美国文化习俗精粹 第13期:山姆大叔到底是谁?
<p> <span word="They">They</span> <span word="had">had</span> <span word="planned">planned</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="marrying">marrying</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="soon">soon</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="graduated">graduated</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="high">high</span> <span word="school">school</span> <span word="but">but</span>“<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>”<span word="had">had</span> <span word="other">other</span> <span word="ideas">ideas</span>.他们计划高中一毕业就结婚，但“山姆大叔”却另有主意。</p><p> <span word="Most">Most</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="us">us</span> <span word="know">know</span> <span word="the">the</span>“<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>”<span word="means">means</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="government">government</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="United">United</span> <span word="States">States</span>. <span word="But">But</span> <span word="suppose">suppose</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="dont">dont</span> <span word="know">know</span> <span word="it">it</span>，<span word="we">we</span> <span word="will">will</span> <span word="got">got</span> <span word="misunderstanded">misunderstanded</span>.</p><p> <span word="Here">Here</span> <span word="the">the</span>“<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>”<span word="comes">comes</span> <span word="from">from</span>：</p><p> “<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>”是美国人的绰号。它源自1812-1814年间美英战争时期的一个历史传说。相传在纽约州的特洛伊城（<span word="Troy">Troy</span>）有位年长的肉类加工商，名叫山缪尔·威尔逊（<span word="Samuel">Samuel</span> <span word="Wilson">Wilson</span>）。他勤劳、诚实、能干，很有威信，人们亲切地叫他“山姆大叔（<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>）”（注：<span word="Sam">Sam</span>为<span word="Samuel">Samuel</span>的昵称）。这位山姆大叔也是一位爱国者，他与父兄曾参加过美国独立战争。在1812年的美英战争中，他的工厂与政府签了一份为军队生产桶装牛肉的合同，美国政府每当收到他交来的经其亲自检验合格的牛肉，就将肉装入特制的木桶，并在桶上盖上<span word="US">US</span>的记号。由于<span word="Uncle">Uncle</span> <span word="Sam">Sam</span>的首字母是<span word="US">US</span>，而美国（<span word="The">The</span> <span word="United">United</span> <span word="States">States</span>）的缩写也是<span word="U">U</span>.<span word="S">S</span>.，于是人们便把这两个名称合二为一了，意即那些经“山姆大叔”之手的牛肉，成了“美国”的财产。于是当地的人们就把“山姆大叔”当成美国的绰号，并逐渐流传开来。</p><p> 19世纪30年代，美国漫画家根据历史传说，赋予“山姆大叔”形象，于是出现了一个蓄着胡子的高瘦老头形象。他头戴饰星高顶帽，身穿红、白、蓝三色燕尾服和条纹裤（美国星条旗的图案）。虽白发苍髯，却精神矍铄，一派威仪。从此，这一形象就成了美国的象征。“山姆大叔”勤劳开朗的性格和爱国热忱，体现了美国人民的天性和精神。因此，1961年，美国国会正式承认“山姆大叔”为美国的民族象征和代表。</p>
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