LESSON 4

THE ELECTIONS

Words and Expressions

Parliamentary constituencies –	избирательные округа по выборам в Парламент
review –	пересмотр
parliamentary elections	выборы в парламент, парламентские выборы
to receive more than half the votes cast –	получить больше половины голосов на выборах
to favour a two-party system –	благоприятствовать двухпартийной системе
relatively small numbers of votes –	сравнительно небольшое количество голосов
voting is by secret ballot –	тайное голосование
a voter –	избиратель
to be aged 18 years –	в возрасте 18-ти лет
to be not legally barred from voting –	не быть отстраненным от голосования по юридическим причинам
to be resident in Britain –	проживать в Великобритании
to work overseas as British Government employers –	работать за рубежом в качестве британского государственного служащего
on average –	в среднем
to be not entitled to vote –	не иметь права голоса/голосовать
people serving prison sentences –	люди/лица, отбывающие наказание в тюрьме
convicted of corrupt or illegal election practices –	осужденный за взяточничество или противоправные действия в избирательной кампании
an electoral register –	журнал/книга со списком избирателей
constituency –	избирательный округ
electoral registration officer –	регистратор избирательной кампании, уполномоченный по регистрации избирателей
government officers –	государственные служащие
household –	дом, квартира, домовладение
who are eligible to vote –	которые должны голосовать
to complile provisional electoral lists –	составлять предварительные списки избирателей
to display in public places –	располагать, выставлять, размещать в общественных местах
to appeal to the courts –	обращаться в суд
to vote in person at the polling station –	голосовать лично на избирательном участке
a postal or a proxy vote –	голосование по почте или через представителя/по доверенности
clergy –	священнослужители, духовные лица, священники
public servants and officials –	общественные и государственные служащие
specified by law –	определенный (установленный) законом
candidates must be nominated –	кандидаты должны предлагаться/ выдвигаться
a proposer –	выдвигающий/предлагающий кандидатуру
a seconder –	поддерживающий кандидата
a sum of ₤ 500 must be deposited on behalf of each candidate –	сумма в 500 фунтов должна быть внесена от имени каждого кандидата
in exceptional circumstances –	в исключительных случаях
dissolving Parliament and calling a new Parliament –	распускать парламент и созывать новый парламент
Formal Writs of Election –	официальный указ о выборах
to hold the election –	проводить выборы
administration of elections –	управление выборами
returning officer –	уполномоченный по выборам
voting –	голосование
poll –	голосовать, голосование
polling day –	день выборов
polling station –	избирательный участок
polling booth –	кабина для голосования
canvassing –	предвыборная агитация
a canvasser –	агитатор
ballot –	бюллетень
to cast a ballot –	опустить бюллетень, проголосовать, подать бюллетень
county –	графство, округ
primary –	предвыборное партийное собрание
caucus [΄kO:kFs] –	(амер.) фракционное совещание

COMMENTARY

В каждой стране существует своя избирательная система, но технологии, цели и задачи избирательных кампаний имеют много общего. При переводе текстов с тематикой выборов необходимо учитывать особенности избирательных систем исходного языка (ИЯ) и (переводящего) языка перевода (ПЯ). Не следует забывать, что многие английские слова обладают многозначностью: poll – индивид, отдельный избиратель, список избирателей, голос, голосование, подсчет голосов, избирательный участок, опрос общественного мнения и т. д.; vote – голос, право голоса, голосование, решение, избирательный бюллетень, вотум и др..

INTRODUCTORY EXERCISES

1. Переведите предложения на русский язык:

1). Britain is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. 2). Each constituency is a geographical area; the voters living within the area select one person to serve as a member of the House of Commons. 3). The average number of electors in each constituency in England is about 70,000; in other parts of Britain the average numbers are slightly lower. 4). Constituency boundaries are approved by Parliament following reviews by the four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions, one each for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 5). The reviews take place every 10-15 years, but the Commissions also prepare separate reports on particular constituencies between general reviews. 6). The nominal chairman of the Commissions is the Speaker of the House of Commons. 7). A senior judge acts as deputy, and two other members are appointed by government ministers, usually after the other political parties have been consulted. 8). No MP, other than the Speaker, may serve as a member of the Boundary Commissions.

9). Following the publication of the Boundary Commission's recommendations in a particular constituency, local people and organisations are given a month to put forward different views. 10). If there are objections from one of the local authorities concerned, or from 100 or more local electors, an inquiry must be held. 11). The final recommendations are submitted to the Government. 12). If the Government alters the recommendations before putting them before Parliament for its approval, it must give reasons.

2. Переведите на слух словосочетания из текста:

The simple majority system of voting, the candidate with the largest number of votes, to receive more than half the votes cast, to favour a two-party system, to accumulate relatively small numbers of votes, do not win many seats, to be not legally barred from voting, under recent legislation, to be entitled to vote, to have the right to vote, under mental health legislation, to serve prison sentences, electoral registration officers, to give details of household occupants, to compile provisional electoral lists, to appeal to the courts, postal ballot papers.

3. Рекомендуется для зрительно-письменного перевода и пересказа:

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

The system of voting

The simple majority system of voting is used in parliamentary elections in Britain. This means that the candidate with the largest number of votes in each constituency is elected, although he or she may not necessarily have received more than half the votes cast.

It is thought that this system favours a two-party system, particularly when the parties' support is concentrated geographically, as is the case with the Conservative and Labour parties. It does not favour parties whose support is spread across constituencies, such as the Liberal Democrats, as they tend to accumulate relatively small numbers of votes in each constituency and consequently do not win many seats.

Voting is by secret ballot.

Who may vote. All British citizens may vote provided they are aged 18 years or over and are not legally barred from voting. Subject to the same conditions, citizens of other Commonwealth countries and the Irish Republic who are resident in Britain may also vote at parliamentary elections. All voters must be registered as resident in a constituency on a specified date.

Under recent legislation, British citizens living abroad may register to vote for up to 20 years after leaving Britain. It is believed that as a result a further 2 million British citizens may be entitled to vote. They must register to vote in the constituency in which they were last resident. British citizens who are working overseas as British Government employees also have the right to vote, regardless of how long they have been abroad.

Voting in elections is voluntary. On average about 75 per cent of the electorate votes.

Who may not vote. The following people are not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections:

- peers, and peeresses in their own right, who are members of the House of Lords;

- foreign nationals, other than citizens of the Irish Republic resident in Britain;

- people kept in hospital under mental health legislation;

- people serving prison sentences; and

- people convicted within the previous five years of corrupt or illegal election practices.

An electoral register for each constituency is prepared annually by electoral registration officers - usually senior local government officers.

Registration officers arrange either to send forms to, or for their representatives to call on, every household in the constituency. Householders must give details of all occupants who are eligible to vote; failure to do so may lead to the individuals concerned being fined.

This information is used to compile provisional electoral lists, which are displayed in public places in order to give individuals the opportunity to check that their names are included or to object to inclusions. People who disagree with the final decision of the registration officer may appeal to the courts.

Voters who are likely to be away from home at the time of an election - for example, on holiday or business - or who are unable to vote in person at the polling station, may apply for a postal or a proxy vote. The latter is a vote cast by a person authorised to vote on behalf of another. Postal ballot papers can be sent only to addresses in Britain.