西方政治中的动物隐喻

王逢鑫

在西方政治中，特别是在美国政治中，常常用凶猛的鹰（hawk）表示强硬的、主战的鹰派；用温和的鸽（dove）表示稳健的、主和的鸽派。“鹰派的”，英语译为hawkish，例如：

1. 鹰派人士在政治关系中支持动用武力，而不支持讨论或其他更加和平的解决方式。A hawkish element supports the use of force in political relationships rather than discussion or other more peaceful solutions.

2. 在美国政治中，鹰派人物、群体或政党执意偏向于战争选择来对世界各种问题做出反应。In American politics， the hawkish people， groups or political parties consistently prefer the war option for reacting to various problems around the world.

3. 作为外交部长，约翰逊先生是这个欧洲国家新内阁中最具鹰派色彩的成员之一。他持有鹰派观点，在外交政策上是令人吃惊的强硬。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. 这位鹰派以色列总理任命一名鹰派亲信出任国防部长。The Israeli’s hawkish Prime Minister appointed a hawkish confidant to run the Defence Ministry.

5. 这些美国反战团体担心他们的总统可能会组建一个鹰派内阁。These American antiwar groups fear their President may form a hawkish cabinet.

6. 这位美国高官的鹰派讲话未能给他的听众留下什么印象， 他们以沉默回应。The American high-ranking official’s hawkish talk failed to impress his audience， who reacted with silence.

“鸽派的”，英语译为dovish，例如：

7. 鴿派人士反对战争，主张和平的或调和的政策，尤其在外交事务中。A dovish element is opposed to war， and advocates peaceful or conciliatory policies， especially in foreign affairs.

8. 这位美国政客素以鸽派人士著称，然而自从当选州长以来强化了他的鹰派观点，而且致力于将自身转变为一名鹰派高官。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.

美国主要政党民主党和共和党都有自己的象征。

9. 美国的两个主要政党由两种不同的动物作为象征：“驴”代表民主党；而“象”代表共和党。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. 像世界上大多数政党一样，美国民主党有自己的政党象征，那就是“驴”或“公驴”。按照民主党人的说法，“驴”聪明、坚韧、勇敢、而且倔强。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. 安德鲁·杰克逊总统是美国民主党创始人之一。起初，他的政敌利用“驴”作为象征来嘲讽和攻击他，侮辱性地把他比作“公驴”。但是，安德鲁却喜欢这个比喻，并为了自己的政治利益而决定利用“驴”或“公驴”作为竞选象征。后来，“驴”成为民主党的象征。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. 共和党的象征是“象”。按照共和党人的说法，“象”健壮而高贵。在安详时，象是没有伤害的；但是受到威胁时，象是无法挡住的。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，漫画家托马斯·纳斯特在一副政治漫画里用一只大象来描绘共和党。没过多久，全美国的报纸都用大象的形象来象征共和党。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. “驴象之争”指四年一次的美国总统选举，是民主党与共和党之间的竞争。“Donkey 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 .

西方政治中有一個独特的动物隐喻：lame duck（跛脚鸭）。lame duck的第一个意思是 a person or an organization that is ineffectual or  unsuccessful，即“无能的或不成功的人士或机构”，主要用于英国英语。例如：

15. 许多英国人认为他们的政府不应浪费资金去扶持跛脚鸭机构。Many British people think that their government should not waste money supporting lame ducks.

lame duck的第二个意思是“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“任期将满的官员”，主要用于美国英语。例如：

16. 这位美国州长竞选连任失败，作为一个跛脚鸭州长离任。The American state governor ended up as a lame duck when he lost the election.

17. 美国跛脚鸭总统是竞选连任已经失败，而且不能再度当选的现任总统。但是他将继续担任总统，直至当选总统宣誓就任新总统。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.