TED演讲：语言如何改变人类(8)

 　　Once we have language, we can put our ideas together and cooperate to have a prosperity 一旦我们有了语言，我们可以分享想法并合作，从而创造繁荣

　　that we couldn't have before we acquired it. 没有语言这是无法完成的

　　And this is why our species has prospered¹ around the world 这就是为什么人类在全世界繁衍发展

　　while the rest of the animals sit behind bars in zoos, languishing². 而其他的动物只能干坐在动物园的笼子里，怨断愁肠

　　That's why we build space shuttles and cathedrals 这就是为什么我们建起航天飞机和大教堂

　　while the rest of the world sticks sticks into the ground to extract termites³. 而它们用棍子捅地抓白蚁

　　All right, if this view of language and its value in solving the crisis of visual theft is true, 如果这个角度看语言及其价值，对解决观察性窃取是无可争议的

　　any species that acquires it should show an explosion of creativity and prosperity. 任何物种获得了它，都应该有创造和繁荣昌盛的表现

　　And this is exactly what the archeological record shows. 考古学记录证实了这一点

　　If you look at our ancestors, the Neanderthals and the Homo erectus, our immediate⁴ ancestors, 如果研究我们的祖先--尼安德特人和猿人，我们的直系祖先

　　they're confined to small regions of the world. 他们活动于世界的小范围区域

　　But when our species arose about 200,000 years ago, 而人类在大约二十万年前

　　sometime after that we quickly walked out of Africa and spread around the entire world, occupying nearly every habitat on Earth. 迅速地走出了非洲，分布到了全世界，占据了地球几乎每一处栖息地

　　Now whereas other species are confined to places that their genes⁵ adapt them to, 现在当其他物种还受限于他们基因适应的地方

　　with social learning and language, we could transform the environment to suit our needs. 拥有社会学习能力和语言的我们，已经可以改造环境，满足我们的需求了

　　And so we prospered in a way that no other animal has. 所以我们的文明比其他任何动物都要繁荣

　　Language really is the most potent⁶ trait that has ever evolved. 语言确实是我们进化出的最有利的特性

　　It is the most valuable trait we have for converting new lands and resources 这是我们拥有的最有价值的特性，以此我们将新土地和资源

　　into more people and their genes that natural selection has ever devised. 转化成更多的人和他们的基因，这比自然选择做的还要多。

1 prospered   

成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

2 languishing   

a. 衰弱下去的

参考例句：

• He is languishing for home. 他苦思家乡。
• How long will she go on languishing for her red-haired boy? 为想见到她的红头发的儿子，她还将为此烦恼多久呢？

3 termites   

n.白蚁( termite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Termites are principally tropical in distribution. 白蚁主要分布在热带地区。 来自辞典例句
• This spray will exterminate the termites. 这种喷剂能消灭白蚁。 来自辞典例句

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

6 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。