不久前在美语论坛里拜读了《背单词的五大捷径》。文中详述五法，是高论还是谬论，看官自行定夺，不过这文章倒是有些"疯狂英语"的味道。我个人拙见，背记单词没有通法，基本属于"各回各的家，各找各的妈"，找着合适自己的就是最好的(当然，参考他人启迪自己也不能少)。我也曾蹉跎过那种"狂"背单词的岁月，"聪明"过也笨过。现在回头"忆往昔"，看当时的我还真有点"喜剧"。在这儿把自己成为laughingstock的经历与各位分享，希望对正在"狂背"的各位从另一个侧面有所启发。
人说往事如烟不堪回首，其实也不尽然。岁月流失，脑门上添皱纹，实属Mother Nature之必然。但是回首中国的学外语运动，不仅没有不堪，还真有波澜壮阔的感觉。共产党自1927年成立，抛头颅流热血，领导人民推翻三座大山，二十年如一日，您说还有什么能比这般丰功伟绩更加艰苦卓绝的? 可这外语在中国一热就热了三十年，至今方兴未艾，如火如荼一如当初。
想当年为了个人的解放事业，中华儿女不远万里来到美国。那时出国的竞争激烈，是赶末班车过独木桥，所以恶补英文在所难免。TOEFL、GRE，做模拟背单词，"良药偏方"，一通忙乎。我侥幸过桥后，得了个inflated ego，沾沾自喜地跟美国外教叫板: 咱这英文去美国读书生活应该差不多了吧? 没想到外教给我来了句: There are a lot more for you to learn in America，口气严肃! 那架式，她要是能讲中国话那一定是说: 你这才哪儿到哪儿啊?
来美国后才知道，人家外教还真没胡说，TOFLE/GRE考分好坏和来美后活得怎样相关性不大。那头一个学期，听天书的滋味不好受。读的是Public Policy，什么政治经济社会法律，科目多内容杂。难哪! 一是课程重，记得美国宪法课有一次要求课后读《Kill a Mockingbird》整本书，第二天交报告(只一个晚上)，人家老美学生轻松，我急得冒汗嘴里直唱国际歌(--被压迫者的歌)；二是英文实在差得太远，听说写全面跟不上，即使要努力用功也是找不找北；三是心理落差，在国内咱也是英语"优等生"啊，狂背单词苦练口语勤奋阅读，哪样也没落后啊，可如今怎么......? 这叫一个郁闷。
那第一个学期基本没有"亮丽"表现，除了一不留神时漏过几下背词典的"功夫"，创造了几个让人又可笑又可气的瞬间:
1. Public vs. Pubic:
一次开Public Policy Symposium会议，系里做的投影幻灯上应该打出醒目标题Public Policy Symposium。我看到打出的是Pubic而不是Public，就跟老师同学说了，大伙一下瘪不住就乐开了，并且相互爆料: 我在班里也犯过这个错，你的作业中也出现过。玩笑过后老美们才想起我这中国佬，说是你看到这一错误不假，可你知道Pubic的意思吗? 我还真知道，就说: Yeah, it's about hair in one's private part. 老美笑翻，说: Where did you learn that? 我答: In China -- 咱在中国背过这词。是啊，这课堂作业事小，在正式会议上这"比差"就大了--公共政策，讨论大政方针国计民生的殿堂。Pubic是个英文词，电脑的spelling check抓不住这个错，老美阅读又快，容易漏过。可这一漏，就把"公共政策研讨会"漏成了"阴毛政策研讨会"。哦，这话太糙? 那咱就把它改成"鸡毛"政策研讨会。
2. Prescribe vs. Proscribe:
一次学生分组讨论，讨论paper时某老美同学指着文章说: I found a typo. In this sentence, the verb "proscribe" should be "prescribe". I never saw the word "proscribe" before. 可是，把prescribe替换进句中，大夥儿有觉得意思不通。我这时又"露脸"说: No, this is not a typo. "Proscribe" is correct, and it means "prohibit". 老美不太乐意信我，可把"prohibit"摆进去，意思就通了。同学又问: Gee, where did you learn that? 我又答: In China。在中国时，我也试过所谓的联想式词汇记忆: 词根-scribe是"写"，加上不同的前缀可以得到一组相关的词，比如: ascribe, conscribe, describe, inscribe, prescribe, proscribe, subscribe, transcribe等等。因proscribe词义有点特殊，就阴错阳差地记下了(pro- = before or forward，但pro- + -scribe = prohibit)。
3. Ubiquitous vs. Omnipresent:
有一次，老师在课堂里口若悬河，吐沫星子飞溅，突然眼珠子落在一个词上说: Ubiquitous? What a stupid word. You guys know what it means? 当一些同学表示yes或no时，我听到自己嘴里冒了一句: Omnipresent. 老师: Right, how do you know that? 这次同学替我答: He learned it in China。瞧见没，这时我"背词典"的功底开始有点"臭名昭著"了。Ubiquitous是个"怪"词，想起来我是通过同义词比较，由omnipresent而记住了它。present = existing or tentative, 这大夥儿知道，加上前缀omni- = universally，这样一下就记住了两个不常见的词(其实公共车bus的全称应是omnibus，即让每个人都能坐的车。这样，就记住了omni-的意思)。
"比老美学生还能"，这感觉不错呀 -- 国内不是常有这类报道吗。通过这几次的显摆，我倒是拉近了与外国学生的"感情"距离(因为我的"聪明"给他们提供了笑料)，但这并没有改变我当时的英文窘境。英文程度的好坏是由美国老师和学生对你来作出评价，而不能光凭自己的"感觉"，更不能听国内报纸的误导。也就是说，我们应该学说老美说的话，用老美用的词，写老美写的文章。还要有先易后难的概念，Do not try to run before you know how to walk。想太多"如何去超越老美"不切实际也没必要，也许更应该多想想如何才能尽量与老美"平起平坐"才是正经。不然，你记住了一肚子人家不会的词，你怎么和人家交流啊? 也许你就只能去上"喜剧学校"了。
这也就是说，如果你知道怎么用characteristic和strange，那就没有必要去用idiosyncratic。孔老二是中国人，装"文诌诌的"那一套在老美跟前不太管用。那时常听老美教授说，你们外国学生学者，textbook knowledge 不错， 但是......。这"但是"后边，不就是说: 你们不怎么说"人"话吗!
在中国式的英语学习环境中成长起来的中国学生，GRE/TOEFL考分高过老美那是常事，但"高分低能"的尴尬英语，美国同学和老师还真不知该如何评价你。看你挺努力像个好学生，可上课老是"守纪律不讲话"，书面作业老师经常"法外施恩"(因为你写的是外国英语)。现在的中国与国际接触多了，国内大中小学聘用外教已不稀罕，更改英语的教与学也许是时候了: 应该多点"鹦鹉学舌"，少一点中国式的"智慧"。
在中国的时候，我"狂背"了词典，词汇量也"大"了，但我在美国生活已经二十年了，pubic, proscribe, ubiquitous这三个词除上面的例子外，基本没再用过，新闻报刊杂志里也属罕见。其实这类词得不到经常使用，原因就在他们常被更加常用的简单词汇所替代，比如，proscribe被forbid或prohibit替代，ubiquitous被widespread替代。不过关于pubic的"用途"，倒再次发生过: 我在某州政府的Public Service Commission工作过，和上述同样的原因，Typo "Pubic Service" 也出现在我参加的某次会议上。当然，我们每个人的感觉，经历和工作都不尽相同，也许有人用到读到这三个词的机会更会多一些。这段故事只代表我个人的经历。
英文小鲜(28):公共政策研讨会vs\'鸡毛\'政策研讨会
尹文 发表评论于
回复独立金秋的评论:
Oh, another one ... faultfinding, but thanks. It's been proved that I am always lousy about chronology. What I've done is most definitely far from error-free and I am sure that similar faux pas will "pop up" here and there.
Thanks for the help.
Oh, another one ... faultfinding, but thanks. It's been proved that I am always lousy about chronology. What I've done is most definitely far from error-free and I am sure that similar faux pas will "pop up" here and there.
Thanks for the help.
尹文 发表评论于
回复独立金秋的评论:
Your precision is much appreciated. That was what I meant. Good work.
I enjoyed reading that book, although.
Thanks for your nice words, my friend.
Your precision is much appreciated. That was what I meant. Good work.
I enjoyed reading that book, although.
Thanks for your nice words, my friend.
独立金秋 发表评论于
哈，又挑出一个错。共产党是1921年成立的。
独立金秋 发表评论于
这个“to"可不是我加的，而是原文如此。请看维基百科的解释：
To Kill a Mockingbird is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. Due to the multiple themes addressed in the novel, it has the genre characteristics of a bildungsroman and a Southern gothic. Upon its release, it became instantly successful and has become a classic of modern American fiction. The novel is loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as an event that occurred near her hometown when she was 10 years old.
Lee's novel is widely taught in schools in English speaking countries with lessons that tie into tolerance and prejudice. The novel addresses themes such as courage, racial injustice, the death of innocence, tragedy, and coming of age, set against a backdrop of life in the Deep South. The character of Atticus Finch, the narrator's father, has served as a moral hero for many readers, and a singular model of integrity for lawyers. One writer noted its impact in saying, "In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism."
你的博客很受看。支持你多写一些这样的好文章。
To Kill a Mockingbird is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. Due to the multiple themes addressed in the novel, it has the genre characteristics of a bildungsroman and a Southern gothic. Upon its release, it became instantly successful and has become a classic of modern American fiction. The novel is loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as an event that occurred near her hometown when she was 10 years old.
Lee's novel is widely taught in schools in English speaking countries with lessons that tie into tolerance and prejudice. The novel addresses themes such as courage, racial injustice, the death of innocence, tragedy, and coming of age, set against a backdrop of life in the Deep South. The character of Atticus Finch, the narrator's father, has served as a moral hero for many readers, and a singular model of integrity for lawyers. One writer noted its impact in saying, "In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism."
你的博客很受看。支持你多写一些这样的好文章。
尹文 发表评论于
回复jollysand的评论:
Good for you, jollysand. Frankly I don't have any good ones for 自作多情, as its meaning in different contexts could be equivocal. It could be that one is self-conceited and falsely takes that the other loves him/her so much but actually the other does not at all. Or it could be that one is so self-centered that he or she is simply narcisistic. Still, one could just be so egoistic that he/she loves to impose his or her will on others or have his or her way around in a self-presumption that other will cater to him or her. So, I would take 自作多情 as a Chinglish thinking and try to come up with a interpretation based on a particular context.
I am actually quite inexperienced in translation which I don't care about too much. So you'll have to excuse me if what I said here is totally off the mark.
Thanks for your comment and question.
Good for you, jollysand. Frankly I don't have any good ones for 自作多情, as its meaning in different contexts could be equivocal. It could be that one is self-conceited and falsely takes that the other loves him/her so much but actually the other does not at all. Or it could be that one is so self-centered that he or she is simply narcisistic. Still, one could just be so egoistic that he/she loves to impose his or her will on others or have his or her way around in a self-presumption that other will cater to him or her. So, I would take 自作多情 as a Chinglish thinking and try to come up with a interpretation based on a particular context.
I am actually quite inexperienced in translation which I don't care about too much. So you'll have to excuse me if what I said here is totally off the mark.
Thanks for your comment and question.
尹文 发表评论于
回复独立金秋的评论:
Does it really? Cool, thanks. 一字千金，你的这个to值些银子。
Does it really? Cool, thanks. 一字千金，你的这个to值些银子。
独立金秋 发表评论于
哈哈,也挑你个typo. 那本书是"To Kill a Mocking Bird". 你少写了个"To".
jollysand 发表评论于
I use "ubiquitous" all the time, maybe because I am a biomedical sciences major...
LZ's writing is very humorous and enjoyable... best one I found today for casual browsing, so decided to bookmark it
The other day I saw somebody asking for a good translation of 自作多情. Do you have any suggestion?
LZ's writing is very humorous and enjoyable... best one I found today for casual browsing, so decided to bookmark it
The other day I saw somebody asking for a good translation of 自作多情. Do you have any suggestion?
尹文 发表评论于
哈，这"砖"还能破天安门? 天安门不安哪! 梁山哥哥大内身手，再顺出几件来分于众人正好过年。
我本以为国人练这"砖"功夫是用来拍纽约博物馆或白金汉宫之类的，全球化的今天，劫富济贫也当是跨国行业，一来与时俱进，二能显示民族气节，在天安门内犯案性质上有点"监守自盗"。不过，只要功夫在，拍谁不是拍。
新年依始，祝gate-crasher(比door-opener厉害): 今年好运，财宝进门，身体健康，多打电话，少坐飞机(那玩意儿比电话贵)。
我本以为国人练这"砖"功夫是用来拍纽约博物馆或白金汉宫之类的，全球化的今天，劫富济贫也当是跨国行业，一来与时俱进，二能显示民族气节，在天安门内犯案性质上有点"监守自盗"。不过，只要功夫在，拍谁不是拍。
新年依始，祝gate-crasher(比door-opener厉害): 今年好运，财宝进门，身体健康，多打电话，少坐飞机(那玩意儿比电话贵)。
罢了 发表评论于
哈哈哈。。。这电话费嘛就免了，还是留着补贴机票钱吧。
那块“砖”可是太好使了，有了它天下无门敲不开，就连天安门都挡不住啊！嘎嘎嘎。。。
那块“砖”可是太好使了，有了它天下无门敲不开，就连天安门都挡不住啊！嘎嘎嘎。。。
尹文 发表评论于
回复罢了的评论:
"这美国政府也得为咱中国英语教学负点责任吧"...Oh, I smell the money. 来个class action怎么样? 你雇律师我当证人，让那美国政府多少赔我们一些，也好各自补贴一点电话费用。
I fully agreed with what you said. Your view is well complementary to the topic.
Incidentally, you know both the words "pubic"and "puberty". That indicates you are a vocabulary geek, too. You must have used that "brick" to have successfully opened doors that needed to be opened.
谢兄弟的留言。
"这美国政府也得为咱中国英语教学负点责任吧"...Oh, I smell the money. 来个class action怎么样? 你雇律师我当证人，让那美国政府多少赔我们一些，也好各自补贴一点电话费用。
I fully agreed with what you said. Your view is well complementary to the topic.
Incidentally, you know both the words "pubic"and "puberty". That indicates you are a vocabulary geek, too. You must have used that "brick" to have successfully opened doors that needed to be opened.
谢兄弟的留言。
罢了 发表评论于
写得很幽默，看得出来搂主的英文底子很不错，先佩服一个！
其实也不能全怪咱中国的英语教学方法，背单词学语法还不是为了应付考试，那考试分数可是块敲门砖，咱首先得想着法子跨进这门槛是吧，要不然还真没戏！我出国前也像你老兄一样，整天嘴里念念有词，常找来一大堆历届试题，做得个天昏地暗，简直像得了狂犬病。咱也知道，这语言是听说交流和文字交流的工具，咱也知道语言是文化的涵盖；说的浅一点，语言涵盖着一个民族的习惯和生活习俗；说得深一点，它还涵盖着一个民族的价值观念，文化背景和宗教信仰。可咱有这个条件和时间去学吗？咱得先应付考试是不？就说那GRE，有一个Section考得都是些非常拗口千年难逢的怪字，许多怪字我来美国二十三年里都没用过一次。这不，这美国政府也得为咱中国英语教学负点责任吧。
到了美国才知道咱根本就用不着这么辛苦地学英语，唐人街那帮老广二十六个字母都认不全，照样穿金带银，个个都牛逼得很。那美国总统的英语水平和思想性也不过如此。在英国有一个小孩问布什总统白宫是什么样子的，他老人家回答：是白的。把我笑得都岔气了。还有一回，好像是在意大利的罗马吧，他老人家说：“I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe ? I believe what I believe is right.”靠！他的这份丧失逻辑的自信把我这个学工程出生，平时很讲逻辑的人听得是一头雾水！最喜欢听他老人家一本正经说傻话：There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee ? That says, fool me once, shame on --- shame on you. Fool me --- you can't get fooled again. 你看，这做总统的水平也不过如此，咱哪里还用得着这么卖力去学什么劳什子英语啊！
说到Pubic这个词还真用过几回，这个词常常和Puberty连在一起，家里有teenage的少不了会用上几次。
其实，我还真是挺同意老兄你的观点，可是要改变咱中国学生“高分低能”的现象，光靠改变英语教学方法是不够的，咱得先将那大环境给改了，得先将那考试内容和制度改了。那光换汤不换药能治好病吗？你说呢老兄？
其实也不能全怪咱中国的英语教学方法，背单词学语法还不是为了应付考试，那考试分数可是块敲门砖，咱首先得想着法子跨进这门槛是吧，要不然还真没戏！我出国前也像你老兄一样，整天嘴里念念有词，常找来一大堆历届试题，做得个天昏地暗，简直像得了狂犬病。咱也知道，这语言是听说交流和文字交流的工具，咱也知道语言是文化的涵盖；说的浅一点，语言涵盖着一个民族的习惯和生活习俗；说得深一点，它还涵盖着一个民族的价值观念，文化背景和宗教信仰。可咱有这个条件和时间去学吗？咱得先应付考试是不？就说那GRE，有一个Section考得都是些非常拗口千年难逢的怪字，许多怪字我来美国二十三年里都没用过一次。这不，这美国政府也得为咱中国英语教学负点责任吧。
到了美国才知道咱根本就用不着这么辛苦地学英语，唐人街那帮老广二十六个字母都认不全，照样穿金带银，个个都牛逼得很。那美国总统的英语水平和思想性也不过如此。在英国有一个小孩问布什总统白宫是什么样子的，他老人家回答：是白的。把我笑得都岔气了。还有一回，好像是在意大利的罗马吧，他老人家说：“I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe ? I believe what I believe is right.”靠！他的这份丧失逻辑的自信把我这个学工程出生，平时很讲逻辑的人听得是一头雾水！最喜欢听他老人家一本正经说傻话：There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee ? That says, fool me once, shame on --- shame on you. Fool me --- you can't get fooled again. 你看，这做总统的水平也不过如此，咱哪里还用得着这么卖力去学什么劳什子英语啊！
说到Pubic这个词还真用过几回，这个词常常和Puberty连在一起，家里有teenage的少不了会用上几次。
其实，我还真是挺同意老兄你的观点，可是要改变咱中国学生“高分低能”的现象，光靠改变英语教学方法是不够的，咱得先将那大环境给改了，得先将那考试内容和制度改了。那光换汤不换药能治好病吗？你说呢老兄？
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