English as a Fecund Language 英语作为丰饶语言
Sunday, June 8th, 2008 星期日， 2008年6月8日 
A Chicken and Egg Situation鸡和蛋现状
I spent a while teaching English as a second language in Thailand many years ago, and had a splendid time.我花了，而教学作为第二语言的英语在泰国的很多年前，有一个辉煌的时间。 Not only did I find the language (especially the written characters) more beautiful than my own English equivalent; the culture, the etiquette, the people, the weather, the food, everything beguiled me and I felt entirely at home, as if remembering a Heaven where I once belonged.不仅没有找到语言（特别是书面字符）更美好的了我自己的英语同等学历;的文化，礼仪，对人民，天气，食物，一切都受骗我，我觉得完全在家里，仿佛想起一天堂曾经属于我。 Maybe I’ll tell you more about it another time, but I will say two things for now:也许我会告诉你更多关于它的另一种时间，但我要说两件事现在：
- My grasp of the Thai language extended barely beyond the basic pleasantries and the buying of food.我国掌握泰语延长几乎超出了基本的评分和购买食物。 This was mainly due to the importance of inflections and polite appendages, which English has no care for.这主要是由于必须inflections和礼貌的附庸，而英语没有照顾。 The word “khai” could sound from me at random as the verb “to sell” or the noun “egg” or the noun “chicken” depending on its delivery.改为“开”的声音我可以随意作为动词“出售”或名词“鸡蛋”或名词“鸡”根据其交付。 Vegetarian as I am, my linguistic state was precarious.素食我，我的语言的国家岌岌可危。
- Explaining English to other people made me extremely glad that it is my first language, so I don’t have to struggle with its peculiarities from a text book or teacher.英文解释给其他人，我非常高兴，这是我的第一语言，所以我没有挣扎其特殊性由教科书或教师。 The more I explained, the more baffled I became by my own explanations, gradually realising that there are as many exceptions as rules.我越解释，越感到困惑，我开始了我自己的解释，逐渐意识到，有许多例外的规则。 I was tempted to take the stance of Frenchman G. Nolst Trenité:我是很想采取的立场，法国湾Nolst Trenité ：
“Finally, which rhymes with enough — “最后，这有足够的童谣-
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?虽然通过，犁，或面团，或咳嗽？
Hiccough has the sound of cup.打嗝的声音杯。
My advice is to give up!!!”我的建议是放弃！ “
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Image: Kedar Misani 图片：凯达尔Misani
Contextual Complexities内容复杂
Learning our first language comes from constant immersion combined with dire necessity.学习我们的第一语言来自不断浸泡结合可怕的必要性。 We pick up meanings largely from the words’ environmental context, and grammar from their verbal context.我们拿起意义的话主要是环境方面，并从他们的语言的语法范畴。 This leaves us able to use a large number of words effectively but often only notionally; without really knowing their precise meaning, let alone their origin.这使我们能够利用大量的关键词有效，但往往只是名义上;没有真正了解他们的确切含义，更遑论他们的原籍国。
Words such as man , woman , cat and dog have not changed throughout the ages, but more complex phrases evolve relatively fast:的词语，如男人 ， 女人 ， 猫，狗并没有改变整个年龄，但更复杂的词组发展比较快：
“…the phrase ‘willy nilly,’ which we now take to mean ‘any which way’ originally had a much different meaning. “ ...短语'威利nilly ， '我们现在就意味着'的任何方式，原来有很多不同的含义。 Willehe-nellehe was an Old English term meaning ‘whether he will or whether he won’t’ and implied someone doing something against their wishes — whether they wanted to or not. Willehe - nellehe是一个老英语词条意思是'他是否会，或者是否他将不' ，并暗示有人做一些对他们的愿望-他们是否希望或没有。 Over time this concept has been misinterpreted to the point where its meaning is entirely different.随着时间的推移，这一概念被误解，以致其含义是完全不同的。 Extrapolate this example across the language and you get constant evolution.”推断这个例子跨越语言，你会得到不断发展。 “
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The speed and accuracy with which we pick up a language no doubt depends on many factors; partly environment/encouragement, partly our own propensity.的速度和准确性与我们拿起语言无疑取决于许多因素;部分环境/鼓励，部分我们自己的倾向。 Elizabeth Barrett (pictured) is one extraordinary example; something of an infant prodigy in the world of words, not just speaking but reading before she can walk.伊丽莎白巴雷特（如图）是一个特殊的例子;一些天才婴儿世界中的话，不只是讲，但读她可以步行。 Elizabeth read her first word when she was 13 months old, from then devouring books with exceptional voracity.伊丽莎白宣读她的第一个字时，她是13个月岁，来自然后吞食书籍例外贪婪。 In her father’s words:在她父亲的话：
“I think she has some special abilities that have just been a fortunate thing she’s been born with.” “我想她有一些特殊的能力，刚才是一个幸运的事，她的出生的。 ”
“This is something we never expected,” added his wife. “这是我们没有想到，说： ”他的妻子。 “We didn’t teach her this. “我们没有教她这一点。 We don’t sit down and drill her on words.我们不坐下来深入她的话。 She loves reading books.”她喜欢读书。 “
Believing in reincarnation as I do, I can’t help wondering if such capacity is not only to do with nature and nurture, but past experience.相信转世像我一样，我不禁要问，如果这种能力不仅是为了与性质和培养，但过去的经验。 Perhaps the name Elizabeth Barrett is a clue?或许名称伊丽莎白巴雷特是一个线索？ 
The Word Burglars在Word Burglars
So the English language is as fond of breaking rules as it is of making them up as it goes along, it also is in a constant state of evolution because we don’t always really know what we mean when we speak it.所以，英语是喜欢打破规则，因为它是使它们成为不言而喻同时，它也是在不断演变的状况，因为我们并不总是真正知道我们指当我们谈论它。 Add to that the ( disputable ) fact that it has the largest vocabulary, and I am yet more glad I don’t have to learn it from scratch.加上（ 有争议的 ） ，它拥有最大的词汇，我更高兴我不必从头开始学习。
“The Oxford English Dictionary lists a total of 171,476 words with an additional 47,156 obsolete and 9,500 derivative words as subentries, giving almost a quarter of a million words in the English language, even when technical terms, place names and multiple word senses are excluded.” “牛津英语词典名单共有171476字增拨47156过时和9500派生词subentries ，使近25万字的英文，即使是技术术语，地名和多种感官一词被排除在外。 “
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But that includes all the words we’ve half-inched from other languages.但是，包括所有的话我们已经半小幅从其他语言。 So-called loanwords are “a consequence of cultural contact between two language communities”.所谓的外来词是“文化的后果之间的接触两种语言的社区” 。 As such contact will presumably only increase, so will our vocabulary.因为这种联系将大概只会增加，所以将我们的词汇。
So far we have taken ketchup from… Chinese (yep), gingham from the Pacific Islands (and I dread to think what we gave in return), Japanese gave us karaoke (whether we wanted it or not), American Indian gave us avocado and hurricane (a mixed blessing), African languages gave us jitterbugs and zombies (which we probably could manage without, but it’s the thought that counts), Arabic gave us caravan (thence all sorts of traffic problems during the British summertime), Hindi gave us bungalow and chintz (to be used sparingly, especially in a bungalow), German gave us poodle, noodle and apple strudel (enough said), Dutch gave us smuggle and freebooter (well, we stole them really), French gave us garage and sachet (which we’d struggle without), Italian gave us opera and umbrella (which we needed badly), Spanish gave us mosquito and tornado (which we didn’t).迄今为止，我们已经采取的番茄酱从...中（是的） ，格布来自太平洋群岛（和我怕什么，我们想到了回报的项目） ，日本为我们提供了卡拉OK （不论我们希望能与否） ，美洲印第安人给我们鳄梨和飓风（喜忧参半） ，非洲语言为我们提供了JitterBugs了和僵尸（我们也许可以管理没有，但它的思想计数） ，阿拉伯语为我们提供了大篷车（再各种交通问题，在英国夏季） ，印地语为我们提供了平房和棉布（用来节制，特别是在平房） ，德国为我们提供了狮子狗，方便面和苹果卷（足够的说） ，荷兰为我们提供了走私和暴（好吧，我们偷他们真的） ，法国给我们车库和小袋（我们不希望斗争） ，意大利为我们提供了歌剧和保护伞（我们需要严重） ，西班牙语为我们提供了蚊子和旋风式（我们没有） 。 Shall I go on, or are we sufficiently incriminated?我应该继续下去，还是我们充分所得？
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Shakespearean Tragedy?莎士比亚的悲剧？
I’ve already briefly touched on the subject of poets adding to our lexicon in John Milton and the Origin of Space , but, says Stuart Waters, Shakespeare et al are doomed:我已经简要地谈到了这个问题的诗人增加了我们的词典中约翰米尔顿和原产地的空间 ，但表示，斯图尔特水域，莎士比亚等人是注定：
“There is no motive in this crime of the future, just an inevitability based on one undeniable fact. “没有在这一犯罪动机的未来，只是一个必然性的基础上一个不可否认的事实。 Language changes, and ironically, Shakespeare was himself perhaps the greatest ever at introducing new terms, concepts and metaphors into the language.语言的变化，具有讽刺意味的是莎士比亚自己也许是有史以来最大的引进新的术语，概念和隐喻的语言。 The very craft he mastered will eventually consign his works to history.非常工艺掌握最终将他托付他的作品成为历史。
“Technologically, the very nature of communication is changing on a daily basis and we are only at the beginning of this revolution. “技术上的性质正在发生变化的沟通，每天和我们只能在本月初的革命。 The internet, email and text messaging are tremendously fertile fields for the growth of new words and concepts and because this type of technology changes so quickly it is very difficult to see where it will take the language.互联网，电子邮件和文本信息的巨大沃土成长的新词和概念，因为这种类型的技术变化如此之快是很难看到的地方将采取的语言。 On the one hand communication technology exerts pressure for language evolution, but on the other hand, it puts everyone in touch with everyone else, breaking down the barriers of distance and culture which traditionally fuel language change.一方面，通信技术的施加压力的语言演化，但另一方面，它使每个人在接触其他人一样，打破了距离的障碍和文化传统燃料语言变化。 What will be the outcome?是什么结果？ Who can say.谁可以说。
“It is clear however that sooner or later the poetry and artistry of the Bard will be lost to all but historians of English, just as the works of Homer are unintelligible to modern Greeks. “很显然但是迟早的诗歌和艺术的巴德将会丢失所有的英语，但历史学家，正如荷马的作品是不懂现代希腊人。
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Outcome 1: Pidgin结果1 ：洋泾浜
“What will be the outcome?” asks Waters. “是什么结果？ ”要求水域。 Well, Pidgin English is one (pidgin, not pigeon).那么，洋泾浜英语是一个（洋泾浜，而不是鸽） 。
“A pidgin is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common, in situations such as trade. “阿语是一种简化的语言，开发的一种手段之间的沟通有两个或两个以上的群体没有共同语言，在这种情况下贸易。 Pidgins are not the native language of any speech community, but are instead learned as second languages. Pidgins不是母语的任何言论社会，而是作为第二语言的经验教训。
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English may have the largest vocabulary.英国可能有最大的词汇。 Its offspring, Pidgin English, claims to have the smallest, but is possibly yet trickier to learn.其后代，洋泾浜英语，声称已是最小的，但可能是没有复杂的学习。 With just a few examples from the version spoken in Papua New Guinea, I am amply convinced of that, (although it does have logic, phonetic continuity, and absolute cuteness in its favour):与仅仅是几个例子讲的版本在巴布亚新几内亚，我充分相信这一点， （尽管它也有逻辑，语音的连续性，和绝对可爱赞成票） ：
- television: bokis wailis wantem piksa电视： bokis wailis wantem piksa
- corridor: ples wokabaut insait long haus走廊：普莱斯wokabaut insait长故居
- antiseptic: marasin bilong kilim jem防腐剂： marasin碧龙奇勒姆正义与平等运动
- bathroom: rum bilong waswas浴室：朗姆酒碧龙waswas
Outcome 2: LOLspeak结果2 ： LOLspeak
LOLspeak is born of our modern-day 24/7 culture where everyone is multi-tasking, communication is as urgently important as breathing, and everything is too much hassle to do properly or fully. LOLspeak出生的现代的24 / 7的文化中，每个人都在多任务处理，通信是重要的紧急呼吸，一切都太麻烦做适当或完全。 Some familiar examples of LOLspeak are OMG (oh my God), BRB (be right back), and the eponymous LOL: laughing out loud, lots of love, or…一些熟悉的例子LOLspeak是03 （啊哟喂） ，广播事业检讨委员会（是右后卫） ，以及同名LOL ：笑着大声，很多的爱，或...
Depending on the chatter, its definition may vary.根据传言，其定义可能会有所不同。 The list of its meanings includes, but is not limited to:该清单的含义，包括但不限于：
1) “I have nothing worthwhile to contribute to this conversation.” 1 ） “我没有什么值得为此作出贡献的谈话。 ”
2) “I’m too lazy to read what you just wrote so I’m typing something useless in hopes that you’ll think I’m still paying attention.” 2 ） “我懒得看你刚才写所以我输入的东西没用，希望你会认为我仍然关注。 ”
3) “Your statement lacks even the vaguest trace of humor but I’ll pretend I’m amused.” 3 ） “你的发言缺乏甚至是模糊的痕迹幽默，但我会假装我很开心。 ”
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Does LOL mark the demise of the beautiful English language?是否LOL马克的消亡美丽的英语？ IMHO, no. IMHO ，没有。 Whatever it signifies for humans, it is a mark of progress for all other species.不管它标志着人类，这是一个标志着进步的所有其他物种。 If it counts for English, animals have finally started to speak, and even nuborned ones are typing their own messages on sites such as cuteoverload.com, ihasahotdog.com and icanhascheezburger.com (pictured).如果计数为英语，动物终于开始说话，甚至nuborned的是输入自己的信息网站，如cuteoverload.com ， ihasahotdog.com和icanhascheezburger.com （如图） 。 So LOL is progress.所以LOL是进步。 Officially.正式。
(Ono! U meen dey don type teh msgs demself?? Srsly?). （小野！ ü meen人家不要输入留言demself ？ ？ Srsly ？ ） 。
Who Has The Largest Individual Vocabulary?谁拥有最大的个人词库？
Whatever may happen in the future, regardless of species, who has the largest English vocabulary right now?无论可能发生在未来，无论品种，谁拥有最大的英语词汇呢？ This is not a straightforward question.这不是一个简单的问题。 Michael Quinion explains why:迈克尔Quinion解释了为什么：
“What we mean by word sounds obvious, but it’s not.他说： “我们的意思词听起来很明显，但它不是。 Take a verb like climb.采取一个动词一样攀升。 The rules of English allow you to generate the forms climbs, climbed, climbable, and climbing, the nouns climb and climber (and their plurals climbs and climbers), compounds such as climb-down and climbing frame, and phrasal verbs like climb on, climb over, and climb down.规则的英文让您产生形式爬升，上涨，爬得上去，和攀登，攀登的名词和登山（及其复数爬升和登山） ，化合物，如爬式和登山框架，短语动词喜欢攀登，攀越，并爬下。 Now, here’s the question you’ve got to answer: are all these distinct words, or do you lump them all together under climb?现在，这里的问题你要回答：是所有这些不同的话，还是一次性全部下共同攀登？
“The other difficult term is vocabulary . “其他困难的术语词汇 。 What counts as a word that somebody knows?怎样才算是一个词，有人知道？ Is it one that a person uses regularly and accurately?这是一个，一个人利用定期和准确？ Or perhaps one that will be correctly recognised — say in written text — but not used?或者将一个正确的认识-说在书面文字-而不是使用？ Or perhaps one that will be understood in context but which the person may not easily be able to define?或者将一个理解的范畴，但该人可能不容易能确定？
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Of all the people I know, my meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy (pictured) definitely has the largest vocabulary, however it’s measured.全体人民的，我知道，我的冥想教师斯里兰卡清 （照片）绝对有最大的词汇，但是它的测量。 Growing up in East Bengal, English was not his first language, but I regularly come across English words in his writings which I have never seen before.生长在东孟加拉，英语不是他的第一语言，但我经常遇到的英语词汇在他的著作我以前从未见过。 Take my favourite example: sesquipedalian (meaning a very long word).以我最喜欢的例子： sesquipedalian （意思是很长的话） 。
Sri Chinmoy published almost 1600 books during his lifetime, including around 117,000 poems.斯里兰卡清近1600年出版的书籍在他的一生，包括周围一十一点七零万诗。 Whatever happens to the English language; however it evolves, however it is used and misused, I will always relish it and cherish it, and I will always look to my teacher Sri Chinmoy for new words and new inspiration.无论发生什么事情的英语，但是它的发展，但它是使用和误用，我将永远珍惜和品味它，我将永远期待着我的老师斯里兰卡清的新词和新的灵感。 It is not only his vast vocabulary, but the use of it which I love.这不仅是他丰富的词汇，但使用它，我的爱。 He reminds me to stay in my heart, and to try to use whatever capacity I have for goodness.他使我想起留在我的心里，并尝试使用什么能力，我的善良。 Although he passed away last year, and I still miss him dearly, he left behind the legacy of his writings for us all to enjoy forever.他虽然去世了，去年我仍然怀念他高昂的代价，他留下的遗产，他的著作对我们所有人享受永远。 Read to your heart’s content for free at Sri Chinmoy Library !读您的心的内容免费斯里兰卡清库 ！
“No more am I the foolish customer “我没有更多的愚蠢客户
Of a dry, sterile, intellectual breeze.一股干燥，无菌，智力微风。
I shall buy only我只买
The weaving visions of the emerald-Beyond.编织梦想的翡翠超越。
My heart-tapestry我的心，挂毯
Shall capture the Himalayan Smiles应抓住喜马拉雅斯迈尔斯
Of my Pilot Supreme.我国试点最高法院。
In the burial of my sunken mind在埋葬我沉没铭记
Is the revival of my climbing heart.是振兴我国攀登的心。
In the burial of my deceased mind在埋葬死者记住我
Is the festival of my all-embracing life.”艺术节是我国包罗万象的生活。 “—Sri Chinmoy (from The Dance of Life ) ，斯里兰卡清（ 从舞蹈的生活 ）
