谣言

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.

菲律宾小镇比纳洛南（位于首都马尼拉以北约200公里处）的政府通过了一项新法令，禁止居民聊八卦，以防止流言在社区内散播。

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.

按照当地的这项新法令，在比纳洛南说别人坏话将被罚捡垃圾，目的是让人们对自己所说的话负责。初犯者将被处200比索（26元人民币）的罚金和在街道上捡三小时垃圾，屡犯者将被处最高20美元（135元人民币）的罚金及8小时社区服务。法律条文没有明确界定何为八卦，不过镇长拉蒙·吉科举例说，散播居民恋爱关系的绯闻或经济状况的流言就会受到处罚。

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.

尽管这项新法令看起来很奇葩，但其实从2017年开始就在比纳洛南镇的莫雷诺社区实施了。该社区的多名居民曾因在公共场合散播流言被罚款500比索并捡一下午垃圾。显然，没有人因为再犯而受罚，毕竟谁也不想被看成长舌人。

sanction['sæŋkʃən]: vt. 制裁，处罚

gossipmonger['ɡɒsɪp,mʌŋɡə]: n. 爱说闲话的人，饶舌人

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.

这项打击流言蜚语的活动正好赶在夏天启动，据称夏天是流言最盛的时候，因为暑热迫使当地居民聚在阴凉处聊各种八卦，比如谁出轨了，或谁欠债了。

rack up: 积累

"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.”

镇长吉科说：“聊八卦太浪费时间了。难道大家就没有更好的事可以做了吗？禁聊八卦是为了改善我们镇的生活质量。”

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.

这位44岁的镇长告诉当地媒体说，新法令不会侵犯言论自由，并坚称其目的是为了保护社区居民免受谣言中伤。