TED演讲：谈语言和思想(1)

 　　This is a picture of Maurice Druon,  照片里的人是Maurice Druon

　　the Honorary Perpetual Secretary of L'Academie francaise, the French Academy. L'Academie francaise的荣誉终身秘书长--也就是法兰西学院

　　He is splendidly attired¹ in his 68,000-dollar uniform, befitting the role of the French Academy 穿着价值六万八千美元的豪华制服，对法兰西学院来说倒很适合

　　as legislating² the correct usage in French and perpetuating³ the language. 因为它规范着法语的正确用法，使这门语言永世长存

　　The French Academy has two main tasks: it compiles a dictionary of official French. 法兰西学院有两个主要任务，它编纂官方的法语词典

　　They're now working on their ninth edition, which they began in 1930, and they've reached the letter P. 他们目前在编第九部，从1930年就开始了，现在编到了P字头。

　　They also legislate⁴ on correct usage,  他们还规范正确的用法

　　such as the proper term for what the French call "email," which ought to be "courriel." 比如，电子邮件（email）在法语里的正确说法应该是"courriel"

　　The World Wide Web, the French are told, ought to be referred to as 他们告诉法国人，万维网应该被叫做

　　"la toile d'araignee mondiale" -- the Global Spider Web -- recommendations that the French gaily⁵ ignore. "la toile d'araignee modiale"--“环球蜘蛛网”--诸如此类法国人民欣然忽略的建议

　　Now, this is one model of how language comes to be: namely, it's legislated⁶ by an academy. 这是语言产生的众多模型之一：也就是说，由一个学院来进行规范

　　But anyone who looks at language realizes that this is a rather silly conceit⁷, 但任何懂得语言的人都意识到这是愚蠢的自负

　　that language, rather, emerges from human minds interacting from one another.  语言产生于人类心灵间的互动

　　And this is visible in the unstoppable change in language --  而在语言的不停变化中，这是显而易见的

　　the fact that by the time the Academy finishes their dictionary, it will already be well out of date. 事实上，当法兰西学院完成他们的词典时，它早已经过时了。

1 attired   

adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 legislating   

v.立法，制定法律( legislate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Why are the senators sitting there without legislating? 为什么那些议员们做在那里不立法？ 来自互联网
• From legislating and protecting peasant's interests organizationally. " 从立法和组织上保护农民利益。 来自互联网

3 perpetuating   

perpetuate的现在进行式

参考例句：

• Revenge leads to a self-perpetuating cycle of violence. 怨怨相报会导致永不休止的暴力。
• It'set out to eradicate heresy, and ended by perpetuating it. 它的目的只是要根除异端邪说，结果却巩固了异端邪说。 来自英汉文学

4 legislate   

vt.制定法律；n.法规，律例；立法

参考例句：

• Therefore,it is very urgent to legislate for the right of privacy.因此，为隐私权立法刻不容缓。
• It's impossible to legislate for every contingency.为每一偶发事件都立法是不可能的。

5 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

6 legislated   

v.立法，制定法律( legislate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Congress has legislated a new minimum wage for workers. 国会制定了一项新的关于工人最低工资的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most member countries have already legislated against excessive overtime. 大多数成员国均已立法禁止超时加班。 来自辞典例句

7 conceit   

n.自负，自高自大

参考例句：

• As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。
• She seems to be eaten up with her own conceit.她仿佛已经被骄傲冲昏了头脑。