞，但若 so 和 that 中間有 few, little, many 和 much 等字，則此句型可寫成 so + few/little/many/much + 名詞 + that。

bath — (v.) 洗澡；給…洗澡。別以為 bath 僅當名詞用，在英國 bath 也用作動詞，其意思和用法跟 bathe 完全相同；美國通常使用 bathe。所以，標題的 bathes 和第一段的 baths 都正確，都是單數動詞。

excess — (n.) 過剩的奶水。

(be) left over — (v.) 剩下。

someone to donate her extra breast milk to — (phr.) 把她多餘的母奶捐給某人。特別注意：這句如果沒有後面的介系詞 to，那麼整句的意思就完全相反了，變成「某人捐出她多餘的母奶」，這顯然與事實不符。這句是 She is looking for someone who she will donate her extra breast milk to. 或 She is looking for someone to whom she will donate her extra breast milk. 的減化 — 由此可知，someone 是 to 的受詞。同樣地，在 There’s a big swimming pool for us to swim in. (有個大游泳池可讓我們游泳) 和 I gave her a chair to sit on. (我給她一張椅子坐) 這兩句中，介系詞 in 和 on 都不可省略，因為 swim 和 sit 皆為不及物動詞，而 swimming pool 和 chair 是受詞，所以不及物動詞和受詞之間必須要有介系詞。

too much of an indulgence — (phr.) 太多的嬌縱，即太過嬌縱。在英文中，too much of a/an + 名詞 (太過…，太多…)，a bit of a/an + 名詞 (有點…)，something of a/an + 名詞 (有幾分；可說是；算得上) 等這種片語或句型屢見不鮮。例如：She’s always been a bit of a mystery to me. (她對我來說總是有點神秘)；He’s something of an expert on growing vegetables. (他可說是位種植蔬菜的專家)。

延伸閱讀：新聞英語的語法結構

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A：needs 這個字本身的拼法就是 N-E-E-D-S，是個副詞，但僅跟 must 連用，構成 must needs 和 needs must，不過這兩者的意思並不完全相同。must needs 和 needs must 均有「必須，務必，不得不」的意思，但 must needs 還意為「偏偏，偏要；堅持」– 含有譏諷、不滿的意思，而 needs must 則無這項意思。例如：

• I must needs go there now. (我現在非去那裡不可) (可用 needs must 代替 must needs)
• She must needs go away when I want her. (我需要她時，她偏偏離開了) (不可用 needs must)
• The telephone must needs ring when I went to bed. ( 我上床睡覺時偏偏有人來電話) (不可用 needs must)

英文中有句成語就是使用 needs must，那就是 “Needs must when the devil drives.”，意為「人在屋簷下不得不低頭；情勢所逼，不得不然」– 這句成語也收錄在「英語成語園地」的「常用中文成語英譯」單元中。

本文亦刊載在下列網址：
http://www.cybertranslator.idv.tw/faq/faq4_4.htm#needs

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The world’s most pierced woman has added yet more metal to her body bringing the grand total to more than 6,000.

When first recognised by Guinness World Records in 2000, Elaine Davidson had 462 piercings, with 192 in her face alone. Now, nine years later, she has 6,005 including more than 1,500 that are “internal.”

However, Miss Davidson, born in Brazil, claims she doesn’t like being pierced, and suffers for her art. She is a nurse who now lives in Edinburgh. (Daily Telegraph)

世上最多穿刺的女性已在她身上添加更多的金屬，使得總數達到逾6,000件。

在2000年首次獲得世界金氏記錄認證時，伊蓮˙大衛森只有462個穿刺，光是臉部就有192個。9年後的今天，她身上的穿刺已達到6,005個，包括逾1,500個「內在的」穿刺。

然而，巴西出生的大衛森小姐宣稱她並不喜歡被穿刺，是為藝術受苦。她是護士，目前住在英國愛丁堡。(每日電訊報)

《字詞解析》

yet more — (adj.) 更多的。可以修飾比較級的副詞除了 yet 外，還有 even, far, by far, much, still 等。

like being pierced — (v.) 喜歡被穿刺。動詞 like 後面可接動名詞或不定詞，所以 like being pierced 可改為 like to be pierced。

本文亦刊載在下列網址：
http://www.cybertranslator.idv.tw/bilingual/shortoddness/short_odd-11.htm#most-pierced-woman

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