经济学人196:白芝浩专栏 板球中看英印关系

 　　Bageho

　　白芝浩专栏

　　The great game

　　板球中看英-印关系

　　To improve his grasp of Anglo-Indian relations, David Cameron should watch more cricket

　　为改善对英-印关系的把握，戴维·卡梅伦应从板球中汲取教训

　　“IT IS in the matter of patience”, wrote Lord Harris, an early England cricket captain and later ruler of the British empire's favourite game, “that I think the Indian will never be equal to the Englishman.” It was interesting to recall this last month as India's batsmen were trouncing England's at Lord's, the north London home of cricket. And that was not all that would have horrified¹ Harris who, as a 19th-century governor of Bombay (now Mumbai), was widely credited with introducing cricket to India.

　　“这是耐心的问题”，哈里斯勋爵曾经写到：“我认为印度人将永远无法与英国人匹敌。”作为早期的英格兰板球队队长和后来的大英帝国最钟爱的游戏的主导者，哈里斯万万没有想到，就在上个月，印度击球员在伦敦北部的贵族板球场痛击英国，使这一评价成为一个笑话。而这只是使这位19世纪孟买州长、公认的将板球带入印度的第一人震惊的一部分。

　　Nothing illustrates² the turnabout in British-Indian relations more starkly³ than India's financial and political takeover of what was once an English summer game. When India's best cricketers played their first Test match—cricket's gold-seal, five-day format—at Lord's in 1932, around the time Harris delivered his racist⁴ verdict, they came as hapless colonial subjects. At home they were the idols⁵ of an unlikely national religion. In England, where it took them four decades to win, India's cricketers were timorous⁶, poorly paid and uncompetitive. Yet in the 1990s India's growth rate picked up, sparking a sports-media explosion which has transformed the world's second-most-popular game; over 80% of cricket's revenues are now said to be generated in India.

　　没有什么比印度对这一曾属于英国的夏日游戏的金融和政治接管更能充分地表明英属印度关系的转变了。1932年，当印度最杰出的板球运动员们在贵族板球场首次亮相，开展为期五天的对抗赛时，哈里斯颁布了他的种族论，使他们成为了一批倒霉的殖民主体。在印度，他们是一个没有希望的民族宗教的偶像。而在英格兰，在这个他们花费了四十年来获取胜利的国度，这些印度板球运动员唯唯诺诺、入不敷出，毫无竞争力。然而，在上个世纪90年代，印度的经济增长率回升，促使体育传媒迅猛发展，转变了这一全球第二大流行的赛事。如今，已有超过80％的板球收入在印度产生。

　　The Indian team that visited England this summer—to play a five-Test series which ended this week—included some of the world's richest sportsmen. Its captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, earned $30m last year; hardly any English player made a million. And money buys influence. Holding court at Lord's was a ponderous⁷ Tamilian, N. Srinivasan, wearing jam-jar glasses and a smear⁸ of vermilion to denote his high Hindu caste. The boss of India's and the world's governing bodies for cricket, he is the most powerful cricket administrator⁹ since Harris. He also owns one of India's best cricket teams, the Chennai Super Kings, in the world's fastest-growing sports contest, the Indian Premier¹⁰ League.

　　今年夏季，印度板球队员们本周结束了在英国的五国对抗联赛，他们当中的一部分是全球收入最高的运动员。队长马亨德拉·辛格·东尼去年的收入是3000万美金，而在英国，几乎没有板球选手的收入超过百万。金钱带来了影响力。在贵族板球场主持开场的是呆板的T.N.斯里尼瓦桑，他那果酱罐眼镜和涂片红唇展示着他的高种姓。作为印度和世界板球管辖机构的老板，他是自哈里斯之后最具影响力的板球权威。他还在全球发展最快的体育竞赛---印度板球联赛上拥有着金柰超级国王队，这支队伍是印度最好的板球队之一。

　　For David Cameron, a cricket fan, there are lessons here. The Conservative prime minister has made improving British-Indian ties one of his priorities. Cricket, the international arena¹¹ most disrupted by India's rise, suggests how he might attempt that.

　　板球迷戴维·卡梅伦应从中汲取经验教训。保守党首相已将改善英国与印度的关系列为首要任务之一。被印度崛起扰乱的板球国际竞技场启示着卡梅伦该如何采取行动。

　　The first lesson is that he is right to try. Countries that share a colonial legacy¹², including language and culture, should trade together far more prodigiously¹³ than Britain and India do. Cricket symbolises their bond; no other countries have so defined themselves by it. For eminent¹⁴ Victorians, cricket displayed their national virtues¹⁵. It was “English, you know quite English,” wrote Harris. That is why their aspiring¹⁶ Indian subjects—with little help from Harris—embraced it. And a trace of that anglophilia endures among India's elites¹⁷. It was suggested by Mr Srinivasan's emotional response after his team, the world champions of lower-brow one-day cricket, won at Lord's (though they lost the series).

　　第一条经验是，他的尝试是正确的。共享包括语言和文化在内的殖民遗产的国家本该更多地开展贸易，而英国和印度却没有。板球象征着两国的关系纽带，这是其他国家从未如此定义过的。维多利亚时代的名人则认为，板球展示了他们的民族美德，如哈里斯所定义的“英国精神”。因此，在哈里斯的帮助下，那些有抱负的印度人积极地追捧板球。在印度精英中出现了一种长期的亲英趋势，这源自斯里尼瓦桑提获胜后的感言，当时他的队伍在贵族板球场赢得了比赛（尽管他们输掉了联赛），这是一支低额一日板球赛的世界冠军队。

　　板球中看英印关系.jpg

　　Yet most Indian cricket fans have perhaps never heard of that venerable English ground. Their enthusiasm is almost for a different game, the glitzy, shorter formats¹⁸ at which India excels. Cricket represents for them a different national story: India as a “cricket-crazy nation”, a youthful, patriotic¹⁹ place, bursting with hope and a desire to consume. This is the India that has got Mr Cameron excited for its economic potential; it will take more than appealing to a common history, in which young Indians are uninterested, to win its love. Taking England's winsome²⁰ cricket captain, Alastair Cook, on the prime minister's next trip to Delhi might help.

　　然而，大多数印度板球迷们或许从来没有听说过那古老的英国球场。他们所热衷的几乎是一项完全不同的运动---一项印度人所擅长的激情洋溢、节奏紧凑的运动。对印度来说，板球则有着不同的含义：印度作为一个“为板球而疯狂的国家”，是一个充满活力、爱国情怀的地方。这里充满希望和消费欲。正是这样的一个国度，使得卡梅伦先生为她的经济潜力而惊艳。为赢得印度的青睐，英国需要更多的措施，而不仅仅是强调共同的历史，因为年轻一代的印度人已经对此毫无兴趣。在首相先生下次访问新德里时，带上英格兰队迷人的板球队长阿拉斯泰尔·库克或许会有所帮助。

　　A more sobering lesson for Mr Cameron concerns the nature of Indian power, which has bruised²¹ cricket. India's growing influence has, in large part, been traumatic and divisive to a game which is unusually based on international competition. The collaborative culture that formerly²² governed that, albeit²³ tinged²⁴ with Anglo-Australian self-interest and suzerainty, has broken down. What India wants in cricket, concerning the international programme and sales of media rights, or even the rules of the game and its administration, it increasingly gets.

　　卡梅伦先生更应清醒地关注到印度的权利属性，这已波及到板球领域。印度日益增长的影响力，对于这一不曾基于国际竞争的对于在很大程度上来说，是具有杀伤力的。尽管与英澳利己主义和宗主权有着千丝万缕的联系，昔日占主导地位的写作文化已不复存在。印度想要在板球领域所获得的利益，如：国际计划和媒体播放权的销售，甚至是赛事的管理和规则，都逐渐纳入囊中。

　　That was clear earlier this year, when India demanded more of the international revenues its team is mainly responsible for generating. This was not unreasonable²⁵; but the threatening way it negotiated, the craven way England and Australia accommodated it, and the resulting impoverishment²⁶ of Pakistan, New Zealand and other poorer cricket nations were contemptible²⁷. What was once an English game, then an international one mapping the former British empire, is India's to command. And this is a worrying prospect²⁸ for cricket, given the match-fixing, infighting and administrative²⁹ chaos³⁰ that are other aspects of the game in India. The fact that Mr Srinivasan, even as he negotiated cricket's new architecture, was suspended from the Indian cricket board while being investigated over corruption³¹ allegations, seemed indicative of this.

　　很明显，今年年初，当印度想要获得更多的国际收入时，她的板球队挑起了大梁。这并不是不合理的，但威胁式的谈判使英国和澳大利亚只得懦弱地容忍，更使巴基斯坦、新西兰等不擅长板球的国家每况愈下。曾专属于英国、在国际上代表着大英帝国的比赛，现已由印度主宰。然而，在印度的板球赛有着不同的一面—假球、勾心斗角、管理混乱，使得板球前景堪忧---尽管曾有意构建印度板球新局面，斯里尼瓦桑已被印度板球委员会停职调查、正面临着贪污腐败的指控足以证明。

　　Play hard, play fair

　　严格公正的竞争

　　That suggests two final truths for Mr Cameron. First, to expect no favours; India's power brokers³² are ruthless and obdurate³³ in cricket and otherwise. Indeed cricket, because of its wealth and popularity, is another facet³⁴ of Indian politics. India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and finance minister, Arun Jaitley, are among a clutch of Indian politicians leading state cricket associations—which makes the chaos in Indian cricket all the more dismal³⁵.

　　卡梅伦首相应认清两点：第一，不要指望得到好处。印度的权威经纪不论是在板球还是在其他方面都是安忍无亲、冷酷无情的。的确，板球因为财富和声望，是印度政治的另一面。印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪和财长阿伦·杰特利是印度政客领导的板球协会中的要员—这使得印度板球的混乱加剧。

　　The second lesson is not to do as England's cricket board did and bow to Indian bullying³⁶. In world trade and climate negotiations³⁷, where India has been unhelpful, and in its recent high-handed treatment of foreign investors³⁸, its bad behaviour should be condemned³⁹ and resisted. Respecting India as a rising power is not the same as pandering⁴⁰ to its elite's worst compulsions.

　　第二，不要像英国的板球委员会一样向印度的强势低头。在世界贸易和气候变化的谈判中，印度一直毫无帮助。近来，又对外国投资者采取了高压的政策，这些不良行为应当受到谴责和抵制。对印度这一正在崛起的大国的尊重，不能等同于对她的精英中最恶劣的冲动行为的纵容。

　　If Mr Cameron, whose diplomacy⁴¹ tends to veer⁴² between finger-wagging and love-bombing, cannot see the difference, Indians can. And in a fading corner of their cultural memory, haunted by self-righteous but upstanding Victorians such as Harris, is perhaps a small feeling that the creators of cricket should hold India to a higher standard. Mr Cameron should honour that.

　　如果卡梅伦首相的对印政策倾向于在坚决抵制和纵容之间摇摆，那将毫无意义，只会让印度获益。由于那些像哈里斯这样---自以为是、却又正直诚恳的维多利亚时代的人失误，板球的创造者不应小瞧印度这一观点，被搁置在了两国文化记忆中布满尘埃的一隅。卡梅伦首相应正视印度的实力。

1 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

2 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

3 starkly   

adj. 变硬了的,完全的 adv. 完全,实在,简直

参考例句：

• The city of Befast remains starkly divided between Catholics and Protestants. 贝尔法斯特市完全被处在天主教徒和新教徒的纷争之中。
• The black rocks stood out starkly against the sky. 那些黑色的岩石在天空衬托下十分显眼。

4 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

5 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

6 timorous   

adj.胆怯的，胆小的

参考例句：

• She is as timorous as a rabbit.她胆小得像只兔子。
• The timorous rabbit ran away.那只胆小的兔子跑开了。

7 ponderous   

adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的

参考例句：

• His steps were heavy and ponderous.他的步伐沉重缓慢。
• It was easy to underestimate him because of his occasionally ponderous manner.由于他偶尔现出的沉闷的姿态，很容易使人小看了他。

8 smear   

v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• He has been spreading false stories in an attempt to smear us.他一直在散布谎言企图诽谤我们。
• There's a smear on your shirt.你衬衫上有个污点。

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

10 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

11 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

12 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

13 prodigiously   

adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地

参考例句：

• Such remarks, though, hardly begin to explain that prodigiously gifted author Henry James. 然而这样的说法，一点也不能解释这个得天独厚的作家亨利·詹姆斯的情况。 来自辞典例句
• The prices of farms rose prodigiously. 农场的价格飞快上涨。 来自互联网

14 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

15 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

16 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

17 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

18 formats   

n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）

参考例句：

• They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

19 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

20 winsome   

n.迷人的，漂亮的

参考例句：

• She gave him her best winsome smile.她给了他一个最为迷人的微笑。
• She was a winsome creature.她十分可爱。

21 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

22 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

23 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

24 tinged   

v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• memories tinged with sadness 略带悲伤的往事
• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣

25 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

26 impoverishment   

n.贫穷，穷困；贫化

参考例句：

• Therefore, the spiritual impoverishment is a more fearful social phenomenon. 所以，精神贫困是一种比物质贫困更隐蔽更可怕的社会现象。 来自互联网
• Impoverishment is compounded by many elements, and can transmit to be a pernicious cycle. 贫困是由多种因素复合而成的，并且具有传递性，形成贫困的恶性循环。 来自互联网

27 contemptible   

adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的

参考例句：

• His personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.他气貌不扬，言语粗俗。
• That was a contemptible trick to play on a friend.那是对朋友玩弄的一出可鄙的把戏。

28 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

29 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

30 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

31 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

32 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

33 obdurate   

adj.固执的，顽固的

参考例句：

• He is obdurate in his convictions.他执着于自己所坚信的事。
• He remained obdurate,refusing to alter his decision.他依然固执己见，拒不改变决定。

34 facet   

n.(问题等的)一个方面；(多面体的)面

参考例句：

• He has perfected himself in every facet of his job.他已使自己对工作的各个方面都得心应手。
• Every facet of college life is fascinating.大学生活的每个方面都令人兴奋。

35 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

36 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

38 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

39 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

40 pandering   

v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 )；纵容某人；迁就某事物

参考例句：

• This magazine is criticized for pandering to the vulgar taste of some readers. 这家杂志因迎合某些读者的低级趣味而遭到批评。 来自辞典例句
• We're four points up there; we don't need to get hit for pandering. 我们在那儿领先四个百分点；我们不必为了迎合一些选民而遭受批评。 来自电影对白

41 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

42 veer   

vt.转向，顺时针转，改变；n.转向

参考例句：

• He is unlikely to veer from his boss's strongly held views.他不可能背离他老板的强硬立场。
• If you fall asleep while driving,you'll probably veer off the road.假如你开车时打瞌睡，可能会驶离道路。