TED演讲:昔日纽约(2)

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Or is it an imitation of one half the set of sounds we make to express disappointment? 或者对我们抒发不满的一种声音的一半所进行的模仿？

The often dental consonant¹ of no Indo-European language. 我们不满的时候经常用它在印欧语系中可找不到词源。

Or is it the amplified² sound of a synapse³ firing in the brain of a cockroach⁴? 还是，那其实是蟑螂大脑中触突闪现火花那一刹那所产生的声响的放大？

In the 1950s they tried their best to muffle⁵ this sound with mercury switches and silent knob controls. 在二十世纪五十年代，科学家们曾尽力用汞制的开关和静音的按钮来消除这声响。

But today these improvements seem somehow inauthentic. 但在今天开来，这些改进倒显得不地道。

The click is the modern triumphal clarion⁶ proceeding⁷ us through life,announcing our entry into every lightless room. 这“咯嗒”声 其实是现代社会胜利的号角。让我们的生活向前迈进，宣告我们向每一个无光的暗房进军。

The sound made flicking⁸ a wall switch off is of a completely different nature. 而我们把墙上开关关上的那一声响内涵就完全不同了。

It has a deep melancholy⁹ ring. Children don't like it. It's why they leave lights on around the house. 它蕴含着深深地抑郁声调。孩子们不喜欢它。所以总爱让房间亮着。

Adults find it comforting. But wouldn't it be an easy matter to wire a wall switch? 大人们却能聊以慰藉。但把墙上的开关接通电源不是很容易的事儿吗？

so that it triggers the muted horn of a steam ship? 这样就能够启动蒸汽船静默的汽笛？

Or the recorded crowing of a rooster? Or the distant peel of thunder? 或唤醒公鸡清晨的报晓？还是爆破远方的一声惊雷？

Thomas Edison went through thousands of unlikely substances before he came upon the right one for the filament¹⁰ of his electric light bulb. 爱迪生也是在尝试过，成千上万不同的物质之后才找到了真正适合做灯丝的物质，从而完成了他的电灯发明。

Why have we settled so quickly for the sound of its switch? 为什么我们要如此迅速地屈就于那开关不完美的“咯嗒”声响呢？

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