This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
December is a time of holiday gift-giving and strong business activity in many places.
在全球很多地方，12月是一个节日赠礼和商业活动火爆的季节。
But this year, a different idea is weighing on the minds of people in many countries: austerity.
但今年，另一个想法压在了许多国家人们的心头：紧缩。
This week, publisher Merriam-Webster released its list of top ten words of the year for two thousand ten. And "austerity" was at the top. The company made its list based on how often people looked up definitions using its online dictionary.
本周，韦氏出版社发布了2010年十大热门词汇，紧缩一词位居首位。该公司根据人们使用韦氏在线词典查找单词定义的频率发布其热门词汇。
Merriam-Webster defines "austerity" as "enforced or extreme economy." Greece and Ireland face huge budget deficits. This has forced severe spending cuts for those governments. And they are not alone.
韦氏定义“紧缩”为“强制或极端的经济”。希腊和爱尔兰面临着巨额预算赤字。这迫使这些国家的政府严格削减支出，而这些国家并非特例。
When nations get into financial trouble, they may request loans from the International Monetary Fund or other donors. Donors, however, demand austerity measures such as sharp cuts in government spending and tax increases.
当一个国家陷入经济困境，他们可能从国际货币基金组织或其他援助方申请贷款。然而，援助方会要求该国采取紧缩措施，例如大幅削减政府支出，增加税收。
Michael Izza is chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He says the world financial crisis pushed some governments to spend more. But not all debt problems are the same.
迈克尔·伊扎（Michael Izza）是英格兰和威尔士特许会计师协会的首席执行官。他表示，全球金融危机使得一些国家财政支出增加。但并非所有的债务问题原因都一样。
Economist Dev Kar says Greece got into trouble by having too many government employees, spending freely on retirement pay and misleading investors. Last spring, Greece received rescue loans of over one hundred billion dollars. But Germany agreed to help only if Greece promised tough austerity measures.
经济学家戴夫·卡（Dev Kar）称，希腊陷入危机是由于政府雇员过多，退休金支出过度以及投资者被误导。今年春天，希腊获得了超千亿援助贷款。但德国同意援助的前提是希腊承诺采取严厉紧缩措施。
Ireland's budget deficits grew sharply after it guaranteed the bad loans of the country's biggest banks. In November, European officials agreed to a bailout nearly as large as the one Greece received.
爱尔兰为该国最大的几家银行提供不良贷款担保后，财政预算赤字急增。今年11月，欧盟官员同意对爱尔兰采取近乎希腊规模的援助。
But austerity measures are unpopular. Large protests have taken place not only in Greece and Ireland, but also in Britain, Portugal and Romania.
但紧缩措施不得人心。大规模抗议不仅发生在希腊和爱尔兰，还包括英国，葡萄牙和罗马尼亚。
Other nations facing big deficits and slow economic growth are also seeing their borrowing costs rise. Credit rating agencies are warning about the debts of Portugal and Spain and others may follow.
面临巨额赤字和经济增长缓慢的其他国家也看到其借贷成本上涨。信用评级机构发出警告，葡萄牙和西班牙等国的债务问题可能会随之而来。
In May, European leaders agreed to set aside nearly seven hundred billion dollars to help troubled countries in the area. But the chief of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, says a more organized approach is needed.
今年五月，欧盟领导人同意拨出近7000亿美元以帮助陷入危机的欧盟国家。但国际货币基金负责人多米尼克·斯特劳斯·卡恩称，（解决危机）需要更系统性的手段。
DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN: "Europe has to provide, the euro zone has to provide, a comprehensive solution to this problem. The piecemeal approach, one country after the other one, is not a good one."
卡恩：“欧洲和欧元区必须就该类问题提供一个全面解决方案。现行的一个接一个解决的零散方案不是最好的选择。”
This could mean "austerity" will remain a top word for two thousand eleven.
这可能意味着“紧缩”仍将是2011年最热门词汇。