陳文敏 - 精彩的歡迎辭

2011年7月27日

【明報專訊】當了院長幾近十年，多年來也不知曾作出多少歡迎致辭。每次致辭，我總喜歡親自撰稿。演辭應該有個人的風格，讓人家給自己撰寫的演辭總會覺得格格不入。歡迎辭與一般演辭又不盡相同，既要道出講者的成就，又要不失禮數，不能喧賓奪主，又要恰如其分，不卑不亢。好的歡迎辭其實是極高難度的作品。最近奧巴馬訪問英國，在西敏寺向國會發表演說。奧巴馬是演說高手，怎樣代表英國歡迎這位美國總統？下議院議長（Speaker）的歡迎辭，簡直是出神入化，短短一分鐘的歡迎辭，不用半句「傑出」、「優秀」這類庸俗的褒獎詞，字字珠璣，簡直將英文的優美典雅發揮得淋漓盡致，如果英文老師希望給同學介紹一些上佳的英文的作品，這篇歡迎辭（當然還有奧巴馬的演詞）是絕對值得推介。

如果你是下議院議長，你會怎樣介紹奧巴馬？議長是這樣開展他的歡迎辭：

「歷史不單是往昔留下的小徑，它更在影響現在和造就未來。今天我們聚首於西敏寺，這座建築物建於900年前當維京人抵達今天美國的海岸的時候，儘管日後才由哥倫布展示政客遲來卻仍可以全數邀功的藝術。」（History is more than the path left by the past. It influences the present and can shape the future. We meet today in Westminster Hall, a building began 900 years ago, when the Vikings were visiting the shores of what would become the United State, even if it was Columbus who had subsequently demonstrated the politician's art of arriving late but claiming all the credit.）三言兩語，既稱頌英國歷史源遠流長，也點出英美兩國同出一脈的緊密關係，更暗暗諷刺美國人自以為是，盡顯英國人那種含蓄的傲慢。語意雙關，既可以是諷刺別人，也可以視為對政客的自嘲，當中不失幽默，對文字的駕馭，簡直已是到了出神入化的境界。（二之一）


精彩的歡迎辭
文章日期：2011年8月3日

【明報專訊】美國總統奧巴馬訪問英國，成為首位在西敏寺發表演說的美國總統，在他之前的幾位曾在西敏寺發表演說的講者包括教宗、英女王及南非前總統曼德拉。歡迎奧巴馬的責任落在下議院議長身上，而這篇短短的歡迎辭充分發揮英語的流麗與力量。簡短幾句道出西敏寺的歷史與英美兩國同出一脈的歷史後，下議院議長便進入主題：

「西敏寺見證了不少令人沮喪的審訊，甚至對君主判處死刑的審訊，它也見證了不少王室加冕的華宴與慶典的演說，也是不少受我們國民尊崇的人士的墓地。很少有這樣緊扣我們國民心弦的地方。可是，直至今天仍沒有一位美國總統曾在這裏對我們的國會發表演說。總統先生，這是我的榮譽歡迎你作為我們的朋友和一個國家領袖來到這裏，國家領袖能將不同國家的理想緊緊接合，令我們對信念的團結、對自由的熱誠、對不公義的厭惡，這些令我們結盟的核心價值得到具體的落實。在國內處理動盪的經濟和保障貧者的健康的重擔，以及追求那常受威脅的安全與常被輕視的人權之間的微妙平衡落在總統閣下身上。歷史並非一個人的擔子，但有些人得就歷史的挑戰肩負比常人更大的使命，而總統閣下在肩負這使命時所作出的承擔、勇氣與尊嚴皆令世人萬分欣賞。林肯曾說過，幾乎所有人皆能面對逆境，但只有賦予他權力才能測試一個人的品格。女士們，先生們，讓我歡迎美國總統奧巴馬。」

演說中很少人會留意歡迎辭，但這篇歡迎辭那種不卑不亢、恰到好處的定調與華麗但簡約的文字，絕對比得上主角奧巴馬的演說，也可以說是歡迎辭的表表者，讓我們欣賞到文字的力量與動人之處。（二之二）

講辭原文：

Commons Speaker, John Bercow MP, welcome to President Obama

Address to the US President, Barack Obama
Westminster Hall
Wednesday 25 May 2011

'Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. History is more than the path left by the past. It influences the present and can shape the future. We meet today in Westminster Hall, a building begun nine hundred years ago, when the Vikings were visiting the shores of what would become the United States, even if it was Columbus who would subsequently demonstrate the politician’s art of arriving late but claiming all the credit.

This Hall has witnessed grim trials and the sentencing to death of a king, coronation banquets, ceremonial addresses and the coffins of those receiving the last respects of our people. Few places reach so far into the heart of our nation. Yet until today, no American President has stood on these steps to address our country’s Parliament.

It is my honour, Mr President, to welcome you as our friend, and as a statesman. Statesmanship is the cement which seals our shared idealism as nations. It makes meaningful the unity of ambition, passion for freedom and abhorrence of injustice that is the core of our close alliance.

It has fallen to you to tackle economic turbulence at home, to protect the health of those without wealth and to seek that precious balance between security which is too often threatened, and human rights which are too often denied. History is not the burden of any one man or woman alone but some are called to meet a special share of its challenges. It is a duty that you discharge with a dignity, determination and distinction that are widely admired. Abraham Lincoln once observed that “nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”.

Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.'