I have just been to Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty the Queen has asked me to form a new government, and I accepted.
我刚刚去了白金汉宫,女王陛下请我组建一个新政府,而我答应了。
【语言点解析】
Her Majesty和the Queen其实都是女王的意思,更多的情况下我们看到的是分开用,而连在一起用其实也是可以的,这样显得更正式、更尊敬,翻译的时候可以翻成“女王陛下”。
In David Cameron, I follow in the footsteps of a great, modern Prime Minister. Under David’s leadership, the government stabilized the economy, reduced the budget deficit, and helped more people into work than ever before.
首先注意开头的in David Cameron,这里的in其实没有办法直译到中文里,这个用法是用来强调一个人内在的品质,比如“I see a great hero in you.”并不是“我在你里面看到了个伟大的英雄”,而是“在我眼里你是个伟大的英雄”。
Modern一词在这的意思其实就是其本来的意思“现代的”,但是直接翻译成“现代的”肯定很奇怪,所以我们要理解演讲者这么讲是想表达什么。现代当然是和古板、老派对立的,那么强调这点当然是想说他思想进步,于是我们就将其翻译成开明。
Help people into work其实就是创造就业的意思,可以直接说create jobs。但是前面一种用法更亲民,而且有help这样一个带有情感色彩的词,所以她这里这样用是为了和人民套近乎。
But David’s true legacy is not about the economy but about social justice. From the introduction of same-sex marriage, to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether; David Cameron has led a one-nation government, and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead.
低收入人群是people on low wages,注意用的是on,因为人们live on wages。
英文中所谓的one-nation是指一个团结不分裂的国家,强调国家内各族群之间没有分歧。
Because not everybody knows this, but the full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist Party, and that word ‘unionist’ is very important to me.
并不是所有人都知道,但我的政党全名是保守与统一党,而其中的“统一”二字对我来说非常重要。
It means we believe in the Union: the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But it means something else that is just as important; it means we believe in a union not just between the nations of the United Kingdom but between all of our citizens, every one of us, whoever we are and wherever we’re from.
If you’re young, you’ll find it harder than ever before to own your own home.
如果你是年轻人,你获得自己房产的难度将比以往都大。
【语言点解析】
这里又走煽情路线了,用“家”来指代房产,博取人民好感。
But the mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone means more than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. You have a job but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying a mortgage. You can just about manage but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school.
Can just about manage的意思不光是“能勉强收支平衡”,它可以广义地表示“刚好能勉强搞好一件事”。比如:There are too much housework and I can just about manage. 家务活太多了,我勉强能干完。
If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly.
如果你属于一个这样的家庭,你的生活会捉襟见肘,而我的话正是对你们讲的。
【语言点解析】
Address sb. 是一种比较正式的表达方式,意思是对谁讲正式的话,它的用法很广,比如女王给国会做演讲可以用它,一个人参加正式宴会的时候
与人初次交谈也可以用它。
I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours.
We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. When we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful, but you. When we pass new laws, we’ll listen not to the mighty but to you. When it comes to taxes, we’ll prioritise not the wealthy, but you. When it comes to opportunity, we won’t entrench the advantages of the fortunate few. We will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you.
We are living through an important moment in our country’s history. Following the referendum, we face a time of great national change.
我们正在经历这个国家历史上一个重要的时刻。在全民公投之后,我们的国家正在面临重大的变革。
And I know because we’re Great Britain, that we will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union, we will forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world, and we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us.