菲律賓小鎮立法禁止八卦 違者罰款還要撿垃圾大綱

凡是有人的地方就有八卦，但是你知道聊八卦可能會犯法嗎？

菲律賓一個叫比納洛南的小鎮近日通過了一項地方性反八卦法令，禁止當地居民聊八卦、說別人的壞話，違者將被處以最高135元罰款及8小時社區服務的懲罰。

Authorities in Binalonan, a small Filipino town about 200 kilometres north of Manila, have made gossiping illegal under a new local law aimed at preventing rumors from spreading within the community.

菲律賓小鎮比納洛南（位於首都馬尼拉以北約200公里處）的政府通過了一項新法令，禁止居民聊八卦，以防止流言在社區內散播。

Trash talking someone in Binalonan could see offenders literally picking up trash under a new local law designed to make people take responsibility for the things they say. First-time gossipers risk a fine of 200 pesos and three hours of collecting garbage in the streets, while repeat offenders would have to pay up to $20 and put in eight hours of community service. The law isn’t very clear on what qualifies as gossip, but mayor Ramon Guico cited peddling rumors of residents’ relationships or financial situations as examples of punishable offences.

按照當地的這項新法令，在比納洛南說別人壞話將被罰撿垃圾，目的是讓人們對自己所說的話負責。初犯者將被處200比索（26元人民幣）的罰金和在街道上撿三小時垃圾，屢犯者將被處最高20美元（135元人民幣）的罰金及8小時社區服務。法律條文沒有明確界定何爲八卦，不過鎮長拉蒙·吉科舉例說，散播居民戀愛關係的緋聞或經濟狀況的流言就會受到處罰。

peddle['pɛdl]: vt. 散播

As bizarre as the new law may seem, it has actually been enforced in the Moreno neighborhood of Binalonan since 2017. Multiple residents there have been fined 500 pesos and forced to spend an afternoon collecting trash as punishment for gossiping in public. Apparently, no one has ever been sanctioned for a second offence, as nobody wants to be seen as a gossipmonger.

儘管這項新法令看起來很奇葩，但其實從2017年開始就在比納洛南鎮的莫雷諾社區實施了。該社區的多名居民曾因在公共場合散播流言被罰款500比索並撿一下午垃圾。顯然，沒有人因爲再犯而受罰，畢竟誰也不想被看成長舌人。

sanction['sæŋkʃən]: vt. 制裁，處罰

gossipmonger['ɡɒsɪp,mʌŋɡə]: n. 愛說閒話的人，饒舌人

The crackdown on gossip and rumor spreading is being rolled out just in time for summer, which is reportedly the worst time of the year for such behavior, as heat forces locals to gather in the shade and talk about all sorts of things, like who’s been cheating on their spouse, or who has been racking up debt.

這項打擊流言蜚語的活動正好趕在夏天啓動，據稱夏天是流言最盛的時候，因爲暑熱迫使當地居民聚在陰涼處聊各種八卦，比如誰出軌了，或誰欠債了。

rack up: 積累

"It’s such a waste of time,” Mayor Guico said. “You’d think people would have something better to do. Banning gossip is our way of improving the quality of life in our town.”

鎮長吉科說：“聊八卦太浪費時間了。難道大家就沒有更好的事可以做了嗎？禁聊八卦是爲了改善我們鎮的生活質量。”

The 44-year-old mayor told the local press that the new law does not infringe on freedom of speech, insisting that it aims to protect members of the community from slander.

這位44歲的鎮長告訴當地媒體說，新法令不會侵犯言論自由，並堅稱其目的是爲了保護社區居民免受謠言中傷。

infringe[ɪn'frɪndʒ]: vi. 侵犯；侵害

slander['slændɚ]: n. 誹謗，中傷

"This ordinance is to remind people that everything that we say is our responsibility as individuals and as residents of this municipality. We want to show other towns that Binalonan has good people; it is a good and safe place to stay,” Ramon Guico said.

拉蒙·吉科說：“這項法令是要提醒人們，作爲個人和本鎮居民，我們要爲自己說出的每一句話負責。我們想向其他鎮展示，比納洛南的居民是好人，這是一個美好安全的地方。”

ordinance['ɔrdnəns]: n. 條例；法令