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News at: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/20/opinion/frum-why-speeches-fail/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

 

Word of The Day

 

inaugural speeches [n.] 總統的就職演說 

歐巴馬這個禮拜一即將發表就職演說,這個專欄特別提出,每一任總統的就職演說都講的很好聽,但卻不切實際。演說的時候,總是充滿了big words和promises that are not happening! 

 

 

What’s Up?

 

這位CNN的專欄作家認為總統的就職演說,幾乎沒有一個是成功的。對於歐巴馬的第一次演說,他還覺得糟透了。通常第二次的演說都一定比第一次糟,所以這次,他更不看好歐巴馬會講得多好。

 

文章裡面,他還特別摘錄了一段演講稿,幾乎是每一任總統都會說的話。簡直就是諷刺到了極點!

 

接下來,他開始探討為何總統演說都那麼得爛了?大部分的演說都塞滿了許多震撼人心的字眼,但是,所要表達的重點,卻非常的微薄。另外,成功的演說,通常不是當下講得多好聽,而是,講完之後,是否有付諸行動,把承諾的事情,用行動做給人民看,這才是我們真正想要的。因為人類是感情的動物,我們要的是讓我們感受到你的誠意,而不只是說說而已。

 

 

Word It Up!

 

"Liberty -- liberty within the law -- and civilization are inseparable, and though both were threatened, we find them now secure; and there comes to Americans the profound assurance that our representative government is the highest expression and surest guaranty of both."

 

Liberty 自由; 在這裡是指人民的自由

Civilization 文明; 這裡是指民主的意思

Profound 深遠的; 這邊是用來形容美國政府會持續的保證給予人民自由和民主 

 

They fail, first, because the grandeur of the occasion inspires new presidents and their teams tooverblown rhetoric, even as their political advisers steer them away from too specific commitments. Grand language wrapped around a thin message produces only vapid blather.

 

Grandeur 富麗堂皇; 在這裡是指就職典禮的大場面

Overblown rhetoric 過於吹捧的修辭性字眼; 指說話時使用過多華麗虛飾的詞句

Steer away 擺脫; 總統就職演說要擺脫過於確切的承諾(以免日後做不到,反而弄巧成拙)

Grand language 說話時,使用許多冠冕堂皇的字眼

Thin message 要傳遞的訊息過於微薄

Vapid blather 索然無味的廢話; 指失敗的演說總是使用過多無謂的字眼,讓整場充滿了許多廢話,重點卻沒有幾個

 

But there's another source of failure, one not so easily corrected. Inaugural addresses can fail even when the ideas are clear, even when the writing is fine, if the addresses make commitments that theensuing presidency cannot deliver.

 

Ensuring presidency 之後的就任期間; 這裡是指出另一種演說失敗的原因,是因為,總統講出的話,在之後就任期間,沒有能力完成或是無法兌現,這個時候,就算就職典禮上,講得再棒,對人民來說也等於沒說,反而會令人覺得出爾反爾。

 

An inaugural address is a plan for what is to come. Even a good president can deliver a bad speech. In fact, they usually do. But however beautifully written, a speech can only be made great by the presidency that follows. An inaugural address is a plan, and the test of a plan is the result.

 

就職演說只是提出一個願景,挑戰是,要如何做到並且讓人民親眼目睹願景的實現。一個好的總統,不一定演說就講得很好。一個好的演說,不一定就能成為一個好總統。重要的是,是否有能力實現偉大的夢想

 

A speech can fail all by itself. Its ideas can be weak, its language can be foggy. But even if the ideas are clear and the words crisp, an inaugural address can be deemed "great" only if it is followed by actions that make good on its lofty words. This is why we still remember the mighty words of Lincoln and FDR and why we forget almost all the others. 

 

Foggy 霧茫茫的; 這裡是指演說講得讓人聽的霧煞煞

Crisp 脆; 是指用字遣詞很清脆響亮

Lofty words 高遠的字眼

Mighty words 偉大的字眼; 這邊特別指出人們特別記得林肯總統發表的偉大演說,因為他都做到了。

 

 

Tell Me About It!

 

Do you like Obama’s inaugural speech? Why or why not?

Do you agree with the writer’s point of view? Why or why not?

 

 

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