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Spotlight October&November/2011, (Spotlight4824)Talking About Other People 31 October, 2011

(Spotlight4824)Talking About Other People 31 October, 2011

Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo. Voice 2

And I'm Christy VanArragon. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

In 2005, the government of a small town in Colombia made an unusual law. They began giving punishments for gossip - including fines and prison sentences.

Voice 2

Gossip is common everywhere in the world. Most people love to share private information about other people. But gossip can cause serious damage. Today's Spotlight is on gossip. Voice 1

So why did the government of Icononzo make a law against gossip? They were hoping to fight a very serious problem. In this area, there is a long conflict between the government and the rebel group FARC. For many years, FARC has hoped to change the government by attacking normal people. They kidnap people from throughout the country. Sometimes they ask for money. Sometimes they make demands of the government.

Voice 2

This conflict causes fear and anxiety among normal people. In the town of Icononzo, it also caused gossip. Gossip about the conflict was causing even more problems for normal people. Ignacio Jimenez was the town leader. He described the problem to the BBC. Some gossip says that particular people support the FARC. Other gossip may say that a person has been giving information to the government. This gossip may be complete lies. But these lies have serious effects on people's lives. People avoid their normal activities. Because of gossip, the government may even arrest innocent people. Or the FARC may attack and kill citizens. Mr Jimenez said,

Voice 3

‘It is a tradition for gossip to spread through small towns. It is a part of life. But it is worrying that people are going to prison or being murdered because of gossip'. Voice 1

For that reason Mr. Jimenez has established punishments for people guilty of gossip. He has established fines and prison sentences. People found guilty of gossiping could go to prison for four years. Mr Jimenez said that the people of Icononzo will have to think more before accusing other people of anything! Hopefully they will see that there is no such thing as an innocent piece of gossip.

Voice 2

For most people, gossip does not threaten their lives. But it can still cause a lot of hurt. So why do people share gossip? Why is gossip so common?

Voice 1

There is an English expression, “There is nothing like a juicy bit of gossip!” People love to pass secret information to each other - about other people's lives. The information they spread is called a ‘rumour.' A rumour may have a base of truth. But often it does not. Rumours can be complete lies. But this does not matter to the people who gossip!

Voice 2

Doctor Ann McGee Cooper is a writer and business advisor. She helps people find creative solutions to problems - such as gossiping at work. In her work, she describes some of the reasons people like to gossip.

Voice 1

First, gossip is about other people's lives - not our own. This can make the gossipers feel safe. Gossip does not seem to affect us.

Voice 2

Second, sharing secret stories is a way of connecting to people. When people share gossip, they feel closer. As the gossip spreads, new people may add extra information. This makes them feel even closer. They feel important, because they know a secret. It becomes like an unspoken agreement, “We are so good, and they are so bad!”

Voice 1

While sharing gossip, people may feel safe. But after sharing the gossip, a person may feel worried. The closeness is gone. So a person will look for more gossip to spread. They will try to share the gossip with other people. And so the rumours grow and grow. People usually do not stop to find out if the information is true or not.

Voice 2

This brings us to the third reason. People who are listening to gossip feel included. Dr. McGee says that this is a feeling everyone wants! No one wants to be the last to know a particular piece of information. Information is power. And we all like to have a piece of this power. It is not difficult to excuse gossip, even when you know it is wrong. At first, it may even seem like the information is something important - something we need to know.

Voice 1

But what about the person who the gossip is about? No one wants people to spread gossip about them. And it is very difficult to stop a rumour. Maybe you have been the target of gossip. Maybe you have heard that a particular person is saying bad things about you. There are some things you can do. Dr McGee also has some good suggestions for this situation.

Voice 2

First, find out if the person has been talking about you or not. Be careful not to report information as a fact. For example, you could talk to the person sharing the rumour. You could say,

Voice 4

‘I heard a false rumour about me yesterday! Have you heard this story? Please help me to understand why people are saying these things about me.' Voice 2

Dealing with issues respectfully and openly can often solve them faster.

Voice 1

When you hear gossip, question the person who shared it with you - in a respectful way. For example, you could say,

Voice 4

‘That does not sound like something Angela would say. Before we accept this as true, can we ask Angela? I want to understand exactly what she meant.' Voice 1

This makes others see that we do not want to be a part of gossip. And it helps them to find out the truth.

Voice 2

Ending gossip may be difficult. But it is important to stop it. Even a small piece of gossip can have big effects. Gossip has been a problem for thousands of years. There is even a letter in the Christian Bible that warns about gossiping! The writer tells his friends to be careful:

Voice 3

‘The tongue is a very small part of the body... Think about how one very small fire can create a big forest fire.' Voice 1

Through carelessness, one small fire can destroy a whole forest. In the same way, careless talk can destroy a person's name and character. If you are tempted to share gossip, stop and think. By ending the gossip, you may be preventing hurt and broken relationships.

Voice 2

The writer of this program was Marina Santee. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet athttp://www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Talking About Other People'. Voice 1

We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

(Spotlight4824)Talking About Other People 31 October, 2011 (Spotlight4824)Über andere Menschen sprechen 31 Oktober, 2011 (Spotlight4824)Hablar de los demás 31 octubre, 2011 (Spotlight4824)他人について語る 2011年10月31日 (Spotlight4824)Mówienie o innych ludziach 31 października, 2011 r. (Spotlight4824)Falar sobre outras pessoas 31 outubro, 2011 (Spotlight4824)Разговоры о других людях 31 октября, 2011 (Spotlight4824)Diğer İnsanlar Hakkında Konuşmak 31 Ekim, 2011

Voice 1 Voz 1

Welcome to Spotlight. Bienvenido a Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo. Soy Joshua Leo. Voice 2 Voz 2

And I'm Christy VanArragon. Y yo soy Christy VanArragon. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. Spotlight utiliza un método especial de transmisión en inglés. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live. Es más fácil de entender para las personas, sin importar en qué parte del mundo vivan.

Voice 1 Voz 1

In 2005, the government of a small town in Colombia made an unusual law. En 2005, el gobierno de un pequeño pueblo de Colombia promulgó una ley inusual. 2005 年、コロンビアの小さな町の政府は珍しい法律を制定しました。 They began giving punishments for gossip - including fines and prison sentences. Comenzaron a castigar los chismes, incluidas multas y penas de prisión. 彼らはうわさ話に対して、罰金や禁錮刑などの罰を与え始めました。

Voice 2 Voz 2

Gossip is common everywhere in the world. El chisme es común en todo el mundo. ゴシップは世界中どこでも一般的です。 Most people love to share private information about other people. A la mayoría de la gente le encanta compartir información privada sobre otras personas. ほとんどの人は、他の人に関する個人情報を共有するのが大好きです。 But gossip can cause serious damage. Pero los chismes pueden causar graves daños. しかし、うわさ話は深刻な損害を引き起こす可能性があります。 Today's Spotlight is on gossip. El foco de hoy está en los chismes. Voice 1 Voz 1

So why did the government of Icononzo make a law against gossip? Entonces, ¿por qué el gobierno de Icononzo promulgó una ley contra el chisme? では、なぜイコノンゾ政府はゴシップを禁止する法律を作ったのでしょうか? They were hoping to fight a very serious problem. Esperaban luchar contra un problema muy grave. 彼らは非常に深刻な問題と戦うことを望んでいました. In this area, there is a long conflict between the government and the rebel group FARC. En esta zona, existe un largo conflicto entre el gobierno y el grupo rebelde FARC. この地域では、政府と反政府勢力FARCとの間で長い対立が続いています。 For many years, FARC has hoped to change the government by attacking normal people. Durante muchos años, las FARC han esperado cambiar el gobierno atacando a la gente normal. 長年にわたり、FARC は一般の人々を攻撃することで政府を変えようとしてきました。 They kidnap people from throughout the country. Secuestran a personas de todo el país. 彼らは全国の人々を誘拐します。 Sometimes they ask for money. A veces piden dinero. お金を要求されることもあります。 Sometimes they make demands of the government. A veces hacen demandas al gobierno. 政府に要求することもあります。

Voice 2 Voz 2

This conflict causes fear and anxiety among normal people. Este conflicto provoca miedo y ansiedad entre la gente normal. この対立は、普通の人々の間で恐怖と不安を引き起こします。 In the town of Icononzo, it also caused gossip. En la localidad de Icononzo, también provocó chismes. Icononzo の町では、ゴシップも引き起こしました。 Gossip about the conflict was causing even more problems for normal people. Los chismes sobre el conflicto estaban causando aún más problemas a la gente normal. 紛争についてのうわさ話は、普通の人々にさらに多くの問題を引き起こしていました. Ignacio Jimenez was the town leader. Ignacio Jiménez era el líder del pueblo. He described the problem to the BBC. Describió el problema a la BBC. Some gossip says that particular people support the FARC. Algunos rumores dicen que personas en particular apoyan a las FARC. 一部のゴシップでは、特定の人々が FARC を支持していると言っています。 Other gossip may say that a person has been giving information to the government. Otros chismes pueden decir que una persona ha estado dando información al gobierno. ある人が政府に情報を提供していると言ううわさ話もあるかもしれません。 This gossip may be complete lies. Este chisme puede ser mentira total. このゴシップは完全な嘘かもしれません。 But these lies have serious effects on people's lives. Pero estas mentiras tienen graves efectos en la vida de las personas. しかし、これらの嘘は人々の生活に深刻な影響を与えます。 People avoid their normal activities. La gente evita sus actividades normales. 人々は通常の活動を避けます。 Because of gossip, the government may even arrest innocent people. Debido a los chismes, el gobierno puede incluso arrestar a personas inocentes. ゴシップのために、政府は罪のない人々を逮捕することさえあります。 Or the FARC may attack and kill citizens. O las FARC pueden atacar y matar ciudadanos. あるいは、FARC が市民を攻撃して殺すかもしれません。 Mr Jimenez said, El Sr. Jiménez dijo:

Voice 3 Voz 3

‘It is a tradition for gossip to spread through small towns. “Es una tradición que los chismes se propaguen por los pueblos pequeños. 「ゴシップが小さな町に広がるのは伝統です。 It is a part of life. Es una parte de la vida. But it is worrying that people are going to prison or being murdered because of gossip'. Pero es preocupante que la gente vaya a la cárcel o sea asesinada por chismes ”. しかし、人々がゴシップのために刑務所に入れられたり、殺されたりすることは心配です。」 Voice 1 Voz 1

For that reason Mr. Jimenez has established punishments for people guilty of gossip. Por eso el Sr. Jiménez ha establecido castigos para las personas culpables de chismes. そのため、ヒメネス氏はゴシップの罪を犯した人々に対する罰を確立しました。 He has established fines and prison sentences. Ha establecido multas y penas de prisión. 彼は罰金と懲役刑を確立しました。 People found guilty of gossiping could go to prison for four years. Las personas declaradas culpables de chismes podrían ir a prisión durante cuatro años. うわさ話で有罪判決を受けた人々は、4年間刑務所に行く可能性があります。 Mr Jimenez said that the people of Icononzo will have to think more before accusing other people of anything! ¡El Sr. Jiménez dijo que la gente de Icononzo tendrá que pensar más antes de acusar a otras personas de cualquier cosa! ヒメネス氏は、イコノンゾの人々は他の人々を何かで非難する前にもっと考えなければならないと言いました! Hopefully they will see that there is no such thing as an innocent piece of gossip. Con suerte, verán que no existe tal cosa como un chisme inocente. 無邪気なゴシップなど存在しないことを彼らが理解してくれることを願っています。

Voice 2 Voz 2

For most people, gossip does not threaten their lives. Para la mayoría de las personas, los chismes no amenazan sus vidas. ほとんどの人にとって、うわさ話が命を脅かすことはありません。 But it can still cause a lot of hurt. Pero todavía puede causar mucho daño. しかし、それでも多くの怪我を引き起こす可能性があります。 So why do people share gossip? Entonces, ¿por qué la gente comparte chismes? では、なぜ人々はうわさ話を共有するのでしょうか? Why is gossip so common? ¿Por qué son tan comunes los chismes? ゴシップがこれほどまでに広まっているのはなぜですか。

Voice 1 Voz 1

There is an English expression, “There is nothing like a juicy bit of gossip!” People love to pass secret information to each other - about other people's lives. Hay una expresión en inglés, "¡No hay nada como un chisme jugoso!" A la gente le encanta transmitirse información secreta, sobre la vida de otras personas. 「ゴシップほどおいしいものはない!」という英語の表現があります。人々は、他の人々の生活について、秘密の情報をお互いに渡すのが大好きです。 The information they spread is called a ‘rumour.' La información que difunden se llama 'rumor'. 彼らが広める情報は「噂」と呼ばれます。 A rumour may have a base of truth. Un rumor puede tener una base de verdad. 噂には真実の根拠があるかもしれません。 But often it does not. Pero a menudo no es así. しかし、多くの場合、そうではありません。 Rumours can be complete lies. Los rumores pueden ser mentiras completas. 噂は完全な嘘になる可能性があります。 But this does not matter to the people who gossip! ¡Pero esto no le importa a la gente que chismorrea! しかし、これはうわさ話をする人には関係ありません!

Voice 2 Voz 2

Doctor Ann McGee Cooper is a writer and business advisor. La doctora Ann McGee Cooper es escritora y asesora empresarial. She helps people find creative solutions to problems - such as gossiping at work. Ayuda a las personas a encontrar soluciones creativas a los problemas, como los chismes en el trabajo. 彼女は、職場でのうわさ話など、問題に対する創造的な解決策を人々が見つけるのを助けます。 In her work, she describes some of the reasons people like to gossip. En su trabajo, describe algunas de las razones por las que a la gente le gusta chismear. 彼女は作品の中で、人々がうわさ話をしたがる理由のいくつかを説明しています。

Voice 1 Voz 1

First, gossip is about other people's lives - not our own. Primero, el chisme se trata de la vida de otras personas, no de la nuestra. 第一に、ゴシップは他人の生活に関するものであり、自分の生活に関するものではありません。 This can make the gossipers feel safe. Esto puede hacer que los chismosos se sientan seguros. これにより、うわさ話をする人は安心できます。 Gossip does not seem to affect us. Los chismes no parecen afectarnos. うわさ話は私たちに影響を与えないようです。

Voice 2 Voz 2

Second, sharing secret stories is a way of connecting to people. En segundo lugar, compartir historias secretas es una forma de conectarse con la gente. 第二に、秘密の話を共有することは、人々とつながる方法です。 When people share gossip, they feel closer. Cuando las personas comparten chismes, se sienten más cercanos. 人々がうわさ話を共有するとき、彼らは親密に感じます。 As the gossip spreads, new people may add extra information. A medida que se difunden los chismes, es posible que nuevas personas agreguen información adicional. ゴシップが広まるにつれて、新しい人々が追加情報を追加する可能性があります。 This makes them feel even closer. Esto los hace sentir aún más cerca. これにより、彼らはさらに近くに感じます。 They feel important, because they know a secret. Se sienten importantes porque conocen un secreto. 彼らは秘密を知っているので、重要だと感じています。 It becomes like an unspoken agreement, “We are so good, and they are so bad!” Se convierte en un acuerdo tácito: "¡Somos tan buenos y ellos son tan malos!" それは、「私たちはとても良いが、彼らはとても悪い」という暗黙の合意のようになります。

Voice 1 Voz 1

While sharing gossip, people may feel safe. Al compartir chismes, las personas pueden sentirse seguras. うわさ話を共有している間、人々は安心できるかもしれません。 But after sharing the gossip, a person may feel worried. Pero después de compartir el chisme, una persona puede sentirse preocupada. しかし、うわさ話をした後、人は不安を感じるかもしれません。 The closeness is gone. La cercanía se ha ido. 親近感がなくなった。 So a person will look for more gossip to spread. Entonces una persona buscará más chismes para difundir. そのため、人は広めるためにより多くのゴシップを探します。 They will try to share the gossip with other people. Intentarán compartir los chismes con otras personas. 彼らはゴシップを他の人と共有しようとします。 And so the rumours grow and grow. Y así los rumores crecen y crecen. そして、噂はどんどん広まっていきます。 People usually do not stop to find out if the information is true or not. La gente generalmente no se detiene a averiguar si la información es verdadera o no. 人々は通常、その情報が真実かどうかを調べるために立ち止まることはありません。

Voice 2 Voz 2

This brings us to the third reason. Esto nos lleva a la tercera razón. これが 3 番目の理由につながります。 People who are listening to gossip feel included. Las personas que escuchan chismes se sienten incluidas. ゴシップを聞いている人は、含まれていると感じます。 Dr. McGee says that this is a feeling everyone wants! マギー博士は、これは誰もが望んでいる感覚だと言います! No one wants to be the last to know a particular piece of information. 特定の情報を最後に知りたいと思う人はいません。 Information is power. And we all like to have a piece of this power. そして、私たちは皆、この力の一部を持ちたいと思っています。 It is not difficult to excuse gossip, even when you know it is wrong. たとえそれが間違っているとわかっていても、うわさ話の言い訳をするのは難しくありません。 At first, it may even seem like the information is something important - something we need to know. 最初は、その情報が何か重要なもの、つまり私たちが知る必要があるものであるようにさえ思えるかもしれません。

Voice 1

But what about the person who the gossip is about? しかし、ゴシップの対象となっている人物はどうでしょうか。 No one wants people to spread gossip about them. 人々が彼らについてのゴシップを広めることを誰も望んでいません。 And it is very difficult to stop a rumour. そして、噂を止めることは非常に困難です。 Maybe you have been the target of gossip. 噂の的になってしまったのかもしれません。 Maybe you have heard that a particular person is saying bad things about you. 特定の人があなたのことを悪く言っていると聞いたことがあるかもしれません。 There are some things you can do. できることはいくつかあります。 Dr McGee also has some good suggestions for this situation.

Voice 2

First, find out if the person has been talking about you or not. まず、その人があなたのことを話しているかどうかを調べます。 Be careful not to report information as a fact. 情報を事実として報告しないように注意してください。 For example, you could talk to the person sharing the rumour. たとえば、噂を共有している人と話すことができます。 You could say,

Voice 4

‘I heard a false rumour about me yesterday! 「昨日、私についてのデマを聞きました! Have you heard this story? この話を聞いたことがありますか? Please help me to understand why people are saying these things about me.' なぜ人々が私についてこのようなことを言っているのかを理解するのを手伝ってください. Voice 2

Dealing with issues respectfully and openly can often solve them faster. 敬意を持って率直に問題に対処することで、多くの場合、問題をより迅速に解決できます。

Voice 1

When you hear gossip, question the person who shared it with you - in a respectful way. うわさ話を聞いたときは、それを共有した人に敬意を持って質問してください。 For example, you could say,

Voice 4

‘That does not sound like something Angela would say. 「それはアンジェラが言うことのようには聞こえません. Before we accept this as true, can we ask Angela? これが真実であると認める前に、アンジェラに聞いてもいいですか? I want to understand exactly what she meant.' 私は彼女が何を意味したかを正確に理解したい. Voice 1

This makes others see that we do not want to be a part of gossip. これにより、私たちがゴシップの一部になりたくないことが他の人にわかります。 And it helps them to find out the truth. そして、それは彼らが真実を見つけるのを助けます。

Voice 2

Ending gossip may be difficult. ゴシップを終わらせるのは難しいかもしれません。 But it is important to stop it. Even a small piece of gossip can have big effects. 小さなうわさ話でも大きな影響を与えることができます。 Gossip has been a problem for thousands of years. ゴシップは何千年もの間問題でした。 There is even a letter in the Christian Bible that warns about gossiping! キリスト教の聖書には、うわさ話について警告する手紙さえあります。 The writer tells his friends to be careful: 作家は友人たちに注意するように言います:

Voice 3

‘The tongue is a very small part of the body... Think about how one very small fire can create a big forest fire.' 「舌は体の非常に小さな部分です...1つの非常に小さな火がどのようにして大きな森林火災を引き起こすかを考えてみてください.」 Voice 1

Through carelessness, one small fire can destroy a whole forest. 不注意により、1 つの小さな火災が森全体を破壊する可能性があります。 In the same way, careless talk can destroy a person's name and character. 同様に、不用意な話は人の名前と性格を破壊する可能性があります。 If you are tempted to share gossip, stop and think. うわさ話をしたくなったら、立ち止まって考えてみてください。 By ending the gossip, you may be preventing hurt and broken relationships. うわさ話を終わらせることで、傷ついたり壊れた関係を防げるかもしれません。

Voice 2

The writer of this program was Marina Santee. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet athttp://www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Talking About Other People'. Voice 1

We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.