TED2016
John McWhorter: 4 reasons to learn a new language
John McWhorter: 学一门新语言的四个理由
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英语正迅速成为世界通用语言，同步翻译技术也在逐年提高。那么为什么还要学习一门外语呢？美国哥伦比亚大学教授、语言学家约翰·麦克沃特分享了学习一门不熟悉的语言的四个好处。
John McWhorter - Linguist
Linguist John McWhorter thinks about language in relation to race, politics and our shared cultural history. Full bio
Linguist John McWhorter thinks about language in relation to race, politics and our shared cultural history. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
The language I'm speaking right now
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我现在说的英语
正逐渐变成全球通用语言，
00:15
is on its way to becoming
the world's universal language,
the world's universal language,
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这有好处也有弊端。
00:19
for better or for worse.
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我们会认同，
00:22
Let's face it,
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这是互联网标准语言，
00:23
it's the language of the internet,
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是金融界通用语言，
00:25
it's the language of finance,
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是空中管制标准语言，
00:27
it's the language of air traffic control,
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流行音乐，
00:29
of popular music,
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外交活动。
00:31
diplomacy --
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英语无处不在。
00:32
English is everywhere.
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00:34
Now, Mandarin Chinese
is spoken by more people,
is spoken by more people,
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实际上，说汉语的人数更多一些，
但是学英语的中国人要比
00:38
but more Chinese people
are learning English
are learning English
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学汉语的英语母语者要多。
00:40
than English speakers
are learning Chinese.
are learning Chinese.
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00:43
Last I heard,
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我之前听说，
现在中国有二十多所大学
00:45
there are two dozen universities
in China right now
in China right now
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使用纯英语教学。
00:48
teaching all in English.
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英语已占统治地位，
00:51
English is taking over.
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除此之外，
00:53
And in addition to that,
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预计在本世纪末期，
00:55
it's been predicted
that at the end of the century
that at the end of the century
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绝大多数现存的语言，
00:58
almost all of the languages
that exist now --
that exist now --
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大约6000种，
01:01
there are about 6,000 --
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将会失传。
01:02
will no longer be spoken.
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只会有几百种剩下。
01:04
There will only be some hundreds left.
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01:07
And on top of that,
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另一方面，
现在同传翻译不仅已经成为可能，
01:09
it's at the point where
instant translation of live speech
instant translation of live speech
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而且每年都在变得更好。
01:13
is not only possible,
but it gets better every year.
but it gets better every year.
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01:17
The reason I'm reciting
those things to you
those things to you
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我跟大家说这么多
是因为我要引出一个问题
01:20
is because I can tell
that we're getting to the point
that we're getting to the point
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一个大家或许已经在问的问题，
01:23
where a question
is going to start being asked,
is going to start being asked,
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就是：“为什么我们需要学习
01:25
which is: Why should we
learn foreign languages --
learn foreign languages --
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除英语的外语？
01:29
other than if English
happens to be foreign to one?
happens to be foreign to one?
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既然很快英语会成为通用语言，
01:33
Why bother to learn another one
when it's getting to the point
when it's getting to the point
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为什么还要去学习新的语言呢？”
01:36
where almost everybody in the world
will be able to communicate in one?
will be able to communicate in one?
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01:42
I think there are a lot of reasons,
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我觉得理由很多，
但是我首先想要弄清一个概念，
01:44
but I first want to address
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可能大家也都听过，
01:46
the one that you're probably
most likely to have heard of,
most likely to have heard of,
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但它可能比你想象的还要重要。
01:49
because actually it's more
dangerous than you might think.
dangerous than you might think.
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这个观点是
01:54
And that is the idea
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语言能塑造你的思维，
01:55
that a language channels your thoughts,
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不同语言的词汇和语法结构
01:58
that the vocabulary
and the grammar of different languages
and the grammar of different languages
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给了每个人不同的思维方式，
02:02
gives everybody
a different kind of acid trip,
a different kind of acid trip,
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类似于此。
02:06
so to speak.
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这是个挺诱人的观点，
02:08
That is a marvelously enticing idea,
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但却有点误人子弟。
02:12
but it's kind of fraught.
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这个说法也不全错。
02:13
So it's not that it's untrue completely.
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比如说，法语和西班牙语中
02:17
So for example, in French and Spanish
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“桌子”这个单词，由于某些原因，
都是阴性的。
都是阴性的。
02:20
the word for table is,
for some reason, marked as feminine.
for some reason, marked as feminine.
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比如 “la table"、”la mesa”，
你知道就够了。
你知道就够了。
02:25
So, "la table," "la mesa,"
you just have to deal with it.
you just have to deal with it.
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研究表明
02:29
It has been shown
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如果这些语言是你的母语
02:30
that if you are a speaker
of one of those languages
of one of those languages
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那么当你被问到要
02:33
and you happen to be asked
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想象一张桌子突然开口说话，
02:35
how you would imagine a table talking,
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那么大多数情况下，不排除意外，
02:39
then much more often
than could possibly be an accident,
than could possibly be an accident,
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一位说法语或西班牙语的人
02:43
a French or a Spanish speaker
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会说桌子说话的声音是女性的高音。
02:45
says that the table would talk
with a high and feminine voice.
with a high and feminine voice.
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所以如果你是法国或西班牙人，
你会把桌子看成女孩，
你会把桌子看成女孩，
02:50
So if you're French or Spanish,
to you, a table is kind of a girl,
to you, a table is kind of a girl,
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而说英语的人的看法恰恰相反。
02:54
as opposed to if you
are an English speaker.
are an English speaker.
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我们都很喜欢这种观察结果，
02:57
It's hard not to love data like that,
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而且很多人会告诉你这意味着
02:59
and many people
will tell you that that means
will tell you that that means
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当你说话时，
你继承了那种语言的世界观。
你继承了那种语言的世界观。
03:01
that there's a worldview that you have
if you speak one of those languages.
if you speak one of those languages.
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但是你要谨慎些，
03:06
But you have to watch out,
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想象一下有人把我们放在显微镜下，
03:07
because imagine if somebody
put us under the microscope,
put us under the microscope,
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我们这些母语是英语的人。
03:12
the us being those of us
who speak English natively.
who speak English natively.
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那么英语的世界观是什么？
03:14
What is the worldview from English?
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拿一个母语是英语的人来举例。
03:18
So for example,
let's take an English speaker.
let's take an English speaker.
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这是波诺。
03:21
Up on the screen, that is Bono.
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他说英文，
03:24
He speaks English.
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他有一个世界观。
03:26
I presume he has a worldview.
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现在这个人是唐纳德·特朗普。
03:29
Now, that is Donald Trump.
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03:33
In his way,
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他同样也说英文。
03:34
he speaks English as well.
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03:35
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
03:39
And here is Ms. Kardashian,
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这是卡戴珊，
她也说英文。
03:42
and she is an English speaker, too.
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现在这里有三位说英文的人。
03:44
So here are three speakers
of the English language.
of the English language.
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他们的世界观有什么共同点吗？
03:47
What worldview do those
three people have in common?
three people have in common?
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英语塑造了什么样的世界观
让他们有共同之处？
让他们有共同之处？
03:51
What worldview is shaped through
the English language that unites them?
the English language that unites them?
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这个问题很难说。
03:56
It's a highly fraught concept.
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逐渐达成的共识认为
语言能塑造思维，
语言能塑造思维，
03:58
And so gradual consensus is becoming
that language can shape thought,
that language can shape thought,
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但只是非常模糊的一种心理暗示。
04:03
but it tends to be in rather darling,
obscure psychological flutters.
obscure psychological flutters.
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它并不是能让你用不同的态度
来看待世界。
来看待世界。
04:09
It's not a matter of giving you
a different pair of glasses on the world.
a different pair of glasses on the world.
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如果这个想法不成立，
04:14
Now, if that's the case,
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那么我们为什么要学习外语?
04:17
then why learn languages?
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如果外语并不能改变你的思维方式，
04:19
If it isn't going to change
the way you think,
the way you think,
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那么我们学习的原因是什么?
04:21
what would the other reasons be?
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有几个理由。
04:23
There are some.
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04:25
One of them is that if you
want to imbibe a culture,
want to imbibe a culture,
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首先，如果你想学习一个文化，
如果你想吸收并让自己融入这个文化，
04:31
if you want to drink it in,
if you want to become part of it,
if you want to become part of it,
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那么不论如何，
这个语言是否为此文化的载体，
这个语言是否为此文化的载体，
04:34
then whether or not
the language channels the culture --
the language channels the culture --
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或许有人会质疑，
04:38
and that seems doubtful --
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如果你想汲取这个文化，
04:40
if you want to imbibe the culture,
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你就必须对这个文化使用的语言
04:41
you have to control to some degree
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04:44
the language that the culture
happens to be conducted in.
happens to be conducted in.
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有一定程度的掌握。
没有捷径。
04:47
There's no other way.
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举一个有趣的例子。
04:49
There's an interesting
illustration of this.
illustration of this.
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可能这个例子没那么直观，
但是你应该可以理解。
但是你应该可以理解。
04:51
I have to go slightly obscure,
but really you should seek it out.
but really you should seek it out.
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加拿大导演Denys Arcand
执导的一部电影，
执导的一部电影，
04:55
There's a movie by the Canadian
film director Denys Arcand --
film director Denys Arcand --
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如果有兴趣，你可以上网查一下，
05:00
read out in English on the page,
"Dennis Ar-cand,"
"Dennis Ar-cand,"
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英语是Dennis Ar-cand。
05:02
if you want to look him up.
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他拍了一部电影叫
《蒙特利尔的耶稣》。
《蒙特利尔的耶稣》。
05:04
He did a film called "Jesus of Montreal."
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电影中很多角色
05:07
And many of the characters
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都是说法语的法语区加拿大女人，
05:09
are vibrant, funny, passionate,
interesting French-Canadian,
interesting French-Canadian,
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充满活力，为人风趣，充满热情。
05:14
French-speaking women.
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在影片结尾有一个场景，
05:15
There's one scene closest to the end,
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他们要送一个朋友到讲英语的医院。
05:18
where they have to take a friend
to an Anglophone hospital.
to an Anglophone hospital.
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在医院里他们需要讲英语。
05:21
In the hospital,
they have to speak English.
they have to speak English.
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她们会说英语，但是不是母语，
05:23
Now, they speak English
but it's not their native language,
but it's not their native language,
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她们不太愿意讲英语。
05:26
they'd rather not speak English.
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她们的语速慢了下来，
05:28
And they speak it more slowly,
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讲的话有口音并且显得生硬。
05:30
they have accents, they're not idiomatic.
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突然间，这些你已经爱上的角色
05:32
Suddenly these characters
that you've fallen in love with
that you've fallen in love with
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变成了空空的躯壳，
变成了她们自己的影子。
变成了她们自己的影子。
05:35
become husks of themselves,
they're shadows of themselves.
they're shadows of themselves.
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05:39
To go into a culture
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了解一种文化，
如果只是透过表面那一层面纱，
05:41
and to only ever process people
through that kind of skrim curtain
through that kind of skrim curtain
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我们是无法真正理解的。
05:45
is to never truly get the culture.
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所以既然未来几百种语言会存活下来，
05:47
And so the extent that hundreds
of languages will be left,
of languages will be left,
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学外语的一个理由就是
05:50
one reason to learn them
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05:52
is because they are tickets
to being able to participate
to being able to participate
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它是我们理解和融入一种文化的
一张门票，
一张门票，
05:55
in the culture of the people
who speak them,
who speak them,
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因为语言就是打开文化的钥匙。
05:58
just by virtue of the fact
that it is their code.
that it is their code.
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06:01
So that's one reason.
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以上是第一个原因。
06:03
Second reason:
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第二个原因：
有研究指出，
06:04
it's been shown
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同时讲两种语言的人更不容易痴呆，
06:06
that if you speak two languages,
dementia is less likely to set in,
dementia is less likely to set in,
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而且你可能更加的擅长多线操作。
06:11
and that you are probably
a better multitasker.
a better multitasker.
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这些都是目前的研究结论
06:14
And these are factors that set in early,
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能够给你一些参考，
06:17
and so that ought to give you some sense
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帮助你决定什么时候
让孩子们接触新的语言。
让孩子们接触新的语言。
06:19
of when to give junior or juniorette
lessons in another language.
lessons in another language.
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双语教学有益健康。
06:24
Bilingualism is healthy.
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然后，第三点
06:26
And then, third --
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语言本身非常的有意思。
06:28
languages are just an awful lot of fun.
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比人们一般认为的要有意思的多。
06:32
Much more fun than we're often told.
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例如在阿拉伯语中”kataba“
表示“他写了”，
表示“他写了”，
06:34
So for example,
Arabic: "kataba," he wrote,
Arabic: "kataba," he wrote,
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”yaktubu“表示“他写，她写”。
06:37
"yaktubu," he writes, she writes.
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”Uktub“，是祈使句中“写”的意思。
06:41
"Uktub," write, in the imperative.
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这些有什么共同之处呢？
06:44
What do those things have in common?
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这几个单词的共同之处
06:46
All those things have in common
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在于词里面都有同样的辅音，构成主体。
06:48
the consonants sitting
in the middle like pillars.
in the middle like pillars.
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它们保持不变，
06:51
They stay still,
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元音围绕着辅音变化。
06:53
and the vowels
dance around the consonants.
dance around the consonants.
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谁不想多说这些单词几遍呢？
06:56
Who wouldn't want to roll
that around in their mouths?
that around in their mouths?
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你能在希伯来语中找到这些，
06:59
You can get that from Hebrew,
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你能在埃塞俄比亚的
主要语言阿姆哈拉语中找到，
主要语言阿姆哈拉语中找到，
07:01
you can get that from Ethiopia's
main language, Amharic.
main language, Amharic.
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太有意思了。
07:04
That's fun.
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不同语言的语序使不同的。
07:06
Or languages have different word orders.
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当你学习语序不同的语言时，
07:09
Learning how to speak
with different word order
with different word order
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就像到某些国家，
在道路另一侧开车，
在道路另一侧开车，
07:11
is like driving on the different side
of a street if you go to certain country,
of a street if you go to certain country,
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又像是把薄荷涂在眼睛周围时，
07:16
or the feeling that you get when you
put Witch Hazel around your eyes
put Witch Hazel around your eyes
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感受到的那种刺激感。
07:21
and you feel the tingle.
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语言也能给你类似的感觉。
07:22
A language can do that to you.
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例如，
07:25
So for example,
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《戴帽子的猫回来了》，
07:26
"The Cat in the Hat Comes Back,"
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这本书我相信很多人还经常读，
07:28
a book that I'm sure
we all often return to,
we all often return to,
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又如《白鲸记》。
07:31
like "Moby Dick."
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里面有句台词是，
“你知道在哪儿找到他的么？
“你知道在哪儿找到他的么？
07:32
One phrase in it is,
"Do you know where I found him?
"Do you know where I found him?
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你知道他在哪里么？
他在浴缸里吃蛋糕，
他在浴缸里吃蛋糕，
07:37
Do you know where he was?
He was eating cake in the tub,
He was eating cake in the tub,
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对，没错！”
07:40
Yes he was!"
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现在，在中文中
07:41
Fine. Now, if you learn that
in Mandarin Chinese,
in Mandarin Chinese,
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那么你需要这么说，
07:43
then you have to master,
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“你知道是否你，我哪里他找到？
07:45
"You can know, I did where him find?
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他在浴缸里吃蛋糕，
07:47
He was tub inside gorging cake,
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没错误虎咽狼吞！”
07:49
No mistake gorging chewing!"
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感觉棒极了。
07:51
That just feels good.
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想象在未来能够做到这样。
07:52
Imagine being able to do that
for years and years at a time.
for years and years at a time.
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或者你们学过柬埔寨语吗？
07:56
Or, have you ever learned any Cambodian?
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我也没有，不过要是我学过，
08:00
Me either, but if I did,
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那么我嘴里发出的元音要远多于
英语中的
英语中的
08:04
I would get to roll around in my mouth
not some baker's dozen of vowels
not some baker's dozen of vowels
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13个元音，
08:08
like English has,
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而是整整30个不同的元音，
08:09
but a good 30 different vowels
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在柬埔寨人的嘴里热烈的翻腾着，
08:12
scooching and oozing around
in the Cambodian mouth
in the Cambodian mouth
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就像蜂巢里的蜜蜂一样。
08:16
like bees in a hive.
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这是语言能够带给你的。
08:19
That is what a language can get you.
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08:22
And more to the point,
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更进一步，
我们现在的时代，
要自学一门语言比过去容易很多。
要自学一门语言比过去容易很多。
08:23
we live in an era when it's never been
easier to teach yourself another language.
easier to teach yourself another language.
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过去你要学习外语，就需要去上课，
08:27
It used to be that you had
to go to a classroom,
to go to a classroom,
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或许会遇到勤勉的老师
08:29
and there would be
some diligent teacher --
some diligent teacher --
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以及一些睿智的老师，
08:32
some genius teacher in there --
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但是那个人只在特定的时间出现，
08:33
but that person was only
in there at certain times
in there at certain times
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你需要去按时上课，
08:36
and you had to go then,
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除此之外就没有机会了。
08:37
and then was not most times.
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你只能去课堂。
08:39
You had to go to class.
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如果你没法听课，
你能拿到录音带。
你能拿到录音带。
08:40
If you didn't have that,
you had something called a record.
you had something called a record.
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我小时候就是这么学的。
08:43
I cut my teeth on those.
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录音上就那么多信息，
08:45
There was only so much data on a record,
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磁带也是这样，
08:48
or a cassette,
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或者是已过时的光盘。
08:49
or even that antique object known as a CD.
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除此之外你有用处不大的书，
08:51
Other than that you had books
that didn't work,
that didn't work,
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学外语就是这样。
08:54
that's just the way it was.
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如今你可以躺着，
08:55
Today you can lay down --
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躺在卧室地板上，
08:58
lie on your living room floor,
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喝点小酒，
09:01
sipping bourbon,
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用丰富的学习材料，例如
Rosetta Stone语言学习软件，
Rosetta Stone语言学习软件，
09:02
and teach yourself
any language that you want to
any language that you want to
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开始自学你喜欢的语言。
09:05
with wonderful sets
such as Rosetta Stone.
such as Rosetta Stone.
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我强烈推荐Glossika这一个软件。
09:07
I highly recommend
the lesser known Glossika as well.
the lesser known Glossika as well.
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你随时可以学习，
09:11
You can do it any time,
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所以你可以不断练习，熟能生巧。
09:12
therefore you can do it more and better.
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你可以在早晨感受多种语言。，
09:15
You can give yourself your morning
pleasures in various languages.
pleasures in various languages.
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我每个早上都看
一点不同语言的《呆伯特》漫画，
一点不同语言的《呆伯特》漫画，
09:19
I take some "Dilbert" in various
languages every single morning;
languages every single morning;
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这可以不断提高你的能力。
09:23
it can increase your skills.
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在20年前，
09:24
Couldn't have done it 20 years ago
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能把你想要学习的任何语言
装进口袋
装进口袋
09:26
when the idea of having
any language you wanted
any language you wanted
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放在手机里，
09:30
in your pocket,
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是不可能的，
09:31
coming from your phone,
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对于那些老于世故的人而言
这就如同科幻小说。
这就如同科幻小说。
09:33
would have sounded like science fiction
to very sophisticated people.
to very sophisticated people.
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所以我强烈推荐你
09:37
So I highly recommend
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去学习除我现在说的英语之外的
语言，
语言，
09:40
that you teach yourself languages
other than the one that I'm speaking,
other than the one that I'm speaking,
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因为现在是最好的时间。
09:44
because there's never been
a better time to do it.
a better time to do it.
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这个过程太有意思了。
09:47
It's an awful lot of fun.
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它不会改变你的思维，
09:49
It won't change your mind,
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但是它肯定会让你大开眼界。
09:50
but it will most certainly blow your mind.
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非常感谢。
09:54
Thank you very much.
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（鼓掌）
09:55
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
John McWhorter - LinguistLinguist John McWhorter thinks about language in relation to race, politics and our shared cultural history.
Why you should listen
John McWhorter is Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, teaching linguistics, Western Civilization and music history. He is a regular columnist on language matters and race issues for Time and CNN, writes for the Wall Street Journal "Taste" page, and writes a regular column on language for The Atlantic. His work also appears in the Washington Post, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Aeon magazine, The American Interest and other outlets. He was Contributing Editor at The New Republic from 2001 until 2014.
McWhorter earned his PhD in linguistics from Stanford University in 1993 and is the author of The Power of Babel, Doing Our Own Thing, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, The Language Hoax and most recently Words on the Move and Talking Back, Talking Black. The Teaching Company has released four of his audiovisual lecture courses on linguistics. He guest hosted the Lexicon Valley podcast at Slate during the summer of 2016.
Beyond his work in linguistics, McWhorter is the author of Losing the Race and other books on race. He has appeared regularly on Bloggingheads.TV since 2006, and he produces and plays piano for a group cabaret show, New Faces, at the Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City.
John McWhorter | Speaker | TED.com