50. 为什么学不好英文之英语学习宣言——夏鹏

For half a century
We kept asking ourselves a question
on how can we learn English well
rather than why we couldn’t
长达半个世纪以来
中国人一直在探索
如何学好英语
却很少反思我们为什么学不好

We spent years reciting vocabulary
remembering every single word
but unable to read between the lines of Virginia Woolf
我们经年累月地背单词
可即便我们认识了每一个单词
却还是读不通弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙的言外深意

We spent years learning grammar
earning high grades over all the tests
but unable to utter a complete sentence expressing our own ideas
我们起早贪黑地学语法
在考试中拿高分
一开口却支离破碎
连完整的意思都表达不清

We spent years imitating the English accent
drilling on the phonetic symbols time and time again but unable to initiate a meaningful conversation about current global affairs
我们还孜孜不倦地模仿英国腔
发音惟妙惟肖
跟外国人聊起全球时事来
却一句有意义的话都说不出

Efforts spent, money wasted
We tried so hard but failed so miserably
Asking the wrong question
cannot lead us to the right answer
我们付出了努力，花费了金钱
换来的却是无情的失败
一开始你就问错了问题
又怎么可能得到正确的答案

Let us ask the question again
Why couldn’t we learn English well
让我们再扪心自问一次
我们为什么就学不好英语呢

The answer is simple and straightforward
because we treat English language as a tool
to pass exams or to make money
or to show off in a game
答案很直接也很简单
因为我们仅仅把英语当成了一个工具
我们用它来过考试，赚大钱
把它当作竞争中值得炫耀的资本

In return
English treats us as a machine, a slave, a chess piece depriving the nobility of our human beings
反之
英语把我们当成了一台机器，一个奴隶，一个棋子
人们失去了身为人类的高尚与尊严

We believe language should be treated differently
and we are here today to say it to you
我们今天就是要来大声地告诉你
我们相信是时候用一种不同的方式来对待语言了

We believe the language is an instinct
an instinct of curiosity
a desire to explore the unknown
to empathize with strangers
to listen to the whisper of the voiceless
and to empower the underprivileged
we also believe this instinct is equal to everyone
everyone however petty and low is entitled to have
我们相信语言是一种本能
一种好奇的本能
它给予你一种渴望去探索未知
去和陌生人产生共情
去聆听沉默者的轻语
去赋予弱势者力量
我们相信在这种本能面前
无谓尊卑人人平等

We believe language is a history
a history in which Socrates made his apology to the jury
Confucius lectured on noble men
Shakespeare read his sonnet aloud
Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence
and the young men and young women in the 19th century introducing the West to China in order to revive their motherland
我们相信语言就是历史
在它的见证下苏格拉底作出了他的临终申辩
孔子论述了他的君子之道
在它的见证下莎士比亚畅咏十四行诗
杰弗森起草了《独立宣言》
以及19世纪中国的有志青年们
满怀着民族复兴的宏愿将西学传入东方故土

It is a history
the weak are not defeated by the strong
the kind prevail over the evil
and the wise stand on the high ground
seeing through the mist of stupidity and ignorance
在这段历史中
弱肉毋有强食
邪不胜正
智者高瞻远瞩
看破愚昧和无知

We believe language is the present
the present of uncertainties
The maelstroms of daily circumstances
the mart of economic strive and gain
the flooded information
the fragmented time
all these make learning a language extremely hard
我们相信语言即当下
它充满未知
日常境遇的喧嚣
经济利益的得失
信息的泛滥
时间的破碎
这些都让语言学习变得极为困难

Therefore we must focus
we must think critically and differently
keep our eyes open our ears sharp
and above all our hearts beating
所以我们必须专注
在思考时敢于批判和另辟蹊径
张大你的眼睛，竖起你的耳朵
最重要的是，让你的心时刻保持跳动

We believe language is a challenge
a challenge to test our strength and perseverance
a challenge once overcome
we will not live in self-blindness and arrogance
but see the true world and our true selves
我们相信语言是一种挑战
是对我们的力量和韧性的考验
只要我们克服了这种挑战
我们将不再盲目和傲慢
我们会看见真实的世界和自我

We believe language is a bridge
linking east and west past and present
and through this bridge
we can build our cultural confidence
spread Chinese civilization
and learn from the universal values
我们相信语言是一座桥梁
一座横跨东西
连接过去与未来的桥梁
通过它我们建立了我们的文化自信散播了中华文明
并从普世价值中获益良多

So we convene today
to dedicate ourselves to this expedition
to hold the torch lighting the darkness
to emancipate to guide
to inspire and to motivate
even at the cost of our lives
所以我们今天聚在这里
全身心地投入这段探索之旅
紧握手中的火炬去照亮黑暗
去解惑 去引领
去启发 去激励
即便付出生命也在所不辞

So we convene today
to learn English as a language
Start from reading daily news of The Economist
reading behind Hamlet
reading across the bestsellers from The New York Times
我们今天聚集在这
回归英语的语言本质
从阅读《经济学人》的每日新闻开始
去读懂《哈姆雷特》的言外深意
遍览《纽约时报》的畅销书籍

So we convene today
to vow against the oppression of utilitarianism
我们今日聚集在这
立誓反对功利主义的学习方法

We are the rebels against the establishments
Let us go back to the fundamentals
Let us go back to the musts
我们拒绝恪守陈规，反对权威
让我们回归到语言学习的根本
去做应该做的事

If you have suffered enough
if you cannot bear the mediocrity
if you feel lost or isolated for a long time
if you want to start anew
please hear this:
如果你已经受够了
无法再忍受平庸
如果你长期感到迷失和孤独
想要重新开始一段生活
那么请听我们说

''Young men and women everywhere,
proclaim it far and wide
The earth is yours and fullness thereof
Be kind but be fierce
You are needed now more than ever before.
Take up the mentle of change
for this is your time''
--Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
“年轻人们，无论你们在哪
请将这种精神广泛传播
世界是你们的，因你们而丰富
你们要慈悲为怀但也要勇猛前行
现在是最需要你们的时候
请肩负起改变的重担
因为这是属于你们的时代”
--温斯顿·伦纳德·斯宾塞·丘吉尔爵士