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According to the New York Times, US foreign allies "were blindly dialling in to Trump Tower" in the days after the national election.
据《纽约时报》报道，在美国大选后的这些日子里，美国的海外盟友们都“不假思索的往特朗普大厦打电话”。
But what is normal procedure for conversations between world leaders?
那么，世界各国领袖之间通电话的正常程序是怎样的？
Here are some of the steps taken to smooth out the process and avoid potential pitfalls, from linguistic misunderstandings to prank callers.
以下是保证通话能顺畅进行所采取的一些步骤，它们还能避免出现从语言不通造成误会到恶作剧电话等各类潜在的外交陷阱。
"Hello, can I speak to the president?" is not an off-the-cuff request an operator is ever likely to hear from a world leader.
电话接线员不太可能有机会从一国领袖那里听到“哈啰，麻烦找一下总统”这样的随意请求。
By the time the initial pleasantries are exchanged between heads of state, the groundwork will have been done behind the scenes by the leaders' respective staff.
在两国政府首脑相互寒暄之前，他们各自的团队就已经在幕后做好了铺垫工作。
"When there is an established relationship between two countries, it might be as simple as one situation room calling its counterpoint and saying my head of state wants to speak to yours," says Stephen Yates, who worked as deputy national security adviser to former US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
曾担任前美国副总统迪克·切尼副国安顾问的叶望辉表示：“当两国有已确立的关系时，通话就可能简单到一国的特情室致电给另一国的特情室，说我们的元首想和你们的元首通话。”
When countries are in less frequent contact, an ambassador may make the first formal request on their leader's behalf.
如果两国之间的联系不是那么频繁的话，可能会先由一国大使代表国家领导人提出正式的请求。
They will set out the proposed agenda and reasons for the call and, if agreed, the reciprocal team would then work it into busy schedules.
他们会列出有关的联系日程以及通话原因，如果双方同意，接听一方将会把通话列入忙碌的日程中。
World leaders are typically well briefed before speaking to each other.
通常在通话之前，领导人都已经收到了简要的情况汇报。
In the US, the president is given a dossier from the National Security Council (NSC), the principal US advisory body on national security and foreign policy.
在美国，总统会从国家安全委员会--这是美国的安全及外交事务顾问部门--那里得到一份档案汇编。
If it is a simple courtesy call, the information provided may be basic, including details on who initiated contact, and two or three recommended talking points.
如果只是一次简单的礼节性交流，事前所汇报的可能就只是一些基本的信息，包括是谁先提请进行联络，以及两到三个推荐的话题。
There may also be some need-to-know personal information, such as a reminder to ask after a sick husband or wife.
此外，还可能包括一些需要知道的私人信息，比如提醒总统问候对方最近抱恙在身的丈夫或夫人。
If the topic is sensitive, the NSC will offer the president an additional short briefing, and then listen in on the call.
如果通话的议题比较敏感，国家安全委员会将会为总统提供一个额外的简报，然后会在通话中旁听。
World leaders usually have various people listening in on their conversations, including aides and interpreters.
世界领导人的通话通常都会有很多人旁听，包括副手和翻译等等。
Even when leaders speak another language fluently, they often choose to conduct official calls in their mother tongue.
哪怕领导人本身能够流利地说另一国的语言，在官方通话中，他们通常使用的还是母语。
"Sometimes that is down to national pride, but it's also to avoid misunderstandings and protect nuance," says Kevin Hendzel, a former White House linguist.
前白宫语言顾问凯文·亨塞尔表示：“有时候这是一个国家尊严的问题，但是更多的是为了避免误会和保障沟通当中的微妙信息。”
US presidential translators will have passed security clearances, background checks and even sat polygraph tests, before they become privy to sensitive information involved in high-level diplomacy.
美国总统的翻译必须经过安全调查、背景审核，甚至测谎测试，然后才能获准在高层外交当中有对敏感信息的知情权。
"There are no novices that work at the presidential level," says Mr Hendzel. "It takes a great deal of time for an interpreter to reach this stage. They are also experts in the subject matter, and they know getting a form of address wrong can be a deal breaker."
“在总统级别的工作中不会有新手存在，”亨塞尔说，“翻译要达到这个级别需要花大量的时间。他们同时还是某些具体议题的专家，并且知道哪怕搞错一个称呼都可能坏事。”
Prank calls to presidents are rare, but not unheard of.
打给元首的恶作剧电话很少见，但也并非从未有过。
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fell victim to hoax in January, when a radio presenter phoned imitating the new separatist leader of Catalonia.
今年1月，西班牙总统马里亚诺·拉霍伊就曾被耍过，当时一个电台主持人打给他，假装自己是加泰罗尼亚的分离派新领袖。
