日常口语: On the fence 墙头草 20080916



On the fence 恒友们都很熟悉吧.之前"每日一词"也出现过,大家是否记得呢?

各种语言都有一套特殊的政治词汇,美国英语也不例外。美国国会议员在通过各项法案时经常要投票表示自己的立场。但是,有些议员在面临有争议的法案时往往感到难以做出决定。美国人把这种情况叫做:on the fence。Fence就是“篱笆”。On the fence的意思也就是“骑在篱笆上,左右不定”,也就是说,还没有决定投赞成票,还是反对票。下面就是一例:

Sorry, friend: I can't tell you right now how I will vote on the new tax bill. I'm still on the fence: I'm looking for more information before I decide which way I'll jump.

朋友,对不起,我现在还不能告诉你我对这个有关税收的新法案如何投票。我还没有决定。在我决定站在哪一边以前,我还要了解更多的情况。

难以做出决定是正常的。但是,on the fence也可能指那种两面观望,看准了如何行动才对自己有好处的所谓“骑墙派”。下面就是一个典型的例子:

That man has managed to stay in office for ten years by being a regular fence-sitter. He never makes up his mind how to vote on an issue until he's sure whether most voters are for or against it.

那个人在投票前总是要先看准了大多数选民是赞成还是反对,然后才决定投什么票。就这样,他竟然当了十年议员。

我也来说两句 查看全部回复

最新回复

  • atongmu (2008-9-16 11:56:07)

    on the hence墙头草
  • engliwei (2008-9-16 13:35:56)

    on the hence?
  • yunyi (2008-9-16 14:04:41)

    On the fence
  • EDI (2008-9-16 14:59:29)

    hehe ,on the fence
  • lvjinbaobao (2008-9-16 15:08:13)

    on the fence 墙头草
  • bill8580 (2008-9-16 15:52:17)

    being a regular fence-sitter
  • djwxiaoxiao (2008-9-16 16:25:45)

    hence or fence?
  • cleste (2008-9-16 16:35:51)

    one the fence
  • strawhat (2008-9-25 07:52:39)

    On the fence
  • anon (2008-9-25 08:53:42)

    on the fence
    sit on the fence
  • sy1329 (2008-9-25 09:13:08)

    on the fence
  • 北风和太阳 (2008-9-25 09:15:50)

    on the fence 墙头草
  • jackytian75 (2008-9-25 12:19:49)

    on the fence
  • wangteng200513 (2008-9-25 12:30:00)

    on the fence墙头草
  • tomboy (2008-9-25 14:33:26)

  • cassidy (2008-9-26 19:06:57)

    这就是中国的中庸
  • 啊歪 (2008-9-26 21:55:52)

    on  the  fence
  • lanshi1989 (2008-9-26 22:02:46)

    ON THE FENCE
  • xjjxsz (2008-9-26 22:09:01)

    on the fence