American humour

　　美式幽默

　　CALVIN TRILLIN made his reputation over fourdecades as the author of US Journal in the NewYorker, reporting extensively about serious andoften tragic subjects such as race relations andcrime. He was also among the first writers to grasp that American cuisine is a good way tounderstand the nations vigorous and various cultures. But Mr Trillin is incapable of resistingthe temptation of comedy. The jokes kept on welling up and Mr Trillin made a parallelreputation as a writer of funny stuff.

　　卡爾文.特里林作為《紐約客》美國日報作者享譽盛名四十余載，廣泛的報道種族關系和犯罪這類嚴肅而悲痛的題材文章。他是首位發現美國烹飪是了解美國朝氣而豐富文化的良好途徑的作家之一。但是特里林無法抗拒喜劇的誘惑，創作出許多笑話。因此，他也因創作滑稽有趣的作品而享有同等聲望。

　　He belongs to a tradition that included distinguished journalists such as Art Buchwald in theWashington Post, and Russell Baker at the New York Times. Each might regard the idea asrisible, but their ability to deflate the reputations of self-important politicians and men ofbusiness makes classy moralists of them.

　　他是一位傳統派作家，還有華盛頓郵報和紐約時報著名的資訊記者阿爾特?布克沃爾德和拉塞爾貝克。每位想法獨特有趣，而他們有能力減少高傲政客和商業人士的聲望和影響力，因此他們可稱為優秀道德家。

　　The title of this collection of his humorous writings is the first of many jokes. Mr Trillin makesfun of the arrival in the Port of Galveston, Texas, in 1908, from somewhere near Kiev, of hisfather and his Uncle Benny. Apparently, Jacob Schiff, an eminent German Jewish banker wasembarrassed by the poor, huddled masses from eastern Europe cluttering up New York at thetime and financed the detour to the south-west. The thought is rather appalling, but Mr Trillinmakes it work for him: You can say what you want to about my Uncle Benny, but he nevermade his living as a money lender.

　　幽默集錦是特里林第一部笑話作品。他取笑他的父親和叔叔本尼從基輔附近的某個地方在1908年到達德克薩斯州加爾維斯頓。大批來自東歐的貧窮民眾使紐約異常雜亂擁擠，杰出的德國猶太銀行家雅各布.希夫很明顯對此感到不安，并資助他們繞道去往美國西南部。這種想法非常令人震驚。但是特里林成功的為他開脫：你可以隨便我評論我叔叔本尼，但是他從未以放貸人為生。

　　Although Mr Trillin graduated from Yale University, he wasbrought up in Kansas City, Missouri. This led him tofound the Missouri School of Poetry, with amembership of twohimself and T.S. Eliot, who wasborn in St Louis. In truth, he is more at home in theSchool of Ogden Nash of Rye, New York.

　　雖然特里林畢業于耶魯大學，但是他生長在密蘇里堪薩斯城。這樣，他與另一名成員創立了密蘇里詩歌學派，另一名成員是生于圣路易斯的艾略特詩人。其實，他更多的還是待在紐約黑麥奧格登.納什學校。

　　Mr Trillin describes himself as a Deadline Poet because of the rhyming verses he contributesregularly to the Nation. Happily, there are pages of them in this book. One sample, after aheadline in the New York Times: SEC Accuses Goldman of Fraud in Housing Deal:

　　特里林稱他自己為死線詩人，因為他定期在《國家》上發布詩歌。慶幸的是，這本書里摘錄了許多他的詩歌。如在紐約時報大標題文章證券交易委員會指控高盛房屋交易詐騙。

　　Theyre doing Gods work, their CEO said.

　　Theyre the kings of the Street.

　　They are regal.

　　So now we must ask if God ever knew

　　That some of his work was illegal.

　　他們正做的是上帝賦予的工作，他們的首席執行官說道。

　　他們是街道國王。

　　他們是帝王。

　　因此我們現在必須問問上帝

　　問他是否知道他的一些工作是非法行為。

　　American humour

　　美式幽默

　　CALVIN TRILLIN made his reputation over fourdecades as the author of US Journal in the NewYorker, reporting extensively about serious andoften tragic subjects such as race relations andcrime. He was also among the first writers to grasp that American cuisine is a good way tounderstand the nations vigorous and various cultures. But Mr Trillin is incapable of resistingthe temptation of comedy. The jokes kept on welling up and Mr Trillin made a parallelreputation as a writer of funny stuff.

　　卡爾文.特里林作為《紐約客》美國日報作者享譽盛名四十余載，廣泛的報道種族關系和犯罪這類嚴肅而悲痛的題材文章。他是首位發現美國烹飪是了解美國朝氣而豐富文化的良好途徑的作家之一。但是特里林無法抗拒喜劇的誘惑，創作出許多笑話。因此，他也因創作滑稽有趣的作品而享有同等聲望。

　　He belongs to a tradition that included distinguished journalists such as Art Buchwald in theWashington Post, and Russell Baker at the New York Times. Each might regard the idea asrisible, but their ability to deflate the reputations of self-important politicians and men ofbusiness makes classy moralists of them.

　　他是一位傳統派作家，還有華盛頓郵報和紐約時報著名的資訊記者阿爾特?布克沃爾德和拉塞爾貝克。每位想法獨特有趣，而他們有能力減少高傲政客和商業人士的聲望和影響力，因此他們可稱為優秀道德家。

　　The title of this collection of his humorous writings is the first of many jokes. Mr Trillin makesfun of the arrival in the Port of Galveston, Texas, in 1908, from somewhere near Kiev, of hisfather and his Uncle Benny. Apparently, Jacob Schiff, an eminent German Jewish banker wasembarrassed by the poor, huddled masses from eastern Europe cluttering up New York at thetime and financed the detour to the south-west. The thought is rather appalling, but Mr Trillinmakes it work for him: You can say what you want to about my Uncle Benny, but he nevermade his living as a money lender.

　　幽默集錦是特里林第一部笑話作品。他取笑他的父親和叔叔本尼從基輔附近的某個地方在1908年到達德克薩斯州加爾維斯頓。大批來自東歐的貧窮民眾使紐約異常雜亂擁擠，杰出的德國猶太銀行家雅各布.希夫很明顯對此感到不安，并資助他們繞道去往美國西南部。這種想法非常令人震驚。但是特里林成功的為他開脫：你可以隨便我評論我叔叔本尼，但是他從未以放貸人為生。

　　Although Mr Trillin graduated from Yale University, he wasbrought up in Kansas City, Missouri. This led him tofound the Missouri School of Poetry, with amembership of twohimself and T.S. Eliot, who wasborn in St Louis. In truth, he is more at home in theSchool of Ogden Nash of Rye, New York.

　　雖然特里林畢業于耶魯大學，但是他生長在密蘇里堪薩斯城。這樣，他與另一名成員創立了密蘇里詩歌學派，另一名成員是生于圣路易斯的艾略特詩人。其實，他更多的還是待在紐約黑麥奧格登.納什學校。

　　Mr Trillin describes himself as a Deadline Poet because of the rhyming verses he contributesregularly to the Nation. Happily, there are pages of them in this book. One sample, after aheadline in the New York Times: SEC Accuses Goldman of Fraud in Housing Deal:

　　特里林稱他自己為死線詩人，因為他定期在《國家》上發布詩歌。慶幸的是，這本書里摘錄了許多他的詩歌。如在紐約時報大標題文章證券交易委員會指控高盛房屋交易詐騙。

　　Theyre doing Gods work, their CEO said.

　　Theyre the kings of the Street.

　　They are regal.

　　So now we must ask if God ever knew

　　That some of his work was illegal.

　　他們正做的是上帝賦予的工作，他們的首席執行官說道。

　　他們是街道國王。

　　他們是帝王。

　　因此我們現在必須問問上帝

　　問他是否知道他的一些工作是非法行為。