著名好萊塢演員強尼戴普與前妻安柏赫德的誹謗訴訟官司終於盛大落幕，想跟國外友人聊聊這場官司嗎？本次就讓我們從整起案子的重要關鍵用語與概念，來認識多益測驗相關的重要字彙吧！
訴訟案的緣由
本起案件的由來是戴普前妻赫德在二○一八年投書《華盛頓郵報》影射他家暴，他為此對前妻提告，表示對方的defamation「誹謗」對自己的事業造成損害，赫德則反告對方律師對於受虐不實的指控。defamation來自於動詞defame，由「de去除」與「fame名聲」組成，意思就是去掉名聲，解釋為「誹謗」。
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
此外，「一般告訴」的動詞是sue，請務必小寫，不然就變成人名「蘇」了。控告的「訴訟案」則是lawsuit。如果是「公訴」則會變成prosecute，因此prosecutor就是「檢察官」的意思。
The divorced couple sued each other.（這對已離婚的伴侶互相提告。）
The lawsuit between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has been the media focus for the past few weeks.（過去幾周，強尼戴普與安柏赫德之間的訴訟案一直是媒體的焦點。）
Depp sued Heard for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post.
（戴普控告赫德在二○一八年，於《華盛頓郵報》社論對頁版撰寫的文章對他造成誹謗。）
備註：op-ed 是opposite the editorial page 的意思，代表社論對頁版的文章。
台美法制差異
台灣裁定法律案件多數是靠judge「法官」裁決，但是美國的法制是靠jury「陪審團」審判。每個jury由奇數的juror「陪審員」組成，可避免majority decision「多數決」審判時，票數平手的問題。然而本次的審判不是以多數決，而是unanimous「無異議決」，意思就是所有的陪審團成員必須要「全數同意」最後的ruling「決定」。
The seven-person jury reached a unanimous ruling stating that Johnny Depp will be granted more than $10 million.
（七人陪審團一致裁定強尼戴普將獲得超過一千萬美元的賠償金。）
審判結果
在法官verdict「宣判」結果前，public opinion「輿論」的風向早已超越勝負，戴普已獲得了大眾的sympathy「同情心」與支持。
Regardless of the verdict, Johnny has won public sympathy over the process.
（遑論宣判，強尼已在過程中贏得了大眾的同情心。）
宣判賠償金額時會使用award「頒獎、頒布」，而本次宣判結果分成兩種不同的賠償。分別為compensatory damages「補償性損害賠償（金）」，以及punitive damages「懲罰性損害賠償（金）」。形容詞compensatory 來自於動詞compensate，而punitive「懲罰」除了在法律中代表「處罰性」的意思，也可以用於形容「過高的利息」。
以下為本次審判結果：
The jury awarded Depp US$10 million in compensatory damages and US$5 million in punitive damages.
（陪審團判賠戴普一千萬美元補償性損害賠償金，與五百萬懲罰性損害賠償金。）
The jury awarded Heard US$2 million in compensatory damages and no money for punitive damages.（陪審團判賠赫德美金兩百萬補償性損害賠償金，不賠付懲罰性損害賠償金。）
不過因為維吉尼亞州有懲罰性損害賠償金的上限，所以戴普的損害賠償金無法全額賠付。「上限」在英文中除了用upper limit 外，更常以cap 來表示。
Punitive damages in the state of Virginia are capped at US$350,000.
（維吉尼亞州的懲罰性損害賠償金上限為三十五萬美金。）
宣判後的反應
戴普與赫德在宣告審判結果後都於自己的社群媒體上發表聲明。赫德的聲明可以了解英文比較級的使用方法，不論是全文或語句上都有很多程度堆疊的用法能學習。
The disappointment I feel today is beyond words.
（我今天所感受到的失望難以用言語形容。）
I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.
（我對於該宣判對其他女性的意義感到更加失望。）
beyond words 表示「無以言表」，類似片語還有beyond description、imagination等。
在比較級中more已經是「更多」了，所以要表達比「更多還要多」，可以在more 前方加上even，表示更高的程度。
I am even more excited and motivated, knowing that the situation is getting more challenging.（在知道情況變得越來越具有挑戰性後，我更加充滿幹勁。）
要表示更高的比較級也可以使用still，但要特別注意even 要放在比較級「之前」，still 則要放在比較級「之後」。
I am sad I lost this case, but I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly.
（我很難過輸了這個案子，但更讓我傷心的是，我似乎失去了身為美國人的權利—自由與公開地發言。）
【多益模擬試題】
1. The cutting-edge innovation is ________ my imagination, and will surely bring huge impact to the industry.
(A) beside (B) behind (C) beyond (D) beware
2. The more we damage the environment,
________ we shall pay in the future.
(A) more
(B) even more
(C) the more
(D) still
【解析】
1. 正解(C)。語意為「這個最新的創新超出我的想像，且一定會對這個產業造成巨大影響。」(A)旁邊，(B)後面，(D)察覺。 Beyond my imagination「超出我的想像」符合句意，故(C)為正確答案。
2. 正解(C)。語意為「我們越傷害環境，我們未來就要付出越多。」本題要考雙重比較級，前後兩句都要加上the與比較級，表示一者增加時另一者也會增加，故(C)為正確答案。
Source: https://www.englishok.com.tw/toeic/toeic-issue/johnny-depp-defame
文章由 English OK 授權使用: www.englishok.com.tw
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