英语听力精选进阶版 14065

Italian writer warns of English invasion

Summary

19 November 2012

A leading Italian author has warned that his native language is being dangerously undermined by the increasing use of English in everyday life. Crime writer Andrea Camilleri suggested that Italian was being subjected to a "devastating¹ colonisation", with Prime Minister Mario Monti particularly guilty.

Reporter:

Alan Johnston

Report

Andrea Camilleri is a literary celebrity² in Italy. And he's best known abroad for his novels featuring his brilliant fictional³ creation, the Sicilian detective, Inspector⁴ Montalbano. 

But the author is worried about the health of the language in which he works. Speaking earlier this week he took issue with the country's politicians for peppering their speeches with English words and phrases. Terms like 'welfare', 'governance', 'devolution', and even 'election day'. 

The author said that Prime Minister Mario Monti was a leading offender⁵. And it's true that Mr Monti does indeed frequently reach for English terminology⁶. Here's an example from his first speech to Parliament. Listen to how he just drops in the English phrase 'best practices':

Clip of Mario Monti speaking Italian

And in the very next breath, he's at it again, sliding in that grim English term 'spending review':

Clip of Mario Monti speaking Italian

Mr Camilleri said Mr Monti's habit was just part of what he called an "awful tradition" in Italian public life. Not enough, he said, was being done to take care of the national language. 

And he gave a classic example. He said that when he served on a jury for a prize given by the Italian state broadcaster at the Venice Film Festival he was dismayed to find that the official language of the judging would be English.

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

3 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

4 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

5 offender   

n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者

参考例句：

• They all sued out a pardon for an offender.他们请求法院赦免一名罪犯。
• The authorities often know that sex offenders will attack again when they are released.当局一般都知道性犯罪者在获释后往往会再次犯案。

6 terminology   

n.术语；专有名词

参考例句：

• He particularly criticized the terminology in the document.他特别批评了文件中使用的术语。
• The article uses rather specialized musical terminology.这篇文章用了相当专业的音乐术语。