2006年VOA标准英语-"Da Vinci Code" Lawsuit Grips Publishing W

By Michael Drudge¹
London
16 March 2006

Legal experts are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a British lawsuit² accusing the publisher of  "The Da Vinci Code" by American author Dan Brown of copyright violations³.  

A trial underway in London's ornate Royal Courts of Justice could have a wide-ranging impact on how authors gather and compile their research without being accused of copyright infringement⁴.

The British branch of the publisher Random⁵ House is being sued by two authors, who claim The Da Vinci Code novelist Dan Brown stole his ideas from their 1982 non-fiction book entitled Holy Blood, Holy Grail.

 
Dan Brown leaves The Royal Courts of Justice in London,  March 14, 2006
  
The reclusive Brown has testified that the claim by British authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh is "completely fanciful."

Both books deal with a theory that Jesus Christ survived his crucifixion, took Mary Magdalene as his wife, and that their descendants survive to this day.  Theologians consider the books' theses false and heretical.

Brown's The Da Vinci Code has sold more than 40 million copies in the past three years, and a film based on the book - starring Tom Hanks - is due for release on May 19.

Copyright lawyers are watching the London case with fascination⁶.

Among them is Robin⁷ Fry, of the London law firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs.  He has told a group of London-based foreign correspondents that a victory for Baigent and Leigh could adversely⁸ affect writers and academics around the world.

"I think it will put the brakes on a lot of research," Fry said.  "I think a lot of people will be confused about how they can use other works, because the fact is we all stand on the shoulders of others.  It is very rare that one can say that any work you have done is completely original."
 

Michael Baigent, co-author of Holy Blood,  Holy Grail, center, arrives at Royal Courts of Justice in London,  Feb. 28, 2006   
  
But Fry believes there is so much money involved that neither side will want to destroy what he calls "the Da Vinci Code marketplace" if the verdict goes in favor of Baigent and Leigh.

"Inevitably⁹, there will be hasty negotiations¹⁰, there will be credits agreed for the authors [Baigent and Leigh] and there will be agreement regarding payment of royalties¹¹ to those authors, so it will be a painful, difficult process but one cannot conceive that the whole Da Vinci Code industry will be stopped in its tracks simply by reason of this court case," he said.

Fry also expects The Da Vinci Code film will be released on schedule, even if Baigent and Leigh win.  He says Baigent and Leigh would not risk a countersuit by the filmmakers for lost profits, in the event a verdict in the authors' favor is overturned on appeal.

Random House also stands to win financially no matter how the case turns out, because it is the publisher of both The Da Vinci Code and Holy Blood and Holy Grail.  The publisher says sales of both books have been spurred on by publicity¹² about the lawsuit.  

1 drudge   

n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳

参考例句：

• I feel like a real drudge--I've done nothing but clean all day!我觉得自己像个做苦工的--整天都在做清洁工作！
• I'm a poor,miserable,forlorn drudge;I shall only drag you down with me.我是一个贫穷，倒运，走投无路的苦力，只会拖累你。

2 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

3 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

4 infringement   

n.违反；侵权

参考例句：

• Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
• The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯

5 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

6 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

7 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

8 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

9 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

12 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。