朋友剛寄出一封電郵,信上轉附了一個 CP 網絡電台的網址,該討論是圍繞聯合國於2008 年廢除繁體字的舊聞。
為何說是舊聞呢?因為早在 2006 年 3 月,這宗新聞在兩岸已經廣泛報導過,是一宗假新聞--根本聯合國自 1971 年起,就已由簡代繁,可是這宗「新聞」,卻先後被大量媒體所報導,到今年六月蘋果日報的專欄,亦有名作家中招。
於是,一傳一、十傳十、大家一起齊中招,雖然有些無奈,可是事件反映簡體字是如何的不得人心,是值得鼓勵與肯定的。
類似的事情已經多次發生,正如今年一月林忌寫過一篇《地震不在日本國》,生活在差不多先生的國度,相信一件事之前,一定要先查個清楚。
聯合國的回信原文如下:
The UN has been using simplifed (and not traditional) Chinese characters since the 1970s. That's when the official Chinese representation here switched from Taipei to Beijing.
Since Beijing used simplified characters in its official communications, that's the form that was adopted by the UN.
The UN never used both forms simultaneously. So these reports about a switch to simplified characters that will happen in 2008 are not correct. We already use simplified characters.
If you have any further questions, feel free to call me.
Best regards,
Brenden Varma
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, New York
有關假新聞的報導:
網路追追追/聯合國決定於2008年停用繁體中文?
人民網:聯合國廢繁體字真相調查
關於聯合國廢繁體字 烏龍
假新聞又一宗