The Noisy Horn of South Africa 南非喇叭的噪音

By Jonah Fisher, South Africa

媒體英語會帶大家一起學習BBC撰稿人在報道世界大事時常用到的單詞和短語。

Background:日本足球協會負責人提出應在明年的世界杯賽中取締一種叫 vuvuzela 的塑料喇叭。犬飼基昭在日本隊同東道主南非隊比賽之后說，刺耳的喇叭聲嚴重干擾了日本球員之間的交流。此前世界足協曾拒絕過類似抱怨，認為 vuvuzela 是南非運動傳統的一部分。

Its sound has been compared to a swarm of angry bees; even an elephant with constipation.

But the blowing of the vuvuzela could, if anyone can hear themselves speak, be one of the talking points of the next World Cup.

A metre long and used like a trumpet, the plastic horn is the constant soundtrack to South African domestic football.

But opinion is divided as to whether it will be a welcome addition to next June’s event.

Television networks and players have complained and they've now been joined by the head of the Japanese football association. Speaking after his side played a friendly in South Africa, Motoaki Inukai said the noise was so loud that players just a few metres apart still couldn't hear each other.

He said he would raise the issue at the World Cup draw on 4 December and wanted FIFA to ban the vuvuzela from all games not involving the hosts.

Despite the noise, and a change of coach, South Africa's team Bafana Bafana show no sign of improving.

Currently ranked 85th in the world, they've failed to score a goal in any of their last four games.