英语听书《白鲸记》第374期

 It is chiefly with his name that I now have to do.  我现在所要做的,主要是解释它的名字。

Philologically¹ considered, it is absurd.  从哲理上看来,这是荒唐可笑的。

Some centuries ago, when the Sperm² whale was almost wholly unknown in his own proper individuality, and when his oil was only accidentally obtained from the stranded³ fish;  几百年前,在抹香鲸的固有特性差不多完全未为人所知,它的油只是偶然从死鱼中获得时;

in those days spermaceti, it would seem, was popularly supposed to be derived⁴ from a creature identical with the one then known in England as the Greenland or Right Whale.  所谓鲸脑似乎都被公认是来自当时在英国称为格陵兰鲸或者是露脊鲸的一种动物。

It was the idea also, that this same spermaceti was that quickening humor of the Greenland Whale which the first syllable⁵ of the word literally⁶ expresses.  这实在也是一种糊涂想法,这种鲸脑的叫法,就是对格陵兰鲸的活生生的讽刺,因为鲸脑这个词儿的第一个音节就已完全说明一切了。

In those times, also, spermaceti was exceedingly scarce, not being used for light, but only as an ointment⁷ and medicament.  当时,鲸脑也是极其希罕的,并不拿它来点灯,而只是用以作为油膏和药剂。

It was only to be had from the druggists as you nowadays buy an ounce of rhubarb.  它只能在药房里才买得到,就象人们现今去买一英两大黄一样。

When, as I opine, in the course of time, the true nature of spermaceti became known, its original name was still retained by the dealers⁸;  我以为,等到鲸脑的真正的性质已逐渐为人所知的时候,在相当的一段期间内,做生意人还是继续保存着它原来的名字;

no doubt to enhance its value by a notion so strangely significant of its scarcity⁹.  无疑的,这是利用人们对它那稀罕的特点的看法而想抬高其价值的做法。

And so the appellation¹⁰ must at last have come to be bestowed¹¹ upon the whale from which this spermaceti was really derived. 因此,这个称呼,最后终须授予那一种真正出产这种鲸脑的鲸了。

BOOK I. (Folio), CHAPTER II. (Right Whale).--In one respect this is the most venerable of the leviathans, being the one first regularly hunted by man.  第一篇(对开型)　第二章(露脊鲸)...在某一方面说来,这是大海兽中资格最老的鲸,因为它是首先被人类经常猎捕的一种鲸。

It yields the article commonly known as whalebone or baleen¹²; and the oil specially¹³ known as whale oil, an inferior article in commerce.  它所产生的东西,就是众所周知的鲸须;它的油被特称为鲸油,在商业上是一种劣等货。

1 philologically   

adv.语言学上

参考例句：

2 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 syllable   

n.音节；vt.分音节

参考例句：

• You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。
• The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。

6 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

7 ointment   

n.药膏，油膏，软膏

参考例句：

• Your foot will feel better after the application of this ointment.敷用这药膏后，你的脚会感到舒服些。
• This herbal ointment will help to close up your wound quickly.这种中草药膏会帮助你的伤口很快愈合。

8 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

9 scarcity   

n.缺乏，不足，萧条

参考例句：

• The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
• The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。

10 appellation   

n.名称，称呼

参考例句：

• The emperor of Russia Peter I was given the appellation " the Great ".俄皇彼得一世被加上了“大帝”的称号。
• Kinsfolk appellation is the kinfolks system reflection in language.亲属称谓是亲属制度在语言中的反应。

11 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

12 baleen   

n.鲸须

参考例句：

• Other baleen whales have splash guards too,but not like this.一些须鲸物种头顶也有护住喷水孔的构造，但并不长成这样。
• Baleen whales often appear in this region. Be careful!这一带经常有须鲸出没，要注意安全啊。

13 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。