0参考↓■Limits, 限制; ■Language, 语言; ■Limits, 限制; ■World, 世界;
Why the Limits of Language Are the Limits of the World
1参考↓■Personal, 个人的; ■Perspective, 观点; ■power, 权力; ■untranslatable, 不可译; ■language, 语言;
Personal Perspective: The power of untranslatable language.
个人观点:不可译语言的力量。
1. perspective [pəˈspektɪv] n. (观察问题的)视角,观点;透视(画)法;(几何)透视关系,投影比例;洞察力,判断力;景观,远景;角度;(声音)立体效果 adj. 透视的;perspectives
2参考↓■Posted, 张贴; ■October, 十月; ■Reviewed, 检验过的; ■Tyler, 泰勒; ■Woods, 伍兹;
Posted October 25, 2024 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
3参考↓■Words, 话; ■influence, 影响; ■world, 世界; ■Expanding, 扩大; ■language, 语言; ■shift, 转移; ■mindset, 心态; ■Lacunae, 拉库奈; ■language, 语言; ■reveal, 揭示; ■overlook, 忽略;
Words influence how we see the world. Expanding language can shift our mindset. Lacunae, gaps in language, reveal what we overlook.
言语影响我们看待世界的方式。扩展语言可以改变我们的思维方式。语言的缺失和空白揭示了我们忽略的东西。
2. shift [ʃɪft] v. (使)移动,(使)转移;(使)转换到(另一个人或另一事物);(使)改变意见(或信仰等);赶快;换(挡);(计算机)移位;按(计算机键盘上的)shift 键;摆脱,消除;(尤指大量)销售,出售;狼吞虎咽地吃;含糊其辞,拐弯抹角 n. 改变,转变;轮班工作时间;轮班工作的人;(计算机键盘上的)shift 键;(计算机)移位;(机动车的)换挡装置;宽松直筒连衣裙(=shift dress);长而宽松的内衣;(建筑)错位;(美橄)(开赛前)球员位置的变换;(天文)(光谱线的)偏移;语音演变(soun. shift 的简称);计谋,诡计;shifts;shifts;shifting;shifted;shifted
3. reveal [rɪˈvɪːl] v. 揭示,透露;表明,证明;展示,显示;(通过神或超自然手段)启示 n. (电视节目最后的)揭示;门侧,窗侧;reveals;reveals;revealing;revealed;revealed
4参考↓■class, 班; ■think, 认为; ■should, 应该; ■offered, 提供; ■every, 每一个; ■school, 学校; ■claim, 声称; ■going, 去; ■stand, 站; ■class, 班; ■proposing, 提议; ■foreign, 外国的; ■language, 语言; ■class, 班; ■foreign, 外国的; ■language, 语言; ■would, 将; ■learn, 学习; ■words, 话; ■different, 不同的; ■languages, 语言; ■English, 英语; ■equivalent, 相等的; ■These, 这些; ■words, 话; ■would, 将; ■language, 语言; ■offering, 提供; ■insight, 洞察; ■other, 其他; ■cultures, 文化; ■noticed, 注意到; ■overlooked, 被忽视;
I have an idea for a class that I think should be offered in every school. This is a bold claim, I know, but I’m going to stand by it. The class I’m proposing is a foreign language class, but not just one foreign language—it’s tons of them. The idea would be to learn words from all different languages that lack an English equivalent. These words would fill the gaps in our language, offering insight into what other cultures have noticed that we may have overlooked.
我有一个想法,我认为应该在每所学校开设一门课。我知道这是一个大胆的主张,但我会坚持下去。我提议的课程是一门外语课,但不仅仅是一门,而是很多门外语。这个想法是学习所有不同语言中缺乏英语对等词的单词。这些词将填补我们语言中的空白,提供对其他文化所注意到的我们可能忽视的东西的洞察。
4. bold [bəʊld] adj. 大胆自信的,敢于冒险的;冒失的,鲁莽的;明显的,轮廓突出的;粗体的,黑体的;陡峭的 n. 黑体,粗体 【名】 (bold)(英、德、罗、捷、瑞典)博尔德(人名)
5. claim [kleɪm] v. 声称,断言;索取,索要(钱);要求(拥有),认领;使丧生,致命;赢得,获得;值得,需要(花时间或精力) n. 声称,断言;索要,索赔;权利,所有权;要求得到的土地使用权;专利新特征申明;claims;claims;claiming;claimed;claimed
7. equivalent [ɪˈkwɪvələnt] adj. 等同的,等效的 n. 对等的人(或事物),对应的人(或事物);当量(equivalen. weight);equivalents
8. insight [ˈɪnsaɪt] n. 洞悉,了解;洞察力 【名】 (insight)(英)因赛特(人名);insights
5参考↓■inspiration, 灵感; ■behind, 后面; ■podcast, 播客; ■co-host, 共同主持人; ■Emily, 艾米丽; ■Garces, 加尔斯; ■called, 打电话; ■Fifty, 50; ■Words, 话; ■phrase, 短语; ■references, 参考文献; ■Inuit, 因纽特人; ■languages, 语言; ■multiple, 倍数; ■words, 话; ■capturing, 捕捉; ■different, 不同的; ■nuance, 细微的差别; ■natural, 自然的; ■phenomenon, 现象; ■After, 之后; ■everywhere, 到处; ■bunch, 束; ■different, 不同的; ■about, 关于; ■Pipaluk, 皮帕鲁克; ■check, 检查; ■fluffy, 毛茸茸的; ■stuff, 东西; ■falling, 坠落; ■doesn’t, 没有; ■after, 之后; ■tenth, 第十; ■blizzard, 暴风雪;
This idea was the inspiration behind the podcast I co-host with Emily John Garces called Fifty Words for Snow. The phrase references the idea that Inuit languages have multiple words for snow, each capturing a different nuance of this natural phenomenon. After all, when snow is everywhere all the time, you need a bunch of different ways to talk about it. “Hey, Pipaluk, check out this cool fluffy stuff falling from the sky” just doesn’t cut it after the tenth blizzard.
这个想法是我和艾米丽·约翰·加塞斯共同主持的播客《雪的五十个字》背后的灵感。这个短语引用了因纽特人语言中雪有多个单词的想法,每个单词都捕捉到了这种自然现象的不同细微差别。毕竟,当雪总是到处都是的时候,你需要一堆不同的方式来谈论它。“嘿,皮帕鲁克,看看这个从天上掉下来的凉爽蓬松的东西”只是在第十场暴风雪之后不起作用。
9. inspiration [ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən] n. 灵感;启发灵感的人(或事物);鼓舞人心的人(或事物);(突然想到的)好主意,妙计;吸气,吸入;inspirations
10. reference [ˈrefrəns] n. 提及,谈到;参考,查阅;(引自书或诗歌的)引言,引文;引文的作者,参考书目;(帮助或意见的)征求,征询; (为方便查询所用的)标记,编号;推荐信,介绍信;介绍人,推荐人 adj. 参考的,用于查阅的;文献索引的,参照的 v. 列出……的参考书目;提及,提到;引用,参照(某书或某作者);references;references;referencing;referenced;referenced
12. bunch [bʌntʃ] n. 束,串,扎;一伙,一群;大量;发辫(bunches);突起 v. 捆,扎,使集中;收紧,起褶 【名】 (bunch)(英)邦奇(人名);bunches;bunches;bunching;bunched;bunched
13. stuff [stʌf] n. 东西,物品;基本特征,特质,根本;(某人从事的)活动,事情;原材料;投球能力;作品,乐曲,艺术;胡说八道,废话,荒谬的想法;饮料,毒品;毛料,呢绒 v. 塞进,填进;填满,装满;填作料,填馅;制作(动物)标本;(使)吃撑,吃足;不稀罕,不在乎;把同样的印刷品装进(信封);把伪造选票投入(票箱);性交(一个男人和一个女人性交);stuffs;stuffs;stuffing;stuffed;stuffed
6参考↓■Franz, 弗朗茨; ■anthropologist, 人类学家; ■studied, 研究; ■Inuit, 因纽特人; ■pointed, 指出; ■language, 语言; ■communication, 通信; ■shapes, 形状; ■think, 认为; ■experience, 经验; ■world, 世界; ■eventually, 最后; ■concept, 概念; ■known, 已知; ■linguistic, 语言学; ■relativity, 相对论; ■Sapir-Whorf, 萨皮尔沃尔夫; ■hypothesis, 假设; ■which, 哪一个; ■fancy, 想要; ■saying, 说; ■structure, 结构; ■language, 语言; ■influences, 影响; ■speakers’, 演讲者'; ■worldview, 世界观;
As Franz Boas, the anthropologist who studied the Inuit, pointed out, language is more than just a tool for communication—it shapes how we think and experience the world. His work eventually led to the concept known as linguistic relativity, or the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which is a fancy way of saying that the structure of a language influences its speakers’ worldview.
正如研究因纽特人的人类学家Franz Boas所指出的那样,语言不仅仅是一种交流工具,它塑造了我们思考和体验世界的方式。他的工作最终导致了语言相对性的概念,或萨皮尔-沃尔夫假说,这是一种奇特的说法,即语言的结构会影响说话者的世界观。
14. linguistic [lɪŋˈgwɪstɪk] adj. 语言的,语言学的;linguistics
15. relativity [ˌreləˈtɪvɪtɪ] n. (物理)相对论;相对性
16. hypothesis [haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs] n. 假说,假设;(凭空的)猜想,猜测;前提;hypotheses
17. structure [ˈstrʌktʃə] n. 结构,构造;结构体,(尤指)大型建筑物;周密安排,精心组织;机构,组织,体系 v. 计划,组织,安排;structures;structures;structuring;structured;structured
7参考↓■Inuit, 因纽特人; ■words, 话; ■principle, 原理; ■applies, 应用; ■universally, 普遍地; ■words, 话; ■something, 某物; ■attention, 注意; ■detailed, 详细的; ■understanding, 理解力; ■becomes, 成为; ■expanding, 扩大; ■vocabulary, 词汇; ■especially, 尤其地; ■words, 话; ■don’t, 不要; ■exist, 存在; ■English, 英语; ■expand, 扩大; ■capacity, 容量; ■notice, 通知; ■appreciate, 欣赏; ■world, 世界; ■around, 围绕;
So, yes, the Inuit have a ton of words for snow, but the principle applies universally. The more words we have for something, the more attention we pay to it, and the more detailed our understanding becomes. By expanding our vocabulary, especially with words that don’t exist in English, we expand our capacity to notice and appreciate the world around us.
所以,是的,因纽特人对雪有很多说法,但这一原则普遍适用。我们对某事的词汇越多,我们就越关注它,我们的理解也就越详细。通过扩大词汇量,尤其是用英语中不存在的单词,我们扩大了注意和欣赏周围世界的能力。
18. capacity [kəˈpæsɪtɪ] n. 能力,才能;容积,容纳能力;职位,职责;功率,容积;生产量,生产能力 adj. 无虚席的,满场的;capacities
8参考↓■podcast, 播客; ■Emily, 艾米丽; ■explore, 探索; ■these, 这些; ■linguistic, 语言学; ■lacunae, 空白; ■words, 话; ■could, 能够; ■we've, we have的常用口语形式; ■found, 建立; ■especially, 尤其地;
In my podcast, Emily and I explore these linguistic gaps, or “lacunae,” and the words that could fill them. Here are a few we've found that I especially like.
在我的播客中,Emily和我探讨了这些语言空白或“空白”,以及可以填补这些空白的单词。以下是我们发现的一些我特别喜欢的。
14. linguistic [lɪŋˈgwɪstɪk] adj. 语言的,语言学的;linguistics
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9参考↓■Niksen, 尼克森; ■Dutch, 荷兰语; ■Doing, 做; ■Nothing, 没有什么;
Niksen (Dutch): The Art of Doing Nothing
10参考↓■world, 世界; ■where, 哪里; ■productivity, 生产力; ■often, 经常; ■highest, 最高; ■virtue, 美德; ■doing, 做; ■nothing, 没有什么; ■almost, 几乎; ■shameful, 可耻的; ■conditioned, 有条件的; ■guilty, 内疚的; ■aren't, 不是; ■constantly, 不断地; ■checking, 检查; ■to-do, 待办事项; ■lists, 列表; ■reaching, 到达; ■goals, 目标; ■maximizing, 最大化; ■every, 每一个; ■moment, 瞬间; ■Dutch, 荷兰语; ■culture, 文化; ■niksen, 尼克森; ■offers, 提供; ■different, 不同的; ■perspective, 观点; ■doing, 做; ■nothing, 没有什么; ■without, 没有; ■guilt, 内疚; ■simply, 简单地; ■existing, 现有的; ■state, 状态; ■allowing, 允许; ■reset, 重置;
In our world, where productivity is often the highest virtue, the idea of doing nothing can seem almost shameful. We are conditioned to feel guilty if we aren't constantly checking off to-do lists, reaching goals, or maximizing every moment. But in Dutch culture, niksen offers a different perspective. It is the art of doing nothing without guilt—of simply existing in a state of rest, allowing the mind and body to reset.
在我们的世界里,生产力往往是最高的美德,无所事事的想法似乎几乎是可耻的。如果我们不经常核对待办事项清单、实现目标或最大限度地利用每一刻,我们就会习惯于感到内疚。但在荷兰文化中,尼尔森提供了不同的视角。这是一种没有罪恶感的无所事事的艺术——简单地存在于一种休息状态中,让身心重置。
1. perspective [pəˈspektɪv] n. (观察问题的)视角,观点;透视(画)法;(几何)透视关系,投影比例;洞察力,判断力;景观,远景;角度;(声音)立体效果 adj. 透视的;perspectives
19. productivity [ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvɪtɪ] n. 生产率,生产力
20. virtue [ˈvɜːtjuː] n. 高尚的道德,德行;美德,优秀品质;优点,长处;(尤指妇女的)贞操;功效;(传统基督教天使学)道德天使(天国九级制度的第七级)(virtues) 【名】 (virtue)弗丘(人名);virtues
21. guilty [ˈgɪltɪ] adj. 内疚的,羞愧的;有罪的,有过失的;guiltier
11参考↓■Shoshin, 绍申; ■Japanese, 日本人; ■Beginner’s, 初学者;
Shoshin (Japanese): A Beginner’s Mind
12参考↓■place, 地方; ■premium, 保险费; ■expertise, 专业知识; ■mastery, 精通; ■specialists, 专家; ■guide, 指导; ■value, 价值; ■efficiency, 效率; ■curiosity, 好奇心; ■Japanese, 日本人; ■concept, 概念; ■shoshin, shoshin; ■beginner’s, 初学者; ■encourages, 鼓励; ■approach, 方法; ■fresh, 新鲜的; ■preconceptions, 先入为主的观念; ■remain, 保持; ■curious, 好奇的; ■think, 认为; ■answers, 答案; ■powerful, 强大的; ■reminder, 提醒; ■expertise, 专业知识; ■sometimes, 有时; ■close, 关闭; ■discovery, 发现;
In the West, we place a premium on expertise and mastery. We look to specialists to guide us and tend to value efficiency over curiosity. But the Japanese concept of shoshin, or beginner’s mind, encourages us to approach life with fresh eyes. It’s a call to let go of preconceptions, to remain open and curious, even when we think we know the answers. It’s a powerful reminder that expertise can sometimes close us off to the joy of discovery.
在西方,我们重视专业知识和精通。我们寻求专家的指导,并倾向于重视效率而不是好奇心。但日本的“初心”概念鼓励我们以新的眼光看待生活。这是一个呼吁,要放下先入为主的观念,保持开放和好奇,即使我们认为自己知道答案。这有力地提醒我们,专业知识有时会让我们无法享受发现的乐趣。
22. premium [ˈprɪmjəm] n. 保险费;(正常价格或费用以外的)加付款,加价;很高的价值,额外价值;额外补贴,津贴;奖品,奖金;优质汽油(=premium gas) adj. 高价的,高品质的;premiums
23. expertise [ˌekspəˈtɪːz] n. 专长,专门技能(知识);专家的意见
24. efficiency [ɪˈfɪʃənsɪ] n. 效率,效能;(机器的)功率;efficiencies
25. curiosity [ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪtɪ] n. 好奇心,求知欲;珍品,奇事;curiosities
13参考↓■Haʻahaʻa, 哈哈哈; ■Hawaiian, 夏威夷语; ■Humility, 谦卑; ■Through, 通过; ■Interdependence, 相互依存;
Haʻahaʻa (Hawaiian): Humility Through Interdependence
14参考↓■society, 社会; ■often, 经常; ■celebrates, 庆祝; ■individual, 个人; ■achievement, 成就; ■above, 在上面; ■Hawaiian, 夏威夷语; ■haʻahaʻa, 哈哈哈; ■offers, 提供; ■profound, 意义深远的; ■contrast, 对比; ■humility, 谦卑; ■arises, 出现; ■awareness, 意识; ■interdependence, 相互依存; ■Hawaiian, 夏威夷语; ■culture, 文化; ■understood, 理解; ■achieves, 实现; ■anything, 任何东西; ■alone, 单独地; ■interconnected, 互联互通; ■reliant, 依赖; ■people, 人; ■practice, 实践; ■haʻahaʻa, 哈哈哈; ■recognize, 认出; ■solitary, 孤独的; ■heroes, 英雄; ■greater, 更大的; ■whole, 整体; ■lesson, 课程; ■humility, 谦卑; ■gently, 轻轻地; ■pushes, 推动; ■against, 反对; ■Western, 西方; ■ideal, 理想的; ■rugged, 崎岖不平; ■individualism, 个人主义;
In a society that often celebrates individual achievement above all else, the Hawaiian word haʻahaʻa offers a profound contrast. This form of humility arises from a deep awareness of our interdependence. In Hawaiian culture, it is understood that no one achieves anything alone—we are all interconnected, reliant on both people and the land. To practice haʻahaʻa is to recognize that we are not solitary heroes, but part of a greater whole. It’s a lesson in humility that gently pushes back against the Western ideal of rugged individualism.
在一个经常把个人成就放在首位的社会里,夏威夷语单词ha'aha提供了一个深刻的对比。这种形式的谦卑源于对我们相互依存的深刻认识。在夏威夷文化中,众所周知,没有人能独自取得任何成就——我们都是相互联系的,依赖于人民和土地。练习哈哈哈,就是认识到我们不是孤独的英雄,而是更大整体的一部分。这是一个谦逊的教训,温和地反驳了西方粗犷的个人主义理想。
26. profound [prəˈfaʊnd] adj. (影响)深刻的,极大的;(感情)强烈的,深切的;(思想)深邃的,(见解)深刻的;深的,深处的;完全的;艰深的,玄奥的;(疾病,残疾)严重的
27. arise [əˈraɪz] v. 产生,出现;起源(于),由……引出;起床,起立;上升 【名】 (arise)(英、美、德、印)阿里塞;arises;arising;arose;arisen
28. solitary [ˈsɒlɪtərɪ] adj. 独自的,单独的;偏僻的,孤立的;独自完成的;(人或动物)独处的,独居的;(花或其他部分)单生的;唯一的,仅有的 n. 单独监禁;独居者,隐士;solitaries
29. ideal [aɪˈdɪəl] adj. 理想的,最佳的;想象的,不切实际的 n. 理想;典范,完美典型;ideals
15参考↓■These, 这些; ■words, 话; ■become, 成为; ■vocabulary, 词汇; ■additions, 增补; ■They’ve, 他们已经; ■think, 认为; ■differently, 不同地; ■little, 小的; ■Language, 语言; ■after, 之后; ■shapes, 形状; ■world, 世界;
These words have become more than vocabulary additions for me. They’ve made me think differently. Just a little bit. Language, after all, shapes the way we see the world.
这些单词对我来说已经不仅仅是词汇量的增加。它们让我有了不同的想法。只是一点点。毕竟,语言塑造了我们看待世界的方式。
16参考↓■Philosopher, 哲学家; ■Ludwig, 路德维希; ■Wittgenstein, 维特根斯坦; ■encapsulated, 封装; ■perfectly, 完美; ■limits, 限制; ■language, 语言; ■limits, 限制; ■world, 世界; ■Without, 没有; ■words, 话; ■certain, 某些; ■concepts, 概念; ■remain, 保持; ■invisible, 看不见的; ■under-appreciated, 低估; ■Language, 语言; ■doesn’t, 没有; ■describe, 描述; ■reality, 现实; ■helps, 帮助; ■learning, 学习; ■untranslatable, 不可译; ■might, 可以; ■learn, 学习; ■little, 小的; ■differently, 不同地;
Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein encapsulated this perfectly when he said, "The limits of my language are the limits of my world." Without words for certain concepts, they can remain invisible or under-appreciated. Language doesn’t just help us describe reality—it helps us see it. By learning the untranslatable, we might just learn to live a little differently.
哲学家路德维希·维特根斯坦完美地概括了这一点,他说:“我的语言的极限就是我的世界的极限。”如果没有某些概念的文字,它们可能会被忽视或被低估。语言不仅帮助我们描述现实,还帮助我们看到现实。通过学习不可翻译的东西,我们可能会学会以不同的方式生活。
30. philosopher [fɪˈlɒsəfə] n. 哲学家,哲人;思想深刻的人;philosophers
31. invisible [ɪnˈvɪzəbl] adj. 看不见的,隐形的;无形的,非贸易的;被忽视的,不为人注意的 n. 无形进出口;invisibles
32. learning [ˈlɜːnɪŋ] n. 学习;知识,学问 v. 得知,获悉;学习,学会;认识到,从……吸取教训(learn 的现在分词形式)
17参考↓■knows, 知道; ■Maybe, 也许 吧; ■we’ll, 我们会的; ■feeling, 感觉; ■trying, 尝试; ■weave, 编织; ■conclusion, 结论; ■ideas, 思想; ■you’ve, 你有; ■scattered, 分散的; ■article, 文章; ■consider, 考虑; ■patchwork, 拼布; ■ending, 结束; ■pieces, 件; ■together, 在一起; ■little, 小的; ■haʻahaʻa, 哈哈哈;
And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll even have a word for that feeling when you are trying to weave a neat conclusion from all the ideas you’ve scattered in an article. For now, consider this more of a patchwork ending—a few pieces tied together with hope and a little haʻahaʻa.
谁知道呢?也许有一天,当你试图从一篇文章中分散的所有想法中得出一个简洁的结论时,我们甚至会有一个词来形容这种感觉。就目前而言,这更像是一个拼凑的结局——几块带着希望和一点哈哈的碎片绑在一起。
33. weave [wɪːv] v. (用织布机)编,织;(用……)编成;编造(故事或计划);将(素材等)编入(故事或设计中);迂回行进,穿行(以避开障碍);(蜘蛛)结网;(驾机)绕飞,作闪避动作;(马)不断左右摇晃头部和前身 n. 编法,织法,编织式样;编织图案;(使头发显得厚密或更长的)织发;weaves;weaves;weaving;wove;weaved;woven;weaved
34. scatter [ˈskætə] v. 撒,播撒;(使)散开,(使)散布在各处;(物理)散射(电磁辐射或粒子);(棒球)(被击中但没有得分的)有效投(球) n. 零星散布的东西;(统计)(对某一变量作反复测量或观察所得数值的)离差;(物理)(光、其他电磁波或粒子的)散射;scatters;scatters;scattering;scattered;scattered
35. ending [ˈendɪŋ] n. 结尾,结局;后缀,词尾;终止,终结;末梢 v. 结束;终止(en. 的现在分词形式);endings