主播妙喻

編者按:雖然美國大選的話題已經陳舊，但是美國CBS電視網的丹·拉瑟(Dan Rather主播“選情之夜”時精彩的得州風味繞口令，讓人忍俊不禁。而且節目拖得越長，他的比喻就更加多彩多姿。以下我們不依時間順序，用丹·拉瑟的妙語來重現開票夜大事紀，也讓讀者們領略一番原汁原味的美語幽默。

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IS “hot enough to peel house paint.”

總統大選“熱得足以讓房子的油漆脫落。”

“…as hot and tight as a too small bathing suit on a too long car ride back from the beach.”

“……又熱又緊繃，好像穿著小一號的游泳衣，從海灘開很久的車子回家。”

“…as tight as the rusted lug nuts on a’55 Ford.”

“……緊得像是1955年份福特車上生銹的螺絲帽。”

BUSH“has run through Dixie like a big wheel through a cotton field.”

布什:“橫掃南方各州，像是大車輪壓過棉花田。”(編注:美國南方盛產棉花)

WHILE GORE’S“back’s against the wall his shirttail’s on fire and the bill collector’s at the door.”

戈爾“被逼到背抵著墻，襯衫下擺著火，討債的人堵在門口。”

AND THE SENATE CAMPAIGNS WERE“as hot and squalid as a New York elevator in August.”

參議員競選“又熱又齷齪，有如8月紐約的電梯。”

MEANWHILE，“you can bet that they’re smiling like a cat in a creamery down in Austin…”

同時，“你可以打賭，在得州奧斯汀的那些人一定正笑得像奶油乳酪工廠里的貓咪……”

ALTHOUGH BUSH’S LEAD“is now shakier than cafeteria Jell-O”

布什的領先，現在比學校餐廳里的果凍還要搖晃不穩。

“…has been melted faster then ice cream in a microwave.”

“……融化得比微波爐里的冰淇淋還快。”