糟蹋英語公眾人物 公認小布希第一

（法新社倫敦9日電） 今天發表的一項民調顯示，美國前總統小布希（George W. Bush）登上「破英語」榜冠軍，緊跟在後的還有加州州長阿諾•史瓦辛格（Arnold Schwarzenegger）與前國防部長倫斯斐（Donald Rumsfeld）。

這項4000人投票的線上民調，靈感來自簡單英語運動（Plain English Campaign），前法國足球明星坎托納（Eric Cantona）和美國前總統柯林頓（BillClinton）也發表過經典的無厘頭言論。

布希因為以下名句而輕鬆榮登榜首：「我們的敵人想法新穎又足智多謀，我們也一樣。他們不斷想新方法傷害我們的國家人民，我們也是如此。」

從好萊塢明星轉任加州州長的阿諾位居第二，他曾在2003年的競選期間聲明：「我認為同志婚姻應該是一男一女的結合。」（中央社：林仟懿）

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法新社原文：

Former US president George W Bush topped a poll of the worst examples of mangled English, followed closely by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donald Rumsfeld.

French footballer-cum philosopher Eric Cantona and former US president Bill Clinton also produced prime examples of gobbledegook, according to the online poll of 4,000 people inspired by the Plain English Campaign.

Notoriously language-challenged Mr Bush romped to the top accolade for his: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Second came bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-California governor Schwarzenegger, who during an election campaign in 2003 minted the puzzling: "I think that gay marriage should be between a man and a woman."

The rest of the top 10 in the poll, commissioned by an insurance company after it won an award from the Plain English Campaign, were:

#3. Mr Rumsfeld, in February 2002: "Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns: the ones we don't know we don't know."

# 4. Murray Walker, motor racing commentator: "The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical."

# 5. John Motson, football commentator: "For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are playing in yellow."

# 6. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, explaining budget plans to lawmakers in July this year: "Total spending will continue to rise and it will be a zero per cent rise in 2013-14."

# 7. Mr Clinton, in 1998 grand jury testimony about Monica Lewinsky: "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If 'is' means 'is and never has been' that's one thing - if it means 'there is none', that was a completely true statement."

# 8. Cantona, 1995: "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."

# 9. Mr Bush, July 2001: "I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right."

# 10. London mayor Boris Johnson, on British satirical game show Have I Got News for You in 2003: "I could not fail to disagree with you less."