我记得一位学科顾问对我选修如此专精的课程表示担忧。他说我应该选修英语。现在，我仍然时常听到这类建议。我在其他场合演讲时，在语言表达上曾被人误解过，那些批评我的人不明白：我不是说错了字，我是在复诵古代俳句的完美格式与韵律呢。

　　I did take English here, and I took a class called "The History and Practice of American Oratory," taught by Rollin G. Osterweis. And, President Levin, I want to give credit where credit is due. I want the entire world to know this—everything I know about the spoken word, I learned right here at Yale.

　　在耶鲁大学我的确也学习了英语课程，我选修了罗琳·G·奥斯特维斯主讲的“美国演讲历史与实践”。莱文校长，我想在此给予他应有的赞许。我想让全世界的人知道，我所知道的关于演讲的一切的知识都是在耶鲁学会的。

　　As a student, I tried to keep a low profile. It worked. Last year the New York Times interviewed John Morton Blum because the record showed I had taken one of his courses. Casting his mind's eye over the parade of young faces down through the years, Professor Blum said, and I quote, "I don't have the foggiest recollection of him."

　　作为一名学生，我努力保持低调，而这也十分奏效。去年，《纽约时报》采访了约翰·莫顿·布鲁姆教授，因为相关记录称我曾选修过他的课程。回顾多年来仍存留在脑海中的那些年轻的面孔之后，布鲁姆教授说，“我压根不记得有布什这个学生。”

　　But I remember Professor Blum. And I still recall his dedication and high standards of learning. In my time there were many great professors at Yale. And there still are. They're the ones who keep Yale going after the commencements, after we have all gone our separate ways. I'm not sure I remembered to thank them the last time I was here, but now that I have a second chance, I thank the professors of Yale University.

　　但是我记得布鲁姆教授，我依然记得他无私奉献的精神和他的博学多才。我在耶鲁大学上学时，这里有很多优秀的教授任教，现在依然如此。在一届又一届的毕业典礼后，毕业生们各奔东西，是这些优秀的教授在推动着耶鲁大学不断向前发展。我已经不记得最后一次在这里的时候是否向他们表达过感激之情，但现在我还有机会，我要衷心感谢耶鲁大学的所有教授。