双语有声阅读：语言与文化

Language and Culture

 

语言与文化

Languages are marvelously complex

语言是极其复杂

and wonderfully complicated organs of culture:

难解的文化工具：

they embody¹ the quickest and the most efficient means of communicating

它们是最快捷最有效的交流思想的手段

within their respective culture.

在各文化中。

To learn a foreign language is to learn another culture.

学习外语就等于学习另一种文化。

In a words of a poet and philosopher,

一位诗人兼哲学家曾经这样说过：

"As many languages as one speaks, so many lives one lives."

"你懂几种外语，你就过着几种不同的生活。"

A culture and its language are as inseparable as brain and body;

文化及其语言正像人脑与人体一样不可分割。

while one is a part of the other,neither can function without the other.

虽然其中一个是另一个的部分，但是失去一部分，另一部分就不能运作。

In learning a foreign language, the best beginning

学习外语最好的开始是

is with the non- verbal linguistic² elements of the language,

从这种语言的非语言的语言成分开始，

its gestures,its body language.

即从手势，体语开始。

Eye contact is extremely important in English.

在英语中，眼神的接触极其重要。

Direct eye contact leads to understanding,

眼神直接接触导致理解

or,as the English maxim³ has it,seeing eye-to-eye.

或者正如英语格言说的意见完全一致。

We can never see eye-to-eye with a native speaker of English

我们和说英语母语的人会意交融

until we have learned to look directly into his eyes.

直到我们学会了他们眼中的意思。

1 embody   

vt.具体表达，使具体化；包含，收录

参考例句：

• The latest locomotives embody many new features. 这些最新的机车具有许多新的特色。
• Hemingway's characters plainly embody his own values and view of life.海明威笔下的角色明确反映出他自己的价值观与人生观。

2 linguistic   

adj.语言的，语言学的

参考例句：

• She is pursuing her linguistic researches.她在从事语言学的研究。
• The ability to write is a supreme test of linguistic competence.写作能力是对语言能力的最高形式的测试。

3 maxim   

n.格言，箴言

参考例句：

• Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
• "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。