又中又英 | Nothingburger 非指汉堡包 | 褚简宁

　　There are many different burgers, including the classic beef hamburger. The word “classic” has many different meanings, such as classic books. Classic books are high-quality books with lasting influence, such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The word “classic” when used to describe a beef hamburger means traditional and always fashionable. The cheeseburger is also a classic burger. It has a slice of cheese added to the classic beef hamburger. Other burgers include turkey burgers, chicken burgers, and even rice burgers which use rice instead of a bun.

　　Have you eaten a nothingburger? You must be dreaming if you have! A nothingburger is not something you can eat. It is an American slang word to describe something that gets a lot of attention but is of very little or no real significance. Numerous American political commentators used the word “nothingburger” to describe last month’s meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump gave Putin a red-carpet welcome as the two leaders held talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war which has lasted for over three years.

　　Trump, who has often said he gets along very well with Putin, hyped up the meeting in a way intended to convince the world that he, Putin, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will eventually reach a peace deal to end the war. To “hype up” used this way means to deliberately exaggerate something to make people excited or enthusiastic. But the meeting turned out to be a nothingburger. Instead of meeting with Zelensky to end the war, Putin, who ordered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has increased his attacks on Ukraine.

　　世上有许多不同种类的汉堡包，包括classic牛肉汉堡包。Classic这个字有许多不同的意思，例如classic books——classic books是经典名著，像珍．奥斯汀的《傲慢与偏见》，都是具长远影响力的上乘之作。Classic用来形容一个牛肉汉堡包时，则是说它是传统而历久不衰的。芝士汉堡包就是一个经典（classic）的汉堡包。它是在经典（classic）牛肉汉堡包里再加一片芝士。其他汉堡包则包括火鸡汉堡包、鸡肉汉堡包，甚至饭堡，就是用米饭代替面包。  

　　那你可有吃过一个nothingburger？如果你吃过，你一定是发梦了！A nothingburger并非你可以吃的汉堡，它是个美式俚语，用来形容某事物非常引人注意，却又很少甚或没有甚么意义可言。许多美国政治评论员用了nothingburger这个字，去形容上个月美国总统特朗普与俄罗斯总统普京在阿拉斯加的会面。这是两国元首就着结束那打了超过3年的俄乌战争所进行的会谈，而特朗普亦给了普京红地毯的欢迎。

　　特朗普常说自己跟普京相处非常融洽，大力吹捧（hyped up）这次会议，力图说服全世界，他、普京以及乌克兰总统泽连斯基终能达成和平协议，结束战争。To「hype up」在这里是指刻意夸大某事情，令人感到雀跃或充满热情。然而，会面最终沦为一个「空心汉堡」（nothingburger）的泛泛之谈。下令俄罗斯入侵乌克兰的普京，反倒增加对乌克兰的攻击，而不是去跟泽连斯基会面商讨结束战争。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻