王新倉


現實生活中,人們常一邊嗑著瓜子,一邊聽人閑聊。在網絡論壇中,人們發帖討論問題,后面往往有一堆人排隊跟帖,或發表意見,或不著邊際地閑扯。“不發言只圍觀”的普通網民也就成了咱口中常說的“吃瓜群眾”。人們頻頻以“吃瓜群眾”自嘲或互嘲,用來表示一種不關己事、不發表意見僅圍觀的狀態。那么,“吃瓜群眾”用英語該怎么說?我們先來看一段來自CNN的英文報道。
Just moments after receiving her silver medal in Sunday's 3-meter springboard event,China's He Zi was asked to take a very different kind of plunge.The 25-year-old was met by boyfriend Qin Kai,a fellow Olympic diver,who bent low on one knee by the podium before offering up a box containing an engagement ring.She appeared shocked,and covered her mouth before Qin placed the ring on her finger and gave a “thumbs up” to the spectators.
中國選手何姿在女子3米板中獲得銀牌后,又被要求投身于完全不同的一個事業。25歲的何姿在領獎臺上時,同為跳水選手的男朋友秦凱單膝跪地,為她獻上訂婚戒指。何姿看上去很吃驚,用手捂住嘴,秦凱為她戴上戒指,然后沖著現場觀眾豎起大拇指。
報道的最后一個單詞spectator意為“觀眾,看客”,即網絡上所言的“吃瓜群眾”。該詞由動詞spectate(觀看)加上后綴or構成。如:Chinese state television showed excited spectators waving flags and cheering for the torch.中國官方電視臺播放了激動的觀眾揮舞旗幟,為火炬歡呼的鏡頭。