《中英對照讀新聞》Parody of Japan anthem spreading as protest 諷刺版日本國歌在網路上流傳以示抗議

◎俞智敏

An English parody of Japan's national anthem with the title "Kiss Me" is spreading on the Internet, the latest protest over forcing teachers to sing the song at school ceremonies.

一首諷刺日本國歌、標題為「吻我」的英文歌正在網路上流傳，這是對日本當局強迫教師在學校典禮中必須唱國歌的最新抗議行動。

Japan's "Kimigayo" anthem, based on an ancient poem praising the emperor, has been seen by critics at home and elsewhere in Asia as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. It was only legally made the national anthem in 1999.

日本國歌「君之代」是以一首讚頌天皇的古詩為藍本，過去一直被日本國內及亞洲其他國家的批評者視為日本軍國主義的象徵。這首歌直到1999年才被立法正式訂為國歌。

Several hundred Japanese teachers have been punished for refusing to sing "Kimigayo" since the Tokyo Metropolitan government issued a directive in 2003 instructing high school teachers to stand and sing the anthem at school ceremonies.

自從東京都政府2003年下令要求中學教師必須在學校典禮中起立唱國歌後，已有數百名日本教師因拒唱「君之代」而受罰。

The parody of "Kimigayo" making the rounds on the Internet offers one solution by providing English lyrics that sound enough like the Japanese original that casual listeners could not tell the difference.

在網路上流傳的「君之代」諷刺版則提供了一種解決辦法，把歌詞換成聽起來跟日文原文非常接近的英文，一般人若沒注意根本聽不出兩者的差別。

The conservative daily Sankei Shimbun, which carried a report on the parody on its front page, said the song was an attempt to "sabotage" the national anthem.

保守派日報「產經新聞」最近在頭版報導了這首諷刺歌，並稱這首歌是企圖「破壞」國歌。

新聞辭典

parody：諷刺性的模仿詩文、詼諧的改編詩文，如 The trial was a parody of justice.（這場審判是對正義的諷刺。）

make／go the rounds：來回巡視（如查病房make hospital rounds），或如文中指傳播、散佈，如 A piece of juicy gossip is going the rounds.（一條有趣的八卦新聞正在口耳相傳。）