世界上仍然存在的奇葩法律：英语精读讲义

Thinking about taking a bath with a donkey?

想要和驴子一起洗澡？

Fancy getting drunk in a British pub? 語法

想在英国酒吧喝醉？

Well, think again 短語搭配

好吧，你最好再想想，

as these potentially harmless activities and many more

因为这些看似无害的行为以及其他诸多举动

could well land you in trouble with the long arm of the law. 講解

可能会让你惹上官司。

Laws of the land that may have made sense when first brought about 短語動詞

各地的地方法律在刚颁布时或许还有道理，

have a habit of sticking around, 短語搭配

但它们往往会被一直保留下来，

even if they have no real place in today's society. 短語搭配

即使它们在当今社会已经毫无用武之地。

Add to those antiquated laws

把这些过时的法律

a few newer bizarre rules of the land

和一些莫名其妙写进法典的

that have found their way into the law books 短語搭配

新鲜奇葩法规结合起来，

and we have a truly bizarre set of world legislation.

我们就得到了一套极其荒诞的世界法律。

So, what are some of the strangest laws

那么，世界上到底有哪些

that still remain on the books around the world? 用詞

至今仍写在法典上的奇葩法律呢？

That's what we'll find out in this episode of the Infographics Show,

这就是本期《Infographics Show》要带大家探索的内容：

Strange Laws that still exist.

至今仍然存在的奇葩法律。

Great Britain has some of the strangest laws in the world,

英国拥有世界上一些最奇葩的法律，

some of which are broken every day. 語法

其中一些甚至每天都在被人违反。

It is illegal, for example,

比如，在英国的酒吧里喝醉

to be drunk in a pub in the UK.

是违法的。

How many thousands of Brits

每天到底有多少成千上万的英国人

break that law every single day?

在违反这项法律呢？

It is also illegal to carry a plank of wood along the pavement,

此外，拿着一块木板走在人行道上也是违法的，

especially, one would imagine, 語氣意圖

大家可以想象，

after getting drunk in the pub.

尤其是在酒吧喝醉之后。

Not quite so bizarre is the stipulation 用詞

没那么离谱的规定是，

that members of parliament in jolly old England

快乐的老英格兰的国会议员

are not allowed to wear a suit of armor in parliament.

不允许在议会里穿戴盔甲。

But surely this law should have been updated by the lawmakers themselves 語氣意圖

但按理说，这项法律早就该被在议会里的

while in parliament, no?

议员们自己废除了，不是吗？

It is also highly illegal to handle a salmon

此外，在英格兰和威尔士，

in suspicious circumstances 用詞

在可疑的情况下

in England and Wales.

处理一条鲑鱼也是极其违法的。

And if there is an unsuspicious way

如果有一种“不可疑”的方式

to handle freshwater fish out of water,

可以在离开水的情况下处理淡水鱼，

we'd love to see it. 語氣意圖

我们倒很想见识一下。

It's also an offense to beat or shake a carpet or rug,

拍打或抖动地毯也是一种违法行为，

except if it's a doormat,

除非那是门垫，

before 8:00 a.m. in the UK.

并且在英国早上八点之前进行。

And if you're an Englander,

如果你是英格兰人，

forget about dining on exotic waterfowl, 短語動詞

就别想着品尝异国水禽了，

unless you happen to be the Queen of England, 語法

除非你碰巧是英国女王，

it is illegal to eat a swan.

否则吃天鹅是违法的。

Should you be pregnant in Britain, 語法

如果你在英国怀孕了，

it is perfectly legal to spend a penny in a policeman's hat, 習語

那么在警察的帽子里“行方便”是完全合法的，

or in fact, anywhere else,

甚至在任何其他地方也可以，

should it be an emergency.

只要情况紧急。

And on a similar note, 表達脈絡

同样，

and on the subject of toilets,

关于厕所的话题，

up in Scotland,

在北边的苏格兰，

if somebody knocks on your door asking to use the bog, 用詞

如果有人敲你家的门借用洗手间，

you must, by law,

法律规定，你必须

let them inside and offer your bathroom.

让他们进去并提供洗手间。

Also in Scotland,

同样在苏格兰，

that bizarrely colorful land of haggis and bagpipes,

那个有着羊肚包肉和风笛的奇妙多彩之地，

there may be more to that folktale about Scotsmen and their kilts. 短語搭配

关于苏格兰男人和他们的苏格兰裙的民间传说可能确有其事。

Ever wondered what exactly is beneath the famous tartan kilt? 表達脈絡

有没有好奇过那著名的格子裙下面到底穿了什么？

Well, according to ancient legend, nothing.

嗯，根据古老的传说，什么都没穿。

No underwear can be worn under the kilt,

苏格兰裙下不能穿内裤，

and according to an old law,

根据一条古老的法律，

or perhaps to be fair, urban legend, 語氣意圖

或者公平地说，都市传说，

if a Scotsman is found to be wearing underwear beneath his kilt,

如果发现一个苏格兰男人在裙子里面穿了内裤，

then he is routinely charged two beers

那么他通常要被罚两杯啤酒，

by whoever discovered his non-commando status.

请那个发现他“没挂空挡”的人喝。

Although we can't confirm the exact legal standing of this law, 用詞

虽然我们无法确认这项法律的准确法律地位，

it is too difficult to resist sharing.

但它实在太有趣了，让人忍不住想分享。

The USA also has its fair share of quirky laws. 短語搭配

美国同样有不少奇葩的法律。

In Arizona,

在亚利桑那州，

allowing your pet donkey to sleep in the bathtub is against the law.

让你的宠物驴睡在浴缸里是违法的。

Placing salt on a railway track

在铁轨上撒盐

is an offense punishable by the death penalty in Birmingham. 用詞

在伯明翰是一项可判处死刑的罪行。

At first glance, this seems a tad harsh, 講解

乍一看，这似乎有些严苛，

but the reason is that the train could either derail

但原因是这可能会导致火车脱轨，

or attract cattle onto the track,

或者把牛群吸引到铁轨上，

which could also result in a major derailment or at least a delay.

这也可能导致严重的脱轨或至少造成延误。

So, don't go putting salt on the rails, kids. 語法

所以，孩子们，千万别去铁轨上撒盐。

It's also against the law to play a game of Frisbee

在洛杉矶玩飞盘

without first acquiring the permission of a lifeguard in Los Angeles.

如果不事先征得救生员的同意，也是违法的。

Although responsible Frisbee throwing is, we are told, permitted. 表達脈絡

虽然我们听说负责任地扔飞盘是允许的。

Who can blame the city with all those lawsuits flying around? 語氣意圖

毕竟这座城市到处都是官司，谁能怪它呢？

And what happened to the chicken who crossed the road in Georgia? 文化背景

那么在佐治亚州，那只过马路的鸡后来怎么样了？

Its owner got arrested.

它的主人被逮捕了。

It is against the law to let your chickens roam around unattended

因为让鸡在无人看管的情况下乱跑

in this state.

在这个州是违法的。

In Hawaii,

在夏威夷，

it is illegal to work at the same company

和你的双胞胎兄弟或姐妹在同一家公司工作

as your twin brother or sister.

是违法的。

We guess this law is in place to avoid workplace confusion 短語搭配

我们猜这项法律是为了避免工作场所出现混淆，

as to who is doing what and who has taken the day off. 用詞

弄不清谁在干什么，或者谁请假了。

And dog lovers, beware. 語氣意圖

另外，爱狗人士请注意。

Unless you have four legs and a tail that wags,

除非你长着四条腿还有一条会摇的尾巴，

it's illegal to live in a dog kennel in Idaho,

否则在爱达荷州住在狗窝里是违法的，

bringing a whole new meaning to sleeping in the doghouse. 習語

这赋予了“睡狗窝”一个全新的含义。

Perhaps stranger than all these laws, though,

然而，也许比所有这些法律都更奇怪的是，

is the law in Vermont

佛蒙特州的一项法律，

whereby women who want false teeth are required, by law,

法律规定想要装假牙的女性，

to first obtain permission from their husband.

必须首先获得她们丈夫的许可。

Quite why this law still exists 語法

为什么这项法律依然存在，

is totally baffling to us here at the Infographics Show.

我们《Infographics Show》的团队对此完全感到困惑。

Perhaps someone can explain this one to us.

也许有人能向我们解释一下。

And then there's the strange legal world of mainland Europe. 表達脈絡

接下来是欧洲大陆的奇葩法律世界。

In Greece,

在希腊，

it is illegal to go sightseeing around the ancient ruins

穿高跟鞋在古遗址周围观光

wearing high heels,

是违法的。

and in France,

而在法国，

it is illegal to name your pet pig Napoleon.

给你的宠物猪起名叫拿破仑是违法的。

In Rome, Italy,

在意大利罗马，

keeping a lone goldfish in a fishbowl 用詞

在鱼缸里只养一条金鱼

is considered animal cruelty and is against the law,

被视为虐待动物，属于违法行为。

but if you have more than one in the bowl,

但如果你的鱼缸里有多条金鱼，

that is considered acceptable

那就可以接受，

because we all know fish are sociable creatures. 語氣意圖

因为我们都知道鱼是群居动物。

Kids in parts of Poland

在波兰的部分地区，孩子们

are not allowed to travel outside the house

不允许带出家门

with any Winnie the Pooh memorabilia,

任何关于小熊维尼的纪念品，

including T-shirts, backpacks, or lunchboxes.

包括T恤、背包或午餐盒。

The cartoon character is considered a non-gender-specific inappropriate hermaphrodite

这个卡通形象被认为是一个性别特征不明的不雅双性体，

without having the decency to wear a pair of pants,

竟然不体面地连裤子都不穿，

and the Poles, for some reason,

而且出于某种原因，波兰人

find Winnie's lack of genitalia offensive.

认为维尼缺少生殖器具有冒犯性。

This one isn't exactly an ancient law,

这一条算不上什么古老的法律，

but was simply too brilliant to leave out of our study of quirky laws. 語法

但实在是太绝了，不能把它漏在我们的奇葩法律盘点之外。

In the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh,

在柬埔寨首都金边，

the sale and importation of water pistols

水枪的销售和进口

is prohibited during New Year festivities.

在新年庆祝活动期间是被禁止的。

The reason being that a popular way to enjoy the New Year in this part of the world 表達脈絡

原因是该地区欢度新年的流行方式

is to take part in a huge water fight.

就是参加一场盛大的打水仗。

And that, Governor Chasa far reckons,

而查萨法尔省长认为，这

may lead to social unrest.

可能会导致社会动荡。

In Thailand, it is illegal to step on money,

在泰国，踩踏钱币是违法的，

and it is also illegal to leave home without wearing underwear.

出门不穿内裤也是违法的。

It is also illegal to hold your hand out in tribute to The Hunger Games

模仿《饥饿游戏》举手致意

or to publicly criticize a fellow countryman.

或是公开批评同胞也是违法的。

In parts of India, if a man is in debt,

在印度的部分地区，如果一个男人负债，

he can legally offer his wife as a down payment 用詞

他在法律上可以把妻子作为首付款抵押，

until the debt is settled. 短語搭配

直到债务还清。

In Japan,

在日本，

it is illegal to be fat

肥胖是违法的，

with the government setting a maximum waistline of 33 and a half inches for men

政府规定的腰围上限是男性33.5英寸，

and 35 and a half inches for women.

女性35.5英寸。

In China,

在中国，

Buddhist monks are banned from reincarnating 語法

佛教僧侣被禁止转世，

unless they have specific government permission.

除非他们获得了政府的具体许可。

Yes, Asia is a wacky place.

是的，亚洲是个古怪的地方。

In Samoa,

在萨摩亚，

it is illegal to forget your wife's birthday.

忘记妻子的生日是违法的。

In Australia,

在澳大利亚，

it is against the law to disrupt a wedding,

破坏婚礼是违法的，

an act that is punishable by a fine of $10,000.

这种行为可处以10000美元的罚款。

All in all, across the world, 表達脈絡

总而言之，在世界各地，

while laws are there to help protect us

虽然法律是为了保护我们，

and keep society functioning as a moral and ethical place, 語法

保持社会作为一个有道德和伦理的地方运转，

some of the decisions made by lawmakers

但立法者做出的一些决定

will keep on baffling us 短語動詞

将会继续让我们感到困惑，

as long as old laws remain 語法

只要旧的法律还在，

and new bizarre rules come into being. 短語搭配

新的奇葩规定还会出现。

So, what's the strangest law you've ever heard of?

那么，你听说过的最奇葩的法律是什么？

How does it stack up with our list of ridiculous laws? 短語動詞

它与我们列出的这些荒唐法律相比如何？

Let us know in the comments.

请在评论区告诉我们。

Also,

此外，

be sure to watch our other video called

一定要看看我们另一部名为

The Cost of the World Cup.

《世界杯的代价》的视频。

Thanks for watching, and as always,

感谢观看，和往常一样，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

别忘了点赞、分享和订阅。

See you next time.

我们下次见。