“我認(rèn)同語言學(xué)習(xí)很酷,但我不認(rèn)同語言學(xué)習(xí)不容易這一說法?!?/div>
Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned. Having someone or something to aid with the process is of great benefit. Find a guide, not an instructor.
語言是教不會(huì)的,它們只能被學(xué)會(huì)。有人或物從旁相助,你會(huì)大受裨益。去找引路人,而不是指揮者。
English was already a world language by the time I turned 10 in 1991. Its study was mandatory. I
struggled?at first. I didn’t like the teacher, grammar explanations confused me, and the material wasmonotone. I thought I’d never learn it. Then my parents decided to hire a private Englishtutor. I was 13 and she was wonderful. She set me on the right path to learning and, most importantly, learning to love language. The combination of reading books, watching movies every day and talking to my tutor once a week for two years worked wonders.1991年那會(huì),我才十歲,而英語已經(jīng)成為世界通用的語言了。英語學(xué)習(xí)成為必須。起初我學(xué)得很困難 。我不喜歡給我上課的英語老師,語法解釋讓我滿頭霧水,學(xué)習(xí)材料還很乏味。我想我不可能學(xué)會(huì)這種語言了。后來在13歲那年,我的父母決定給我聘請(qǐng)一位私人英語輔導(dǎo)老師。她人很好。她把我領(lǐng)上了學(xué)習(xí)的正確道路。最重要的是,她讓我愛上了這門語言。隨后的兩年我廣泛閱讀,每天會(huì)看電影,每周和她對(duì)話,這些努力讓我的英語水平突飛猛進(jìn)。
德語
"Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going" –Rita Mae Brown
“語言即有關(guān)文化的一份路線圖,告訴你人們從哪里來,將要去何方?!薄愃湣げ祭?/strong>
If you find a method you like and which works for you, you can start learning any language by yourself. There is no one best method to learn a language. Find something that is effective for you. And above all, experiment!
如果你找到一種你喜歡并對(duì)你行之有效的學(xué)習(xí)方法,你能開始自學(xué)任何一種語言。學(xué)習(xí)語言不存在最好的法門。要找到那個(gè)對(duì)你有效的方法,最重要的是,去實(shí)驗(yàn)嘗試!
German was the first language I started learning completely on my own. I don’t remember exactly why I embarked on this journey, but I remember I had no idea how to learn German. Later I came up with my method, and quickly realised that it was effective for me. I always remember people repeatedly asked in bewilderment, “Wie kannst du so gut Deutsch?!” (how can you speak German so well?). From that moment on I started reading
insatiably. The language had become an?integral?part of my life.德語是第一門我完全靠自學(xué)而成語言。我記不清楚自己為什么要開始這趟語言學(xué)習(xí)之旅,但我有印象,當(dāng)時(shí)自己不曉得如何入手德語。后來我找到了適合自己的學(xué)習(xí)方法,很快地了解到它對(duì)我來說很有效。我總是會(huì)想起人們不斷詢問我的疑惑語氣:“你是怎么把德語說得如此好的?”從那刻起,我開始如饑似渴地閱讀。這門語言至此成為我生命中一個(gè)不可或缺的部分。
日語
"The limits of my language are the limits of my world." ? Ludwig Wittgenstein
路德維?!ぞS特根斯坦說過:“我語言的局限便是我看世界的盲點(diǎn)。
Some languages have completely new features, so be flexible and adapt your learning method to the language. If your approach is not working, change it! Don’t give up. Don’t give in.
有些語言與母語相比,具有完全不同的特征。因而要靈活處理,用合適的學(xué)習(xí)方法學(xué)這門語言。如果你的方法沒什么作用,換一種!不要放棄。不要?dú)怵H。
When I started learning Japanese, I wanted a new challenge, but I didn’t imagine it would be so hard. I couldn’t even build simple sentences because the structure in Japanese was so completely different from any language I had ever learned. I initially thought that this problem was just temporary and could be solved by speaking more regularly, but this simply wasn’t the case. Japanese feels like my biggest challenge yet, but I’m confident that I will get there. I just need to recalibrate my approach and live the language.
初學(xué)日語時(shí),我想給自己一個(gè)新挑戰(zhàn),但我決沒想到它這么難。由于日語的句式結(jié)構(gòu)和我之前學(xué)過的任何一門語言相比大相徑庭,我甚至都造不出簡(jiǎn)單的句子。我一開始覺得這個(gè)問題只是暫時(shí)的,通過經(jīng)常說日語便能解決,但顯然我把問題想得太簡(jiǎn)單了。盡管日語好似成為我語言學(xué)習(xí)最大的挑戰(zhàn),我有信心有一天我能將其掌握。我只需要重新調(diào)整我的學(xué)習(xí)方法,把這門語言學(xué)活。
法語
"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." ? Chinese Proverb
中國(guó)有句諺語:“一招鮮,吃遍天?!?/div>
I started learning French around the same time as I started learning English. At the age of fourteen, I discovered that I could watch French TV. I started watching two hours every day after dinner. By the age of 15 I was fluent in French. In 2010 I moved to Paris. Living there for three years enabled me to gain
invaluable?insights into French culture: history, traditions, jokes, cultural references, and a respect for French pride in their?cuisine?and language.我法語的學(xué)習(xí)差不多和英語學(xué)習(xí)同時(shí)起步。十四歲那年我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己竟然能夠看懂法語的電視。于是每天晚飯后,我都會(huì)看上2小時(shí)法語電視。十五歲時(shí),我能講一口流利的法語。2010年,我搬到巴黎。在那里3年的居住時(shí)光使我更為深入地了解法國(guó)文化,如其歷史、傳統(tǒng)、玩笑和文化參照。這無比珍貴。我還敬仰法國(guó)對(duì)其菜肴和語言所擁有的驕傲。
西班牙語
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." ? Nelson Mandela
納爾遜·曼德拉曾說:“當(dāng)和人交談時(shí),用一種他能聽懂的語言與之交流,話語會(huì)進(jìn)入他的大腦;而若用他自己的語言與之交流,話語能直擊他內(nèi)心。”
Spanish and Italian are like two sisters; different and yet similar at the same time. One common myth in Italy is that Spanish is easy: that you just have to speak Italian and add an “s” to every single word. The overall structure of the two languages is similar, but there are a fair few disparities in terms of pronunciation, intonation and idiomatic usage.
西班牙語與意大利語就如同兩姐妹,不同又相似。在意大利有個(gè)尋常的謎團(tuán),那便是西班牙語不難。只要你在說意大利語的時(shí)候,于每個(gè)詞的詞尾添上“s”就好了。兩種語言的總體結(jié)構(gòu)相似,卻在發(fā)音、語調(diào)和俗語使用上有著些許差別。
Speaking multiple languages is not and shouldn’t be an intellectual performance. It is an act of love towards yourself and others which helps you discover the amazing diversity of human nature as well as discovering the multiple?
facets?of your?personality. To those who ask me why I like learning so many languages I always reply: “I don’t live to learn languages, I learn languages to live a better life”.說多國(guó)語言不是,也不應(yīng)是,聰明的表現(xiàn)。而它是向你自己與他人表達(dá)愛的舉動(dòng)。它使你發(fā)掘人類天性中驚人的多樣性,也讓你探尋到自己那多面化的人格。對(duì)于那些問我為何喜歡學(xué)習(xí)如此多語言的人,我總是回答:“學(xué)習(xí)這么多語言不是我活著的意義,而是為了有更好的明天。”
聲明:本雙語文章的中文翻譯系滬江英語原創(chuàng)內(nèi)容,轉(zhuǎn)載請(qǐng)注明出處。中文翻譯僅代表譯者個(gè)人觀點(diǎn),僅供參考。如有不妥之處,歡迎指正。