Business: English Skills
ビジネスチャンスを活かす英語力UPのために
こんにちは、2月のB項を担当致します中村です。今回はアメリカの連邦議会襲撃の事件の記事から政治的な動向を表す単語を中心にピックアップします。
WASHINGTON – Joe Biden was formally recognized by Congress as the next U.S. president early Thursday, ending two months of failed challenges by his predecessor, Donald Trump, that exploded into violence at the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers met to ratify the election result.
The Democratic president-elect’s victory was sealed after House and Senate members fended off a final round of objections to the Nov. 3 election outcome raised by a handful of Republicans on Trump’s behalf. The proceedings were disrupted for several hours as pro-Trump demonstrators overran police lines, besieged the House chamber and entered the Senate chamber, sending lawmakers fleeing for safety.
After authorities regained control of the Capitol complex, Congress returned to work Wednesday evening, holding two rounds of votes that culminated in affirmation of Biden’s win early Thursday.
Trump said after the certification that there will be an orderly transition when Biden takes office as president.
“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th,” Trump said in a statement posted on Twitter by White House spokesman Dan Scavino
Vice President Mike Pence — who had split with Trump by calling for protesters inside the Capitol to be prosecuted — presided over certification of Biden’s 306 Electoral College votes. Earlier Wednesday, he defied the president by telling lawmakers in a letter he would make no attempt to unilaterally block the certification from proceeding.
The congressional action, usually a pro forma affair that draws little notice, will be remembered as the coda for one of the most tumultuous presidential campaigns in recent history. It was the final, official step in the drawn-out 2020 election — which is why it drew the attention of the president and thousands of his supporters he implored to come to Washington in protest.
語彙
Ratify: （条約などを）批准する
fended off: （攻撃などを）受け流す、払いのける
overran: 超過する、圧倒する
complex: 大型アパート、団地、総合ビル
defied: （権力・法令・規則などに）逆らう、従わない
tumultuous: 騒動の，騒然とした
表現１
1. The Democratic president-elect’s victory was sealed after～
勝利が塞がれた？と一瞬目を疑いたくなりますが、勝利を確実なものにしたという訳にすれば意味が通ります。なのでこの文は「上院および下院で最終ラウンドの攻防を無事かわし切り、民主党は大統領選挙の勝利を確実なものした。」といった訳が適切でしょう。
2. ～who had split with Trump by calling for～
Split with Trumpとだけ見ますと、何を？と思ってしましますが、実は後に続く文を追っていくと二人の意見が異なっていることが分かります。なので意見が食い違ったという訳が適切でしょう。
3. ～usually a pro forma affair that draws little notice, will be remembered as the coda for ～
この文は難しい表現が複数個入っていて一見するとなんじゃこりゃとなりますが、難しい単語を一つ一つ調べていくと、“pro forma”で形式上や見積もりのことで“code”で文章やスピーチの最後の部分といったことなので、「普段はほとんと見向きさえされない形式上の議会行事が、近年稀にみる大荒れとなった大統領選挙の最終章として人々に覚えられるだろう」といった感じの訳になります。
出典：Firms in Japan’s sharing economy turn virus crisis into opportunity, Jan 5. 2021