VOA慢速英语2015 乌干达英语有了自己的词典

'Uglish' Gets Its Own Dictionary in Uganda 乌干达英语有了自己的词典

The official language in Uganda is English. But visitors to this African country soon recognize that the English spoken here is different from British or American English. Ugandan English has as a strong, local flavor¹. For example, what does it mean when someone orders a “rolex” at a food stand or “beeps” someone on the telephone?

To make life easier for foreigners in Uganda, linguist² Bernard Sabiiti made a small dictionary. It is a helpful guide for those interested in understanding Ugandan English, also known³ as Uglish.

"There are certain periods when Ugandans coin words. And one of those (is) the election⁴ seasons. You know, there are politicians⁵ here whose entire vocabulary almost is ‘Uglish.’  And they are very successful people in this country, who cannot actually use Standard English. So at first I thought, you know, why don't I actually do something about this and let the outside world know why we speak the way they do?"

He notes that, from businesspeople to high-level politicians, nearly everybody in Uganda uses Uglish.

"There are over 40 languages spoken in this country and over 60 ethnic⁶ groups. So you find that, you know, every small group takes up the English language and make it their own. And you end up with a very unique, some people call, strange variety of English. "

So what are some of the strange things Ugandans say?

"When a Ugandan has not seen you for a while, like we are meeting after a long time, the first thing I tell you is that: you are lost'. It doesn't mean that you are in a wrong place, it simply means⁷, I haven't seen you in a while.' And also you'll find that we use the word ‘please' a lot. You'll find that the word please is used in very strange circumstances⁹ where a foreigner would not be expecting it. For example, I can say, ‘thank you, please.'"

But does everyone speak the same Uglish? Reporter Serginho Roosblad went to the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, to find out.

Reporter: "If I would say, ‘you are lost', what would that mean in Ugandan English?"

Man: "Ugandan English….eh…it would mean…no, no, I don't know really.”

Woman: "You're lost, it means, in case you've taken long to see someone, it means you're lost."

Reporter: "And what's a rolex?"

Man: "A mixture of chapatti and eggs. It's just chapatti fried¹⁰, I mean eggs fried and then they're rolled in a chapatti to make that whole thing of rolled eggs. It was rolled eggs, but they just made it rolex."

Reporter: "So it has nothing to do with a watch?"

Man: "Oh, no, no, no, nothing at all…"

Bernard Sabiiti says Uganda’s public education system does not do enough to teach students how to read and write in Standard English.

"In the course of my research, I realized that actually this is also a class issue¹¹. This is a class thing. You find that the middle classes, the people who have a lot of money, and they send their kids to these private, expensive schools, where their kids are told to where, where they have access to reading materials. You find that those people, those students, end up being able to speak far more Standard English, than these ones who are going through the public schools which are poorly funded, where text books are not enough. Because you know, one of the reasons is that Uglish is increasing every year is that the reading culture, reading culture is very, very, poor in this country."

And that may be why there is a popular saying in Uganda, "If you want to hide a treasure, hide it in a book."

Mr. Sabiiti does not think “Uglish” will ever replace more widely accepted forms of English. But he does think “Uglish” will gain a few more expressions since Uganda is preparing elections¹².

Words in This Story

linguist – n. a person who studies language

Standard English – n. the form and style of the English language that is accepted as the norm¹³ in an English-speaking country

coin – v. to create something (like a word or phrase) that other people begin to use

circumstance⁸ – n. a condition or fact that affects a situation

chapatti – n. a kind of flatbread

1 flavor   

n.味，滋味，味道；风味；vt.调味，加味于

参考例句：

• I like the flavor of chocolate.我喜欢巧克力的味道。
• Each flavor was totally unique.每一种味道都是独一无二的。

2 linguist   

n.语言学家；精通数种外国语言者

参考例句：

• I used to be a linguist till I become a writer.过去我是个语言学家，后来成了作家。
• Professor Cui has a high reputation as a linguist.崔教授作为语言学家名声很高。

3 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

4 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

5 politicians   

政治家( politician的名词复数 )； 政客，玩弄权术者

参考例句：

• Politicians are ultimately accountable to the voters. 从政者最终是向选民负责。
• backstairs deals between politicians 政客之间的幕后交易

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

7 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

8 circumstance   

n.情况，形势，环境；境况，境遇

参考例句：

• You should soon accommodate yourself to the new circumstance.你应尽快适应新环境。
• There is one important circumstance you have not mentioned.还有一件重要的细节你没提到。

9 circumstances   

n.境况；境遇；（尤指）经济状况；命运；环境( circumstance的名词复数 )；事件；境遇；机遇

参考例句：

• The company reserves the right to cancel this agreement in certain circumstances. 本公司保留在一定条件下取消这项协议的权利。
• There were extenuating circumstances and the defendant did not receive a prison sentence. 因有可减轻罪行的情节被告未被判刑。

10 fried   

adj.油煎的；油炒的

参考例句：

• I ate everything fried.所有油炸的我都吃。
• I prefer fried peanuts.我选择炸花生。

11 issue   

n.出版，发行，（报刊等）期、号，论点，问题，结果， （水，血等的）流出；vt.使流出，放出，发行（钞票等），发布（命令），出版（书等）发给；vi.发行，流出，造成...结果，进行辩护，传下

参考例句：

• I bought the book the day after its issue.这书出版后的第一天，我就去买了它。
• I'll support her down the line on that issue.在那个问题上我将全力支持她。

12 elections   

n.选举，当选，推举( election的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Republicans got shellacked in the elections. 共和党在选举中一败涂地。
• He emerged victorious in the elections. 他在竞选中脱颖而出获得胜利。

13 norm   

n.标准，规范，平均数

参考例句：

• Of his age,the child is above the norm in arithmetic.在他那个年龄，这个孩子的算术能力是超过标准的。
• These events were aberrations from the norm.这些事件不合常规。