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Today, we will keep talking about the idea of a language evolving. Last week, I talked about how war changes a language because one culture can dominate another and infuse aspects of its language into a new language. Today, I will talk about another way a language can be changed. It is... can anyone guess? Yes, it's technology.
今天，我们会继续讨论语言的演变。上周，我已经说过战争会如何改变一门语言，因为一种文化会统治另一种文化并浸透它语言的方方面面，从而产生一种新语言。今天，我会讲到另一种改变语言的方式。它是...有人能猜猜吗？是的，是技术。
My example will be, hmm, a cell phone. Cell phones have changed and are currently changing the way we communicate with each other. Only 50 years ago, phone conversations were considered private affairs. For example, if I was at your house, and your phone rang, I would leave the room so that you could have a private conversation. With cell phones, people have conversations everywhere, at restaurants, on dates, umm, even on public transportation you can see people chatting away.
我的例子会是，嗯，一部手机。手机已经改变并且依然在影响着我们的交流方式。50年前，电话通话还是一件很私密的事。比如，如果我在你家，你的电话响了，我得离开房间，方便你进行私人通话。有了手机以后，人们随地都在打着电话，在饭店、约会时，嗯，甚至在公共交通工具上你也能看到人们在用电话聊天。
Now people are talking about what was considered private in public. We will talk about work, people we hate, our relationships, and plans in front of complete strangers. The things we now talk about on the phone would have been considered extremely rude to say in public 50 years ago. Back then, you would be slapped by someone for talking about your boyfriend or girlfriend or a party you went to the night before.
现在人们在公共场合会讨论曾经被认为是很私密的话题。我们会在陌生人面前谈论工作、讨厌的人、情感关系以及计划。我们现在在公共场合用电话谈论的内容在五十年前看来会是十分不礼貌的。那时候，如果你在公共场合下谈论你的女朋友或男朋友或者你前一天晚上去参加的聚会，你会被别人抽耳光。
Umm, what else? We are changing how we talk as well. We all get phone bills, so talking on the phone means you are using money. So, the faster you talk the less money you use. This means we often start and end our phone conversations quickly. Before, we would take our time on the phone, ask someone how they are doing, chit chat for a bit, and then get to the point. We would slowly end the conversation, often saying bye two or three times. Now, we just say the point then maybe a goodbye, and the conversation is over. That would have been so rude only years ago.
嗯，还有什么呢？我们的说话方式也在改变。我们都有电话费，所以在电话上聊天意味着你在花钱。所以，你说的越快你花的钱就越少。这就意味着我们要快速地开始和结束电话通话。以前，我们会慢慢打电话，问别人过得怎样，随便聊聊天，然后才转到正题。我们结束对话也很慢，通常会说两三遍再见。现在，我们会直奔主题，然后一句再见，电话就挂了。几年以前如果你这样做，会显得极其不礼貌。
Question 20. What did the speaker talk about last week?
问题20 发言人上一周讨论的话题是什么？
Question 21. What would the people living 50 years ago think of today's phone conversations?
问题21 50年以前的人们会如何看待今天的电话通话？
Question 22. Why do we often start and end our phone conversations quickly?
问题22 为什么我们打电话开始的快结束也快？
译文属可可原创，仅供学习和交流使用，未经允许不得转载
