又中又英 | Subtle digs | 褚简宁
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.
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资深的讲稿撰写员都知道，写讲辞时要针对听众去写。讲稿写得再好，若内容跟听的人没有关联，那篇演说仍是会 fall flat——to fall flat的意思是未能达到预期效果或取悦观众。好的演说必须有一个有趣的起首，令听众印象深刻；中段要传递到讲辞的核心讯息；强而有力的结尾则能总结核心讯息。讲辞亦应该包括几则 anecdotes。An anecdote就是基于个人经历的简短趣闻轶事。
但即使是优秀的讲辞，若演讲的讲者缺乏能启发或鼓舞观众的身体语言和技巧，那篇演说仍然会落空、毫无效果（fall flat）。我从前曾经说过，前美国总统奥巴马演讲时有良好的肢体语言和技巧，能激励观众。英王查理斯三世上星期访问美国，在与美国国会的联席会议上发表了一篇精彩绝伦的演说，我自己便看了两遍。美国政客发表率直和政治化的演说是很平常的，而英国皇室成员演说时则偏好用隐约微妙（subtle）的手法，去提出一些超越政治的重点。
Subtle一字是形容用聪明而委婉的方法去提出一个观点。英王查理斯对于美国总统特朗普的一些政策，作出了隐晦的挖苦（subtle digs）。Subtle digs就是间接的批评。他隐晦的（subtle）批评包括特朗普威胁要脱离北约，不全力支持被俄罗斯入侵的乌克兰，以及特朗普将自己的总统权力凌驾于国会的制衡之上。英王查理斯的演说亦包含了 self-deprecating humour－－习语 self-deprecating humour是指自贬、自谦的幽默，令自己的成就看起来不那么重要。他的演说获得了国会议员多次起立鼓掌。
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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
