TED演讲： 谈语言和思想(9)

 　　There's an influential¹ taxonomy by the anthropologist² Alan Fiske,  人类学家Alan Fiske给出了一个关于影响力的分类法

　　in which relationships can be categorized, more or less, into communality³, which works on the principle 其中人际关系可以被或多或少地归为“公社性”，它的作用原则是

　　"what's mine is thine, what's thine is mine," “我的就是你的，你的就是我的”

　　the kind of mindset that operates within a family, for example; dominance, whose principle is "don't mess with me;" 家庭内部的一种心态，例如--统治心态，其原则就是“别惹我，”

　　reciprocity, "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours;"  互惠心态：“你帮我挠背，我帮你挠背，”

　　and sexuality, in the immortal⁵ words of Cole Porter, "Let's do it."  性心理：如Cole Porter的不朽名言所说，“来吧”

　　Now, relationship types can be negotiated.  人际关系的类型是可以通过磋商决定的

　　Even though there are default situations in which one of these mindsets can be applied⁶, 尽管经常有某种默认情况指定了上面心态中的一种

　　they can be stretched and extended.  人际关类型可以被拉伸、调整

　　For example, communality applies most naturally within family or friends, 比如说“公社性”在家庭和朋友们中最自然

　　but it can be used to try to transfer the mentality⁷ of sharing 但它可以被用来把分享的心态转移给

　　to groups that ordinarily would not be disposed to exercise it.  平时并不习惯于分享的群体--

　　For example, in brotherhoods⁸, fraternal organizations, sororities, locutions like "the family of man," 例如帮派或者男生联谊会、女生联谊会，像“男人之家”这样的表达法

　　you try to get people who are not related to use the relationship type that would ordinarily be appropriate to close kin⁴. 这样就让非亲非故的人们能够采用一般都是近亲之间才有的关系类型

　　Now, mismatches -- when one person assumes one relationship type,  可是当一方采用某一种关系类型

　　and another assumes a different one -- can be awkward.  而另一方用了另一种--搭配错误的时候就尴尬了

　　If you went over and you helped yourself to a shrimp⁹ off your boss' plate, 假如你走过去随手就从你老板的盘子里弄了一只虾吃

　　for example, that would be an awkward situation.  打个比方的话，这就是一个尴尬的情况

　　Or if a dinner guest after the meal  或者是餐后有一位客人

　　pulled out his wallet and offered to pay you for the meal, that would be rather awkward as well. 掏出钱包说要付钱给你，这也会相当尴尬。

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 anthropologist   

n.人类学家，人类学者

参考例句：

• The lecturer is an anthropologist.这位讲师是人类学家。
• The anthropologist unearthed the skull of an ancient human at the site.人类学家在这个遗址挖掘出那块古人类的颅骨。

3 communality   

公社性，集体性，团结

参考例句：

4 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

5 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

8 brotherhoods   

兄弟关系( brotherhood的名词复数 )； （总称）同行； （宗教性的）兄弟会； 同业公会

参考例句：

• Clubs became more like brotherhoods for the jobless and fans would do anything for them. 俱乐部变得更像是失业者协会，球迷愿意为其做任何事情。

9 shrimp   

n.虾，小虾；矮小的人

参考例句：

• When the shrimp farm is built it will block the stream.一旦养虾场建起来，将会截断这条河流。
• When it comes to seafood,I like shrimp the best.说到海鲜，我最喜欢虾。