【英语趣味课堂】不同的语言-Different Languages

 Todd: So, Abidemi, we've been talking about your country, Nigeria. Now, you've mentioned that there's different langauges in different regions.

 

Abidemi: That's correct.

 

Todd: Now, are they similar or are they completely different?

 

Abidemi: I believe they're completely different. Nigeria has over 250 languages.

 

Todd: Whoa, really, 250 for the whole country?

 

Abidemi: Yes. Yes. So that's not even counting the dialects, when you start breaking them down into dialects, I believe there are over 500, maybe even thousands of dialects, because Nigeria was a British colony, so these were distinct¹ communities and groups of people before the British came in. So that's why, one of the reasons we have so many languages. However, we have four official languages, of course English, we need that to unite everybody. And in schools people learn English. We all have Yoruba in the southwestern part of Nigeria, which is my native language. We have Igbo in the southeastern part and Hausa in the northern part of Nigeria, yes.

 

Todd: Wow! Can you talk a little bit about each language? Now, you said your language is Yoruba?

 

Abidemi: Yes, that's correct, Yoruba is a tonal language like Chinese or Cantonese, unlike Cantonese, we have three tones² and not four, so ba, ba, ba, I don't know if you can tell the difference between those three words but they are different, three different words. Igbo, I'm not so sure, but it's a completely different language, if somebody's speaking it I would not be able to understand.

 

Todd: And what region is that in?

 

Abidemi: It's in the southeastern part of Nigeria. And then finally Hausa, it's more ... it's closer to Arabic I believe and a lot of Hausas are Muslims, so I think there's that relationship between those two languages.

 

Todd: So they sound completely different from each other?

 

Abidemi: Completely different, and because we have so many languages sometimes you would have a neighboring community but people can't understand each other unless they speak in English because their languages are nothing alike, yeah.

 

Todd: So how common is it to find somebody who speaks all three languages, the three major languages?

 

Abidemi: There are some people who do. There are some people who do, especially businessmen, a lot of Yorubas and Igbos are very business oriented³, but traditionally men, they will travel to different parts of Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa to do trade. So for those people it was essential to learn languages, so those people can. Nowadays most people just speak two, you speak English and your native language. So maybe it's becoming rarer and rarer to find people who speak all three languages.

 

Todd: So are these languages all taught in the school system?

 

Abidemi: For the most part no, which I think it's very unfortunate, I think it's something we should be very proud of. But now the emphasis is on English. So a lot of parents want their children to learn English in school, the top schools are mainly English and the onus⁴ is on the families to teach their children their native languages at home or maybe if you live in a neighborhood, for example if you're Yoruba like I am, if you live in a neighborhood where there are other Igbos, of course you would have Yoruba at home and Igbo being spoken to you by your friends and you might be able to pick it up that way, but generally no. So for me, when I was growing up I went to English speaking schools so I learned English at school, I never learned my native language at school at all. But at home I tried by myself, I studied my language by myself, so that's how I learned to speak.

 

Todd: So do you think you'll pass on the language to your children some day?

 

Abidemi: I want to, most definitely, yes. I think from learning different languages myself, I speak French as well, I think it's really important, my native language is my language and as much as English is important in the world today, I think my native language, Yoruba, is part of my identity. And for my children too, I think it's important for them to learn, so yes, I would like them to speak it.

 

Todd: Oh, I agree, one's native language is always the most important.

 

Abidemi: Exactly. Exactly.

 

Todd: That's cool though, so you've got three distinct different languages, more.

 

Abidemi: More. More.

 

Todd: More, but three major distinct languages.

 

Abidemi: Yes, these are the three major ethnicities - ethnic⁵ groups in Nigeria, yes.

 

Todd: Well thanks.

 

Abidemi: Thank you.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

not --- counting

 

That's not even counting the dialects

 

This phrase meanings 'not including.' Notice the following:

 

His whole family works at his company, and that is not even counting his in-laws.

300 people from the school were there, and that's not even counting the parents too.

break --- down

 

You start breaking them down into dialects.

 

When you break something down, you make it easier to understand. Notice the following:

 

Let's break down these statistics⁶. 

I am having trouble breaking down this analysis.

onus

 

The onus is on the families to teach their children their native languages at home

 

An onus is one's own resposibility. Notice the following:

 

The onus is on the student to do their homework.

Sadly, these days the onus is on workers to find their own healthcare program.

pass on

 

Do you think you'll pass on the language to your children some day?

 

When you pass something on, you keep it active from one generation to another. Notice the following:

 

My grandfather passed on his skill of watchmaking to my father.

The tradition of Sunday night dinners has been passed on from generation to generation.

part of my identy

 

Yoruba is part of my identity.

 

When something is part of your identity, it is something people associate with you. Notice the following:

 

Little Wayne's teeth is part of his identity.

Wearing a bow tie is part of his identity.

1 distinct   

adj.种类不同的，有区别的，清楚的，明显的

参考例句：

• I had the distinct impression that I was being followed.我清楚地感觉到有人跟踪我。
• The party split into two distinct groups.该党分裂成两个截然不同的团体。

2 tones   

音( tone的名词复数 )； 色调； 腔调； 全音 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• his clipped military tones 他那短促的军人音调
• His name was always mentioned in almost reverential tones. 人们每次提起他的名字，语调中几乎总是充满了敬意。

3 oriented   

adj.以…为方向的；重视的

参考例句：

• Our students are oriented towards science subjects. 我们教的学生都是理科方向的。
• He oriented himself on coming to a new city. 他初到一个新城市，就使自己适应新的环境。

4 onus   

n.负担；责任

参考例句：

• The onus is on government departments to show cause why information cannot bedisclosed.政府部门有责任说明不能把信息公开的理由。
• The onus of proof lies with you.你有责任提供证据。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。