又中又英｜At the top of their lungs

Most people would agree Hong Kong is a noisy city. There are numerous construction sites. Residential buildings often have apartments undergoing renovation. When I lived in Wanchai years ago, three apartments below and above me had renovations one after another. The people above me played the piano all day. The noise affected my health so much that I had to move out. Dim sum restaurants and restaurants that serve Chinese food are particularly noisy. Nothing has changed since I returned to Hong Kong recently for a short visit.
I can see three apartments undergoing renovation from my serviced apartment balcony. Luckily, I cannot hear the noise because they are not near me. I recently went to a well-known Shanghainese restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui for dinner with eight relatives. There was so much noise from the other tables that it seemed everyone was talking at the top of their lungs. My family members and I were sitting at a corner round table but still could hardly hear each other. To talk at the top of one’s lungs means to talk extremely loudly. It has the same meaning as “at the top of one’s voice”.
The noise reminded me of the expression “hear a pin drop”. It is impossible to hear a pin or needle drop in a noisy place. The expression is used to describe a place where there is total silence. You can say that the top of Mount Everest is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop. I doubt there is anywhere in Hong Kong quiet enough to hear a pin drop!

许多人都会认同，香港是一个嘈吵的城市。这儿有无数的建筑地盘。住宅大厦不时有单位进行装修工程。多年前我住在湾仔，楼下和楼上有三个单位相继装修。楼上的住客全日在弹钢琴。噪音对我的健康影响甚大，致使我当时不得不搬走。那些卖点心和中菜的餐厅也是特别嘈杂的。自我最近回港短游以来，这一切都没有改变。
现在从我的服务式住宅看出去，可以见到有三个单位正在进行装修工程。幸好，我没有听到噪音，因为它们跟我并不近。我最近去了尖沙嘴一间知名的上海餐厅，跟八位亲戚晚膳。从另一张枱传来的人声嘈得像人人都在声嘶力竭地（at the top of their lungs）交谈。我跟家人已经坐在角落一个圆枱，却仍然几乎听不到对方说话。To talk at the top of one’s lungs是指放声、大声地说话，它跟“at the top of one’s voice”的意思一样。
噪音令我联想起另一个习语“hear a pin drop”。在一个嘈吵的地方，不可能听到大头针或针掉在地上的声音。这个习语是用来形容一个地方完全寂静无声。你可以说，珠穆朗玛峰的山巅上万籁俱寂，静得连针掉在地上你也能听得到（hear a pin drop）。我怀疑香港到底有没有一个地方是鸦雀无声的，静得足以让人听到针掉在地上的声音（hear a pin drop）！

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻