各种语言都有一套特殊的政治词汇,美国英语也不例外。美国国会议员在通过各项法案时经常要投票表示自己的立场。但是,有些议员在面临有争议的法案时往往感到难以作出决定。美国人把这种情况叫做:on the fence。fence就是"篱笆"。on-the-fence的意思也就是骑在篱笆上,左右不定。下面就是一例:
例句-1: sorry, friend: i can't tell you right now how i will vote on the new tax bill. i'm still on the fence: i'm looking for more information before i decide which way i'll jump.
on the fence也可能指那种两面观望,看准了如何行动才对自己有好处的所谓"骑墙派"。下面就是一个典型的例子:
例句-2: that man has managed to stay in office for ten years by being a regular fence-sitter. he never makes up his mind how to vote on an issue until he's sure whether most voters are for or against it.
例句-3: this vote on the foreign trade bill is going to be close, and i sure wish we could be sure of that man's support. but he's such a maverick we can't count on his voting with the party.
例句-4: congressman black is a real maverick but the voters keep sending him back to washington. they admire a man who votes the way he really feels instead of just trying to please the voters all the time.