休假了一周,中間還參加了一次英國公共服務口譯證書輔導班的入學測試,終于回來繼續翻譯了。今天搞定上周的社論,爭取明天開始更新本周的社論。
本期《跟著<經濟學人>學英語》選取本周《經濟學人》(2017年9月30日)的社論文章,中英雙語對照并講解生詞。因為社論篇幅較長,將分為四篇文章以便閱讀。本篇是本周系列的第三篇。譯者水平不到之處,歡迎大家批評指點。
本周系列各篇的鏈接如下:
(1)www.lxweimin.com/p/e38e67658454
(2)www.lxweimin.com/p/f74fcc97c4c5
(3)www.lxweimin.com/p/af95c244391d
(4)www.lxweimin.com/p/4e4322cd7b06
(接上篇。上篇的鏈接:跟著《經濟學人》學英語? ▏之六(3))
In many ways, the 39-year-old Mr Macron is not yet well understood. Behind the haughty exterior, a leader is emerging who seems to be at once brave, disciplined and thoughtful. Brave, because labour reforms, as Germany and Spain know, take time to translate into job creation, and usually hand political rewards to the successors of those who do the thankless work of getting them through. Disciplined, because he laid out clearly before his election what he planned to do, and has stuck to his word. The unions were fully consulted, and two of the three biggest accepted the reform. Compare that with his predecessor, Fran?ois Hollande, who tried reform by stealth and encountered only accusations of bad faith. Last, thoughtful: Mr Macron does not approach policy as an à la carte menu. He has grasped how digital technology is dislocating the world of work. His governing philosophy is to adapt France’s outdated system of rules and protections accordingly.
在很多方面,39歲的馬克龍其實并沒有很好的被理解。在他倨傲的外表之下,已經嶄露頭角的是一個看起來勇敢、靠譜且深思熟慮的領導者。說他勇敢,因為就像德國和西班牙都意識到的,勞工改革需要經過一段時間才能真正創造工作機會,這會使努力貫徹改革工作的領導者得不到任何感激,卻常常將政治上的回報雙手奉送給他的繼任者。說他靠譜,因為他在選舉之前就很清楚的陳述了自己的計劃,此后也完全遵守了自己的諾言。工會的意見經過詳細的咨詢,三個最大的工會中的兩個表示接受改革。將馬克龍與他的前任弗朗索瓦·奧朗德相比,后者試圖暗中進行改革,結果只是遭受各種不守信用的控訴。最后,說他深思熟慮,因為他并沒有把施行的政策當成一項項可以單點的菜單。他抓住數碼科技如何使整個勞工世界陷入混亂的現狀。而他的管理哲學是根據這一現狀調整法國過時的法律系統和保護措施。
單詞:
haughty: 形容詞,傲慢的,目中無人的。
stealth: 名詞,秘密,鬼祟。
dislocate: 動詞,擾亂,破壞。
詞組:
lay out: 展示,擺放。
à la carte: 法語,意思是單點的菜單,與套餐相對。
Drumroll
Over the past few years, an enfeebled France has been a chronically weak partner for Germany, pushing Mrs Merkel into a solo role that she neither sought nor relished. If he is to change that dynamic, Mr Macron needs to move swiftly to match his labour law with an overhaul of France’s inefficient training budget, increase the number of apprenticeships and renovate the state’s sleepy employment services. He also needs to explain with a less contemptuous tone why his plans for tax cuts, including to France’s wealth tax and corporate tax, are not designed simply to benefit business and the better-off. In Europe he needs to reassure the northern, more open economies that he is not trying to put up walls.
鼓聲隆隆
在過去的數年里,衰落的法國對德國來說一直都是一個疲弱的伙伴,這將默克爾推入了一個她從未尋求也并不享受的獨角戲角色中。如果馬克龍想要改變這一節奏,他必須在他的新勞動法之外盡快全面改革法國效率低下的培訓預算,增加見習崗位的數量,更新國家政府昏昏欲睡的就業服務。他還需要以一種不讓人覺得居高臨下的基調,來解釋為什么他所計劃的對法國的財富稅和公司稅的削減,并非僅僅是為企業和有錢人服務。在歐洲,他需要使北部更開放的經濟體相信,他并非在試圖建立壁壘。
單詞:
drumroll: 名詞,擊鼓聲。
enfeebled: 分詞作形容詞,衰弱的,無力的。
chronically: 副詞,長期地,慢性地,習慣性地。
relish: 動詞,喜愛,享受。
overhaul: 名詞,全面改革,徹底檢修。
contemptuous: 形容詞,輕蔑的,傲慢的,鄙視的。
Of course, Mr Macron’s first steps in the spotlight may falter. The odds on any leader reforming France are never high. He will struggle to convince Germany to embrace his vision of euro-zone reform. But, if this year has shown anything, it is that it is a mistake to bet against the formidable Mr Macron.
當然,馬克龍邁向聚光燈的腳步最初也許會是蹣跚的。任何一個領導者想要在法國進行改革,成功的幾率都不會太高。馬克龍想說服德國支持他對歐元區改革的設想也需要付出很多努力。然而,如果說今年發生的一切告訴了我們什么,那就是質疑強大到可怕的馬克龍絕對是一個錯誤。
單詞:
falter: 動詞,搖晃,蹣跚,踉蹌。
formidable: 形容詞,強大的,令人敬畏的。
(本周系列更新完畢。)
譯者注:本文譯自《經濟學人》雜志2017年9月30日的社論。《經濟學人》雜志上的所有文章均不署名。
原文鏈接:
https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21729743-dynamic-emmanuel-macron-and-diminished-angela-merkel-point-new-order-europe
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