洋碩美語【小班教學 口說聽力專家】

Japanese women lose fight to keep their surnames

看過動畫神隱少女的人，對湯婆婆施魔法把千尋的姓名抹掉那一幕，應該不太陌生，那麼姓名對於現代社會的日本女性，又有怎樣的新定義呢? 

五名日本女性日前上訴最高法院，希望法律鬆綁對於冠夫姓的限制，以保障已婚女性或離婚女性繼續保有婚前姓氏。但日本最高法院星期三宣布，已婚夫妻必須繼續使用同一個姓氏，也就是必須維持妻子冠夫姓的慣例。起訴人之一的Kyoko Tsukamoto女士表示，當聽到宣判結果時感到非常難過，因為姓名代表著自己的”職場身分”與”認同感”。

雖然有許多女性、性平專家與聯合國委員會皆表示這樣的法律過時又頗具歧視性，而政府部門近年來也希望民間為職場女性提供較為寬容的政策，以跳脫長期經濟停滯的窘境、吸引更多女性踏入職場，活絡國內的勞動力市場，然而官方數據顯示，日本只有65%的女性投入職場，在已開發國家中敬陪末座。傳統觀念與趨於保守的企業文化影響之下，相信日本還有很長的一段路要走。

…“Japan's Supreme Court said Wednesday that married couples must continue to use only one surname, rejecting a lawsuit filed by five plaintiffs who wanted to make it easier for women to keep their maiden names.

The 19th century law affirmed by the court doesn't specify which spouse should change their surname, but an overwhelming majority of women take their husband's.”

1. surname: (n.)姓

2. plaintiff: (n.)起訴人(原告) ó defendant: (n.)被告

3. maiden name: 婚前姓

4. affirm: (v.)確立、證實

5. specify: (v.)具體指出

6. spouse: (n.)配偶

7. overwhelming: (adj.)壓倒性的

…“Many women, gender equality experts, and even a UN committee have said these laws are discriminatory and outdated.

The role of women in Japanese society is moving up the political and economic agenda. Unless the country finds ways of attracting more women into the workforce, it will struggle to emerge from economic stagnation. Government efforts to do so thus far have largely failed, due to deeply rootedcultural issues.”

8. committee: (n.)委員會

9. discriminatory: (adj.)歧視的

10. outdated: (adj)過時的

11. agenda: (n.)應辦事項

12. stagnation: (n.)停滯

13. deeply rooted: (adj.)根深蒂固的

…“Japan is the only major developed country that prevents couples with different surnames fromregistering their marriage.

For Japan's working women, "it is really cumbersome that you already have established your own position in a corporation -- then suddenly because you get married, you have to change your name," Osawa said.

There is plenty of room for improvement: roughly 65% of Japan's women are working, which is one of the lowest rates among developed nations.”

14. prevent… from…:阻止…..

15. cumbersome: (adj.)累贅的、有負擔的

16. room: (n.)空間

Source :http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/15/news/economy/japan-women-names/index.html?iid=obnetwork