又中又英——Faint of heart

　　Former US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, is a rising star in the Republican Party. President Donald Trump appointed her as UN ambassador but she resigned after two years when she was accused of accepting private plane trips from businessmen when she was governor of South Carolina. Unlike Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's candidate for vice president, who is half Indian, both of Haley's parents are Indian immigrants. She is a very good speaker. She used an interesting expression when she gave a speech to support Trump at last week's Republican Party convention. Haley said: "The UN is not for the faint of heart. It's a place where dictators, murderers, and thieves denounce (criticize) America and then put their hands out and demand that we pay their bills."
　　It is rare for a diplomat to be so openly critical of the UN. The expression "faint of heart" means lacking the courage or confidence to do something dangerous, difficult, or risky. Haley used this expression to say the US ambassador to the UN must be tough and courageous because many UN ambassadors are from countries ruled by dictators or murderers who criticize the US but want US financial help. Vice President Mike Pence also gave a speech supporting Trump at last week's convention. He said regarding improving the economy, Trump "kept his word and then some". To "keep your word" means to do what you promised. The expression "and then some" is an American expression rarely used elsewhere.
　　It means to do much more than you promised. For example, if you promised your friend to get at least 100 voters to support his election but got more than 200, you can say "I kept my word and then some". Pence also said: "Let's fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents". To "fix your eyes on" something means to look at and pay attention to something. The expression "Old Glory" is a nickname for the American flag. Pence meant Americans should respect the American flag because it represents freedom.
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　　前美国驻联合国大使妮基‧黑莉，是共和党的明日之星。总统特朗普任命她为联合国大使，但她于两年后辞职，因她被指控在就任南卡罗莱纳州州长期间，接受商人的私人飞机接载。她不像民主党的副总统候选人贺锦丽般，是半个印度人，黑莉的父母均为印度移民。她是个非常优秀的演说家。在上周举行的共和党大会上，她在支持特朗普的演讲中，用了一个很有趣的习语。黑莉说：「联合国非为怯懦弱者（the faint of heart）而设。这里有独裁者、杀人犯与小偷在谴责（denounce）美国，然后又摊大手板要求我们帮他们埋单。」
　　一位外交官会如此公开地批评联合国，实属罕见。习语“faint of heart”是指胆小、缺乏勇气或信心去做一些危险或困难重重的事。黑莉用这个习语，是想说美国驻联合国大使必须坚强而具胆色，因为许多联合国大使都是来自独裁者或杀人犯所统治的国家，他们会批评美国，但又想要美国的经济援助。副总统彭斯在上周的大会也发表了一场支持特朗普的讲话。他说，在改善经济方面，特朗普“kept his word and then some”。To “keep your word”意即信守诺言；习语“and then some”是个美式习语，很少在其他地方使用。
　　它的意思是「还不止于此」，比你所承诺的做得更多。譬如说，若你承诺了朋友会争取一百个选民去在选举中支持他，最后却找来多于二百名支持者，你便可以说：“I kept my word and then some”。彭斯还说：「让我们凝视那『古老的荣耀』（fix our eyes on Old Glory），以及她所代表的一切。」 To“fix your eyes on”something意即注目观看某物；习语“Old Glory”是美国国旗的绰号。彭斯的意思是，美国人应当尊敬美国国旗，因为它代表着自由。
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中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁