美国最差旗帜迎来重新设计：英语精读讲义

Breaking flag news, 表達脈絡

突发旗帜新闻，

breaking flag news.

突发旗帜新闻。

Minnesota is redesigning her flag.

明尼苏达州正在重新设计她的旗帜。

The current colors provocatively called

目前的旗帜颜色极具挑衅意味地被

quote worst in the Union by some YouTuber.

某位YouTuber称为“全美最差”。

Minnesota asked for submissions,

明尼苏达州公开征集设计，

received thousands out of which selected six, 語法

收到了数千份投稿，从中选出了六份，

then thinned to three,

然后缩减到三份，

one of which to be picked as new before end of the year.

其中之一将在年底前被选为新旗帜。

Which of the three will it be?

究竟会是这三份中的哪一份呢？

Doubtless many Minnesotans and YouTubers will want to weigh in. 短語動詞

毫无疑问，许多明尼苏达人和YouTuber都会想发表意见。

And I will because breaking flag news is rare and exciting.

我也会，因为旗帜的突发新闻既罕见又令人兴奋。

So exciting that this is my second Minnesota flag redesign video.

太令人兴奋了，以至于这是我的第二个明尼苏达州旗重新设计视频。

The first with my first impressions of the six semifinalists

第一个视频是我对六个半决赛作品的第一印象，

I gave semi-serious names I'm sticking with for cinematic continuity. 短語動詞

为了保持视频的连贯性，我给它们起了半开玩笑的名字并沿用至今。

But enough with the intro, 表達脈絡

开场白就说到这里，

on to the top trio with designs as described by their documents for you to decide upon.

接下来是前三名，根据其文件描述来展示设计，供你评判。

First up, Star Rise.

首先是 Star Rise。

So Minnesota is the North Star State thanks to the Angle Inlet 短語搭配

明尼苏达州是“北极星之州”，这要归功于安格尔湾，

that US-Canadian map making muddled up that inched Minnesota out over the 49th parallel

美加地图绘制时的混乱让明尼苏达州越过了北纬49度线，

putting her as America's northernmost contiguous state.

使其成为美国最北部的本土州。

Thus Star Rise centers on the North Star here

因此，Star Rise 以这颗北极星为中心，

with eight points to distinguish it from the standard state stars.

带有八个角，以区别于标准的州星。

The blue is the sky that gives colors to Minnesota's 10,000 lakes

蓝色是赋予明尼苏达州万湖色彩的天空，

with a rolling green landscape for the forests and farms

起伏的绿色景观代表森林和农场，

and a bit of snow up top because it's cold up top.

顶部有一点雪，因为上面很冷。

That's Star Rise,

这就是 Star Rise，

on to Old Wavy.

接下来是 Old Wavy。

Here again is a North Star

这里又是一颗北极星，

this time distinctified as four points in yellow

这次特别设计成了黄色的四角星，

and on the upper fly is described as wisps of snow, clouds, and aurora 用詞

并且在上半部分被称为雪、云和极光的缕缕形态，

that are reflected along the bottom half as the head of the Mississippi River.

在下半部分倒映出密西西比河源头的样子。

You might see a loon,

你可能会看到一只潜鸟，

the common loon is the state bird.

普通潜鸟是该州的州鸟。

You might not,

你也可能看不到，

but it's there.

但它就在那里。

And that's Old Wavy.

这就是 Old Wavy。

Last up,

最后登场的是

Polaris Tricolor.

Polaris Tricolor。

Starting with a hoist design in the simplified shape of Minnesota herself, 用詞

旗杆一侧是以明尼苏达州简化形状为设计的，

an eight-pointed star is centered inside with more of a twinkle look

里面居中是一颗八角星，看起来更有闪烁感，

and from that feature tricolors extend for the lakes, land, and snow.

从这个特征延伸出代表湖泊、土地和雪的三色条纹。

These are the final three

这就是最终的三强，

and if you haven't ranked them yourself already,

如果你自己还没有给它们排名，

pause here to give it a ponder 短語搭配

在这里暂停一下，思考一下，

cuz I've got thoughts I'm about to share in 3 2 1.

因为我将在 3 2 1 后分享我的想法。

All right,

好的，

Old Wavy.

Old Wavy。

Of the top three,

在前三名中，

it's easily the awfulest.

它无疑是最糟糕的。

In my first impressions video,

在我的第一印象视频中，

did not like this design

我就不喜欢这个设计，

and given time to reflect upon it 語法

并且在有时间反思之后，

has but changed my position to do not like harder.

我的立场只是变成了更加不喜欢。

And learning the details of the design didn't help either.

了解这个设计的细节也无济于事。

Snow, clouds, and the Aurora Borealis are very different things

雪、云和北极光是非常不同的东西，

and this squiggle looks like none of them.

而这条波浪线看起来哪个都不像。

It's reflection I can see as a river if I try

如果我努力想象，我可以把它的倒影看作是一条河，

and it may be inspired by the loon

它可能受到了潜鸟的启发，

but to me it looks like a duck

但对我来说，它看起来像一只鸭子，

and a duck side down duck. 習語

一只倒立的鸭子。

In fact,

事实上，

I think this design really represents the potential danger in flag redesigns.

我认为这个设计真实反映了重新设计旗帜的潜在危险。

Maybe it can serve as warning to any states who might want to go next 短語搭配

也许它可以作为对接下来想要重新设计州旗的各州的警告，

because when you ask for designs of a state, 語法

因为当你为一个州征集设计时，

you'll get designs that stick all the stuff of the state on the flag.

你会得到把该州所有东西都塞到旗帜上的设计。

Like the loon and the Mississippi and the Aurora.

比如潜鸟、密西西比河和极光。

But the goal of a flag is not to use pre-existing symbols 語法

但是旗帜的目的不是使用现有的符号，

but to become a symbol of its city or state.

而是要成为其城市或州的象征。

or state state. And all that stuff?

或者说是州的象征。那所有这些东西呢？

Well, there's a perfect place for it in your seal

嗯，你的州徽里有它们完美的位置，

which we don't have time to get into 短語動詞

我们没有时间深入讨论，

but Minnesota also just redesigned hers into a total banger. 用詞

但明尼苏达州也刚刚把她的州徽重新设计成了一个绝对的杰作。

Best seal in the Union?

全美最棒的州徽？

Uh, I don't actually know because I haven't gone through all of them. 短語動詞

呃，我其实不知道，因为我还没全部看一遍。

Oh, they're so interesting.

哦，它们太有趣了。

No, Grey. don't get distracted.

不，格雷，别分心。

There's no time.

没时间了。

You have yet to give your hottest of takes which 講解

你还没有给出你最犀利的观点，

before I say the sentence that will doubtless drive many mad,

在我说出那句毫无疑问会让很多人发疯的话之前，

this video had to be written, recorded, edited, animated, and edited again all in a day.

这个视频必须在一天内完成撰写、录制、剪辑、动画制作和再次剪辑。

So I did and reserve the right to retract. 短語搭配

所以我这样做了，并保留撤回的权利。

But I actually think I might prefer Minnesota's original flag over Old Wavy.

但我其实觉得我可能更喜欢明尼苏达州原来的旗帜，而不是 Old Wavy。

I know, it's terrible,

我知道，它很糟糕，

literally worst in the Union,

字面上看是全美最差，

but there's kind of an achievement in that.

但这其中也有一种成就感。

At least it's outstanding. 習語

至少它很突出。

Aren't the real worst things those in the middle of bad

真正最糟糕的东西难道不是那些处于糟糕中游的东西吗？

where there isn't even any fun to be had in the art of entertaining complaining. 語法

在这些东西上，你甚至无法在抱怨的艺术中找到任何乐趣。

That's Old Wavy.

那就是 Old Wavy。

bad but middle mediocre which is worse than being the worst.

糟糕但处于中庸之道，这比最差还要糟糕。

Uh, yeah, so anyway,

呃，对，所以不管怎样，

in case you couldn't tell, 語氣意圖

以防你看不出来，

I really don't like this design

我真的不喜欢这个设计，

and its alternative options are even uglier.

而它的替代选项甚至更丑。

So let's just move on to Star Rise,

所以让我们继续看 Star Rise，

which is fine.

它还不错。

I don't have a lot to say about this one

我对这个设计没什么好说的，

because it's better but maybe not amazing.

因为它更好，但也许并不令人惊艳。

If Old Wavy is mediocre bad then this one is mediocre good.

如果 Old Wavy 是平庸的糟糕，那么这个就是平庸的不错。

Now, that's a bit too harsh.

好吧，这有点太苛刻了。

Really, my main complaint is that it's so good at evoking the idea of a landscape 語法

其实，我的主要抱怨是它太擅长唤起风景的感觉，

that it looks kind of odd when hung vertical.

以至于垂直悬挂时看起来有点奇怪。

North Star to side star?

北极星变成侧面星？

There are alternative options that move the star but still.

有其他的选项可以移动星星，但还是那个问题。

But I'd rate any of these as a legit improvement over the original flag 短語搭配

但我认为这些都比原来的旗帜有了合理的改进，

and would probably put Minnesota somewhere in the region of Mississippi's recent redesign. 短語搭配

可能会把明尼苏达州放在密西西比州最近重新设计时的水平线上。

Yeah?

是吗？

I don't know.

我不知道。

But better for sure.

但肯定是更好了。

Now on to Polaris Tricolor

现在来说 Polaris Tricolor，

which come on girl, 語氣意圖

拜托，老兄，

contest over, right?

比赛结束了，对吧？

It's awesome.

它太棒了。

That Minnesota K is so cool subtly representing the great state.

那个“明尼苏达K”非常酷，巧妙地代表了这个伟大的州。

It's a unique design element not just among state flags but world flags. 語法

这不仅在州旗中，在世界旗帜中也是一个独特的设计元素。

I kind of can't believe no tricolor hoist has inverted a triangle before

我有点不敢相信以前没有三色旗在旗杆侧使用过倒三角形，

because it looks so truly traditional.

因为它看起来是如此的传统。

Something that could have been designed at any time in the long past. 語法

像是在漫长过去的任何时候都可以设计出来的东西。

Thus basically guaranteeing it'll look great into the long future

因此，这基本上保证了它在漫长的未来也能看起来很棒，

unlike say Old Wavy which despite my nickname looks painfully modern

不像 Old Wavy，尽管我给它起了这个绰号，它看起来却现代得让人难受，

and is destined to be dated in under a decade. 用詞

注定在不到十年内就会过时。

Polaris Tricolor looks like a flag

Polaris Tricolor 看起来像一面旗帜，

especially when you rotate it with North Star top star

特别是当你把它旋转成北极星在顶端时，

and still stands out even without wind. 短語動詞

而且即使没有风也能脱颖而出。

Now, the only thing I'm afraid of for perfect Polaris 語法

现在，我对完美的 Polaris 唯一担心的是，

is there are a bunch of variants all of which detract from the original design. 短語搭配

有很多变体，所有这些变体都会损害原始设计。

Look,

听着，

I get the desire to tinker at the last second. 語氣意圖

我能理解在最后一秒进行微调的愿望。

When this first caught my eye, 習語

当这第一次吸引我的眼球时，

I did wonder about the slightly muted colors

我确实对略微柔和的颜色感到疑惑，

and had second thoughts about the white stripe up top. 短語搭配

并对顶部的白色条纹产生了怀疑。

But unlike Old Wavy,

但与 Old Wavy 不同，

my love for this design has only grown with time. 短語搭配

我对这个设计的喜爱随着时间的推移而增长。

White stripe on top makes it distinct from some of the most well-known tricolors

顶部的白色条纹使它有别于一些最著名的三色旗，

and the slightly muted colors convey a northern kind of cold coziness

而略微柔和的颜色传达出一种北方的寒冷与舒适感，

and look better together than brightening the blue.

并且放在一起看起来比调亮蓝色更好。

I mean, look,

我的意思是，看，

the design is so strong it would survive small changes

这个设计非常强大，可以经受住微小的改变，

but they'd hurt my heart a bit.

但它们会让我的心有点痛。

Thus the original tricolor Polaris design as the artist intended

因此，艺术家意图呈现的原始三色 Polaris 设计

gets my unambiguous approval

得到了我明确的认可，

and I hope to soon see it flying over the land of 10,000 Lakes. 文化背景

我希望很快能看到它飘扬在万湖之地的上空。

But I'm not a Minnesotan.

但我不是明尼苏达人。

It's not my opinion that matters. 語法

我的意见并不重要。

I'm just here cuz I can't stop myself from being on the edge of my seat 習語

我在这里只是因为我情不自禁地处于紧张期待之中，

to see what Minnesota selects for herself.

想看看明尼苏达州为她自己选择了什么。

Please pick Polaris Tricolor though. 語氣意圖

不过，请选 Polaris Tricolor 吧。