TED演讲： 谈语言和思想(10)

 　　In less blatant¹ cases, there's still a kind of negotiation² that often goes on. 在不那么明显的例子中，还是有一种磋商在进行着

　　In the workplace, for example,  比如说在工作场所

　　there's often a tension over whether an employee can socialize with the boss, 在员工是否能和老板套近乎这一点上都有一点紧张不安

　　or refer to him or her on a first-name basis. 或者是称呼他或她首名（而不是叫XX先生或女士）

　　If two friends have a reciprocal transaction, like selling a car, 如果两个朋友进行一笔交易，比如卖一辆车

　　it's well known that this can be a source of tension or awkwardness. 大家都知道这可能是紧张和尴尬的来源

　　In dating, the transition from friendship to sex 比如约会中从友谊到性关系的过度

　　can lead to, notoriously, various forms of awkwardness, and as can sex in the workplace, 众所周知，可能导致各种各样的尴尬局面，工作场所的性也是

　　in which we call the conflict between a dominant³ and a sexual relationship "sexual harassment⁴." 我们把两种关系类型--支配关系和性关系--间的冲突叫做“性骚扰”

　　Well, what does this have to do with language?  这个和语言有什么关系呢？

　　Well, language, as a social interaction, has to satisfy two conditions. 语言作为一种社会相互作用，必须满足两个条件

　　You have to convey the actual content -- here we get back to the container metaphor⁵. 你得传达内容--这里我们又回到容器的隐喻

　　You want to express the bribe⁶, the command, the promise, the solicitation⁷ and so on, 你想表达贿赂、命令、许诺的意思，恳请以及其他

　　but you also have to negotiate and maintain the kind of relationship you have with the other person. 但是你还得磋商，并保持你和那个人的关系

　　The solution, I think, is that we use language at two levels:  我认为解决的答案是我们在两个层面上使用语言

　　the literal form signals the safest relationship with the listener, 字面意思表达的是与听者的最安全的关系

　　whereas the implicated⁸ content -- the reading between the lines that we count on the listener to perform 而引伸义，我们留给听者自己去领会的言外之意

　　allows the listener to derive⁹ the interpretation¹⁰ which is most relevant in context, 则使他发掘出这个语境中最恰当的解释

　　which possibly initiates¹¹ a changed relationship.  而这有可能促成一种新的人际关系

1 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

4 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

5 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

6 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

7 solicitation   

n.诱惑；揽货；恳切地要求；游说

参考例句：

• Make the first solicitation of the three scheduled this quarter. 进行三位名单上预期捐助人作本季第一次邀请捐献。 来自互联网
• Section IV is about the proxy solicitation system and corporate governance. 随后对委托书的格式、内容、期限以及能否实行有偿征集、征集费用由谁承担以及违反该制度的法律责任进行论述，并提出自己的一些见解。 来自互联网

8 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

10 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

11 initiates   

v.开始( initiate的第三人称单数 )；传授；发起；接纳新成员

参考例句：

• The booklet initiates us into the problems of living abroad. 这本小册子使我们对国外的生活情况有了初步了解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Everybody initiates and receives messages in some form or other. 每个人都以各种不同的方式发出并接收信息。 来自辞典例句