British Town Crier Championships to be held in silence due to Covid

 

因為疫情 英國街頭傳告員競賽將在沉默中舉辦

【摘要2021.5.2.自由】◎黃靖媗

For the first time in its history, this year the British Town Crier Championships are to be held in perfect silence, with the country’s traditional news-bearers to be judged on the quality of their written cries alone.

今年是有史以來第一次「英國街頭傳告員競賽」以完全無聲的方式舉行，僅憑書面傳告品質來評審該國的傳統新聞傳遞者。

While judges are usually focused on "three distinct parts of a cry" – sustained volume and clarity, diction and inflection, and content – this year they will focus on whether cries have stuck to the theme and the 140-word limit.

通常評審都會聚焦於「傳告三個截然不同的部分」，持久的音量及清晰度、詞藻及聲調，與內容，今年他們將聚焦於傳告是否固守主題與140字上限。

The theme for this year’s competition is "nature and the environment" in support of mental health week 10-16 May.

今年競賽的主題是「自然與環境」，以支持5月10至16日的心理健康週。

The British Town Crier dates back to at least the Norman invasion, with two bellmen appearing in the Bayeux tapestry. Town criers were employed to tell townspeople the latest news, proclamations and bylaws, grabbing their attention by ringing a handbell.

街頭傳告員最早可追溯至諾曼人入侵，有兩名傳告員出現在貝葉掛毯（譯註：中世紀刺繡藝術品，記載諾曼人征服英國）上。城鎮傳告員受僱告訴小鎮民眾最新新聞、公告，與規章制度，透過搖手鈴吸引人們的注意。

新聞辭典

distinct：形容詞，明顯不同的、差異明顯的。例句：His ideal is distinct from mine.（他的理想與我的顯然不同。）

dates back：動詞片語，（時間）追溯。例句：The story can date back to 13th century.（這個故事可以追溯至13世紀。）

bellmen ：名詞，鳴鐘者、搖鈴者、更夫、傳告員（ town crier）。