the bilingual bar
the summer season
英格蘭夏日
江蘇的Tina 問：
Anton，我在網上看到這樣一個標題，「BBC3 unveils summer season with Asian drama」。「Summer Season」 這個詞在這裡是指什麼呢，我想不應該只是指「夏季」吧？能否告訴我「 Summer Season」有什麼特殊意義或文化含義嗎？
ANTON: 你很細心哦。對，「Summer Season」這個詞確實有豐富的文化內涵。表面的意思是指「英格蘭夏日」，但它又不僅僅代表一個季節，因為它就像一個節日似的，在英國很傳統，也很受歡迎。弄明白了它，你對英國就會有更深的了解了。
The Summer Season could be said to epitomize all that is traditionally English about England. What it is, is hard to define. Simply put, one could say that it is a series of social events that ①take place through the summer and their attendant parties and occasions. At its peak, when Britain was the most powerful country in the world, with an Empire around the globe providing huge wealth, the Season was an expression of the confidence of the English ruling class. It could be said nowadays to be something of a farce and very different from the exclusivity of its earlier form.
So what is it? Well, there are various events that ②are regarded as key dates of the Season. Many of these are great sporting occasions, although many of the fashionable who flock to them, do so, not for the formal sport on display, but rather for the sport of displaying themselves. Others are cultural events such as music and opera. However, all form a period of hectic social activity, although the pressure to be seen at all is not as it was at the season's height in the days of Empire. In modern Britain the season is more of an opportunity for corporate entertainment and sponsorship.
英格蘭夏日是傳統英格蘭的縮影，要想定義它，的確是件難事。簡單地說，它是在英格蘭夏季的系列社交活動、聚會及節日的綜合代名詞。在英格蘭夏日的巔峰時期，大英帝國是世界上最強大的國家，擁有巨大的財富。這時的英格蘭夏日被認為是英國統治階級自信的表現。而現在，與以前形式上的那種排外性大不相同，英格蘭夏日形成了一種平民化的類似滑稽劇的形式。
那麼，英格蘭夏日究竟是怎樣的呢？夏日中會舉辦各種各樣的活動，活動的舉辦日被認為是至關重要的日子。在這些活動中，體育賽事佔了相當大的一部分，雖然很多愛好者們聚在一起並不是為了這項體育運動而是為了在賽事中表現自己。其他的則是文化活動，如音樂會和歌劇表演等。這些活動共同構建了激烈的英格蘭夏日活動，只是現代的活動已經不讓人們再有帝國時代時期那種非得去參加活動以炫耀自己身份的壓力了。在現代英國，英格蘭夏日更多地為企業和主辦者提供了契機。
The season was always an exclusive thing to which only the 「upper crust」 was admitted. Nowadays however, in a Britain were family background is not so firmly ③equated with social position, the great events of the season are more of an opportunity for corporate hospitality. What this means is that they have been ④transferred from the domain of one elite to another. The traditional Englishness of the events has not been lost however, after all that is why they earn money for their sponsors. For any tourist wandering through England in the summer a trip to one of these events would perhaps be the highlight of their tour.
最初，英格蘭夏日排他性很強，只有貴族階層才可以參加。而在如今的英國，人們的社會地位並不完全與家庭背景相一致。夏日中各種多彩的活動更多地為熱情的企業提供了商機，即它們在贊助活動之餘，從某類商業精英搖身一變，變成了另外一類商業精英。但是傳統的英國風格並沒有丟失，畢竟這是主辦方能夠多賺銀子的法寶。畢竟，作為在夏日裡赴英格蘭旅遊的遊客來說，參加一場這樣的活動也許是他們旅途中最精彩的片斷。
epitomise /i`pit9maiz/ v. 寫……的梗概；作為……的縮影
peak /p1k/ n.山峰；頂峰
farce /f3s/ n.鬧劇；滑稽劇
exclusivity /iks`kl6siviti/ n.排他性
flock /fl4k/ v. 群集；成群
hectic /`hektik/ adj.發熱的；緊張興奮的
corporate /`k5p9rit/ adj. 公司的；企業的
sponsorship /`sp4ns9Hip/ n.發起；主辦
upper crust n. 貴族階層；上流社會
hospitality /,h4spi`t2liti/ n. 款待；好客
highlight /`hailait/ n. 精彩場面；最顯著的部分
① take place發生；舉行
A: What took place there?
那兒發生了什麼事？
B: A car accident happened there just five minutes ago.
5分鐘前剛發生一場車禍。
② be regarded as ...被認為是……
A: The offer is regarded as absurd.
有人認為這項建議是荒謬的。
B: Really? I will have another think about it.
真的嗎？那我要再考慮一下。
③ equate with同等
A: We cannot equate the GDP of the USA with that of a developing country.
我們不能將美國GDP和發展中國家的GDP相提並論。
B: Yes, I agree with you absolutely.
是的，我完全同意。
④ transfer from ...to ...由……轉移到……
A: The head office has been transferred from Chicago to New York.
辦公總部已由芝加哥轉移到紐約。
B: Good news for Tony, cause his hometown is New York.
這對於託尼來說應該是個好消息，因為他就出生在紐約。
Some of the great events of the season are Henley Royal Regatta, Wimbledon, Cowes Week and Glyndebourne.
英格蘭夏日中的著名活動有：亨利皇家賽舟會，溫布爾登網球公開賽，考斯帆船周和格林德伯恩音樂節。
Henley Royal Regatta established 1839 is perhaps the most famous of rowing events in the world; a hugely traditional English sporting occasion, where the fashionable crowds mingle on the riverbank, glasses of Pimms in hand and probably more than half with their backs to the river. Crowds of young men in colourful stripy blazers ⑤surge up on the bars while throngs of elegant young ladies gather to discuss the athletes. Veterans of former eras lounge or doze in the chairs occasionally opening an eye as their former college races by. Everyone is drunk, the hot sun exacerbating the effect of the cold drinks that are so sort after.
亨利皇家賽舟會始於1839年，恐怕是世界上最著名的划船比賽了。這是一個傳統的英格蘭體育賽事，成群的擁護者聚集在河岸上，手裡拿著皮姆酒，但大概有半數以上的人會背對著河流。穿著鮮豔運動服的年輕小夥子成群地湧入酒吧，而一群群淑女們則聚在一起談論著這些運動員。上個年代的老兵們在椅子上懶洋洋地躺著或打盹，只有當他們以前所在學院的帆船出現在眼前時，才會偶爾睜開一下眼睛。每個人都喝得醉醺醺的，而火熱的太陽更增強了冷飲的效用。
regatta /ri`G2t9/ n.帆船比賽；賽舟會
mingle /`miMGl/ v. 使混合；混合起來
throng /Fr5M/ n. 人群
exacerbate /eks`2s8beit/ v.加重；惡化
⑤ surge up 湧起
A: It seems that envy is surging up within Mary.
看來瑪莉的嫉妒心又在作祟了。
B: Well, Mary is a lady filled with envy.
是啊，瑪莉是一個充滿嫉妒心的女人。
Another classic date in the diary of the English Summer Season is Wimbledon. The Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon have developed from the garden party atmosphere of the first meeting in 1877, witnessed by a few hundred spectators, to a highly professional tournament attracting an attendance of over 500,000 people and, through the press, radio, Internet and television, a following of millions throughout the world. Just as with Henley Regatta Wimbledon is a quintessentially English summer event and for some reason is now heavily ⑥associated with the eating of strawberries and cream!
另一個英格蘭夏日的經典活動是溫布爾登網球公開賽。溫布爾登草地網球錦標賽在1877年舉辦第1屆時只有區區幾百人觀看，而現在，它已經發展成為具有極高專業水平的比賽，吸引了50多萬名現場觀眾及通過新聞、廣播、網際網路和電視觀看比賽的世界各地數百萬名愛好者。就像亨利皇家賽舟會一樣，溫布爾登網球公開賽是一項經典的英格蘭夏日活動，而且，它與草莓和奶油的食用有著很大的關係。
The first Glyndebourne Festival took place in 1934. It was the inspiration of John Christie, who inherited the Glyndebourne estate in 1920, and wanted to present 「not the best we can do, but the best that can be done anywhere.」 The Glyndebourne Festival is now established as one of the world's finest opera Festivals. It runs from May - August each year and presents six productions.
1934年舉辦了第1屆格林德伯恩音樂節。它源自約翰·克裡斯蒂的靈感。約翰在1920年繼承了格林德伯恩的不動產並開始推行「不是最好，但卻是能夠做到的最好」的理念。格林德伯恩音樂節已經成為世界上最著名的音樂節之一。音樂節於每年5月至8月舉行，適時會推出6種產品。
witness /`witnis/ v. 目擊；目睹
tournament /`tu9n9m9nt/ n. 比賽；錦標賽
quintessentially /,kwinti`senH9li/ adv. 精萃地；精髓地
inspiration /,insp9`reiH9n/ n.靈感；妙想
inherit /in`herit/ v.繼承
prestigious /pres`ti_i9s/ adj. 享有聲望的；聲望很高的
yachting /`j4tiM/ n.遊艇比賽
concept /`k4nsept/ n.概念；觀念
appeal /9`p1l/ v.請求；吸引
element /`elim9nt/ n..成分；元素
⑥ associate with...與……有關係
A: Christmas is at hand!
聖誕節就要到了。
B: We associate Christmas with presents.
我們常常會把聖誕節與禮物聯繫起來。
⑦ draw ...back 把……拉回來
A: Why is Lily going to draw Peter back?
莉莉為什麼要拉彼得回來？
B: Because she knows that Peter will make things worse there.
因為她知道彼得會把事情弄得更糟。
The largest and most prestigious week in the sailing calendar gets underway in the Solent in mid-summer. The Cowes regatta is the longest-running regular yachting regatta in the world. Cowes Week originated in the 1800's and, with its many traditions, has been part of the British Summer social season for many years. The first official regatta was held in 1812, and then 14 years later, on August 10th in 1826, the Royal Yacht Squadron formally organized three days of racing in the waters of the Solent. The social high spot still holds the same traditions 176 years on - with yacht club balls, dinners, cocktail parties and concerts throughout the week.
航海史上最大且最負盛名的帆船周在盛夏的索倫特啟航。考斯賽舟會是世界上航程最遠的固定賽舟會。起源於19世紀80年代，考斯帆船周擁有眾多優秀傳統，多年來已成為來英格蘭夏日的重要部分。1812年，官方舉辦了第1屆賽舟會，14年後的1826年的8月10日，這個賽舟會得以正式確立，那天也是皇家快艇隊在索倫特河比賽後的第3天。考斯帆船周在176年後仍保持著它的傳統——長達一周的遊艇俱樂部舞會、晚宴、雞尾酒會及音樂會。
The Summer Season is a social concept and the emphasis is on having fun. As such many of the events are not just about the main attraction, part of the appeal is for instance in the picnics that people set up and the elegant dress that is often required. It is these elements that make the English Summer season what it is, the sense of tradition that keeps ⑦drawing people back.
英格蘭夏日是一種社交理念，它強調的是獲得歡樂。豐富多彩的活動並不是吸引眼球的唯一亮點，具有極大誘惑力的還有諸如美味的野餐和女人們漂亮的服裝等。正是這些元素造就了英格蘭夏日，其傳統的魅力也令許多人樂此不疲。
來源：[雙語時代]