又中又英——universally panned

　　Last week’s first presidential debate between US President Donald Trump and his opponent, the Democratic Party’s Joe Biden, was universally panned as the worst presidential debate ever. Critics said the debate had embarrassed America in the eyes of the world. Some in Europe said the debate showed the decline of the US as a global power. Mainland Chinese internet users were gleeful (delighted). They mocked (ridiculed, insulted) American democracy. I watched the whole debate. Some of the barbs the two used against each other were shocking. Biden called Trump a liar and a clown and told him to shut up. Trump said Biden came last in class and kept interrupting when it was Biden’s turn to speak.
　　Even though the debate was universally panned, I don’t think it shows the decline of the US as a global power. It is silly for mainland internet users to mock American democracy when China doesn’t even allow such democratic debates. The word “universally” means by everyone or in every case. The word “pan” has many meanings but the word “panned” used this way as a slang word means severely criticized. The expression “universally panned” means severely criticized by everyone. The word “barb” is the sharp part of a fish hook that makes it difficult for fish to get unhooked. But used this way, the word “barb” means an insult.
　　Neither Trump nor Biden won a clear victory in the debate although some polls said Biden won by a small margin. Trump is trailing Biden in opinion polls on who will win the election. The word “trailing” used this way means losing or not doing as good as another person. Who will win the election on November 3? No one knows. It is still up in the air. When something is “up in the air”, it means it is uncertain or no decision has been made. Trump was also trailing in the polls when he ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016 but he won the election.
　　美国总统唐特朗普和他的对手民主党的拜登，上星期的首场总统辩论，被普遍抨击（universally panned）为史上最差的一场总统辩论。批评者说，这场辩论使美国在全世界的眼底下尴尬不已。欧洲一些人说，这场辩论反映了美国作为世界大国的地位已江河日下。内地的中国网民对此感到高兴（gleeful），他们嘲笑（mocked）美国的民主。我看毕了整场辩论。他们反击对方时所用到的尖刻用语（barbs）着实令人震惊。拜登叫特朗普做撒谎者和小丑，更叫他闭嘴。特朗普则说拜登毕业时是全班倒数第一，而该轮到拜登说话的时候，特朗普持续打断他说话。
　　即使这场辩论备受普遍的批评（universally panned），我却不认为它反映美国作为世界大国的实力正在衰退。当中国至今还未容许有这样的民主辩论时，内地的中国网民却在嘲讽（mock）美国的民主，便实在愚笨得可以。Universally的意思是人人、普遍地、一般地。 Pan有许多意思，但 panned一字在这里则作俚语用，解作猛烈抨击。习语“universally panned”就是指被所有人猛烈抨击。Barb是鱼钩的倒钩，令鱼上钓后不那么容易脱钩；但在这里，barb则解作侮辱、伤人的恶语。
　　虽然一些民调显示，拜登比特朗普略胜一筹，但其实在这场辩论中，特朗普和拜登都没有压倒性地胜过对方。在估算谁会胜出总统大选的民调中，特朗普落后于（trailing）拜登。 Trailing在这里是指落后，或表现不及另一人。谁会胜出十一月三日的选举？没有人知道，现时仍是 up in the air。当某事是 up in the air，意即它是悬而未决、未能确定。二○一六年当特朗普对战希拉莉‧克林顿时，他在民调中也是落后（trailing）于人，最终却胜出了选举。
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Michael Chugani褚简宁 中译：七刻

Michael Chugani 褚简宁