强徒(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
强　徒
thug' is one of the many indian words borrowed into english. originally members of a hindu sect dedicated to kali, the goddess of destruction, thugs regarded killing and robbing people as a kind of worship, and were responsible for an estimated 40,000 deaths annually.

for many years after the british had gained control of india, the thugs continued to practise their trade unchecked. finally, an army officer named william sleeman pointed out that it was irresponsible of any governing body to let this go on. ignored by his superiors, he transferred to the civil service, where he gained enough authority to gather a force of indian policemen, and proceeded to root out the cult. he succeeded beyond anyone's expectations. by the end of the 19th century, the british were able to declare the sect extinct. sleeman was hailed as a hero by most of india.


英文借用了不少印度字，其一是 thug（强徒）。所谓强徒，本是指一印度教派的信徒，崇拜破坏女神卡利，以杀人越货为祭祀，遭他们毒手的，估计每年有四万人。

英国控制印度之后，多年来任由这些强徒作恶。最后，一个叫威廉．斯利曼的军官指出，任何负责任政府，都不可能让这情况继续下去。他的话不获上司理会。斯利曼于是转投政府文职机构，取得权力，组成一支印度人警察队，着手铲除卡利崇拜，十分成功，那是任何人都始料不及的。到了十九世纪末叶，英国人宣布强徒教派已告灭绝。印度多数人都称赞斯利曼是个英雄。