《中英對照讀新聞》Concerto for laptop? 筆電協奏曲？

◎俞智敏

Musicians are to lobby Downing Street over fears that airport counter-terrorism measures could cripple Britain’s cultural life. So widespread is the alarm that Mark Elder, guest conductor at the Last Night of the Proms, joined the chorus of protest from the stage.

音樂家打算向唐寧街（指英國政府）遊說，他們擔心機場的反恐安檢措施可能癱瘓英國的文化生活。音樂家對此事普遍感到不安，連倫敦逍遙音樂會「最後一晚」的客座指揮艾爾德都在演出時加入抗議行列。

"I think we would all agree that the time has come really to put an end to this unfairness," he told the audience at the world’s most popular classical music event. "Otherwise it seems to me that next year we should all look forward to Concerto for Laptop and Orchestra."

「我想我們大概都同意，現在該是停止這種不公平待遇的時候了，」他在全球最受歡迎的古典音樂會上向聽眾表示。「否則，明年我們恐怕只能期待聽到筆記型電腦與管弦樂團的協奏曲了。」

Restrictions on hand luggage, intended to reduce the volume of baggage going through cabin security checks, have had a devastating impact on performers.

（英國政府）對手提行李的限制，目的原本是要減少必須通過客機安檢的行李數量，卻對表演工作者帶來毀滅性衝擊。

Musicians who were used to stowing their Stradivarius in the cabin fear that irreplaceable instruments will be smashed by a careless baggage handler or wrecked by freezing temperatures in the hold. Instead, they are cancelling concerts or enduring exhausting train journeys.

過去習慣把史特拉第瓦里名琴直接帶上客艙的音樂家，現在都很擔心這些無法取代的樂器會被粗心的行李運送工砸壞，或因貨艙裡低於冰點的溫度而受損。所以他們乾脆取消演奏會，或被迫忍受讓人筋疲力竭的火車之旅。

Keith Ames, spokesman for the Musicians Union, said： We are planning to table a motion calling for a dispensation on all flights to let musicians carry instruments into the cabin.

英國音樂家協會發言人艾姆斯說，「我們打算提出一項動議，呼籲給予特許待遇，好讓音樂家把樂器帶上客艙。」

新聞辭典

lobby ：對（國會議員等）遊說，如 ︰We lobbied the members of parliament.（我們對國會議員進行遊說。）或指施加壓力（或影響力）使（議案等）得以通過，如︰lobby a bill through the Senate（施加壓力使法案獲參議院通過）。

cripple：原指使殘廢、變成跛子，文中則指損壞、嚴重影響，如︰The traffic was entirely crippled for the day.（當天的交通完全癱瘓。）cripple作名詞時亦指殘廢者、跛子，但已有負面或歧視意味，現多改稱肢障人士為 a person with a physical disability/impairment。