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【News Takeaway】不，法官大人，您不能在選票上用中文自稱「高義」
No, Your Honor, You Can't Call Yourself 'High Justice' on the Ballot in Chinese
難度：4.5
閱讀時間：4.5
在華裔居民超過20%的舊金山，從1999年開始，就會在選票上用中文字符來印刷候選人的名字。就連非華裔的公職參選人，也常會刻意取讓華裔選民印象深刻的名字。但現在，一些候選人幫自己取的中文名字引起了爭議，特別是那些被認為過於誇張、措辭華麗又奉承的名字，有人說這是一種「文化挪用」，而舊金山政府也開始對這種做法進行規範。
By Heather Knight and Amy Qin
In San Francisco, where more than a fifth of residents are of Chinese descent, politicians have long taken a second name in Chinese characters.
在舊金山，超過五分之一的居民是華裔，政界人士向來會給自己另外取一個中文名字。
But the city's leniency for adopted names has frustrated some Chinese American candidates, who say that non-Chinese rivals have gone overboard by using flattering, flowery phrases that at first glance have little to do with their actual names. Some candidates have gained an advantage or engaged in cultural appropriation, the critics say.
但該市對別名的寬容讓一些華裔美籍候選人感到不滿，他們說，非華裔競爭對手過分使用美化、花俏的字眼作為名字，乍看上去與他們的本名幾乎沒有關係。批評者說，一些候選人從中獲得了優勢，或者是在藉機「文化挪用」。
No more. For the first time, San Francisco has rejected Chinese names submitted by 22 candidates, in most cases because they could not prove they had used the names for at least two years. The city has asked translators to furnish names that are transliterated, a process that more closely approximates English pronunciations.
今後不會這樣了。舊金山首次拒絕了22名候選人提交的中文名，大多數情況是 因為他們無法證明自己對該名字的使用至少已有兩年。該市請翻譯員給出了更接近英語發音的音譯名。
That means Michael Isaku Begert, who is running to keep his local judgeship, cannot use米高義, which means in part "high" and "justice," a name that suggests he was destined to sit on the bench.這意味著正在競選連任地方法官的邁克爾·伊薩庫·貝格爾特（Michael Isaku Begert）
不能再使用「米高義」——該名字含有「高」和「正義」的意思，暗示他註定要坐上法官寶座。
The switch isn't universally popular. It has the potential of resulting in long monikers that are difficult to remember or even cringe-worthy, since the characters that sound like someone's name may translate into odd phrases in Chinese.
並非所有人都歡迎這一改變。這個轉變有可能導致名字太長，難以記住，甚至令人尷尬，因為音譯名的字符可能會在中文里構成奇怪的意思。
At a recreation center in San Francisco's Richmond District, some voters said that a candidate's name has less impact on whom they choose than what one has done.
在舊金山里奇蒙區（Richmond District）的一個娛樂中心，一些選民說，比起候選人的名字，還是他們的作為更能影響自己的選擇。
"If you care, we'll know your name," Hong Le, 88, said in Cantonese.
「如果你關心我們，我們就會知道你的名字，」88歲的樂洪（Hong Le，音譯）用粵語說道。
Key Words:
1. Your Honor 法官大人
When addressing the court, always refer to the judge as "Your Honor" to show respect.
在法庭上發言時，一定要稱呼法官「法官大人」，以表示尊重。
2. ballot 選票
Each citizen was given a ballot to cast their vote in the election.
每位公民都有一張選票，可以在選舉中投票。
3. descent 血緣背景，家族出身，族裔
She takes great pride in her Italian descent.
她對自己的義大利血統感到非常自豪。
4. adopted 被收養的，非親生的
The adopted child felt fully part of the family, knowing he was loved unconditionally.
被收養的孩子完全融入了家庭，知道自己被無條件地愛著。
5. leniency 寬大，仁慈，溫和
The judge showed leniency to the first-time offender by giving him a suspended sentence.
法官對初犯寬大處理，判了他緩刑。
6. adopted names 新名，別名
Many authors use adopted names when publishing their work to maintain privacy.
許多作者在出版作品時使用化名，以保護隱私。
7. go overboard 做某事太過激、過了頭
He went overboard with the decorations, turning the simple party into an extravagant affair.
他過度裝飾，把簡單的派對變成了一場奢侈的盛會。
8. flattering 吹捧的，誇耀的；（本文）使人顯得更漂亮的
The portrait was very flattering, making her look ten years younger.
這張肖像畫非常討人喜歡，讓她看起來年輕了十歲。
9. flowery 華而不實的
His flowery language made the simple story difficult to understand.
他那華而不實的語言讓簡單的故事變得難以理解。
10. at first glance 乍看
At first glance, the problem seemed easy, but it was actually quite complex.
乍看之下這個問題似乎很簡單，但實際上卻相當複雜。
11. appropriate 挪用，占用，侵吞
Theft is the dishonest appropriation of another person's property.
盜竊是不誠實地侵占他人財產的行為。
12. submit 提交
You must submit your application by the deadline.
你必須在截止日期前提交申請。
13. be destined to do something 命中註定要做某事
He was destined to become a great musician, showing talent from a very young age.
他註定要成為一位偉大的音樂家，從很小的時候就展現出才華。
14. furnish 為房間配置家具；（本文）提供
They furnished the apartment with all the essentials for comfortable living.
他們為公寓配置了舒適生活的必需品。
15. transliterate 音譯
He tried to transliterate the rare word, but still couldn't pronounce it correctly.
他試圖音譯這個生僻的字詞，但是仍然無法正確發音。
16. approximate 接近
The estimate needs to approximate the actual cost as closely as possible.
估算應盡可能接近實際成本。"
17. sit on the bench 出任法官
After years of practicing law, she was honored to finally sit on the bench.
經過多年的律師執業，她很榮幸終於坐上了法官的位置。
18. universally 普遍地
It is universally acknowledged that exercise is beneficial to your health.
眾所周知，運動有益健康。
19. moniker 名字，綽號，昵稱
He earned the moniker "Lightning" due to his incredible speed on the football field.
在足球場上驚人的速度，讓他得到了「閃電」這個綽號。
20. cringe-worthy 讓人尷尬的
The actor's acceptance speech was so cringe-worthy that it made the audience uncomfortable.
那位演員尷尬的得獎感言讓觀眾感到不舒服。
史嘉琳《英語思維50講》每個人的英語基本功，看課程