又中又英 | Gallows humour | 褚簡寧
US President Donald Trump said something last week that shocked most Americans and the world. He threatened to destroy Iran’s civilization, which dates back over 5,000 years, unless it re-opened the Strait of Hormuz through which ships carrying about 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies pass. Trump stepped back from the brink just hours before his deadline when Pakistan negotiated a two-week halt to the Iran war. To step back from the brink means to retreat from a dangerous or critical situation. It also means preventing a disastrous situation just before it happens.
Trump made another comment a few weeks ago that shocked many people. He accused Iran of killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years. He said that, as America’s 47th president, he is now killing Iranians and added it was a great honour to kill them. Some people described it as mad ravings by Trump when he said it was a great honour to kill Iranians. The expression “mad ravings” refers to irrational or incoherent words by people who may have mental problems. Other people said it was a bad attempt at gallows humour by Trump when he said it was an honour to kill Iranians.
The word “gallows” means the place where criminals are executed by hanging. Gallows humour or dark humour means joking or making funny remarks about something serious such as a war or a tragedy. Most people would agree the president of the United States should not make fun or joke about it being a great honour to kill Iranians.
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美國總統特朗普上星期說了句話，震驚大部分美國人和全世界。他威脅要摧毀伊朗可追溯超過5000年的文明，除非它重開霍爾木茲海峽，該海峽有運載全球約2成石油供應的船隻需要駛經。巴基斯坦促成了美伊兩星期的停火協議，讓特朗普在自己定下的死線前數小時懸崖勒馬（stepped back from the brink）。To step back from the brink是指從一個危險或嚴峻的處境中退下來。它也可解作在一個災難性的狀況將要發生之前阻止其發生。
幾個星期前特朗普才又作出另一個評論，震驚許多人。他指控伊朗47年來殺害世界各地無辜的人。他說，身為美國第47任總統，他現正殺死伊朗人，還補充說殺他們是極大的榮譽。當特朗普說殺伊朗人是極大榮譽時，一些人將之形容為特朗普的mad ravings。習語mad ravings是指一些或許有精神問題的人，所說的不合邏輯或前後矛盾的瘋言瘋語。對於特朗普說殺伊朗人是極大榮譽，另一些人則說那是特朗普「絞刑架幽默」（gallows humour）的一次糟透的嘗試。
Gallows就是以絞刑處死罪犯的刑台。而gallows humour或dark humour就是黑色幽默、地獄梗，即對於戰爭或一樁悲劇這類嚴肅的事情所開的玩笑，又或作出嘲諷詼諧的議論。大多數人都同意，堂堂一個美國總統，不應開玩笑或打趣說殺伊朗人是極大榮譽。
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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻
