《中英對照讀新聞》7-month-old baby gets the boot from local assembly session-7個月大的嬰兒被趕出地方立法機構的會議
◎張沛元
While politicians often follow in the footsteps of a parent and start their careers young, the presence of a 7-month-old boy in an assembly session here caused quite a stir.
儘管(日本)政治人物通常克紹箕裘,而且很年輕就踏入政壇,7個月大的男嬰現身此間立法機關的會議,還是引發一陣騷動。
The tot in question was brought to a Kumamoto municipal assembly plenary session in the arms of his mother, assembly member Yuka Ogata, but was quickly removed.
被提及的這個孩子,被他的母親、市議員緒方夕佳抱在懷裡,帶到(熊本縣)熊本市議會全會上,但很快就被請出場。
"I wanted to highlight the difficulties facing women who are trying to juggle their careers and raise children," Ogata, 42, said after the session.
「我要藉此凸顯女性竭力兼顧事業與育兒所面臨的困境,」42歲的緒方會後表示。
The assembly’s rules do not have a clause prohibiting members from attending a meeting with an infant, according to the secretariat.
根據議會事務局的說法,議會規則並無禁止議員帶嬰兒出席會議的條文。
But the assembly refused to allow the baby to attend, regarding the infant as a visitor, and applying a rule that visitors must sit in the gallery.
但議會將這名嬰兒視為訪客,適用訪客必須坐在旁聽席的規定,拒絕該嬰兒出席。
Ogata was elected to the assembly in April 2015. She also has a 4-year-old daughter.
緒方在2015年4月當選熊本市議員,她還有一名4歲的女兒。
《新聞辭典》
get the boot:慣用語,被開除;被甩;被踢出組織機構;被趕回家。例句:He got the boot from his girlfriend.(他被女友甩了。)
follow in (one’s) footsteps:慣用語,追隨某人腳步(通常是家庭成員)。例句:He plans to follow in his father’s footsteps and joining the army.(他打算克紹箕裘,效法父親從軍。)
cause (quite) a stir:慣用語,引發騷動。