中大人在悉尼

中文大學在海外的校友會自2000年起，先後刋行「中大人」文集，報導旅居國內外的校友工作生活狀況。在悉尼的中大澳洲校友會，有見每年都出版多元化的《嵐音》年刋，初時並沒有參與其事。去年抵不住校友事務處多番邀請，幹事會終於通過刋行《中大人在悉尼》一書，任命文集刋行委員會執行一切籌劃印刷事宜。陸汝川兄邀請小弟參與其事，我不敢推辭，一口答應。我一向孤獨，不奉公職，但汝川兄指派的工作，向來都奉命行事。原本以為那是一樁小事，中大人一貫熱心公事，眾志成城，大家容易達成共識。可是在2011年1月2日舉行第二次文集刋行委員會會議卻產生了對Sydney的中文叫法究竟應該是雪梨抑或悉尼的分歧，最後以投票方式決定採取官方譯名悉尼，以求叫法統一。有委員對採取悉尼這叫法甚有意見，認為是中華人民共和國正式譯名，而中華民國的譯名是雪梨。究竟應該秉承傳统抑或攝於強權，小弟自知學識淺陋，不敢越俎代庖，代其闡述。既然博客是開放的平台，歡迎校友回應。小弟當時對其他委員發出電郵，敘述淺見(張貼如下)。

Dear All,

Apparently we are embroiled in the controversy of the name of the book. For avoidance of doubt, when I was asked to be a member of the sub-committee for the sole purpose of publication of the book, I was given the understanding the book is called 中大人在悉尼. Once the sub-committee was set up, in the first meeting, no discussion of the name of the book was brought up. I believe everyone working on the sub-committee assumes the name of the book was decided by the committee of the Association. It was only in the second meeting when the question was raised whether to call Sydney 雪梨 or 悉尼 then a decision was made to unify the name. The unification of the Chinese name of Sydney refers to when articles received using both names, which one is preferred. As far as the name is concerned, I do not see any political issue there. Nor do I see political affiliation of the communist party or atrocity of the totalitarian government. The name is just as simple as a name. It does not connote anything else. After all, someone has to decide which name to take.

I can see now two committee members of the Association expressing a strong feeling about the name of the book, do you think it is a matter best decided by the Association committee rather than the delegated sub-committee. I say this on the basis of the constitution. If the sub-committee was delegated with entire power to decide every aspect of the publication, the finality is there. If there is no discussion about the name of the book by the Association committee as a result of an inadvertent omission, then it may deem necessary to bring it backward before things proceed further. I really don’t mind tabling the issue back for the Association committee to decide. On the contrary, if it was the original intention of the Association for the delegation to extend to letting the sub-committee decide, then it is final.

I have to remind members that so far propagation of the publication has adopted the name中大人在悉尼 with press release, emails sent to members and non members, proforma designed and official correspondence exchanged between Alumni Affairs Office and us, should there be any new name given to the book, in the interest of the publication, prompt action is needed.

Bill

5/01/2011

小弟做事一向強調法理依據，在2006年亦為校友會修改會章盡過一點綿力，把原本5頁紙的會章修改成22頁，一切會務執行有法可依。採用的譯名是表決的結果，理應是最終的決定。當然，以校友會這類組織的性質，行事決策不應過份嚴格，最好能夠情理兼容。既要依章辦事，公正不阿，又要有容乃大，考慮一些會員堅持的看法。以會章而言，唯一有可能重提譯名決定是引用第25條召集特別會員大會來表決。以個人而言，那是我不想見到的發展。法律訴訟不可沒完沒了，所以有finality的概念，聖經金句也有「凡事都有定期，天下萬物都有定時」。我不是舞文弄墨的材料，寫這博客希望這論爭到此為止。校友會一向是不涉政治apolitical的組織，採取哪個名稱，是實際的考慮，沒有加入政治元素。為此論爭，殫精竭慮，何苦來哉。