手機(jī)版
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language? An American.
To people in many countries, being bilingual or even trilingual is a way of life. But since the mother tongue of most Americans is English-a language widely spoken around the world-they often don't feel the need to learn a foreign language. Moreover, people who live in the heartland of America have little contact with other linguistic groups, making foreign language skills irrelevant.
Actually, though, this "land of immigrants" has always had people of many different nationalities-and languages. The 1990 census indicates that almost 14% of Americans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spoke English "not well" or "not at all." That means that slightly more than one out of 10 Americans could be considered bilingual. Besides that, many high school and college students-and even some elementary school students-are required to take a foreign language as a part of their curriculum. In addition to old standbys like Spanish, German and French, more and more students are opting for Eastern European and Asian languages. Of course, not all students keep up their foreign language abilities. As the old saying goes, "If you don't use it, you lose it." But still, a growing number of Americans are coming to appreciate the benefits of being multilingual.
Ethnic enclaves, found particularly in major metropolitan centers, have preserved the language and culture of American immigrants. Some local residents can function quite well in their native language, without having to bother learning English. Regions such as southern Florida and the Southwest have numerous Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. In fact, Spanish speakers-numbering over 17 million-compose the largest non-English linguistic group in America. But Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Polish and many other ethnic groups add to the linguistic flavor of America. Foreign languages are so commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods that visitors might think they are in another country!
Although some Americans welcome this linguistic and cultural diversity, others have begun to fear that the English language is being threatened. Since the 1980s, the "English Only" movement has sought to promote legislation which would establish English as the "official language" and restrict the use of non-English languages. However, some groups, including TESOL, the organization for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, object to such "language restrictionism." Their view, known as "English Plus," suggests that Americans should have respect for people's native language and culture, while promoting the teaching of English to help them fit into the mainstream of society. But so far, 19 states have passed English Only legislation, and the topic is the focus of an ongoing debate.
Whether or not English is the official language of the United States, it remains the "language of wider communication." Nearly everyone recognizes the need to develop proficiency in English in order to do well in America. To help those who want to brush up on their English skills, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes abound. Cities with large numbers of recent immigrants often set up bilingual education programs to teach students content subjects in their native language while they improve their English. Language educators often have strong and divergent views as to which approach helps learners achieve better results: a bilingual approach, an ESL approach-or even a pure immersion ("sink orm") approach. However, all these teachers share a common commitment: to help students function well in English.
Americans recognize that English is the de facto international language, and people with good English skills can get by in many international settings. On the other hand, in a world growing increasingly smaller, second language skills can be a great boon. They can build cross-cultural bridges and give people an edge in a variety of career fields. Indeed, lack of foreign language proficiency can limit one's chances for advancement-and keep one in a cultural cul-de-sac. As many people in America are discovering, being monolingual is no laughing matter.
你如何稱呼能說(shuō)三種語(yǔ)言的人？三聲帶。能講兩種語(yǔ)言的人又如何稱呼？雙聲帶。那么，只會(huì)一種語(yǔ)言的人呢？美國(guó)人。
To people in many countries, being bilingual or even trilingual is a way of life. But since the mother tongue of most Americans is English-a language widely spoken around the world-they often don't feel the need to learn a foreign language. Moreover, people who live in the heartland of America have little contact with other linguistic groups, making foreign language skills irrelevant.
對(duì)許多國(guó)家的人而言，說(shuō)兩種或三種語(yǔ)言，是家常便飯。但在美國(guó)，由于大多數(shù)人的母語(yǔ)為英語(yǔ)--一個(gè)世界上廣泛通用的語(yǔ)言--因此美國(guó)人都不覺(jué)得有必要學(xué)習(xí)外語(yǔ)。此外，居住于美國(guó)大陸內(nèi)地的人，較少與其它語(yǔ)言族群接觸，因此外語(yǔ)能力更顯得無(wú)關(guān)緊要。
Actually, though, this "land of immigrants" has always had people of many different nationalities-and languages. The 1990 census indicates that almost 14% of Americans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spoke English "not well" or "not at all." That means that slightly more than one out of 10 Americans could be considered bilingual. Besides that, many high school and college students-and even some elementary school students-are required to take a foreign language as a part of their curriculum. In addition to old standbys like Spanish, German and French, more and more students are opting for Eastern European and Asian languages. Of course, not all students keep up their foreign language abilities. As the old saying goes, "If you don't use it, you lose it." But still, a growing number of Americans are coming to appreciate the benefits of being multilingual.
事實(shí)上，在美國(guó)這塊「移民之地」，一直住著來(lái)自不同國(guó)籍、說(shuō)不同語(yǔ)言的人口。一九九○年的人口普查顯示，幾乎百分之十四的美國(guó)人，在家里不講英語(yǔ)。只有百分之三的人宣稱他們英語(yǔ)「說(shuō)得不好」或「根本不會(huì)說(shuō)」。這表示十分之一強(qiáng)的美國(guó)人可視為雙聲帶。此外，許多中學(xué)生、大學(xué)生，甚至小學(xué)生在校的學(xué)科都必須加修一門外語(yǔ)。除了西班牙文、德文與法文等常選的第二語(yǔ)言外，愈來(lái)愈多的學(xué)生選修東歐和亞洲語(yǔ)言。當(dāng)然，并非所有學(xué)生都能夠?qū)W以致用。套句老話：「不用就會(huì)丟掉。」盡管如此，愈來(lái)愈多的美國(guó)人已經(jīng)開始意識(shí)到會(huì)說(shuō)多種語(yǔ)言的好處。
Ethnic enclaves, found particularly in major metropolitan centers, have preserved the language and culture of American immigrants. Some local residents can function quite well in their native language, without having to bother learning English. Regions such as southern Florida and the Southwest have numerous Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. In fact, Spanish speakers-numbering over 17 million-compose the largest non-English linguistic group in America. But Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Polish and many other ethnic groups add to the linguistic flavor of America. Foreign languages are so commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods that visitors might think they are in another country!
在主要大都市里，有許多族群居住的社區(qū)，都還保存著移民的文化傳統(tǒng)和語(yǔ)言。有些當(dāng)?shù)厝嗽谏钌现恢v母語(yǔ)就夠了，根本不需要學(xué)英語(yǔ)。佛羅里達(dá)州南部以及美國(guó)西南部等區(qū)，有許多說(shuō)西班牙語(yǔ)的社區(qū)。事實(shí)上，說(shuō)西班牙語(yǔ)的人口超過(guò)一千七百萬(wàn)，是美國(guó)最大的非英語(yǔ)系族群。不過(guò)，還有中國(guó)、越南、意大利、波蘭與其它很多種族的族群，更使美國(guó)語(yǔ)言增色不少。在許多外來(lái)民族的后裔社區(qū)里，由于外語(yǔ)的廣泛使用，甚至?xí)乖L客有身置異國(guó)的感覺(jué)。
Although some Americans welcome this linguistic and cultural diversity, others have begun to fear that the English language is being threatened. Since the 1980s, the "English Only" movement has sought to promote legislation which would establish English as the "official language" and restrict the use of non-English languages. However, some groups, including TESOL, the organization for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, object to such "language restrictionism." Their view, known as "English Plus," suggests that Americans should have respect for people's native language and culture, while promoting the teaching of English to help them fit into the mainstream of society. But so far, 19 states have passed English Only legislation, and the topic is the focus of an ongoing debate.
雖然有些美國(guó)人歡迎這種語(yǔ)言與文化多元化，也有些人擔(dān)心英語(yǔ)已經(jīng)受到威脅。從一九八○年代以來(lái)，「唯用英語(yǔ)」(English Only)運(yùn)動(dòng)即試著開始推動(dòng)立法，將英語(yǔ)訂為「官方語(yǔ)言」，并限制其它語(yǔ)言的使用。但有些團(tuán)體，如「教導(dǎo)母語(yǔ)為其它語(yǔ)言學(xué)生的英語(yǔ)教師組織」（簡(jiǎn)稱TESOL)，就反對(duì)這種「語(yǔ)言限制主義」。他們提倡的「英語(yǔ)與外語(yǔ)」（English Plus)，建議美國(guó)人應(yīng)尊重其它族群的母語(yǔ)以及文化，同時(shí)也推廣英語(yǔ)教學(xué)，幫助其它族群融入社會(huì)主流。但是到目前為止，已有十九個(gè)州通過(guò)「唯用英語(yǔ)」一法；該議題也一直是辯論的焦點(diǎn)。
Whether or not English is the official language of the United States, it remains the "language of wider communication." Nearly everyone recognizes the need to develop proficiency in English in order to do well in America. To help those who want to brush up on their English skills, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes abound. Cities with large numbers of recent immigrants often set up bilingual education programs to teach students content subjects in their native language while they improve their English. Language educators often have strong and divergent views as to which approach helps learners achieve better results: a bilingual approach, an ESL approach-or even a pure immersion ("sink orm") approach. However, all these teachers share a common commitment: to help students function well in English.
無(wú)論英語(yǔ)是否是美國(guó)的「官方語(yǔ)言」，它仍是「廣泛溝通的語(yǔ)言」。在美國(guó)，幾乎每個(gè)人都了解，若想要出人頭地，必須精通英語(yǔ)。為滿足那些想精進(jìn)英語(yǔ)能力的人的需要，教導(dǎo)英語(yǔ)為第二語(yǔ)言的機(jī)構(gòu)（ESL）到處都是。擁有大批新進(jìn)移民的一些大都市，都設(shè)有雙語(yǔ)教學(xué)課程，在移民們加強(qiáng)英語(yǔ)能力的同時(shí)，用移民們的母語(yǔ)教授普通科目。語(yǔ)言教育學(xué)家對(duì)何種方法才能幫助學(xué)生更有效地學(xué)習(xí)英語(yǔ)--利用雙語(yǔ)教學(xué)、ESL教學(xué)、或讓學(xué)生完全浸入一個(gè)英語(yǔ)的環(huán)境（認(rèn)輸或強(qiáng)學(xué)--），都擁有強(qiáng)烈并分歧的看法。但這些教師都擁有共同使命：幫助學(xué)生流利地使用英語(yǔ)。
Americans recognize that English is the de facto international language, and people with good English skills can get by in many international settings. On the other hand, in a world growing increasingly smaller, second language skills can be a great boon. They can build cross-cultural bridges and give people an edge in a variety of career fields. Indeed, lack of foreign language proficiency can limit one's chances for advancement-and keep one in a cultural cul-de-sac. As many people in America are discovering, being monolingual is no laughing matter.
美國(guó)人了解，英語(yǔ)就是一個(gè)實(shí)際的國(guó)際語(yǔ)言，若能操流利的英語(yǔ)，在許多國(guó)際場(chǎng)合都能派得上用場(chǎng)。另一方面當(dāng)國(guó)際間的距離越變?cè)叫r(shí)，擁有第二外語(yǔ)能力極為有利。外語(yǔ)能力可以建立文化交流的橋梁，并且使人們?cè)诓煌膶I(yè)領(lǐng)域里，占得優(yōu)勢(shì)。的確，缺乏外語(yǔ)能力不僅限制個(gè)人的擢升，并且把個(gè)人限制在文化的死胡同內(nèi)。很多美國(guó)人都逐漸發(fā)現(xiàn)，只會(huì)一種語(yǔ)言，不再是一件好事了。
