Cut and thrust?

中國日報網 2016-08-26 16:52

 

Cut and thrust?Reader question:

Please explain “cut and thrust”, as in “the cut and thrust of journalism”.

My comments:

“Cut” and “thrust”, as verb, represent two rapid movements. To cut is to slice or slash. To thrust is to push and stab.

Cut and thrust are originally words to describe the two most common movements in fencing and sword play. If you’ve ever watched Olympic fencing on TV, you understand this immediately, that cutting and thrusting is what fencing is about.

Yes, as the two most important scoring moves in the game, the cut and the thrust are the reason why this game is so exiting to watch, alongside all the advance and retreat, attacking and counter attacking, the liveliness, the competitiveness, the thrill and excitement.

Hence, metaphorically, when we talk about the cut and thrust of something, we mean to address the exciting and challenging part of it, the quality that makes it different and demanding.

As well as risky and dangerous if you like, considering sword play is a dangerous game to begin with.

Well then, let’s use journalism as an example and find out what “the cut and thrust of journalism” is about. All journalists, those who are worth their salt at any rate understand what this means perfectly, I am sure. For some, the cut and thrust of journalism means rushing to the crime scene or the locale of any breaking news. For others it is the sleeplessness and long hours, what with deadlines to meet and working the night shift. Still for others, it is the challenge as well as moral satisfaction – imagine investigative reporters digging deep to expose a corruption or pollution cover-up.

See? You get the picture. The cut and thrust of journalism refers to its most lively, exciting as well as taxing and demanding part, the part that makes it both exciting and challenging.

All right, let’s read more examples for a better feel of “cut and thrust” as a metaphor:

1. It was not, in the end, good news for Martyn Lewis. The veteran newscaster famed for his dislike of gloomy bulletins, has quit BBC News after turning down a presenting job on the overseas channel, BBC World.

Mr Lewis, 54, who will be edged out of his role as one of a number of presenters of the Six O’Clock News by Huw Edwards when the programme relaunches next month, has failed to agree another role within the corporation.

He will continue to present the Six O’clock News until the relaunch on May 10, but after that, his 13 years as a BBC newscaster will end.

After discovering he was losing his role on the BBC’s early-evening flagship in December, Mr Lewis made no secret of his disappointment but said he would consider his options at the corporation. A spokesman confirmed yesterday that after Mr Lewis turned down the BBC World job, no other position was offered.

Further bad news came with the confirmation that Today’s the Day, the BBC2 news game show that Mr Lewis presents, has been axed. However, his BBC1 series Crime Beat, made by independent production company Mentorn Barraclough Carey, is expected to return.

While his fellow BBC newscasters took exception to his views on ‘too gloomy’ news bulletins, Mr Lewis said he received enormous public support. The BBC even went so far as to launch a ‘good news hour’ on Radio 5 Live.

Mr Lewis was unavailable for comment yesterday, but in a BBC statement he said: ‘I have had 32 fulfilling years in television journalism, during which I have been privileged to be involved in the coverage of many major news stories.

‘The Six O’clock News has a loyal army of viewers. I shall, of course, miss them as well as the cut and thrust of the daily news challenge.’

- And now the bad news for Martyn Lewis, TheGuardian.com, April 22, 1999.

2. It’s early evening and Huw Edwards, the most recognisable of the BBC news presenters, is feverishly working away on his script for the News At Ten.

Senior editors will chip in with suggestions but the final version that appears on the autocue will be written by Edwards.

...

It is said about Edwardes that his popularity as a presenter lies in his common touch and his ability to judge the public mood. In person, he exudes natural warmth and curiosity.

During his time at the BBC, his debonair charm has established him as the housewife’s favourite. He revealed to one journalist that he regularly receives fan mail from adoring females.

‘One woman asked me if I was prepared to read the news in a pair of sawn-off denim shorts that were slightly too short for me. She was from Milton Keynes.’

Not for nothing is he known as the George Clooney of the news department.

‘I’ve heard that said. I’ve been called a lot worse in my time.’

Away from the studio, he keeps fit by running and boxing.

‘I box two or three times a week. It is a good way to get any frustrations out. But I’m never happier than when I’m buried in news.

‘I’m a daily news beast, attuned to the next breaking story, the next deadline.

‘The newsroom is where I come alive. I love the cut and thrust of it. I love the arguments. It would be very odd in a newsroom if we always agreed.

‘Within the team, the debates about what items to run and the order in which they should run often go right to the wire.

‘What happens is that I’ll have my say and the editor will have his say. Then, eventually, we’ll agree that I’m wrong because he’s the boss.’

- ‘I’m often asked what I do between bulletins, as if I just lounge around filing my nails’: Behind-the-scenes at the BBC with Sophie Raworth and Huw Edwards, DailyMail.co.uk, July 19, 2014.

3. Now I know Jeremy Corbyn is a bit of a wimp when it comes to the cut and thrust of politics but blaming him for Brexit is surely a step too far? But that’s just what the BBC has been doing all day.

The BBC, along with some renegade Labour Party members, spent much of its ‘news’ coverage asking why hasn’t Corbyn resigned? Interviewed as he left his home this morning, the BBC reporter shouted at him:

“Most of your shadow cabinet cabinet has resigned! Surely Mister Corbyn your position is now untenable?”

The argument goes as follows: Corbyn was, let us say less than enthusiastic in his support for the Remain camp, which ‘allowed’ those lumpen proletarians who helped elect him, the ones who never vote–that crucial few percent that made the difference–to vote the ‘wrong way’. So if the Establishment despised Corbyn before its debacle of an own goal, they now hate him with a vengeance!

Looking back on the past two days (is that all it’s been?), it’s clear the Establishment was stunned by the result. This is especially true of the state broadcaster, the BBC, which has spent millions of our license money trying to persuade us to vote Remain. How galling eh, not to say embarrassing. All those university degrees in journalism and public relations came to nought.

Hence the vitriolic attacks by the BBC itself, not just the elite that it interviews, on Corbyn. It’s all his fault because he didn’t lead his flock to the slaughter.

Losing the Referendum wasn’t in the plan! This wasn’t meant to happen!

And now, the rest of the political elite have to contend with Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. It’s all well and good wheeling them out on Question Time but what do you do with a posse of racists, plus some hangovers from Middle England, led by a fat guy who wants Cameron’s job, when they appear to have captured the Tory Party and of course, the government? How embarrassing. In all likelihood, the Tory Party and the Labour Party will split. It’s the end of an era.

- The Brexit “Blame Game”: Bashing Jeremy Corbyn, by William Bowles, GlobalResearch.ca, June 26, 2016.

本文僅代表作者本人觀點,與本網立場無關。歡迎大家討論學術問題,尊重他人,禁止人身攻擊和發布一切違反國家現行法律法規的內容。

About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

(作者:張欣 編輯:丹妮)

上一篇 : Whip hand?
下一篇 : The third rail?

 
中國日報網英語點津版權說明:凡注明來源為“中國日報網英語點津:XXX(署名)”的原創作品,除與中國日報網簽署英語點津內容授權協議的網站外,其他任何網站或單位未經允許不得非法盜鏈、轉載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請與010-84883561聯系;凡本網注明“來源:XXX(非英語點津)”的作品,均轉載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉載,請與稿件來源方聯系,如產生任何問題與本網無關;本網所發布的歌曲、電影片段,版權歸原作者所有,僅供學習與研究,如果侵權,請提供版權證明,以便盡快刪除。

中國日報網雙語新聞

掃描左側二維碼

添加Chinadaily_Mobile
你想看的我們這兒都有!

中國日報雙語手機報

點擊左側圖標查看訂閱方式

中國首份雙語手機報
學英語看資訊一個都不能少!

關注和訂閱

本文相關閱讀
人氣排行
熱搜詞
 
 
精華欄目
 

閱讀

詞匯

視聽

翻譯

口語

合作

 

關于我們 | 聯系方式 | 招聘信息

Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 版權聲明:本網站所刊登的中國日報網英語點津內容,版權屬中國日報網所有,未經協議授權,禁止下載使用。 歡迎愿意與本網站合作的單位或個人與我們聯系。

電話:8610-84883645

傳真:8610-84883500

Email: languagetips@chinadaily.com.cn

主站蜘蛛池模板: 男人扒开添女人下部免费视频| 亚洲中文字幕av每天更新| 国产丝袜第一页| 天天操夜夜操视频| 亚洲激情综合网| 翁熄系列回乡下| 国产精品v欧美精品∨日韩| ww在线观视频免费观看w| 日韩一区二区三区精品| 亚洲欧美另类色图| 麻豆国产精品一二三在线观看| 大bbwbbwbbwvideos| 久久一本一区二区三区| 欧美成人午夜影院| 免费观看激色视频网站(性色) | 一二三四视频社区在线| 最近中文字幕无吗免费高清 | 任你躁在线播放视频| 色天天综合色天天害人害己| 国产精品亚洲w码日韩中文| bt天堂网...www在线资源| 日本高清视频色wwwwww色| 亚洲国产成人精品无码区在线观看| 秋霞日韩久久理论电影| 国产人伦视频在线观看| 波多野结衣33| 在公交车上弄到高c了公交车视频 在公交车上弄到高c了漫画 | 啊啊啊好大好爽视频| 中文字幕亚洲色图| 国农村精品国产自线拍| 中文国产成人精品久久一| 日韩免费观看一级毛片看看| 亚洲国产成人久久综合一区| 狠狠色噜噜狠狠狠狠69| 又粗又硬又大又爽免费视频播放 | 欧美性大战久久久久久久蜜桃| 免费AV一区二区三区无码| 羞羞视频在线播放| 国产亚洲美女精品久久久2020| 67194在线午夜亚洲| 国产老妇一性一交一乱|