英文名词bird是"鸟"的意思,但它还有另外一个淫秽的用法。老美喜欢做一种手势,五指握拳,然后只把中指伸出,这是骂人,等同于F打头的四字母脏话。这个手势,用话说就是bird。
在当今中国,正经英文长进不大,邪路英文倒是突飞猛进。体育比赛,运动员和国际接轨的机会更多,一些运动健将对这个bird手势都已经能够熟练运用,请看下面的故事。Finger-flicking competitor handed ban in China
A leading Chinese speed skater has been banned for one year after he made obscene gestures towards spectators during a national tournament, local media reported Tuesday, citing sport authorities.
Song Xingyu became so frustrated by jeering aimed at him from the stands that he raised his middle finger to the crowd both during and after the 10,000 metre final at the winter session of China's National Games in Shenyang Sunday.
"They were too tenacious. As soon as I came yesterday, they were constantly yelling at me to make me slip up. It was the same in the 500 and 5,000 metre (races)," web portal Sports.cn quoted the 19-year-old as saying.
Local Chinese sport crowds can be fiercely partisan and home fans often give athletes from other provinces a harsh reception.
Photos attached to online media reports showed the young skater exchanging hand gestures with spectators.
Song, who holds the national record over the distance but finished sixth Sunday, would be banned from competition until Jan 6, 2010, the report said, citing the sport authority in the skater's home province of Heilongjiang.
"During the period of the ban, Song Xingyu is ordered to recognize the seriousness of his mistake, reflect on his improper behavior during the National Games and write a self-criticism," the report quoted the Heilongjiang Sport Bureau as saying.
这个bird手势,也叫finger或finger-flicking,有时还叫middle finger。中国顶尖速滑运动员(leading Chinese speed skater)因在比赛中对观众(spectators)做这个淫秽手势(obscene gesture),被停赛一年。
这位运动员姓名的汉语拼音是Song Xingyu,在沈阳举行的一万米赛事中,观众席(the stands)对宋喝倒彩(jeering aimed at him),宋还以手鸟。宋还抱怨说,在前一天的五百和五千米赛事中,观众也喝倒彩想让宋摔倒。
说实在的,中国体育竞技水平是高了,但观众档次不升反降。过份偏袒(fiercely partsan)本地运动员,常对外地参赛者不友好(harsh reception)。宋是黑龙江人,按说和沈阳都属于东北地区,张大帅在世时还是同一国呢,但辽宁观众对黑龙江选手也"照样不尿"。
在宋对观众做了手鸟后,观众席也对宋还以手鸟。这幅气象万千的群鸟图片还在网络世界传播,看来运动员和观众都对这鸟英语运用自如。
这种运动员素质差观众水平低的现象成了当今中国体育文化的一景。对这事中国体育官僚更是扯淡,还命令宋要"认识(recognize)错误的严重性,反省(reflect)比赛中的不当行为(improper behavior),并写自我批评(self-criticism )"。这引号中的英文无疑是中国体育当局的英文翻译所为。这儿,需要用到正经英文时他们就不灵了。老外记者引出这段中国式英文本身就有调侃的意思,中文"反省"和英文"reflect"是驴唇对马嘴,不是一回事。"这起事件反映(reflected)了中国体育当局管理水平的低下" --这样用动词reflect那还差不多。中国英文,真是邪路英文人人会,正经英文没人懂。
无独有偶。美国有位因给人手鸟,被罚一万五。故事是这样的: 两个男人,A告B跟踪骚扰,法院发出保护令不许B再跟踪。不巧的是,二位在同一家饭店吃饭碰见,B就给了A一个手鸟。这样就算触犯了保护令。这最可大可小,市府的公诉办公室打算从轻处治,算小罪,但要保释金七千五外加个人责任金七千五,这一鸟就要了一万五。请看故事报道:
Middle finger gesture results in arrest
A Portsmouth, N.H., man has been jailed on a felony charge of violating a protective order after he allegedly showed his middle finger to the person who filed it. The two were dining separately at a restaurant on Jan. 24 when police said a 42-year-old man made the gesture.
A police affidavit said the man eventually left "with some assistance from restaurant staff."
Police Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn said violation of protective order charges can be brought as felonies when the allegations are second offenses. However, he said, the city prosecution office is expected to dismiss the felony against the man on Monday, leaving a misdemeanor count of stalking.
The man was being held at the Rockingham County House of Corrections on $7,500 cash and $7,500 personal recognizance bail.
英文词汇:
felony: 可判刑一年以上的大罪;
misdemeanor: 判刑一年一下的小罪;
middle finger: 手鸟
protective order: 保护令;
prosecution office: 公诉办公室;
stalking: 跟踪;
County House of Corrections: 县教改所;
personal recognizance: 个人(法律)责任(obligation).