無字無聲的世界語
20200307
Natural gesticulation, such as commonly accompanies any lively talk, is a language of its own, more widespread, even, than the language of words——so far, I mean, as it is independent of words and like in all nations. It is true that nations make use of it in proportion as they are vivacious, and that in particular cases, amongst the Italian, for instance, it is supplemented by certain peculiar gestures which are merely conventional, and therefore possessed of nothing more than a local value.
世界各國的人們在講話時都會伴有自然而然的手勢——一種無字的、流傳更廣的語言。由於手勢很活潑，所以各國都在一定限度內使用它。在某些特殊的情況下，如在意大利，人們的表達會用某些僅僅約定俗成、因而只在當地才有意義的手勢進行補充。
In the universal use made of it, gesticulation has some analogy with logic and grammar, in that it has to do with the form, rather than with the matter of conversation; but on the other hand it is distinguishable from them by the fact that it has more of a moral than of an intellectual bearing; in other words, it reflects the movements of the will. As an accompaniment of conversation it is like the bass of the melody; and if, as in music, it keeps true to the progress of the treble, it serves to heighten the effect.
在隨處可見的使用中，手勢涉及的是形式而非交談的實質，這樣的話，手勢就和邏輯和語法好有一比；但從另一個方面看，手勢的道德修養意味勝過智力意味的事實又使手勢與邏輯和語法鮮明區分開來；換言之，手勢反映出的是意願的運行過程。如同講話的一種伴奏一樣，手勢就是一隻抒情樂曲的低音部；如同在音樂裡，如果手勢
忠實於高音的行進，它就起到了烘托講話效果的作用。In a conversation, the gesture depends upon the form in which the subject-matter is conveyed; and it is interesting to observe that, whatever that subject-matter maybe, with a recurrence of the form, the very same gesture is repeated. So if I happen to see ——from my window, say——two persons carrying on a lively conversation, without my being able to catch a word, I can, nevertheless, understand the general nature of it perfectly well; I mean, the kind of thing that is being said and the form it takes. There is no mistake about it. The speaker is arguing about something, advancing his reasons, then limiting their application, thendriving them home and drawing the conclusion in triumph; or he is recounting his experiences, proving, perhaps, beyond the shadow of a doubt, how much he has been injured, but bringing the clearest and most damning evidence to show that his opponents were foolish and obstinate people who could not be convinced; or else he is telling of his splendid plan he laid, and how he carried it to a successful issue, or perhaps failed because the luck was against him; or, it may be, he is saying that he was completely at a loss to know what to do, or that he was quick in seeing some traps set for him, and that by insisting on his rights or by applying a little force, he succeed in frustrating and punishing his enemies; and so on in hundreds of cases of a similar kind.
在交談中，手勢依靠的是傳達講話主題的形式；觀察這一點很有趣，即無論講話主題是什麼，隨著形式的復現，剛好相同的手勢不斷地被重複。所以，比如說，如果我從窗口碰巧看到兩個人在進行一場交談，我一個詞也聽不到，但是，我卻能完整地明白講話的性質；我想說的是，（我能明白）正在被談及的事情的類型以及交談所採用的形式。這些是不會搞錯的。說者正在爭辯著什麼，推進著他的推理，限定它們的適用範圍，接著表達得淋漓盡致，成功地得出結論；抑或，他在述說他的經歷，也許充滿自信地在證實著，他受到了怎樣的傷害，但是提供著最確鑿和最應該譴責的證據來表明他的對手們是無法說服的愚蠢和固執的人；也許他在談論他制定的雄偉的計劃以及他是如何將它變成一個成功的重要事項的，或者由於時運不濟，他失敗了；或者他在訴說著對下一步該怎麼做感到一頭霧水，或者他迅速發現了給他設定的一些陷阱，以及通過堅持他的權利或者通過施加一點力量，他成功地挫敗和懲罰了他的對手；或者是數以百計的類似的情形。
Strictly speaking, however, what I get from gesticulation alone is an abstract notion of the essential drift of what is being said, and that, too, whether I judge from a moral or an intellectual point of view. It is the quintessence, the true substance of the conversation, and this remains identical, no matter what may have given rise to the conversation, or what it may be about; the relation between the two being that of a general idea or class-name to the individuals which it covers.
但是，嚴格地講，我單獨從手勢中獲得的是對進行中交談內容的基本性的展開的一個抽象的理解， 那也是無論我從道德修養還是智力的觀點判斷也會獲得的情況。那是講話的精華所在，即交談的真正的實質部分，而不論是什麼引起了交談，或者交談是關於什麼內容的，這一點始終不變；兩個人之間的關係是基本主題或者冠之於交談個體的階層的名稱的關係。
As I have said, the most interesting and amusing part of the matter is the complete identity and solidarity of the gestures used to denote the same set of circumstances, even though by people of very different temperament; so that the gestures become exactly like words of language, alike for every one, and subject only to such small modifications as depend upon variety of accent and education. And yet there can be no doubt but that these standing gestures, which every one uses, are the result of no convention or collusion. They are original and innate——a true language of nature; consolidated, it may be, by imitation and the influence of custom.
正如我所言，手勢最有趣和最好玩的部分是，用來闡釋同一套情形的各種手勢的完整辨識性和一致性，即便手勢使用者的脾氣秉性迥異；這樣，手勢就變成了與詞彙語言完全一樣了，對於每一個人都是相同的，只會根據口音和教育程度的變化出現那麼小小的調整。除了非慣例或者串通的結果外，還沒有過對這些現行的人人使用的手勢的其他質疑。這些手勢都是原裝的和天生的——一種大自然的語言；它可以通過模仿和風俗的影響得以鞏固。
It is well known that it is part of an actor’s duty to make a careful study of gesture; and the same thing is true, to a somewhat smaller degree, of a public speaker. This study must consist chiefly in watching others and imitating their movements, for there are no abstract rules fairly applicable to the matter, with the exception of some very general leading principles, such as——to take an example ——that the gesture must not follow the word, but rather come immediately before it, by way of announcing its approach and attracting the hearer’s attention.
眾所周知，認真學習手勢是一個演員的必修課程之一；對於一個公眾講話人而言，要求程度略有降低，情況基本也是相同的。這種學習主要包括觀察他人和模仿他們的動作，因為這方面沒有抽象的可以恰當適用的規則，除了一些非常普遍的引導性的原則外，舉個例子，比如那種沒有言語緊隨其後，反倒是講話之前馬上要做出的手勢，旨在通知手勢將至和吸引聽者的注意力。
Englishmen entertain a peculiar contempt for gesticulation, and look upon it as something vulgar and undignified. This seems to me a silly prejudice on their part, and the outcome of their general prudery. For here we have a language which nature has given to every one, and which every one understands; and to do away with and forbid it for no better reason than that it is opposed to that much-lauded thing, gentlemanly feeling, is a very questionable proceeding.
英國人樂於對手勢表現出一種特別的蔑視，把它看成是一種粗俗和不莊重的東西。這對我而言倒是他們自身的一種可笑的偏見，一種他們普遍的謹小慎微的必然結果。因為我們在這裡有了一種大自然賦予每一個人的且每一個人都理解的語言；僅由於沒有比它與那種備受稱讚的紳士般的感覺相比更好的理由就廢止和禁止它，這可是一個非常有問題的處理事情的過程。
【藉詞發揮】
gesticulation：UK /dʒesˌtɪk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ US /dʒesˌtɪk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ 這個詞，我們在前邊的章節中已經學過了。這裡，我想給大家一個引申的用法，如，在這個句子裡：The true history is beyond our gesticulation in deed. 真正的歷史是用不著我們指手畫腳的。
vivacious英[vɪˈveɪʃəs] 美[vɪˈveɪʃəs] 為了加深第一印象，我們先看一個例句：He brought along his wife, a vivacious blonde, some 20 years his junior. 他帶著比他小20歲的活潑可愛的金髮妻子在身邊。Vivacious 通常用在這樣的場合，即形容女孩子活潑、可愛、靈動，活力四射的，有點像《還珠格格》裡的小燕子的神態。所以，a vivacious person is lively 富於活力的and spirited 精神抖擻的 : 當你在舞臺上看到一名vivacious舞者的話，TA 一般都是不閒著的那種，一會做一個後空翻do a back-flip 緊接著跳入舞伴的懷抱裡jump into the arms of his/her partner，總之，在舞臺上閒不住的那類人，就是vivacious的樣子。
有些人生來就能帶給人快樂 naturally fun to be around，總能點燃sparkle和激活animate所在的團隊，這些人總是full of life。實際上，這個詞的詞根root——vivere，源自拉丁語，今天的意大利語，又叫“新拉丁語”，依然在這個含義上使用這個vivere的詞彙，"to live" 的意思。從語感上說，人們聽到這個詞時更多的感到的是“喜氣洋洋、高高興興”的樣子，而把“富有活力”和“躍躍欲試”放在其次。小燕子給人的第一印象就是 a sense of playfulness。這句話大家一定要背下來： Even the most sedentary slob can feel revitalized in the presence of a vivacious soul. 即便是久坐不動的懶蟲也會在活潑可愛的靈魂面前恢復活力的。
Bearing: 可不是狗熊怎麼招了，而是一個每個人都希望的含義——風度（翩翩）。我們的領導出現在公眾面前時，都是雙肩平直，昂首挺胸，自信直衝珠穆朗瑪峰！這時人們都會投來羨慕和崇拜的眼神——貴族風度、氣度、氣質啊！這就是bearing在本文中的含義。大家常關注“戰鬥民族”的新沙皇——Putting的話，你會看到當他步入金碧輝煌的大廳是就是那樣“端著”自己的。所以，bearing就是你保持（hold）自己身體姿態的方式。
Bearing 還有很多常用的意思。其實，我們總感覺沒學好英語，表現在哪裡？當我們有想法要表達時總是找不到合適的詞彙和方法。其實，這主要是我們的課本太陳舊了，太脫離生活實際了。所以，如果我們以生活為母本學習語言，學習過程就變成了我們認識生活，認識世界，和認識自己的過程！可不僅僅再是“痛苦不堪地背單詞，被語法”的過程啦！我們每個人都比較熟悉的含義是“ I cannot bear it!” 傳統的學英語的方法，我受不了啦！bear就是扛住，忍受，支撐，保持的意思。”滾珠/軸承“ball bearing。家裡裝修時，為了改變空間格局，我們要拆牆，但是承重牆/梁是絕對不能碰的（bearings are walls or beams）。你保持風度時，也是你在carry your body, you are bearing yourself up,對不對？Bearing 也被要來表示”行進中的方向”, 如， you could jump off the road barrier and nearly be run over by a car bearing south.
Treble: UK /ˈtrebəl/ US /ˈtrebəl/ 因為這裡談的是music，所以，treble的意思就是高音，soprano的意思。此外，它還有數量上“三倍的“意思。He earns almost treble the amount that I do.
Quintessence：英[kwɪnˈtesns] 美[kwɪnˈtesns] quintessence 這個詞中有quint+essence, quint是五的意思，第五的意思，essence 本質的意思。古希臘也認為世界是由五大元素【土 (γῆ)，水 (ὕδωρ )，空氣(ἀήρ)，火(πῦρ ) 和以太(αἰθήρ ) “以太”是古希臘哲學家亞里士多德所設想的一種物質。】組成的，其中每一個都是“精華、精髓、典範”。所以，quintessence 就用來說明“完美和可心、稱心如意的”事物something is its perfect, ideal example。例如，People say that the quintessence of Peking cuisine is the Beijing roast duck. But other people may say it should be Hot Pot. You may also say the quintessence of Italian cuisine is Spaghetti or Pizza.
Collusion：英[kəˈluːʒn] 美[kəˈluːʒn] 密謀、串通、勾結、共謀，這個詞基本上是個貶義詞。
Prudery：excessive or affected modesty，or being marked of a prude, excessive propriety or modesty in speech or conduct. 大家都學過了prude, adj. 謹慎的、仔細的、小心翼翼的、拘謹的，prudery是它的名詞形式，意為“過分謙虛或者受到謙虛影響很重的”，尤指在講話和行為方面。在英國，人們適用prudishness，表示同樣的意思外，特別容易被粗略、無禮的言行感到震驚的人，尤其還特別之談性色變的人的意思。例如，I loved his simplicity and the old-fashioned prudishness that stops him even from spelling out 'hell', which he writes as 'h-l'. 我愛他的簡單和不會讓他拼出“hell”一詞的老式的拘謹，他用”h-l”替代。
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