西方政治中的動物隱喻

王逢鑫

在西方政治中，特別是在美國政治中，常常用兇猛的鷹（hawk）表示強硬的、主戰的鷹派；用溫和的鴿（dove）表示穩健的、主和的鴿派?！苞椗傻摹?，英語譯為hawkish，例如：

1. 鷹派人士在政治關系中支持動用武力，而不支持討論或其他更加和平的解決方式。A hawkish element supports the use of force in political relationships rather than discussion or other more peaceful solutions.

2. 在美國政治中，鷹派人物、群體或政黨執意偏向于戰爭選擇來對世界各種問題做出反應。In American politics， the hawkish people， groups or political parties consistently prefer the war option for reacting to various problems around the world.

3. 作為外交部長，約翰遜先生是這個歐洲國家新內閣中最具鷹派色彩的成員之一。他持有鷹派觀點，在外交政策上是令人吃驚的強硬。As the Foreign Minister， Mr Johnson is one of the most hawkish members of the new cabinet in the European country. He holds hawkish views and is amazingly hawkish on foreign policy.

4. 這位鷹派以色列總理任命一名鷹派親信出任國防部長。The Israeli’s hawkish Prime Minister appointed a hawkish confidant to run the Defence Ministry.

5. 這些美國反戰團體擔心他們的總統可能會組建一個鷹派內閣。These American antiwar groups fear their President may form a hawkish cabinet.

6. 這位美國高官的鷹派講話未能給他的聽眾留下什么印象， 他們以沉默回應。The American high-ranking official’s hawkish talk failed to impress his audience， who reacted with silence.

“鴿派的”，英語譯為dovish，例如：

7. 鴿派人士反對戰爭，主張和平的或調和的政策，尤其在外交事務中。A dovish element is opposed to war， and advocates peaceful or conciliatory policies， especially in foreign affairs.

8. 這位美國政客素以鴿派人士著稱，然而自從當選州長以來強化了他的鷹派觀點，而且致力于將自身轉變為一名鷹派高官。The American politician used to be well-known as a dovish element， yet he has hardened his hawkish views and worked to transform himself into a hawkish high-ranking official since he was elected state governor.

美國主要政黨民主黨和共和黨都有自己的象征。

9. 美國的兩個主要政黨由兩種不同的動物作為象征：“驢”代表民主黨；而“象”代表共和黨。The two main political parties in the United States are symbolized by two distinct animals： a donkey for the Democratic Party and an elephant for the Republican Party.

10. 像世界上大多數政黨一樣，美國民主黨有自己的政黨象征，那就是“驢”或“公驢”。按照民主黨人的說法，“驢”聰明、堅韌、勇敢、而且倔強。Like most political parties in the world， the US Democratic Party has its party symbol which is a donkey or a jackass. According to Democrats， a donkey is clever， tough， courageous， and stubborn.

11. 安德魯·杰克遜總統是美國民主黨創始人之一。起初，他的政敵利用“驢”作為象征來嘲諷和攻擊他，侮辱性地把他比作“公驢”。但是，安德魯卻喜歡這個比喻，并為了自己的政治利益而決定利用“驢”或“公驢”作為競選象征。后來，“驢”成為民主黨的象征。President Andrew Jackson was one of the founders of the American Democratic Party. Initially， his political opponents used a donkey as a symbol to mock and attack him， insultingly referring to him as a “jackass.” But Andrew liked the comparison and decided to use a donkey or jackass as his campaign symbol for his political gain. Later， the donkey became the symbol of the Democratic Party.

12. 共和黨的象征是“象”。按照共和黨人的說法，“象”健壯而高貴。在安詳時，象是沒有傷害的；但是受到威脅時，象是無法擋住的。The symbol of the US Republican Party is an elephant. According to the Republicans， an elephant is strong and dignified. It is also harmless when calm， but unstoppable when threatened.

13. 1874年，漫畫家托馬斯·納斯特在一副政治漫畫里用一只大象來描繪共和黨。沒過多久，全美國的報紙都用大象的形象來象征共和黨。In 1874， the cartoonist Thomas Nast drew an elephant to depict the Republican Party in a political cartoon. It didn’t take long for newspapers across the country to pick up the image of an elephant to symbolize the Republican Party.

14. “驢象之爭”指四年一次的美國總統選舉，是民主黨與共和黨之間的競爭?！癉onkey vs Elephant” refers to the American presidential election that takes place every four years. It is the contest between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party .

西方政治中有一個獨特的動物隱喻：lame duck（跛腳鴨）。lame duck的第一個意思是 a person or an organization that is ineffectual or? unsuccessful，即“無能的或不成功的人士或機構”，主要用于英國英語。例如：

15. 許多英國人認為他們的政府不應浪費資金去扶持跛腳鴨機構。Many British people think that their government should not waste money supporting lame ducks.

lame duck的第二個意思是“an official， especially the president， in the final period of office， who will not be elected again as his successor has already been elected”，即“任期將滿的官員”，主要用于美國英語。例如：

16. 這位美國州長競選連任失敗，作為一個跛腳鴨州長離任。The American state governor ended up as a lame duck when he lost the election.

17. 美國跛腳鴨總統是競選連任已經失敗，而且不能再度當選的現任總統。但是他將繼續擔任總統，直至當選總統宣誓就任新總統。An American lame duck President is the present President who has lost the election， and will not be re-elected. But he will continue to act as the President until the President-elect swears in as the new President.