America is a tiny community in which these types loom large,

美国是一个小社会有相同的形象难以避免
that anyone from anywhere

因而不论是谁来自哪
--if he's the right kind of American

只要他正好是那类美国人
--will know the other members of that American tribe of types.

他就会认识他那类人的其他成员
So, Mississippi Gene knows the America that Sal knows,

因此密西西比基恩认识萨尔所认识的美国
and it's America populated by these larger-than-life figures.

美国就是这些非凡的人物构成的
The very vagueness of the description:

这个描述的含糊性
"You mean the tall fellow with the big laugh?"

你可是说那个总爱大笑的家伙
How many people can we imagine who might fit that description?

我们可以想到多少个符合描述的人
It's like telling your horoscope; if you're general enough,

就像讨论你的星座如果你足够普通
you're going to make a match.

你就有可能对号入座
So, Sal is convinced--he wants to be convinced;

所以萨尔信服了他希望被说服