又中又英 | Subtle digs | 褚簡寧
Experienced speechwriters know speeches must be written with the audience in mind. Even well-written speeches will fall flat if the content is not relevant to the people listening to it. To fall flat means to fail in impressing an audience. A good speech must have an interesting beginning that impresses the audience, a middle part that delivers the speech’s core message, and a powerful ending that sums up the core message. Speeches should also contain several anecdotes. An anecdote is a short and funny story based on personal experience.
But even an excellent speech will fall flat if the person who gives it lacks body language and skill to inspire an audience. I have said before that former US President Barack Obama has the body language and skill to give speeches that motivate audiences. King Charles III gave such an excellent speech to a joint meeting of the US Congress during his visit to America last week that I watched it twice. It is common for American politicians to give blunt and politicized speeches. Members of Britain's Royal Family prefer speeches that make key points in a subtle way that rise above politics.
The word "subtle" describes a clever and indirect way to make a point. King Charles took subtle digs at some of President Donald Trump's policies. Subtle digs are indirect criticisms. His subtle criticisms included Trump's threat to leave NATO, not fully supporting Ukraine, which Russia invaded, and treating his presidency as above the checks and balances by the Congress. King Charles included self-deprecating humour in his speech. The expression "self-deprecating humour" means using humour to make your achievements seem less important. His speech got numerous standing ovations by Members of Congress.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
資深的講稿撰寫員都知道，寫講辭時要針對聽眾去寫。講稿寫得再好，若內容跟聽的人沒有關聯，那篇演說仍是會 fall flat——to fall flat的意思是未能達到預期效果或取悅觀眾。好的演說必須有一個有趣的起首，令聽眾印象深刻；中段要傳遞到講辭的核心訊息；強而有力的結尾則能總結核心訊息。講辭亦應該包括幾則 anecdotes。An anecdote就是基於個人經歷的簡短趣聞軼事。
但即使是優秀的講辭，若演講的講者缺乏能啟發或鼓舞觀眾的身體語言和技巧，那篇演說仍然會落空、毫無效果（fall flat）。我從前曾經說過，前美國總統奧巴馬演講時有良好的肢體語言和技巧，能激勵觀眾。英王查理斯三世上星期訪問美國，在與美國國會的聯席會議上發表了一篇精彩絕倫的演說，我自己便看了兩遍。美國政客發表率直和政治化的演說是很平常的，而英國皇室成員演說時則偏好用隱約微妙（subtle）的手法，去提出一些超越政治的重點。
Subtle一字是形容用聰明而委婉的方法去提出一個觀點。英王查理斯對於美國總統特朗普的一些政策，作出了隱晦的挖苦（subtle digs）。Subtle digs就是間接的批評。他隱晦的（subtle）批評包括特朗普威脅要脫離北約，不全力支持被俄羅斯入侵的烏克蘭，以及特朗普將自己的總統權力凌駕於國會的制衡之上。英王查理斯的演說亦包含了 self-deprecating humour－－習語 self-deprecating humour是指自貶、自謙的幽默，令自己的成就看起來不那麼重要。他的演說獲得了國會議員多次起立鼓掌。
[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻
