|
Public speaking plays an important role in any politician’s success, but
in Cameron’s case it was particularly striking. Five years before he
became prime minister, he made a speech that catapulted him from a
little-known Member of Parliament (MP) to the leadership of his party,
putting him well on the pathway toward leadership of his country. In
many ways this was the speech that made him prime minister.
公眾演講在任何一位成功的政治人物中，佔有重要的地位，但喀麥隆的情形特別引人注目。在擔任首相的五年以前，他發表了一場演說，使他忽然從一個名不見經傳的國會議員(MP)一躍為黨魁，成功的把他推到朝向國家領導者的路上。就許多層面來看，這是場造就他成為首相的演說。
In his early political career, Cameron struggled, and part of the
problem was his oratory. Despite a gift for finding a well-turned
phrase, Cameron could appear wooden when speaking to a crowd. His
delivery lacked spontaneity and life.
在他早期政治生涯中，喀麥隆掙扎過，部分的問題是他的演講技巧。儘管有寫出好辭令的天分，喀麥隆郤在面對群眾演說時，變得呆板乏味。他的演說缺乏自然和活力。
Cameron knew he needed to improve his speechmaking if he hoped to
advance in politics. One way he honed his skill was to participate in
the weekly parliamentary ritual known as the Prime Minister’s Questions.
As British Toastmaster Freddie Daniells, of the Excalibur and Holborn
Speakers clubs explains: “The prime minister of the day has to answer
questions put to him by the leader of the opposing parties and other
MPs. Needless to say, this can turn into a session of political points
scoring. [Former Prime Minister] Tony Blair was judged as being very
good at this. However, David Cameron was often judged to have gotten the
better of Blair and was seen as very strong against Blair’s successor,
Gordon Brown.”
喀麥隆知道如果他希望在政壇上更上一層樓，他需要提升自己的演講技巧。他的方法之一，是去參加被稱為『質詢首相』(註)的每週三的會議，從中磨練自己的技巧。正如英國參加Excalibur和Holborn
speakers二個演講會會員弗雷迪．丹尼爾斯解釋說：「今天的首相，必需回答反對黨領袖，和其他國會議員向他提出的問題。更不用說，這可能會變成一個政治上的得分點。[前總理]東尼．布萊爾被認為非常擅長於此。不過，喀麥隆常被認為比布萊爾更精於此且與布萊爾的繼任者戈登．布朗成強烈的對比。」
In the fall of 2005, Cameron made a bid for the leadership of the
Conservative Party, which that year had once again suffered defeat at
the polls. The showcase event of the leadership campaign was the party
conference where each candidate would deliver a 20-minute speech.
Cameron made a bold decision: He would give a speech equal parts
persuasive and inspirational, outlining a radical plan for the future of
his party. Although not a leading contender, he did not appear nervous
or intimidated when he took the stage. Speaking without notes, Cameron
began by complimenting the master of ceremonies:
在2005年秋天，保守黨在大選中再次失利，喀麥隆努力爭取成為黨魁。在黨魁選舉會議，每位候選人有20分鐘的演講。喀麥隆做出了一個大膽的決定：他的演說同時具備了說服力和鼓舞，描述了對黨的未來的激進計畫。雖然不被看好，他在講台上並未緊張或害怕。不用稿子演講，喀麥隆首先稱讚了會議主持人：
“Sayeeda, I have to say that was a magnificent opening speech.
[Applause.] When Michael Howard first met you he came back and said
to me, ‘When that woman gets into Parliament, she’ll wipe the floor with
the rest of you.’ [Laughter.] And that may be true but we need
you there.”
「Sayeeda，我不得不說這是一個很棒的開場演說。
[掌聲。]當邁克．爾霍華德第一次見到你，他回過來對我說，「那個女人進入議會後，會擊敗所有人。'[笑聲。]這可能是真的，但我們需要妳。」
Texts of Cameron’s speech usually omit his opening remarks, evidently
deeming them insignificant. In fact, these first few minutes are a
crucial part of the speech. Speakers who seek to persuade must gain the
goodwill of their audiences; if they fail to do this, nothing they say
will have much effect. In his opening sentences, Cameron combines a
compliment, a bit of self-deprecating humor and a subtle appeal to the
women voters. He then praises the former party leaders, pouring balm on
the wounds inflicted by a series of bruising electoral losses:
“Being Leader of the Opposition is one of the most difficult jobs in
government. And this party owes a huge debt of gratitude to the three
people who have given it their all and worked their hearts out over the
last eight years.”
喀麥隆的演講稿往往沒有開場白，顯然地認為微不足道。事實上，這些最初幾分鐘是一個演講的關鍵。有說服力的演說者，必須得到觀眾的信任，如果他們不這樣做，他們說的話就沒有影響力。喀麥隆的開場結合了恭維、有點自嘲的幽默、和幾分對女性選民的吸引力。然後，他讚揚了黨的前任黨魁，撫慰一系列激烈選舉損失所造成的傷口：「在政壇上最困難的工作之一是當反對黨領袖。而這個黨須對三個人過去八年來全心全意的奉獻，致上最大的謝意。」
Becoming increasingly animated, Cameron named each leader, mentioned
something the leader did for the party and thanked them, prompting fresh
applause. He ended his introductory remarks with a touch of humor that
not only made his listeners feel good about themselves but also sounded
the theme of being open to new ideas: “If there is out there an
82-year-old, or a 42-year-old, or a 22-year-old, who at any stage of
this speech wants to shout nonsense, you just go for it.
[Laughter.] Because, I’ll tell you something about this party; we’re
not frightened of debate, we don’t mind having an argument, and we
believe in free speech. [Applause; comments of “hear, hear!”]
But I would be grateful if you wouldn’t shout nonsense the whole way
through.” [Laughter.]
越來越熱烈的，喀麥隆說出每位黨魁的名字，提及他們為黨所做的事，並感謝他們，促使掌聲不斷。他以幽默的語氣，結束了他的開場白，不僅使他的聽眾感覺自在，但也開啟了新觀點的主題：「如果有人要在本場演講的任何時段亂喊話，不管你是
82歲、42歲或22歲，就做吧。
[笑聲。]因為，我要告訴你們這個政黨，我們不害怕辯論、我們不介意爭執、而且我們相信言論的自由。
[掌聲;「贊成，贊成！」但如果你們不會在整場中亂喊話，我將感激不勝。」[笑。]
British communications researcher and speech coach Max Atkinson
identifies several of Cameron’s strengths on display in this opening
section. “He has a good command of all the main rhetorical techniques
that trigger applause,” remarks Atkinson. “And the ability to speak
without using scripts or an Autocue. He seems to be more comfortable
using humor than most contemporary British politicians.”
英國溝通研究員和演說教練麥克斯．阿特金森，舉出喀麥隆在演講開場表現出的數個優點。「他精通所有引來掌聲的主要語言技巧。」阿特金森說。「而且具有無需使用腳本或字幕機的演講能力。他似乎比大多數當代英國的政治家，更喜歡使用幽默。」
Pleasantries over, Cameron launches into the main body of his speech,
starting with a somber description of his party’s plight. “We meet
in the shadow of a third consecutive election defeat, defeated by a
government that has complicated the tax system, dumbed down the
education system, demoralized the health system and bankrupted the
pension system...And still we were defeated.” Cameron does not
evade the situation – he confronts it, repeatedly using the word
“defeat” to hammer home the point. Cameron wants to make sure everyone
understands the gravity of the present situation so they will be
receptive to his plan for the future.
寒暄結束後，喀麥隆說到主題，首先是憂鬱地描述本黨的困境。「我們相聚在連續第三次大選中落敗的陰影中，輸給了一個把稅制複雜化、教育體系變愚蠢、衛生系統令人洩氣、和使養老金制度破產的政府
...而我們仍然被打敗了。」喀麥隆不迴避形勢-
他面對它，反覆把『失敗』的字眼，打入人心。喀麥隆希望確保每個人都理解當前情況的嚴重性，使他們願意接受他未來的計畫。
But he doesn’t dwell long in the shadows, moving quickly to the light
with an upbeat assessment of his party, speaking in the first person for
maximum effect. “I joined this party because I love my
country...This is the only party that understands, and is proud of, what
we have been and who we are.”
但他並不多說陰暗面，迅速地轉移到對他的政黨樂觀的評估，以最大效果的第一人稱方式來演說。「我參加這個政黨，因為我愛我的國家
...這是唯一一個能夠理解，並且對以前和現在的自己都非常自豪的政黨。」
Should they stand idly by and hope the other party self-destructs?
“I think that’s a pathetic way for a great party to behave,” says
Cameron. “I don't want to hang around and wait till something turns
up. Do you?” Should they move the party to the right? “I say that will
turn us into a fringe party, never able to challenge for government
again,” declares Cameron. “I don't want to let that happen to
this party. Do you?” At the end of each question the audience
chimes in with an increasingly voluminous “No!” Rhetorical questions are
one of the most effective tools in oratory. “If you say something that
gets an audience wondering or anticipating what’s coming next,” Atkinson
explains, “you’re likely to increase their attentiveness and
involvement.” Cameron is a master of this technique.
他們應該袖手旁觀，期待對方自毀嗎？「我認為這是一個偉大政黨可悲的行徑。」喀麥隆說。「我不想空待情況轉好。你呢？」如果他們往正確的方向走呢？「我說，那會使我們變為一個偏激的政黨，永遠再也無法挑戰政權了。」喀麥隆聲稱。「我不想讓這種情況發生在本黨。你呢？」在每一個問題的結尾，「不！」觀眾附和的聲音漸漸增強。誇飾問題是一個最有效的演講工具。「如果你說些令觀眾驚嘆或期待接下來會怎樣的話」阿特金森解釋說，「你可能會增加他們的注意力和參與性。」喀麥隆是這種技巧的大師。
Having gotten his listeners to agree on what they should not
do, Cameron then tells them what he thinks they should do. “We
have to change and modernize our culture and attitudes and identity,” he
states.
已經讓他的聽眾同意，他們不應該做什麼，喀麥隆接著告訴他們，他認為他們應該做的事。「我們必須改變並現代化我們的文化、態度和特性，」他說。
Throughout his speech, Cameron not only speaks but acts with passion and
energy, walking back and forth on the stage, gesturing, making eye
contact, engaging his audience. Building to a climax, he ends his speech
with stirring rhetoric: “So let's build together a new generation of
Conservatives...Let the message go out from this conference: A modern,
compassionate conservatism is right for our times, right for our party
and right for our country... If we fight for it with every ounce of
passion, vigor and energy from now until the next election, nothing, and
no one, can stop us.”
縱觀他的演講，喀麥隆不僅是說，且用行動傳達出熱情和活力，如來回在舞台上走動、打手勢、眼神接觸、吸引他的聽眾。說到一個高潮處，他用活潑的辭令結束了他的演講：「讓我們共同建設一個新一代的保守黨...讓消息從本次會議傳播出去：一個現代化，富有同情心的保守主義是適合我們這個時代，我們的政黨及我們的國家
...如果我們從現在到下次選舉，用每一份的激情、活力和能量，努力爭取，就沒有任何人或事可以阻擋我們。」
Cameron received a standing ovation that lasted for three minutes, and
he was immediately hailed as the man of the hour. When the Conservative
Party members voted for a new leader, they chose Cameron by more than a
2-to-1 margin.
喀麥隆獲得了持續三分鐘的全場起立掌聲，他立即被譽為紅極一時的人。當保守黨黨員投票選舉新的黨魁時，喀麥隆以超過二比一的得票率當選。
Toastmasters in London express different opinions of the speech. Freddie
Daniells considers it one of Cameron’s finest. “The best speakers are
those that make you feel like they are having a personal conversation
with you despite there being hundreds in the audience,” says Daniells.
“I believe that his early speeches [like this 2005 one] were excellent
examples of this.”
倫敦的演講會會員們對此演講，發表了不同的意見。弗雷迪．丹尼爾斯認為那是喀麥隆最好的演講之一。「最好的演講者，是那些讓你覺得儘管身在數以百計的觀眾中，他們是和你在私下交談。」丹尼爾斯說。「我相信他的早期演講
[像2005年這場]是個很好的例子。」
Jessica Bass of the London Athenians club was not impressed with the
speech but admires Cameron’s use of language. “Despite his
[distinguished] education,” she says, “he prefers to follow George
Orwell's advice: ‘Never use a long word where a short one will do.’”
James McGinty, a member of the Chelmsford Speakers club, thought
Cameron’s gestures could have been improved but that he did nearly
everything else right. “There was very clever use of repetition and
rhythmic couplets,” he says. “He does make good use of his voice and
uses the pause extremely well.”
倫敦Athenians演講會的潔西卡，對這場演講沒有深刻的印象，但欽佩喀麥隆的語言技巧。「不管他受過的[傑出的]教育。」她說，『他更喜歡追隨喬治．奧威爾的建議：「若用短句就做得到，就永遠不要使用長的句子。』」Chelmsford
Speakers演講會會員詹姆斯．麥金蒂認為，喀麥隆除手勢可以再改進外，幾乎一切都做的很好。「非常巧妙地利用重複和節奏押韻。」他說。「他非常善用他的聲音，且斷句用的很棒。」
Furthermore, adds McGinty, “He absolutely oozes sincerity. If the
audience feels that you believe in your own message, they are going to
be more inclined to believe it.”
此外，麥金蒂更說：「他絕對釋出誠意。如果觀眾覺得你相信自己的信念，他們會更傾向於相信它。」
Four years would pass and another hard election campaign would be waged
before David Cameron received the call to lead his nation. But his
speech at the 2005 Conservative Convention might justly be regarded as
the speech that made him prime minister.
四年過後，在喀麥隆接到領導國家的召集令之前的另一個選舉硬戰也會展開。但他在2005年保守黨大會中的演講，可視為促使他成為首相的演說。
Cameron’s Conservative Conference speech may be viewed at:
http://bbc.in/aRUVCP.
可以在網址http://bbc.in/aRUVCP觀看喀麥隆在保守黨大會上的演說。
註：Prime
Minister's Questions
(PMQs; officially Questions to the Prime Minister) is a
constitutional convention in the
United Kingdom where every Wednesday (when the
House of Commons is sitting) the
Prime Minister spends half an hour answering questions from
Members of Parliament (MPs).[1]
PMQs forms an important part of
British political culture and, due to the natural drama of the
sessions, it is the most well-known piece of Parliamentary business in
the United Kingdom with tickets to the
Strangers Gallery (public gallery) for Wednesdays being the most
sought-after Parliamentary tickets.
William H.
Stevenson, III, is a freelance writer in Huntsville, Alabama. He has
been a member of three Toastmasters clubs in the Huntsville area.
Contact him at
whsteve3@aol.com.
作者：威廉•H.
•史蒂文森三世，是住在阿拉巴馬州Huntsville的一位自由作家。他是Huntsville地區三個國際演講會的會員。聯絡方式為whsteve3@aol.com
譯者：施淑芬 Kathy Shih, Elite & Ovation Toastmasters club
精英國際英語演講會/黑馬進階演講會
|
