評論
打印
Passage Two
短文二
The US has already lost more than a third of the native languages that existed before European colonization and the remaining 192 are classed by the UNESCO as ranging between unsafe and extinct.
美國本土語言在歐洲殖民以前就已經存在，現在美國已經丟失了超過1/3的本土語言。剩下的192種語言被聯合國教科文組織列為瀕臨滅絕的語言。
"We need more funding and more effort to return these languages to everyday use,"
“我們需要更多的資金并付出更多的努力來讓這些瀕危語言重新回到日常使用中來，”
says Fred Nahwooksy of the National museum of the American Indian, "we are making progress,
國家博物館的美國原住民Fred Nahwooksy說：“我們正在這方面取得進展，
but money needs to be spent on revitalizing languages, not just documenting them."
我們需要資金來復活這些語言，而不僅僅是把它們記錄下來。”
Some 40 languages mainly in California and Oklahoma where thousands of Indians were forced to relocate in the 19th century have fewer than 10 native speakers.
有40多種語言主要存在于加利福尼亞州和俄克拉荷馬州，但在19世紀，這兩個州中成千上萬的印第安人被迫遷徙，所以目前以這些語言為母語的人已經不足10人。
Part of the issue is that tribal groups themselves don't always believe their languages are endangered until they are down to the last handful of speakers.
出現這個問題的部分原因是很多部落總是不相信他們的語言瀕臨滅絕，直到他們成了最后幾個說本族語的人。
"But progress is being made through immersion schools,
“但是浸潤式語言學校的實施已經緩解了上述問題，
because if you teach children when they are young, it will stay with them as adults and that's the future." says Mr Nahwooksy, a Comanche Indian.
因為如果在孩子們小時候就教他們說這種語言，那么他們長大后直到未來會一直說這種語言。”科曼奇族的印第安人Nahwooksy先生說。
Such schools have become a model in Hawaii, but the islanders' local language is still classed by the UNESCO as critically endangered because only 1000 people speak it.
在夏威夷，這樣的學校已經成了典范，但是島民的本土語言仍舊被聯合國教科文組織歸為極度瀕危語言，因為目前只有1000人在說這種語言。
The decline in the American Indian languages has historical roots: In the mid-19th century,
美國印第安語言的衰落有其歷史根源：在19世紀中葉，
the US government adopted a policy of Americanizing Indian children by removing them from their homes and culture.
美國政府采取了美國化印第安兒童的政策，即將印第安人的孩子們趕出他們的家園，將他們與其文化隔絕。
Within a few generations most had forgotten their native tongues.
他們繁衍幾代之后，大部分人就已經忘記了自己的母語。
Another challenge to language survival is television.
電視是語言生存的另一個挑戰。
It has brought English into homes, and pushed out traditional storytelling and family time together, accelerating the extinction of native languages.
電視把英語帶入到家庭里，擠掉了傳統的家庭講故事的時間，從而加速了本土語言的滅絕。
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
問題12到15是基于剛剛你所聽到的那篇短文。
Question12. What do we learn from the report?
問題12：我們從這篇報道中學到了什么？
Question13. For what purpose does Fred Nahwooksy appeal for more funding?
問題13：Fred Nahwooksy需要更多的資金來做什么？
Question14. What is the historical cause of the decline in the American Indian Languages?
問題14：美國印第安語言衰落的歷史根源是什么？
Question15. What does the speaker say about television?
問題15：關于電視，說話者都說了什么？
譯文屬可可原創，僅供學習和交流使用，未經允許不得轉載
