離開
進入《中英對照讀新聞》Singapore gets crotchety over water polo trunks 新加坡為了水球隊泳褲而惱火
◎俞智敏
The Singapore men’s water polo team at the Asian Games in China is making waves for wearing boldly designed swimming trunks using elements from the national flag without official approval.
到中國參加亞運的新加坡男子水球隊最近因為未經官方許可，就穿著使用了國旗元素、設計大膽的泳褲而引發爭議。
The prominent display of a white banana-shaped crescent moon on the groin of the bright red trunks drew praise from Singaporeans who found it "sexy" and "cool" but was condemned by others who considered it obscene.
這款鮮紅色的泳褲在褲襠部位印有白色香蕉形狀的顯眼半月圖案，許多新加坡人稱讚它「性感」或「很酷」，但卻也有人認為泳褲設計猥褻而加以譴責。
"Unfortunately, the team did not seek our advice on the use of the crescent moon and stars when they designed their swim trunks," the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts said.
「很不幸地，水球隊在設計泳褲時，並未針對使用半月與星星等圖案徵求我們的建議，」星國新聞通訊及藝術部表示。
"We would have told them that their design is inappropriate as we want elements of the flag to be treated with dignity," it added in a press statement.
「不然我們就會告知他們，這種設計很不恰當，因為我們希望國旗的元素能受到尊重，」該部在新聞聲明中表示。
Singapore has strict rules on the public display of the republic’s flag.
新加坡對於公開展示國旗訂有嚴格規範。
The word "Singapore" is emblazoned on the rear of the trunks, which could not be replaced under the rules of the Asian Games taking place in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.
這款泳褲的背後印有「新加坡」字樣，而根據在中國廣州市東舉行的亞運規定，泳褲樣式不得在比賽中途更改。
新聞辭典
crotchety：形容詞，非正式用語，指有奇怪想法的、反覆無常的、壞脾氣的，如By the time the meal began, the youngest children were getting tired and crotchety.（等到開始用餐時，年紀最小的孩子們已經累壞、開始哭鬧了。）crotchety 發音接近crotch，指人的胯部或褲襠，在文中有雙關語之意。
make waves：片語，指因改變現狀而引發麻煩或惹惱別人、興風作浪，Our culture encourages us to fit the norm and not to make waves.（我們的文化鼓勵大家凡事應循規蹈矩，不要興風作浪。）
emblazon：動詞，指用紋章裝飾或頌揚，如Her name was emblazoned across the front of the theatre.（她的名字被題寫在劇院的正面。）
