纪录片《为何讲话》 第10期：动物无法像人类说话的原因

So it seems that if it was just down to anatomy¹,

因此 仅从生理结构的角度来看的话

all mammals would have the ability to talk.

所有的哺乳动物都应具有讲话的能力

The main conclusion that I draw from all this work is that

在这次实验中我最大的收获在于发现了

the constraint² that's keeping a chimpanzee from speaking,

阻止黑猩猩讲话 或者说阻止狗讲话的

or indeed keeping a dog from speaking, is not the peripheral³ vocal⁴ anatomy,

约束因素并不是发声部位的结构差异

because any of these animals that we've looked at

因为我们所观察的这些动物

are able to lower the larynx

都可以将喉部位置降低

and reconfigure the vocal tract⁵ into a human-like

从而创造出与人类相同的声道长度

confirmation⁶ basically any time they vocalise.

基本上每次发声都是这样

So that can't be the main thing that's keeping these other animals

所以说这并不是其它动物

from having the capacity to produce humanlike speech,

无法像人类一样讲话的主要原因

so it must be in the brain, by process of elimination⁷.

排除了这个原因 主因一定在于大脑

Come on, 4 a pound, banana.

看呐 香蕉四块钱一磅

Yes, I had to speak to both those...

是的 我不得不对二者都讲一下

Every dish has sugar.

每道菜里都加了糖

We don't stop to think

我们止不住地想

how our brain processes the 370 million words

我们的大脑如何处理我们一生中所说的

we will say in our lifetime.

三十七亿个单词呢

Read my lips.

看我的嘴型

Or how we coordinate⁸ the complex sequence of thoughts,

又如何协调我们言语之中所蕴含的

movements and actions that lie behind each and every word we utter.

一系列错综复杂的思想动作和行为呢

1 anatomy   

n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织

参考例句：

• He found out a great deal about the anatomy of animals.在动物解剖学方面，他有过许多发现。
• The hurricane's anatomy was powerful and complex.对飓风的剖析是一项庞大而复杂的工作。

2 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

3 peripheral   

adj.周边的，外围的

参考例句：

• We dealt with the peripheral aspects of a cost reduction program.我们谈到了降低成本计划的一些外围问题。
• The hotel provides the clerk the service and the peripheral traveling consultation.旅舍提供票务服务和周边旅游咨询。

4 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

5 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

8 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。