自由女神像到底歸誰所有？：英語精讀講義

Who owns the Statue of Liberty, New York or New Jersey?

自由女神像到底歸誰所有，是紐約還是紐澤西？

It should be straightforward,

這問題本該很簡單，

but the island upon which the statue stands, 文法

但雕像所在的島嶼，

Liberty Island,

即自由島，

has been part of a long fight between the states over their river border and the islands between them,

一直是兩州圍繞河流邊界及河中島嶼展開的漫長爭奪戰的一環，

with rounds in the '90s,

爭奪戰歷經了90年代、

the '80s,

80年代、

the '30s,

30年代、

the 1830s,

1830年代，

and possibly more beyond 2000.

甚至在2000年後可能還會繼續。

But to understand,

但要弄清來龍去脈，

we must first go back to the 1600s.

我們得先回到17世紀。

New Netherland was minding her own business when England, 慣用語

當時新尼德蘭正過著自己的小日子，而英格蘭

using bigger navy diplomacy,

動用了「巨艦外交」，

made the Dutch colony hers.

把這塊荷蘭殖民地變成了自己的。

Here the trouble begins,

麻煩就此開始，

for England split New Netherland in twain, 用詞

因為英格蘭把新尼德蘭一分為二，

but not cleanly.

但分得並不俐落。

The mess wasn't entirely England's fault.

這爛攤子也不全怪英格蘭。

She was far away and maps in the 1600s,

她天高皇帝遠，而且17世紀的地圖，

while they weren't bad, 文法

雖然不能算差，

they weren't good either.

但也絕對算不上好。

Thus, the charter splitting New Netherland reads,

因此，那份分割新尼德蘭的特許狀上寫著：

"This indenture made the 4 and 20th day of June in the 16th year of

「本契約訂立於第16年的6月24日，

whereas by letter under patents of the Great Seal of England bearing date on or about the 12th day of

鑑於蓋有英格蘭大印的專利特許狀信函，日期約在12日……」

okay okay

好吧好吧，

did give and grant all that tract of land belonging to the westward of Long Island 片語搭配

「確實賦予並授予長島以西所屬的所有那片土地，

and Manhatas Island and bounded on the east part by the main sea

及曼哈塔斯島，其東部以公海為界，

and part by Hudson's River,

部分以哈德遜河為界，

which said tract of land is hereafter to be called by the name of New Caesarea 用詞

此片土地此後將被稱作新凱撒利亞，

or New Jersey, you pick.

或紐澤西，隨你挑。」

Uh, hoo boy, 語氣意圖

呃，天吶，

is this not an easy read.

這讀起來可真費勁。

Paragraph breaks, England,

分個段吧，英格蘭，

you should try them.

你真該試著分個段。

This charter has uncertainty about the names of everything,

這份特許狀上的所有地名都模糊不清，

wrong latitude and longitude numbers,

經緯度數字也是錯的，

and incomplete descriptions of the rivers.

對河流的描述也不完整。

It's all a vague mess.

整個就是一筆糊塗帳。

For example,

比如，

is this part of the Hudson River or not?

這部分算不算哈德遜河？

The charter doesn't say.

特許狀裡沒說。

And bounded on the east,

還有，東部以某地為界，

but where?

但是在哪兒呢？

And there's another part about several other islands,

另外還有一部分提到了其他幾座島嶼，

but which islands exactly?

但具體是哪些島呢？

Like, say, Ellis Island and Liberty Island?

比如，艾利斯島和自由島？

England said whatever, your problem now, 語氣意圖

英格蘭表示：隨便吧，現在是你們的問題了，

and left the young colonies to 300 years of squabbling.

然後就把這些年輕的殖民地扔進了長達300年的爭吵中。

New Jersey said the Hudson flowed out to sea

紐澤西說，哈德遜河是流入大海的，

and her border ran down the middle of the river,

她的邊界是順著河流中線劃分的，

like it does in every other colonial charter.

就像其他所有殖民地特許狀裡寫的那樣。

And thus the islands, Staten, Ellis, and Liberty, were hers.

因此，史泰登島、艾利斯島和自由島都是她的。

But New York, the Empire State, disagreed. 文化背景

但帝國州紐約可不同意。

The Hudson River flows roundward, then onward.

哈德遜河是先繞著流，再往前流的。

These islands, New York,

這些島，歸紐約，

and also the river, the whole river,

還有這條河，整條河，

and the piers you've built into the river,

以及你建在河裡的碼頭，

all New York, all belong to us.

都是紐約的，全歸我們。

New Jersey didn't agree,

紐澤西不同意，

but when borders are vague, bigger stick diplomacy rules. 文化背景

但當邊界模糊時，大棒外交就說了算。

And with the wealthy and powerful city of New Amster or New York at the heart of the conflict, 慣用語

隨著富裕且強大的新阿姆斯特……或者說紐約城處於衝突中心，

New York got what New York wanted.

紐約如願以償。

When New Caesarea or New Jersey asked, "Why don't we split the river?" 語氣意圖

當新凱撒利亞或紐澤西問：「我們平分這條河怎麼樣？」

New York asked, "Why don't you make me?"

紐約反問：「你有本事逼我試試？」

And also, where are my taxes from those piers?

「而且，你那些碼頭的稅哪去了？」

And also, this island is a smallpox quarantine now.

「還有，這座島現在是天花隔離區了。」

And also, stop hitting yourself.

「還有，別在那自作自受了。」

By 1832, New Jersey had enough and called in the teacher or Supreme Court. 表達脈絡

到了1832年，紐澤西受夠了，於是叫來了老師，也就是最高法院。

New York didn't show up,

紐約連面都沒露，

saying the court had no authority to settle a disagreement between the states,

聲稱法院無權解決各州之間的糾紛，

which sounds crazy now, but was kind of an unsettled question at the time

這在今天聽起來很瘋狂，但在當時其實是個尚未定論的問題，

because America was having power struggles with unruly states then.

因為那時的美國正與桀驁不馴的各州進行權力鬥爭。

And New York blowing off the Supreme Court wasn't helping. 片語動詞

紐約無視最高法院，更是讓情況雪上加霜。

Worse, if the Supreme Court ruled New York must share her borders,

更糟的是，如果最高法院裁定紐約必須分享她的邊界，

which seemed likely, New York would comply.

這看起來很可能發生，紐約會乖乖聽話嗎？

Whoops, no. 表達脈絡

哎喲，才不會。

New York was going to tell the court to get bent. 用詞

紐約會叫法院滾一邊去。

America trying to grow up to be a powerful federal government did not want this.

試圖成長為強大聯邦政府的美國並不想看到這種局面。

So the Supreme Court decided to not take the case right now, maybe later.

所以最高法院決定暫不受理此案，以後再說。

And then America used some political leverage to get New York to agree to settle the matter privately with New Jersey. 用詞

隨後，美國動用了一些政治手段，讓紐約同意與紐澤西私下解決這件事。

Look, this is your decision.

「聽著，這由你來決定。」

No need to get that Supreme Court involved in all of this, 文法

「沒必要讓最高法院捲進這些爛攤子裡，」

and no need for me to enforce their ruling.

「也不需要我來執行他們的裁決。」

Isn't that better for everyone?

「這對大家都好，不是嗎？」

So the two states haggled.

於是兩州開始討價還價。

New Jersey gave up her claims to Staten Island and in return New York agreed New Jersey's northern border extended into the river and down the middle, 片語搭配

紐澤西放棄了對史泰登島的主權要求，作為回報，紐約同意紐澤西的北部邊界延伸至河中並順著中線劃分，

past Ellis Island, past Liberty Island,

越過艾利斯島，越過自由島，

squeezing around Staten Island before going back out to sea.

擠過史泰登島周圍，然後再流向大海。

Aha, so the Statue of Liberty is in New Jersey.

啊哈，所以自由女神像在紐澤西州！

No, New Jersey also gave up Ellis Island and Liberty Island, too,

不，紐澤西也同時放棄了艾利斯島和自由島，

which seems like giving up a lot,

這看起來像是讓步了許多，

but look, river access in the age of steamboats was a big deal.

但要知道，在蒸汽船時代，河流的通行權可是件大事。

And sacrificing a couple islands to get her piers back was worth it.

犧牲幾座島嶼來換回她的碼頭是值得的。

And America was happy because a power struggle between her and the states was averted, 片語搭配

美國也很高興，因為避免了一場她與各州之間的權力鬥爭，

and everything was going to be smooth sailing. 慣用語

一切都將一帆風順。

Oh.

哦。

Uh, anyway, both islands are New York enclaves inside New Jersey's border, 用詞

呃，不管怎樣，這兩座島都是紐澤西州邊界內的紐約飛地，

which does make answering the question, "Where is the Statue of Liberty?"

這使得在回答「自由女神像在哪裡？」這個問題時，

with in New Jersey technically correct in the most pointless kind of way. 用詞

說是「在紐澤西」從技術上講是正確的，但也是最沒有實際意義的回答。

Now, in the midst of all this, America noticed Liberty Island's rather strategic position,

就在這一切紛爭之中，美國注意到了自由島相當重要的戰略位置，

and she took it for herself as federal land and built a pretty star fortress upon it that could shoot in every direction. 文化背景

於是將其劃為聯邦土地，並在上面建造了一座漂亮的、能向四面八方射擊的星形要塞。

Look familiar?

看著眼熟嗎？

Later, when France sent America the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of their eternal friendship,

後來，當法國送給美國自由女神像，作為他們永恆友誼的象徵，

a bond forged side by side in the heat of the young rebels' battle for freedom from the empire,

象徵著年輕叛軍為了擺脫帝國統治而並肩浴血奮戰結下的情誼，

a bond America would surely hashtag never forget. 文化背景

象徵著美國肯定會「#永不忘記」的情誼時。

America said, "I will put it right here,

美國說：「我要把它放在這裡，

where it will be the first thing everyone coming to the United States will see.

這樣它就會成為每一個來到美國的人看到的第一樣東西。

BFFs, France, BFFs forever."

一輩子的好朋友，法國，永遠的好朋友。」

So the statue was put atop an old federal fort on federal land,

於是，這座雕像被安放在聯邦土地上一座舊聯邦堡壘的頂部，

and pow, made a national monument.

嘭的一下，成了一座國家紀念碑。

So America owns the statue?

那麼美國擁有這座雕像？

This opens a book titled, "What is federal land?

這就翻開了一本名為《什麼是聯邦土地？》的書。

Like, what does it mean for real, though?"

「說真的，這到底是什麼意思？」

which will be firmly closed as a story for another time, 片語搭配

這本書還是緊緊合上，留到以後再說吧，

otherwise we will never finish this.

否則我們永遠也講不完。

It's still only the '60s and we have yet to talk about the squabble over the land below the water. 文法

現在時間線才到60年代，我們還沒談水下土地的爭吵呢。

Yes, really.

是的，不開玩笑。

So, back to Ellis Island for a moment, 表達脈絡

那麼，先回到艾利斯島，

which 150 years after borders were supposedly settled,

在邊界據說已經平息了150年之後，

New Jersey claimed as hers again.

紐澤西再次聲稱該島是她的。

partly.

的一部分。

See, in the 1800s, the island was yay big, 用詞

你看，在19世紀，這個島只有這麼大，

but by the 1990s it was yay big.

但到了20世紀90年代，它變成了這麼大。

And because the rivalries of youth never really end,

而且由於年輕時的舊怨永遠不會真正結束，

New Jersey again brought in the Supreme Court.

紐澤西再次告到了最高法院。

This time New York showed up promptly.

這一次紐約準時出庭了。

The added land, New Jersey said, was hers.

紐澤西說，新增的土地是她的。

New York disagreed, saying the embiggened island was still her island. 用詞

紐約不同意，說變大的島嶼依然是她的島。

Now, how did Ellis Island get bigger?

那麼，艾利斯島是怎麼變大的呢？

Well, New York claimed while digging up the subways,

紐約辯稱，在挖掘地鐵時，

she dumped the dirt uh here, in New Jersey's half of the river.

她把泥土倒在了……呃，倒在了這裡，河的紐澤西那一半裡。

But her dirt, her new land. 表達脈絡

但這是她的泥土，所以是她的新土地。

which is an interesting territorial acquisition strategy.

這可真是一個有趣的領土擴張策略。

But neither New York nor New Jersey could find any paperwork for the court to prove where the land came from.

但是紐約和紐澤西都無法向法院提供任何書面證據，來證明這些土地從何而來。

So how Ellis Island grew three sizes is just lost to history. 講解

所以，艾利斯島如何變大三倍的，就這樣迷失在歷史長河中了。

But whatever, the court ruled everything above the water was New York, 用詞

但不管怎樣，法院裁定，水面上的一切屬於紐約，

and everything below the water was New Jersey.

水下的一切屬於紐澤西。

But if below became above, new New Jersey it would be. 文法

但如果水下變成了水上，那它就是屬於紐澤西的新領土。

And thus this island belongs to New Jersey with just this little original part being New York,

因此，這個島歸屬紐澤西，只有這小小的一塊原始部分屬於紐約，

which is a sublime and ridiculous border that opens the door to one squabble remaining. 慣用語

這是一條絕妙又荒謬的邊界線，也為剩下的最後一場爭吵打開了大門。

Liberty Island was originally yay, but now it's yay,

自由島原本是這麼大，但現在有這麼大了，

which means this part should be New Jersey, not New York.

這意味著這部分應該是紐澤西的，而不是紐約的。

Though it hasn't been fought over yet, possibly because neither state has noticed.

儘管還沒人為此爭吵，可能因為兩州都沒注意到。

And while it would still leave Lady Liberty on the New York side, 文化背景

雖然這依然會讓自由女神像留在紐約那一側，

you know what would be on the New Jersey side?

但你知道什麼會在紐澤西那一側嗎？

The gift shop.

禮品店。

And the only thing more important than who owns the monument is who owns the gift shop for the monument. 文法

而唯一比誰擁有紀念碑更重要的事情，是誰擁有紀念碑的禮品店。

We will see.

走著瞧吧。

But as it is,

但就目前而言，

within the waters of New Jersey, there's an island of New York that's federal land atop which the national monument of the Statue of Liberty stands.

在紐澤西州的水域內，有一座屬於紐約的島嶼，這片聯邦土地上矗立著作為國家紀念碑的自由女神像。

Oh, there's also Shooters Island.

哦，還有射手島（Shooters Island）。

The state border runs right through it.

州界剛好從它中間穿過。

I'm not sure anyone noticed.

我不確定有沒有人注意到。

Uh, it's a bird sanctuary run by New York.

呃，那是紐約管理的一個鳥類保護區。

So whatever.

算了，隨便吧。