又中又英 | Gallows humour | 褚简宁
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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美国总统特朗普上星期说了句话，震惊大部分美国人和全世界。他威胁要摧毁伊朗可追溯超过5000年的文明，除非它重开霍尔木兹海峡，该海峡有运载全球约2成石油供应的船只需要驶经。巴基斯坦促成了美伊两星期的停火协议，让特朗普在自己定下的死线前数小时悬崖勒马（stepped back from the brink）。To step back from the brink是指从一个危险或严峻的处境中退下来。它也可解作在一个灾难性的状况将要发生之前阻止其发生。
几个星期前特朗普才又作出另一个评论，震惊许多人。他指控伊朗47年来杀害世界各地无辜的人。他说，身为美国第47任总统，他现正杀死伊朗人，还补充说杀他们是极大的荣誉。当特朗普说杀伊朗人是极大荣誉时，一些人将之形容为特朗普的mad ravings。习语mad ravings是指一些或许有精神问题的人，所说的不合逻辑或前后矛盾的疯言疯语。对于特朗普说杀伊朗人是极大荣誉，另一些人则说那是特朗普「绞刑架幽默」（gallows humour）的一次糟透的尝试。
Gallows就是以绞刑处死罪犯的刑台。而gallows humour或dark humour就是黑色幽默、地狱梗，即对于战争或一桩悲剧这类严肃的事情所开的玩笑，又或作出嘲讽诙谐的议论。大多数人都同意，堂堂一个美国总统，不应开玩笑或打趣说杀伊朗人是极大荣誉。
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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
