词汇大师(Wordmaster)--Slangman: Political Terms ('Cindere

Broadcast on "Coast to Coast": November 7, 2002
Rebroadcast on VOA News Now: November 10, 2002

AA: I'm Avi Arditti with Rosanne Skirble, and this week on WORDMASTER -- slang and idioms in American politics.

RS: Tuesday was Election Day, and Slangman David Burke in Los Angeles told us a story about one candidate who had no problem with name recognition:

BURKE: "Once upon a time there was a young girl named Cinderella who woke up one morning and thought, 'This village is boring. I have an idea,' she thought. 'I know how I can make changes in this village. I'll run for office. And since the incumbent¹ is a lame² duck' -- which is, of course, an elected official who has no reason to do the current job well because he or she isn't planning on being re-elected."

AA: "Or is about to leave office in a few months."

BURKE: "Exactly. 'And since the incumbent is a lame duck, I'll be a shoe-in,' she thought. And a shoe-in is a person who has a sure chance of being chosen. Well, suddenly a voice from behind her said, 'Not so fast, sweetie.' 'Who are you?' Cinderella asked. 'I'm your fairy godmother, but as of today I'm throwing my hat in the ring.' And that, of course, means to compete also.

"'Ha,' said Cinderella. 'I'll win by a landslide,' which means 'I will win easily and quickly.' And Cinderella added, 'Who's going to vote for a right-winger wearing pink high-heel shoes?' Well, a right-ringer is a politically conservative person in one's ideas and philosophies. That's right wing. And, of course, left-wing means you're extremely liberal.

And the fairy godmother says, 'Oh, really? I think it's time we go barnstorming and we'll see who sweeps this election.' Well, barnstorming, it simply means to make political speeches, because a long time ago politicians would go to little communities where there were barns and they would make their political speeches in front of barns."

RS: "From barn to barn."

AA: "Right, sort of a rapid succession of going from barn to barn."

BURKE: "Exactly. So off they went to begin stumping⁴. Now stumping is the same thing as barnstorming. Stumping simply means when you stand on a tree stump³ to make your speeches. In a lot of communities that didn't have a lot of money to create a big area for a politician to stand to make speeches, the politician would simply get on top of a stump and make a speech. So they began stumping all over the village. They both pressed the flesh. To press the flesh means ... "

RS: "To shake hands."

BURKE: "We also say to glad hand. And they did nothing but grandstand for a week. To grandstand means to try a little too hard to impress an audience through speeches. But things got ugly when they debated together. Yes, the mudslinging began. Mudslinging means to insult and criticize each other. Sling⁵ is simply -- "

RS: "To throw."

BURKE: "Another word for 'to throw.' And the fairy godmother said, 'And who's going to vote for a pumpkin⁶?' And, with that, the fairy godmother waived⁷ her magic wand and Cinderella was instantly transformed into a rather large orange gourd⁸. Well, it was obvious at this point who was going to have the election all wrapped up. This is another political idiom, for to win for sure. But something strange happened at the polls. And the polls, that's the place where voters vote."

AA: "P-O-L-L-S."

BURKE: "Right, exactly, the polls, P-O-L-L-S, not P-O-L-E-S. So, according to the returns -- the votes -- everyone voted for the pumpkin -- I mean, Cinderella. Fortunately, however, in the crowd was Cinderella's political adviser⁹, who is her staff spin-doctor. And, of course, a spin doctor means what?"

AA: "Someone who improves a politician's image."

BURKE: "Exactly. And, by the way, the spin-doctor just happened to be the village's prince. So the prince did what princes do, and what do princes do?"

RS: "They kiss the princess."

BURKE: "Exactly."

RS: And, so, Cinderella's image is saved. No longer a pumpkin, she and her adviser the Prince fall in love and live happily -- if not ever after, then at least until the next Election Day. The end.

AA: Another original tale for Wordmaster from Slangman David Burke, the author of many books on slang and idioms. You can check out his materials on his Web site -- slangman.com.

RS: You can find all of our Slangman segments on our Web site, along with our other programs, at voanews.com/wordmaster. And our e-mail address is。。。With Avi Arditti, I'm Rosanne Skirble.

MUSIC: "What Did You Do on Election Day?"/The Foremen

 

1 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

2 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

3 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

4 stumping   

僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的现在分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说

参考例句：

• She's tired of stumping up for school fees, books and uniform. 她讨厌为学费、课本和校服掏腰包。
• But Democrats and Republicans are still dumping stumping for the young. 但是民主党和共和党依然向年轻人发表演说以争取他们的支持。

5 sling   

vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓

参考例句：

• The boy discharged a stone from a sling.这个男孩用弹弓射石头。
• By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。

6 pumpkin   

n.南瓜

参考例句：

• They ate turkey and pumpkin pie.他们吃了火鸡和南瓜馅饼。
• It looks like there is a person looking out of the pumpkin!看起来就像南瓜里有人在看着你！

7 waived   

v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题，开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句

8 gourd   

n.葫芦

参考例句：

• Are you going with him? You must be out of your gourd.你和他一块去？你一定是疯了。
• Give me a gourd so I can bail.把葫芦瓢给我，我好把水舀出去。

9 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。