拐弯抹角

是,⾸相（Yes,PrimeMinister）经典对⽩——如何跟领导拐

弯抹⾓

使⽤复杂、抽象的英语表达也许是为了使⽂体更加正式，但有时故意把简单的事情说得复杂可能是“别有⽬的”。试举英剧

《是，⾸相》当中的⼀个⽚段为例——对话背景:欧洲深受债务危机之困，各国⾸脑举⾏会议商议出路，但会议⼀直没有实质

性进展。⾸相Jim不仅被媒体指责毫⽆作为，还被党内同僚觊觎⾸相之位，乌纱帽朝不保⼣。秘书Humphrey私下⾥与

Kumranistan(经查是虚构的国家)外交⼤⾂达成⼝头协议，Kumranistan⼤⾂表⽰愿意向欧洲提供⼗万亿贷款，只要之后欧洲各

国向Kumranistan那⾥购买⽯油。当Humphrey告诉Jim这个“好消息”时，Jim⾮常开⼼：他相信任何问题都将迎刃⽽解，甚⾄开

始幻春游曲唐王涯 想⾃⼰的名字登上报纸头条、载⼊史册的伟⼤时刻。然⽽，Humphrey没有告诉⾸相，这个协议有个“隐含条件”——贷款

必须经过ECB之⼿，这意味着英国如果不加⼊欧元区，就根本分不到贷款。当然，英国⾸相是绝对不会同意英国加⼊欧元区

的，秘书⾃然也很清楚这⼀点，所以刻意隐瞒了“隐含条件”。⽽⾸相的另⼀得⼒助⼿发现了不对劲，私下⾥提醒⾸相可能

有“诈”。⾸相也开始担⼼被⼈挖了个“坑”，于是找来秘书，质问之。

(PM=PrimeMinister;H=Humphrey)

PM:ThisKumranistanloanisallgoodnews,isn’tit?

H:Oh,treme一年级春天古诗25首 ndousnews!

PM:Therearenohiddensnags,youknow?Termsandconditions?Penaltyclauses?Toughguarantees?

H:Oh,no,rdagreement.

PM:Great!Justanordinarytreasuryloan,asfaraswe’reconcerned?

H:Inasense,yes.

PM:Inasense?(frowning)

H:Well,induecourse,followingagreedprocedures,aftercertainformalities.

PM:ButthemoneygoesstraighttotheTreasury(国库)?

H:Yes,itgoestotheTr金缕衣是什么意思 easure,ofcourse.

PM:STRAIGHTtotheTreasury?

H:Well,broadlyspeaking,less.

PM:Broadlyspeaking?Howwouldyoudescribeitifyouwe伤感句子表达心情失落 renarrowlyspeaking?

DoesithavetogothroughtheEuropeanCentralBank?

H:PrimeMinister,wegetthemoney,thatiswhatmatters.

PM:Letmeputthisan臂的组词 otherway—willthisloanbeineuros?

H:PrimeMinister,Idourgeyounottoclutteryourmindwithproceduraldetailandmonetarytrivia.

PM:Humphrey!Inwordsofonesyllable,isthisplandependentonourabandoningsterling(英国货币)andjoiningtheeuro?

H:Well,“dependent”hasthreesyllables,and“a-ban-don-ing”hasfour.(Fake-smiling“HAHA”)

…

PM:Humphrey!Answermyquestion!

H:Alright,’veaskedastraightquestion,andI’llgiveyouastraightanswer,which,however,clearly

ourseofallfinancialnegotiations,certainprovisoshavetobepre-cogitatedand

preconditioned;variouscaveatshavetobepostulated,designated,investigatedandspecified,andanumberof

considerationshavetobeunequ闻道龙标过五溪的上一句 ivocallydetermined,acknowledged,andindeed,someti李商隐嫦娥古诗 mesevenconceded,sothatwecan

facilitatethefinalizationofprelimina竹枝词刘禹锡赏析 ryplanstocreateanepistemologicalbasisforallpartiestoproceedtowardsamutually

beneficialconsummation,whichwillackno杜甫另一首绝句 wledgeandsafeguardthevitalinterestsofalltheparticipantswithoutjeopardizing

inanymaterialwaytheunderlyingcollectivebenefits,ultimatelyaccruingtothesignatories,orleavingunresolvedany

anomaliesorirregularitieswhichcouldprecipitateoperationalunce烟笼寒水月笼沙下一句 rtaintydowntheline,sothattherewillbeapresumed

modicumofiron-cladreciprocity,which,inthegreatschemeofthings,willbetoeveryone’sadvantage.

()

PM:Didthatmeanyesorno?

H:Don’tyouthinkthatyesandnoareratherbroadandunspecificintheirapplication?

PM:No!

Iwantaclear,unambiguousanswer!

H:sthequestionagain?

PM:Isjoiningtheeuroaconditionofgettingtheloan?

H:Well,inthesensethat,ifagreement,attheendoftheday…

PM:Humphrey!Irepeat—

Isjoiningtheeuroaconditionofgettingtheloan?

H:Yes,PrimeMinister.

(TheEnd)

Source:Yes,PrimeMinister(2013),Season1Episode1,26’15’’-29’20’’.