下载MP3到电脑 [F8键暂停/播放] 批量下载MP3到手机
TheBushadministration'sproposed $700 billionbailoutofthefinancialindustryisthetalkofWashingtonrightnow. Butwhereexactlydidtheterm "bailout" comefrom? InthisspecialeditionofWordmaster, AviArdittiandRosanneSkirbleturntodictionaryeditor, BenZimmer, fortheanswer.
BenZimmer
BENZIMMER: "Originallyabailoutreferredtoawaythatapilotcouldgetoutofaplaneveryquicklybyopeningupaparachuteandparachutingtosafety. Andthatisspelledb-a-i-l-outinAmericanusage, butBritishspeakerstendtospellitb-a-l-e-out. Buteitherway, itthenbecameappliedtofinancialsituations, whereacompanyorcorporationwouldhavetoberescuedinthesamewaythatsomeonehadtoberescuedfromaplane, bymakinganemergencylandingbyparachute."
AA: "MyfirstthoughtwhenIwouldhearthattermwasmaybeithadsomethingtodowithaboattakingonwaterandyouwouldbailitout. You'resayingithadtodowithapilotbailingoutofaplane?"
BENZIMMER: "Yeah, actuallyitisalsorelatedtotheideaofbailingwaterout. Thegeneralimageisoflettingsomethingout. Ifyouspellitasb-a-l-eyoucanunderstanditaslettingabundleout, throughatrapdoor, forinstance. You're --
RS: "Abaleofhay."
BENZIMMER: " -- bailingoutthatway. Soithadthesevarioussensesrelatingtojusttryingtogetsomethingoutthedoorveryquickly. Butthefinancialexpressioncomesspecificallyfromtheideaofsomeoneinaplaneneedingtomakeanemergencyparachutelanding."
RS: "Ajumptosafety."
Parachutes
BENZIMMER: "Right. A'goldenparachute.'"
AA: "Right, agoldenparachute, whattheCEOsget, right? Andjustbriefly, agoldenparachute, sinceyoubroughtthatup, whatexactlyisagoldenparachute?"
BENZIMMER: "Theideaisthatasthecompanyisgoingdownhill, asthecompanyisabouttocrash, theCEO [chiefexecutiveofficer] orotherexecutivesgetsomeverysweetdealtogetoutofthesituation. Sothey'renotjustbeingbailedout, butthey'regettingatidysumofmoney. Sothatbecamereferredtoasagoldenparachute. Startinginthenineteeneightiesweheardaboutthat, wheresometimesthere'dbeacontractthatwasagreeduponsothatif, forinstance, anexecutive -- notnecessarilyifthatcompanywasgoingtogobankrupt, butjustifthecompanywasgoingtofiresomeone, theexecutivewouldmakesurethatheorshehadsomethinginthecontractstatingthattheywouldgetaverylargesumofmoneyifthatshouldhappen. Andthatwasalsocalledagoldenparachute."