TED英語演講課
給心靈放個假吧
世界上大概有7000種語言，每一種語言都是人類文化的精髓。
語言不僅僅只是一個交流的工具，它更多代表著人類的一種思維方式。
今天的TED演講為大家?guī)?，語言如何塑造、影響我們的思維方式。
So, I’ll be speaking to you using language ...
我們通過語言交流，
because I can.
因為我可以說話。
This is one these magical abilities that we humans have.
這是我們?nèi)祟悡碛械囊环N神奇能力，
We can transmit really complicated thoughts to one another.
我們可以互相傳遞非常復(fù)雜的思想。
So what I’m doing right now is,I’m making sounds with my mouth
我現(xiàn)在正在做的是，一邊用我的嘴巴發(fā)出聲音。
as I’m exhaling.
一邊呼氣。
I’m making tones and hisses and puffs,
我在發(fā)出各種語調(diào)、嘶嘶聲、呼氣，
and those are creating air vibrations in the air.
而這些引起周邊的空氣振動。
Those air vibrations are traveling to you,
這些空氣振動傳到你那里，
they’re hitting your eardrums,
它們到達(dá)你的耳鼓，
and then your brain takes those vibrations from your eardrums
然后你的大腦會將你耳鼓接收到的振動
and transforms them into thoughts.
轉(zhuǎn)化成思想。
I hope.
至少我希望是這樣的，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
I hope that’s happening.
我希望如此。
So because of this ability, we humans are able to transmit our ideas
正是因為這種能力，人類能夠?qū)⑽覀兊乃枷?/strong>
across vast reaches of space and time.
跨越時間和空間，傳遞下去
We’re able to transmit knowledge across minds.
我們能夠?qū)⒅R互相傳遞。
I can put a bizarre new ideain your mind right now.
比如，我現(xiàn)在就可以給你傳遞一個奇怪的想法。
I could say,
我可以說，
'Imagine a jellyfish waltzing in a library
“想象一只水母在一個圖書館里一邊跳著華爾茲，
while thinking about quantum mechanics.'
一邊思考著量子力學(xué)?！?/strong>
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Now, if everything has gone relatively well in your life so far,
當(dāng)然如果大家的生活到目前為止都還比較順利的話，
you probably haven’t had that thought before.
你之前應(yīng)該沒有這樣想過。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
But now I’ve just made you think it,
而我現(xiàn)在讓你們有了這個想法，
through language.
正是通過語言做到的。
Now of course, there isn’t just one language in the world,
當(dāng)然，世界上不是只有一種語言，
there are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world.
全球有大約7000種語言。
And all the languages differ from one another in all kinds of ways.
這些語言有著各式各樣的區(qū)別。
Some languages have different sounds,
有些語言有不同的發(fā)音，
they have different vocabularies,
不同的詞匯，
and they also have different structures --
還有不同的結(jié)構(gòu)——
very importantly, different structures.
不同的結(jié)構(gòu)很重要。
That begs the question:
于是，我們會問：
Does the language we speak shape the way we think?
我們說的語言是否塑造了我們的思維方式？
Now, this is an ancient question.
這其實是個很古老的問題。
People have been speculating about this question forever.
人們一直以來都在思考這個問題。
Charlemagne, Holy Roman emperor, said,
神圣羅馬帝國的查理曼大帝曾說，
'To have a second language is to have a second soul' --
“學(xué)會了第二種語言就擁有了第二個靈魂”——
strong statement that language crafts reality.
這是相信語言會創(chuàng)造現(xiàn)實。
But on the other hand, Shakespeare has Juliet say,
但另一方面，莎士比亞筆下的朱麗葉又說，
'What’s in a name?
“名字本來沒有意義，
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'
一朵玫瑰花換個名字也照樣芬芳?！?/strong>
Well, that suggests that maybe language doesn’t craft reality.
這就指也許語言不能創(chuàng)造現(xiàn)實。
These arguments have gone back and forth for thousands of years.
這些爭論已經(jīng)持續(xù)了幾千年。
But until recently,there hasn’t been any data
但一直以來，都沒有任何數(shù)據(jù)
to help us decide either way.
能夠幫助我們確定孰是孰非。
Recently, in my lab and other labs around the world,
最近，在我的實驗室和全球其它一些實驗室，
we’ve started doing research,
我們開始做研究，
and now we have actual scientific data to weigh in on this question.
現(xiàn)在我們有真實的科學(xué)數(shù)據(jù)，可以幫助回答這個問題。
So let me tell you about some of my favorite examples.
讓我給大家舉一些我喜歡的例子。
I’ll start with an example from an Aboriginal community in Australia
先從澳大利亞的一個土著社群開始，
that I had the chance to work with.
我有機(jī)會跟他們接觸過。
These are the Kuuk Thaayorre people.
他們是 Kuuk Thaayorre 人，
They live in Pormpuraaw at the very west edge of Cape York.
他們住在約克角城最西邊的 Pormpuraaw。
What’s cool about Kuuk Thaayorre is,
Kuuk Thaayorre 人有意思的一點是，
in Kuuk Thaayorre, they don’t use words like 'left' and 'right,'
在這個土著文化里面，他們沒有“左”和“右”這樣的詞，
and instead, everything is in cardinal directions:
所有的東西都是通過基本方向來表達(dá)的：
north, south, east and west.
東南西北，
And when I say everything, I really mean everything.
是的，我說的是“所有的東西”。
You would say something like,
比如，你可以說：
'Oh, there’s an ant on your southwest leg.'
“哦，你西南方的那條腿上有一只螞蟻”，
Or, 'Move your cup to the north-northeast a little bit.'
或者“把你的杯子往東北偏北邊移一下?！?/strong>
In fact, the way that you say 'hello' in Kuuk Thaayorre is you say,
事實上，他們打招呼的方式也是：
'Which way are you going?'
“你往哪里去？”
And the answer should be,
而回答會是：
'North-northeast in the far distance.
“遠(yuǎn)處東北偏北處，
How about you?'
你呢？”
So imagine as you’re walking around your day,
想象一下，你走在路上，
every person you greet,
你遇見每一個人
you have to report your heading direction.
都要報告一下你朝什么方向前進(jìn)。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
But that would actually get you oriented pretty fast, right?
但這會讓你很快獲得方向感，不是嗎？
Because you literally couldn’t get past 'hello,'
因為如果你不知道你前行的方向的話，
if you didn’t know which way you were going.
你連打招呼都沒法進(jìn)行。
In fact, people who speak languages like this stay oriented really well.
事實上，說這類語言的人他們的方向感非常好，
They stay oriented better than we used to think humans could.
遠(yuǎn)比我們以為人類可以做到的要好。
We used to think that humans were worse than other creatures
我們曾經(jīng)以為人類的方向感要比其他生物差，
because of some biological excuse:
而我們也找了生物原因方面的借口：
'Oh, we don’t have magnetsin our beaks or in our scales.'
“哦，我們沒有可以感測磁場的鳥嘴或魚鱗”。
No; if your language and your culture trains you to do it,
事實并非如此。如果你的語言和文化給了你這方面的訓(xùn)練，
actually, you can do it.
你是可以做到的。
There are humans around the world who stay oriented really well.
世界上有些人的方向感就非常好。
And just to get us in agreement
為了確保我們大家都同意
about how different this is from the way we do it,
在這點上我們的思維方式有多大差異，
I want you all to close your eyes for a second
請大家閉上眼睛，
and point southeast.
然后指向東南方。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Keep your eyes closed. Point.
先不要睜開眼睛，請指向東南方。
OK, so you can open your eyes.
現(xiàn)在，你們可以睜開眼睛了。
I see you guys pointing there, there, there, there, there ...
我看到你們有指向那兒、那兒、那兒、那兒的……
I don’t know which way it is myself --
我自己也不知道哪邊是東南方，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
You have not been a lot of help.
你們也沒能幫到我。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
So let’s just say the accuracy in this room was not very high.
暫且就說，在座的大家在這個問題上的準(zhǔn)確度不是很高。
This is a big difference in cognitive ability across languages, right?
這就是不同語言之間的認(rèn)知能力的巨大差異，
Where one group -- very distinguished group like you guys --
一群像在座的各位一樣非常優(yōu)秀的人
doesn’t know which way is which,
分不清哪里是哪里，
but in another group,
而如果換做另一群人，
I could ask a five-year-old and they would know.
一個5歲的孩子也知道答案。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
There are also really big differences in how people think about time.
人們思考時間的方式也非常不同。
So here I have pictures of my grandfather at different ages.
這里是幾張我的祖父在不同年齡段的照片。
And if I ask an English speaker to organize time,
如果我讓一個英語使用者將它們按時間進(jìn)行排列，
they might lay it out this way,
他們可以會這樣排，
from left to right.
從左到右。
This has to do with writing direction.
這跟寫字的方向有關(guān)。
If you were a speaker of Hebrew or Arabic,
如果你說的是希伯來語或阿拉伯語，
you might do it going in the opposite direction,
你則可能會以相反的方向排列，
from right to left.
從右到左。
But how would the Kuuk Thaayorre,
那 Kuuk Thaayorre 人——
this Aboriginal group I just told you about, do it?
我剛才提到的土著民會怎么排呢？
They don’t use words like 'left' and 'right.'
他們沒有“左”和“右”的概念。
Let me give you hint.
我來提示一下大家。
When we sat people facing south,
當(dāng)我們讓他們面朝南方的時候，
they organized time from left to right.
他們將時間順序從左向右排；
When we sat them facing north,
當(dāng)面朝北方的時候，
they organized time from right to left.
他們將時間順序從右到左排；
When we sat them facing east,
當(dāng)他們面朝東方的時候，
time came towards the body.
他們將時間從遠(yuǎn)到近排。
What’s the pattern?
發(fā)現(xiàn)規(guī)律了么？
East to west, right?
從東到西，對嗎？
So for them, time doesn’t actually get locked on the body at all,
因此對他們來說，時間跟身體的方向無關(guān)，
it gets locked on the landscape.
而是跟地理有關(guān)。
So for me, if I’m facing this way,
對我來說，如果我面向這邊，
then time goes this way,
時間就是這樣走的；
and if I’m facing this way,then time goes this way.
如果我面向這邊，時間就是這樣走的；
I’m facing this way, time goes this way --
如果我面向這邊，時間就是這樣走的——
very egocentric of me to have the direction of time chase me around
我每次一轉(zhuǎn)身，時間也要跟著我改變方向。
every time I turn my body.
完全以我為中心。
For the Kuuk Thaayorre, time is locked on the landscape.
對 Kuuk Thaayorre 人來說，時間是跟地理有關(guān)的。
It’s a dramatically different way of thinking about time.
這是一種思考時間的截然不同的方式。
Here’s another really smart human trick.
再給大家說一個人類的聰明之處。
Suppose I ask you how many penguins are there.
假設(shè)我問你，這里有多少只企鵝，
Well, I bet I know how you’d solve that problem if you solved it.
我敢說我知道你會怎么解決這個問題。
You went, 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.'
你會“一二三四五六七八”地
You counted them.
數(shù)過去。
You named each one with a number,
你讓每一只企鵝對應(yīng)一個數(shù)字，
and the last number you saidwas the number of penguins.
你念出的最后一個數(shù)字就是企鵝的總數(shù)。
This is a little trick that you’re taught to use as kids.
這是你小時候就學(xué)會了的技巧，
You learn the number list and you learn how to apply it.
你學(xué)會了數(shù)數(shù)，你也學(xué)會了怎么用它。
A little linguistic trick.
這是一種語言學(xué)的技巧。
Well, some languages don’t do this,
但有些語言不是這樣的，
because some languages don’t have exact number words.
因為有些語言沒有精確的數(shù)字詞匯。
They’re languages that don’t have a word like 'seven'
有一些語言是沒有比如“七”
or a word like 'eight.'
或者“八”之類的數(shù)字的。
In fact, people who speak these languages don’t count,
事實上，對那些使用沒有數(shù)字的語言的人來說，他們不會數(shù)數(shù)，
and they have trouble keeping track of exact quantities.
計算精確的數(shù)量對他們來說是很難的。
So, for example, if I ask you to match this number of penguins
比如，如果我讓你把這么多的企鵝
to the same number of ducks,
跟同一數(shù)量的鴨子匹配起來，
you would be able to do that by counting.
你數(shù)一下就可以做到了。
But folks who don’t have that linguistic trick can’t do that.
但對那些沒有這一語言特征的人來說卻無法做到。
Languages also differ in how they divide up the color spectrum --
語言的差異還體現(xiàn)在我們?nèi)绾畏直骖伾?/strong>
the visual world.
那些視覺的東西。
Some languages have lots of words for colors,
有些語言有很多的顏色詞匯，
some have only a couple words, 'light' and 'dark.'
有的則很少，就只有“淺色”和“深色”。
And languages differ in where they put boundaries between colors.
這些語言差異體現(xiàn)在不同顏色之間的界限在哪里。
So, for example, in English, there’s a word for blue
比如，在英語里面，我們有藍(lán)色這個詞，
that covers all of the colors that you can see on the screen,
它包含了你在屏幕上看到的所有顏色。
but in Russian, there isn’t a single word.
但是在俄語里面，卻沒有這樣的一個詞。
Instead, Russian speakers have to differentiate
相反，俄語使用者要把
between light blue, 'goluboy,'
淺藍(lán)色 “goluboy” 和
and dark blue, 'siniy.'
深藍(lán)色 “siniy” 區(qū)別開來。
So Russians have this lifetime of experience of, in language,
所以俄語使用者一生都會在語言上
distinguishing these two colors.
區(qū)別這兩種顏色。
When we test people’s ability to perceptually discriminate these colors,
當(dāng)我們測試人們辨別這些顏色的能力的時候，
what we find is that Russian speakers are faster
我們發(fā)現(xiàn)俄語使用者能夠更快地
across this linguistic boundary.
進(jìn)行這種概念切換，
They’re faster to be able to tell the difference
他們能夠更快地分辨
between a light and dark blue.
淺藍(lán)色和深藍(lán)色。
And when you look at people’s brains as they’re looking at colors --
當(dāng)你觀察人們在看這些顏色的大腦時，
say you have colors shifting slowly from light to dark blue --
假設(shè)你給他們看從淺藍(lán)色到深藍(lán)色的漸變，
the brains of people who use different words for light and dark blue
那些用不同詞形容“淺藍(lán)”和“深藍(lán)”的人的大腦
will give a surprised reaction as the colors shift from light to dark,
會在顏色從淺到深的轉(zhuǎn)換時表現(xiàn)出驚訝，
as if, 'Oh, something has categorically changed,'
仿佛“哦，某些事情發(fā)生了根本的變化”，
whereas the brains of English speakers, for example,
而不做這種分辨的英語使用者的大腦，
that don’t make this categorical distinction,
是的，他們不做出這種分辨，
don’t give that surprise,
則不會表現(xiàn)出驚訝，
because nothing is categorically changing.
因為沒發(fā)生什么根本的變化。
Languages have all kinds of structural quirks.
語言還有各種各樣的結(jié)構(gòu)特征。
This is one of my favorites.
這個是我最喜歡的。
Lots of languages have grammatical gender;
很多語言都有語法上的詞性，
every noun gets assigned a gender, often masculine or feminine.
每個名詞都有一個指定的詞性，通常是陽性或陰性。
And these genders differ across languages.
這些詞性在不同語言中有所不同。
So, for example, the sun is feminine in German but masculine in Spanish,
比如，太陽在德語中是陰性的，在西班牙語中則是陽性的，
and the moon, the reverse.
月亮則相反。
Could this actually have any consequence for how people think?
那這會不會影響人們的思考方式呢？
Do German speakers think of the sun as somehow more female-like,
德語使用者會覺得太陽更女性化，
and the moon somehow more male-like?
而月亮更男性化嗎？
Actually, it turns out that’s the case.
事實的確如此。
So if you ask German and Spanish speakers to, say, describe a bridge,
如果你讓德語使用者和西班牙語使用者描述一座橋，
like the one here --
就像這一座，
'bridge' happens to be grammatically feminine in German,
“橋”在德語中是陰性的，
grammatically masculine in Spanish --
在西班牙語中則是陽性的。
German speakers are more likely to say bridges are 'beautiful,' 'elegant'
德語使用者更傾向于說橋“美麗”或“優(yōu)雅”
and stereotypically feminine words.
以及其他很女性化的詞，
Whereas Spanish speakers will be more likely to say
而西班牙語使用者則傾向于說橋
they’re 'strong' or 'long,'
“強(qiáng)壯”或“綿長”，
these masculine words.
那些更男性化的詞。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Languages also differ in how they describe events, right?
語言的差異還體現(xiàn)在它們對事件的描述上。
You take an event like this, an accident.
以這件事為例，一個意外。
In English, it’s fine to say, 'He broke the vase.'
在英語里面，你可以說“他打碎了花瓶”。
In a language like Spanish,
在西班牙語里面，
you might be more likelyto say, 'The vase broke,'
你更可能會說“花瓶碎了”，
or, 'The vase broke itself.'
或者“花瓶自己碎了”。
If it’s an accident, you wouldn’t say that someone did it.
如果這是一個意外，你不會說是誰打碎的。
In English, quite weirdly, we can even say things like,
在英語里面，很奇怪的是，我們甚至?xí)f，
'I broke my arm.'
”我弄傷了我的手臂“。
Now, in lots of languages,
在很多語言里面，
you couldn’t use that construction unless you are a lunatic
你完全不會這樣說，除非你是一個瘋子，
and you went out looking to break your arm --
你試圖弄傷自己的手臂，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
and you succeeded.
而且還成功了。
If it was an accident, you would use a different construction.
如果它是一場意外，你會使用不一樣的語言結(jié)構(gòu)。
Now, this has consequences.
這會造成不同的結(jié)果。
So, people who speak different languages will pay attention to different things,
使用不同語言的人關(guān)注的點會不一樣，
depending on what their language usually requires them to do.
這取決于他們的語言是怎么要求的。
So we show the same accident to English speakers and Spanish speakers,
如果我們讓英語使用者和西班牙語使用者看同樣的意外事件，
English speakers will remember who did it,
英語使用者會記得這件事是誰干的，
because English requires you to say, 'He did it; he broke the vase.'
因為英語需要你說“是他做的，他打碎了花瓶”；
Whereas Spanish speakers might be less likely to remember who did it
而西班牙語使用者則不太可能會記得是誰干的——
if it’s an accident,
如果這是一個意外事件的話，
but they’re more likely to remember that it was an accident.
他們更可能會記得這是一個意外，
They’re more likely to remember the intention.
他們更可能記得意圖。
So, two people watch the same event,
所以兩個人看同樣的事件，
witness the same crime,
目睹同樣的罪行，
but end up remembering different things about that event.
但記得的卻不一定一樣。
This has implications, of course, for eyewitness testimony.
在目擊證詞方面，這是值得深思的，
It also has implications for blame and punishment.
這對責(zé)備和懲罰也有影響。
So if you take English speakers
如果我給英語使用者
and I just show you someone breaking a vase,
看一個人不小心打碎花瓶，
and I say, 'He broke the vase,' as opposed to 'The vase broke,'
然后我說“他打碎了花瓶”，而不是說“花瓶碎了”，
even though you can witness it yourself,
即使你自己親眼看到了事件的經(jīng)過，
you can watch the video,
你看了那段視頻，
you can watch the crime against the vase,
你可以看到花瓶的“罪行”，
you will punish someone more,
但是你卻會更傾向于懲罰、責(zé)備那個人——
you will blame someone more if I just said, 'He broke it,'
僅僅因為我說“他打碎了花瓶”，
as opposed to, 'It broke.'
而不是“花瓶碎了”。
The language guides our reasoning about events.
語言會引導(dǎo)我們對事件的認(rèn)知。
Now, I’ve given you a few examples
那我給了大家?guī)讉€
of how language can profoundly shape the way we think,
語言如何影響我們思考的例子，
and it does so in a variety of ways.
它主要通過幾個方式。
So language can have big effects,
語言可以造成大的影響，
like we saw with space and time,
我們舉了時間和空間的例子，
where people can lay out space and time
人們對時間和空間的排列
in completely different coordinate frames from each other.
可以迥然不同。
Language can also have really deep effects --
語言還可以有很深的影響，
that’s what we saw with the case of number.
我們舉了數(shù)字的例子。
Having count words in your language,
如果你的語言里有數(shù)量詞，
having number words,
有數(shù)字，
opens up the whole world of mathematics.
這會開啟一個全新的數(shù)學(xué)世界。
Of course, if you don’t count, you can’t do algebra,
如果你不能數(shù)數(shù)，你自然也不會代數(shù)學(xué)，
you can’t do any of the things
你將不能做任何
that would be required to build a room like this
需要數(shù)學(xué)的事情，像建一個這樣的演講廳，
or make this broadcast, right?
或進(jìn)行轉(zhuǎn)播，對吧？
This little trick of number words gives you a stepping stone
小小的數(shù)字給我們提供了
into a whole cognitive realm.
踏進(jìn)一整個認(rèn)知領(lǐng)域的墊腳石。
Language can also have really early effects,
語言的影響還可能很早就發(fā)生，
what we saw in the case of color.
我們舉了顏色的例子。
These are really simple, basic, perceptual decisions.
這是非常簡單、基本、感知型的決定，
We make thousands of them all the time,
我們無時無刻不在做這樣的決定，
and yet, language is getting in there
而語言就在那里
and fussing even with these tiny little perceptual decisions that we make.
影響著我們做的這些小小的決定。
Language can have really broad effects.
語言可以有很廣闊的影響，
So the case of grammatical gender may be a little silly,
我們舉了語法上的詞性的例子看似微不足道，
but at the same time, grammatical gender applies to all nouns.
但它卻適用于所有名詞。
That means language can shape how you’re thinking
這意味著語言可以影響你
about anything that can be named by a noun.
如何思考所有能用名詞表達(dá)的東西。
That’s a lot of stuff.
那可是很多東西。
And finally, I gave you an example of how language can shape things
最后，我舉了一個語言可以如何影響
that have personal weight to us --
跟我們切身相關(guān)的事件的例子，
ideas like blame and punishment or eyewitness memory.
如責(zé)備、懲罰和目擊證詞。
These are important things in our daily lives.
這些是我們的日常生活中非常重要的方面。
Now, the beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us
語言多樣性的美麗在于它向我們揭示了
just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is.
人類的大腦是多么巧妙和靈活。
Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000 --
人類大腦創(chuàng)造的不是一個認(rèn)知體系，而是7000個，
there are 7,000 languages spoken around the world.
世界上有7000種語言。
And we can create many more --
而我們還可以創(chuàng)造更多。
languages, of course, are living things,
語言是有生命的，
things that we can hone and change to suit our needs.
是我們可以打磨和改變以滿足我們需求的東西。
The tragic thing is that we’re losing so much of this linguistic diversity
不幸的是，這種語言多樣性正在不斷喪失。
all the time.
與此同時
We’re losing about one language a week,
大概平均每個星期就有一種語言消失，
and by some estimates,
據(jù)估計，
half of the world’s languages will be gone in the next hundred years.
在接下來的100年里世界上一半的語言將會消失。
And the even worse news is that right now,
更糟糕的是，現(xiàn)在
almost everything we know about the human mind and human brain
幾乎我們所知道的所有關(guān)于人類大腦和思維的東西
is based on studies of usually American English-speaking undergraduates
都是基于說美式英語的學(xué)生的研究。
at universities.
都是大學(xué)生。
That excludes almost all humans. Right?
這就幾乎排除了所有人類，不是嗎？
So what we know about the human mind is actually incredibly narrow and biased,
所以其實我們對人類思維的了解是非常狹隘和具有偏見的，
and our science has to do better.
而我們的科學(xué)應(yīng)該做得更好。
I want to leave you with this final thought.
最后，我想再讓大家思考一個問題。
I’ve told you about how speakers of different languages think differently,
我已經(jīng)講了不同語言的使用者思考的不同方式，
but of course, that’s not about how people elsewhere think.
當(dāng)然，這不是是關(guān)于其他地方的人怎么思考，
It’s about how you think.
而是關(guān)于你怎么思考，
It’s how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think.
關(guān)于你說的語言如何影響了你的思維方式。
And that gives you the opportunity to ask,
大家可以問問自己：
'Why do I think the way that I do?'
“我為什么是這樣思考問題的？”
'How could I think differently?'
“我能換種方式思考嗎？”
And also,
還有，
'What thoughts do I wish to create?'
“我想創(chuàng)造什么樣的想法？”
Thank you very much.
非常感謝。
So, I’ll be speaking to you using language ...
我們通過語言交流，
because I can.
因為我可以說話。
This is one these magical abilities that we humans have.
這是我們?nèi)祟悡碛械囊环N神奇能力，
We can transmit really complicated thoughts to one another.
我們可以互相傳遞非常復(fù)雜的思想。
So what I’m doing right now is,I’m making sounds with my mouth
我現(xiàn)在正在做的是，一邊用我的嘴巴發(fā)出聲音。
as I’m exhaling.
一邊呼氣。
I’m making tones and hisses and puffs,
我在發(fā)出各種語調(diào)、嘶嘶聲、呼氣，
and those are creating air vibrations in the air.
而這些引起周邊的空氣振動。
Those air vibrations are traveling to you,
這些空氣振動傳到你那里，
they’re hitting your eardrums,
它們到達(dá)你的耳鼓，
and then your brain takes those vibrations from your eardrums
然后你的大腦會將你耳鼓接收到的振動
and transforms them into thoughts.
轉(zhuǎn)化成思想。
I hope.
至少我希望是這樣的，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
I hope that’s happening.
我希望如此。
So because of this ability, we humans are able to transmit our ideas
正是因為這種能力，人類能夠?qū)⑽覀兊乃枷?/p>
across vast reaches of space and time.
跨越時間和空間，傳遞下去
We’re able to transmit knowledge across minds.
我們能夠?qū)⒅R互相傳遞。
I can put a bizarre new ideain your mind right now.
比如，我現(xiàn)在就可以給你傳遞一個奇怪的想法。
I could say,
我可以說，
'Imagine a jellyfish waltzing in a library
“想象一只水母在一個圖書館里一邊跳著華爾茲，
while thinking about quantum mechanics.'
一邊思考著量子力學(xué)?！?/p>
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Now, if everything has gone relatively well in your life so far,
當(dāng)然如果大家的生活到目前為止都還比較順利的話，
you probably haven’t had that thought before.
你之前應(yīng)該沒有這樣想過。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
But now I’ve just made you think it,
而我現(xiàn)在讓你們有了這個想法，
through language.
正是通過語言做到的。
Now of course, there isn’t just one language in the world,
當(dāng)然，世界上不是只有一種語言，
there are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world.
全球有大約7000種語言。
And all the languages differ from one another in all kinds of ways.
這些語言有著各式各樣的區(qū)別。
Some languages have different sounds,
有些語言有不同的發(fā)音，
they have different vocabularies,
不同的詞匯，
and they also have different structures --
還有不同的結(jié)構(gòu)——
very importantly, different structures.
不同的結(jié)構(gòu)很重要。
That begs the question:
于是，我們會問：
Does the language we speak shape the way we think?
我們說的語言是否塑造了我們的思維方式？
Now, this is an ancient question.
這其實是個很古老的問題。
People have been speculating about this question forever.
人們一直以來都在思考這個問題。
Charlemagne, Holy Roman emperor, said,
神圣羅馬帝國的查理曼大帝曾說，
'To have a second language is to have a second soul' --
“學(xué)會了第二種語言就擁有了第二個靈魂”——
strong statement that language crafts reality.
這是相信語言會創(chuàng)造現(xiàn)實。
But on the other hand, Shakespeare has Juliet say,
但另一方面，莎士比亞筆下的朱麗葉又說，
'What’s in a name?
“名字本來沒有意義，
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'
一朵玫瑰花換個名字也照樣芬芳。”
Well, that suggests that maybe language doesn’t craft reality.
這就指也許語言不能創(chuàng)造現(xiàn)實。
These arguments have gone back and forth for thousands of years.
這些爭論已經(jīng)持續(xù)了幾千年。
But until recently,there hasn’t been any data
但一直以來，都沒有任何數(shù)據(jù)
to help us decide either way.
能夠幫助我們確定孰是孰非。
Recently, in my lab and other labs around the world,
最近，在我的實驗室和全球其它一些實驗室，
we’ve started doing research,
我們開始做研究，
and now we have actual scientific data to weigh in on this question.
現(xiàn)在我們有真實的科學(xué)數(shù)據(jù)，可以幫助回答這個問題。
So let me tell you about some of my favorite examples.
讓我給大家舉一些我喜歡的例子。
I’ll start with an example from an Aboriginal community in Australia
先從澳大利亞的一個土著社群開始，
that I had the chance to work with.
我有機(jī)會跟他們接觸過。
These are the Kuuk Thaayorre people.
他們是 Kuuk Thaayorre 人，
They live in Pormpuraaw at the very west edge of Cape York.
他們住在約克角城最西邊的 Pormpuraaw。
What’s cool about Kuuk Thaayorre is,
Kuuk Thaayorre 人有意思的一點是，
in Kuuk Thaayorre, they don’t use words like 'left' and 'right,'
在這個土著文化里面，他們沒有“左”和“右”這樣的詞，
and instead, everything is in cardinal directions:
所有的東西都是通過基本方向來表達(dá)的：
north, south, east and west.
東南西北，
And when I say everything, I really mean everything.
是的，我說的是“所有的東西”。
You would say something like,
比如，你可以說：
'Oh, there’s an ant on your southwest leg.'
“哦，你西南方的那條腿上有一只螞蟻”，
Or, 'Move your cup to the north-northeast a little bit.'
或者“把你的杯子往東北偏北邊移一下?！?/p>
In fact, the way that you say 'hello' in Kuuk Thaayorre is you say,
事實上，他們打招呼的方式也是：
'Which way are you going?'
“你往哪里去？”
And the answer should be,
而回答會是：
'North-northeast in the far distance.
“遠(yuǎn)處東北偏北處，
How about you?'
你呢？”
So imagine as you’re walking around your day,
想象一下，你走在路上，
every person you greet,
你遇見每一個人
you have to report your heading direction.
都要報告一下你朝什么方向前進(jìn)。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
But that would actually get you oriented pretty fast, right?
但這會讓你很快獲得方向感，不是嗎？
Because you literally couldn’t get past 'hello,'
因為如果你不知道你前行的方向的話，
if you didn’t know which way you were going.
你連打招呼都沒法進(jìn)行。
In fact, people who speak languages like this stay oriented really well.
事實上，說這類語言的人他們的方向感非常好，
They stay oriented better than we used to think humans could.
遠(yuǎn)比我們以為人類可以做到的要好。
We used to think that humans were worse than other creatures
我們曾經(jīng)以為人類的方向感要比其他生物差，
because of some biological excuse:
而我們也找了生物原因方面的借口：
'Oh, we don’t have magnetsin our beaks or in our scales.'
“哦，我們沒有可以感測磁場的鳥嘴或魚鱗”。
No; if your language and your culture trains you to do it,
事實并非如此。如果你的語言和文化給了你這方面的訓(xùn)練，
actually, you can do it.
你是可以做到的。
There are humans around the world who stay oriented really well.
世界上有些人的方向感就非常好。
And just to get us in agreement
為了確保我們大家都同意
about how different this is from the way we do it,
在這點上我們的思維方式有多大差異，
I want you all to close your eyes for a second
請大家閉上眼睛，
and point southeast.
然后指向東南方。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Keep your eyes closed. Point.
先不要睜開眼睛，請指向東南方。
OK, so you can open your eyes.
現(xiàn)在，你們可以睜開眼睛了。
I see you guys pointing there, there, there, there, there ...
我看到你們有指向那兒、那兒、那兒、那兒的……
I don’t know which way it is myself --
我自己也不知道哪邊是東南方，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
You have not been a lot of help.
你們也沒能幫到我。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
So let’s just say the accuracy in this room was not very high.
暫且就說，在座的大家在這個問題上的準(zhǔn)確度不是很高。
This is a big difference in cognitive ability across languages, right?
這就是不同語言之間的認(rèn)知能力的巨大差異，
Where one group -- very distinguished group like you guys --
一群像在座的各位一樣非常優(yōu)秀的人
doesn’t know which way is which,
分不清哪里是哪里，
but in another group,
而如果換做另一群人，
I could ask a five-year-old and they would know.
一個5歲的孩子也知道答案。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
There are also really big differences in how people think about time.
人們思考時間的方式也非常不同。
So here I have pictures of my grandfather at different ages.
這里是幾張我的祖父在不同年齡段的照片。
And if I ask an English speaker to organize time,
如果我讓一個英語使用者將它們按時間進(jìn)行排列，
they might lay it out this way,
他們可以會這樣排，
from left to right.
從左到右。
This has to do with writing direction.
這跟寫字的方向有關(guān)。
If you were a speaker of Hebrew or Arabic,
如果你說的是希伯來語或阿拉伯語，
you might do it going in the opposite direction,
你則可能會以相反的方向排列，
from right to left.
從右到左。
But how would the Kuuk Thaayorre,
那 Kuuk Thaayorre 人——
this Aboriginal group I just told you about, do it?
我剛才提到的土著民會怎么排呢？
They don’t use words like 'left' and 'right.'
他們沒有“左”和“右”的概念。
Let me give you hint.
我來提示一下大家。
When we sat people facing south,
當(dāng)我們讓他們面朝南方的時候，
they organized time from left to right.
他們將時間順序從左向右排；
When we sat them facing north,
當(dāng)面朝北方的時候，
they organized time from right to left.
他們將時間順序從右到左排；
When we sat them facing east,
當(dāng)他們面朝東方的時候，
time came towards the body.
他們將時間從遠(yuǎn)到近排。
What’s the pattern?
發(fā)現(xiàn)規(guī)律了么？
East to west, right?
從東到西，對嗎？
So for them, time doesn’t actually get locked on the body at all,
因此對他們來說，時間跟身體的方向無關(guān)，
it gets locked on the landscape.
而是跟地理有關(guān)。
So for me, if I’m facing this way,
對我來說，如果我面向這邊，
then time goes this way,
時間就是這樣走的；
and if I’m facing this way,then time goes this way.
如果我面向這邊，時間就是這樣走的；
I’m facing this way, time goes this way --
如果我面向這邊，時間就是這樣走的——
very egocentric of me to have the direction of time chase me around
我每次一轉(zhuǎn)身，時間也要跟著我改變方向。
every time I turn my body.
完全以我為中心。
For the Kuuk Thaayorre, time is locked on the landscape.
對 Kuuk Thaayorre 人來說，時間是跟地理有關(guān)的。
It’s a dramatically different way of thinking about time.
這是一種思考時間的截然不同的方式。
Here’s another really smart human trick.
再給大家說一個人類的聰明之處。
Suppose I ask you how many penguins are there.
假設(shè)我問你，這里有多少只企鵝，
Well, I bet I know how you’d solve that problem if you solved it.
我敢說我知道你會怎么解決這個問題。
You went, 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.'
你會“一二三四五六七八”地
You counted them.
數(shù)過去。
You named each one with a number,
你讓每一只企鵝對應(yīng)一個數(shù)字，
and the last number you saidwas the number of penguins.
你念出的最后一個數(shù)字就是企鵝的總數(shù)。
This is a little trick that you’re taught to use as kids.
這是你小時候就學(xué)會了的技巧，
You learn the number list and you learn how to apply it.
你學(xué)會了數(shù)數(shù)，你也學(xué)會了怎么用它。
A little linguistic trick.
這是一種語言學(xué)的技巧。
Well, some languages don’t do this,
但有些語言不是這樣的，
because some languages don’t have exact number words.
因為有些語言沒有精確的數(shù)字詞匯。
They’re languages that don’t have a word like 'seven'
有一些語言是沒有比如“七”
or a word like 'eight.'
或者“八”之類的數(shù)字的。
In fact, people who speak these languages don’t count,
事實上，對那些使用沒有數(shù)字的語言的人來說，他們不會數(shù)數(shù)，
and they have trouble keeping track of exact quantities.
計算精確的數(shù)量對他們來說是很難的。
So, for example, if I ask you to match this number of penguins
比如，如果我讓你把這么多的企鵝
to the same number of ducks,
跟同一數(shù)量的鴨子匹配起來，
you would be able to do that by counting.
你數(shù)一下就可以做到了。
But folks who don’t have that linguistic trick can’t do that.
但對那些沒有這一語言特征的人來說卻無法做到。
Languages also differ in how they divide up the color spectrum --
語言的差異還體現(xiàn)在我們?nèi)绾畏直骖伾?/p>
the visual world.
那些視覺的東西。
Some languages have lots of words for colors,
有些語言有很多的顏色詞匯，
some have only a couple words, 'light' and 'dark.'
有的則很少，就只有“淺色”和“深色”。
And languages differ in where they put boundaries between colors.
這些語言差異體現(xiàn)在不同顏色之間的界限在哪里。
So, for example, in English, there’s a word for blue
比如，在英語里面，我們有藍(lán)色這個詞，
that covers all of the colors that you can see on the screen,
它包含了你在屏幕上看到的所有顏色。
but in Russian, there isn’t a single word.
但是在俄語里面，卻沒有這樣的一個詞。
Instead, Russian speakers have to differentiate
相反，俄語使用者要把
between light blue, 'goluboy,'
淺藍(lán)色 “goluboy” 和
and dark blue, 'siniy.'
深藍(lán)色 “siniy” 區(qū)別開來。
So Russians have this lifetime of experience of, in language,
所以俄語使用者一生都會在語言上
distinguishing these two colors.
區(qū)別這兩種顏色。
When we test people’s ability to perceptually discriminate these colors,
當(dāng)我們測試人們辨別這些顏色的能力的時候，
what we find is that Russian speakers are faster
我們發(fā)現(xiàn)俄語使用者能夠更快地
across this linguistic boundary.
進(jìn)行這種概念切換，
They’re faster to be able to tell the difference
他們能夠更快地分辨
between a light and dark blue.
淺藍(lán)色和深藍(lán)色。
And when you look at people’s brains as they’re looking at colors --
當(dāng)你觀察人們在看這些顏色的大腦時，
say you have colors shifting slowly from light to dark blue --
假設(shè)你給他們看從淺藍(lán)色到深藍(lán)色的漸變，
the brains of people who use different words for light and dark blue
那些用不同詞形容“淺藍(lán)”和“深藍(lán)”的人的大腦
will give a surprised reaction as the colors shift from light to dark,
會在顏色從淺到深的轉(zhuǎn)換時表現(xiàn)出驚訝，
as if, 'Oh, something has categorically changed,'
仿佛“哦，某些事情發(fā)生了根本的變化”，
whereas the brains of English speakers, for example,
而不做這種分辨的英語使用者的大腦，
that don’t make this categorical distinction,
是的，他們不做出這種分辨，
don’t give that surprise,
則不會表現(xiàn)出驚訝，
because nothing is categorically changing.
因為沒發(fā)生什么根本的變化。
Languages have all kinds of structural quirks.
語言還有各種各樣的結(jié)構(gòu)特征。
This is one of my favorites.
這個是我最喜歡的。
Lots of languages have grammatical gender;
很多語言都有語法上的詞性，
every noun gets assigned a gender, often masculine or feminine.
每個名詞都有一個指定的詞性，通常是陽性或陰性。
And these genders differ across languages.
這些詞性在不同語言中有所不同。
So, for example, the sun is feminine in German but masculine in Spanish,
比如，太陽在德語中是陰性的，在西班牙語中則是陽性的，
and the moon, the reverse.
月亮則相反。
Could this actually have any consequence for how people think?
那這會不會影響人們的思考方式呢？
Do German speakers think of the sun as somehow more female-like,
德語使用者會覺得太陽更女性化，
and the moon somehow more male-like?
而月亮更男性化嗎？
Actually, it turns out that’s the case.
事實的確如此。
So if you ask German and Spanish speakers to, say, describe a bridge,
如果你讓德語使用者和西班牙語使用者描述一座橋，
like the one here --
就像這一座，
'bridge' happens to be grammatically feminine in German,
“橋”在德語中是陰性的，
grammatically masculine in Spanish --
在西班牙語中則是陽性的。
German speakers are more likely to say bridges are 'beautiful,' 'elegant'
德語使用者更傾向于說橋“美麗”或“優(yōu)雅”
and stereotypically feminine words.
以及其他很女性化的詞，
Whereas Spanish speakers will be more likely to say
而西班牙語使用者則傾向于說橋
they’re 'strong' or 'long,'
“強(qiáng)壯”或“綿長”，
these masculine words.
那些更男性化的詞。
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
Languages also differ in how they describe events, right?
語言的差異還體現(xiàn)在它們對事件的描述上。
You take an event like this, an accident.
以這件事為例，一個意外。
In English, it’s fine to say, 'He broke the vase.'
在英語里面，你可以說“他打碎了花瓶”。
In a language like Spanish,
在西班牙語里面，
you might be more likelyto say, 'The vase broke,'
你更可能會說“花瓶碎了”，
or, 'The vase broke itself.'
或者“花瓶自己碎了”。
If it’s an accident, you wouldn’t say that someone did it.
如果這是一個意外，你不會說是誰打碎的。
In English, quite weirdly, we can even say things like,
在英語里面，很奇怪的是，我們甚至?xí)f，
'I broke my arm.'
”我弄傷了我的手臂“。
Now, in lots of languages,
在很多語言里面，
you couldn’t use that construction unless you are a lunatic
你完全不會這樣說，除非你是一個瘋子，
and you went out looking to break your arm --
你試圖弄傷自己的手臂，
(Laughter)
（笑聲）
and you succeeded.
而且還成功了。
If it was an accident, you would use a different construction.
如果它是一場意外，你會使用不一樣的語言結(jié)構(gòu)。
Now, this has consequences.
這會造成不同的結(jié)果。
So, people who speak different languages will pay attention to different things,
使用不同語言的人關(guān)注的點會不一樣，
depending on what their language usually requires them to do.
這取決于他們的語言是怎么要求的。
So we show the same accident to English speakers and Spanish speakers,
如果我們讓英語使用者和西班牙語使用者看同樣的意外事件，
English speakers will remember who did it,
英語使用者會記得這件事是誰干的，
because English requires you to say, 'He did it; he broke the vase.'
因為英語需要你說“是他做的，他打碎了花瓶”；
Whereas Spanish speakers might be less likely to remember who did it
而西班牙語使用者則不太可能會記得是誰干的——
if it’s an accident,
如果這是一個意外事件的話，
but they’re more likely to remember that it was an accident.
他們更可能會記得這是一個意外，
They’re more likely to remember the intention.
他們更可能記得意圖。
So, two people watch the same event,
所以兩個人看同樣的事件，
witness the same crime,
目睹同樣的罪行，
but end up remembering different things about that event.
但記得的卻不一定一樣。
This has implications, of course, for eyewitness testimony.
在目擊證詞方面，這是值得深思的，
It also has implications for blame and punishment.
這對責(zé)備和懲罰也有影響。
So if you take English speakers
如果我給英語使用者
and I just show you someone breaking a vase,
看一個人不小心打碎花瓶，
and I say, 'He broke the vase,' as opposed to 'The vase broke,'
然后我說“他打碎了花瓶”，而不是說“花瓶碎了”，
even though you can witness it yourself,
即使你自己親眼看到了事件的經(jīng)過，
you can watch the video,
你看了那段視頻，
you can watch the crime against the vase,
你可以看到花瓶的“罪行”，
you will punish someone more,
但是你卻會更傾向于懲罰、責(zé)備那個人——
you will blame someone more if I just said, 'He broke it,'
僅僅因為我說“他打碎了花瓶”，
as opposed to, 'It broke.'
而不是“花瓶碎了”。
The language guides our reasoning about events.
語言會引導(dǎo)我們對事件的認(rèn)知。
Now, I’ve given you a few examples
那我給了大家?guī)讉€
of how language can profoundly shape the way we think,
語言如何影響我們思考的例子，
and it does so in a variety of ways.
它主要通過幾個方式。
So language can have big effects,
語言可以造成大的影響，
like we saw with space and time,
我們舉了時間和空間的例子，
where people can lay out space and time
人們對時間和空間的排列
in completely different coordinate frames from each other.
可以迥然不同。
Language can also have really deep effects --
語言還可以有很深的影響，
that’s what we saw with the case of number.
我們舉了數(shù)字的例子。
Having count words in your language,
如果你的語言里有數(shù)量詞，
having number words,
有數(shù)字，
opens up the whole world of mathematics.
這會開啟一個全新的數(shù)學(xué)世界。
Of course, if you don’t count, you can’t do algebra,
如果你不能數(shù)數(shù)，你自然也不會代數(shù)學(xué)，
you can’t do any of the things
你將不能做任何
that would be required to build a room like this
需要數(shù)學(xué)的事情，像建一個這樣的演講廳，
or make this broadcast, right?
或進(jìn)行轉(zhuǎn)播，對吧？
This little trick of number words gives you a stepping stone
小小的數(shù)字給我們提供了
into a whole cognitive realm.
踏進(jìn)一整個認(rèn)知領(lǐng)域的墊腳石。
Language can also have really early effects,
語言的影響還可能很早就發(fā)生，
what we saw in the case of color.
我們舉了顏色的例子。
These are really simple, basic, perceptual decisions.
這是非常簡單、基本、感知型的決定，
We make thousands of them all the time,
我們無時無刻不在做這樣的決定，
and yet, language is getting in there
而語言就在那里
and fussing even with these tiny little perceptual decisions that we make.
影響著我們做的這些小小的決定。
Language can have really broad effects.
語言可以有很廣闊的影響，
So the case of grammatical gender may be a little silly,
我們舉了語法上的詞性的例子看似微不足道，
but at the same time, grammatical gender applies to all nouns.
但它卻適用于所有名詞。
That means language can shape how you’re thinking
這意味著語言可以影響你
about anything that can be named by a noun.
如何思考所有能用名詞表達(dá)的東西。
That’s a lot of stuff.
那可是很多東西。
And finally, I gave you an example of how language can shape things
最后，我舉了一個語言可以如何影響
that have personal weight to us --
跟我們切身相關(guān)的事件的例子，
ideas like blame and punishment or eyewitness memory.
如責(zé)備、懲罰和目擊證詞。
These are important things in our daily lives.
這些是我們的日常生活中非常重要的方面。
Now, the beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us
語言多樣性的美麗在于它向我們揭示了
just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is.
人類的大腦是多么巧妙和靈活。
Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000 --
人類大腦創(chuàng)造的不是一個認(rèn)知體系，而是7000個，
there are 7,000 languages spoken around the world.
世界上有7000種語言。
And we can create many more --
而我們還可以創(chuàng)造更多。
languages, of course, are living things,
語言是有生命的，
things that we can hone and change to suit our needs.
是我們可以打磨和改變以滿足我們需求的東西。
The tragic thing is that we’re losing so much of this linguistic diversity
不幸的是，這種語言多樣性正在不斷喪失。
all the time.
與此同時
We’re losing about one language a week,
大概平均每個星期就有一種語言消失，
and by some estimates,
據(jù)估計，
half of the world’s languages will be gone in the next hundred years.
在接下來的100年里世界上一半的語言將會消失。
And the even worse news is that right now,
更糟糕的是，現(xiàn)在
almost everything we know about the human mind and human brain
幾乎我們所知道的所有關(guān)于人類大腦和思維的東西
is based on studies of usually American English-speaking undergraduates
都是基于說美式英語的學(xué)生的研究。
at universities.
都是大學(xué)生。
That excludes almost all humans. Right?
這就幾乎排除了所有人類，不是嗎？
So what we know about the human mind is actually incredibly narrow and biased,
所以其實我們對人類思維的了解是非常狹隘和具有偏見的，
and our science has to do better.
而我們的科學(xué)應(yīng)該做得更好。
I want to leave you with this final thought.
最后，我想再讓大家思考一個問題。
I’ve told you about how speakers of different languages think differently,
我已經(jīng)講了不同語言的使用者思考的不同方式，
but of course, that’s not about how people elsewhere think.
當(dāng)然，這不是是關(guān)于其他地方的人怎么思考，
It’s about how you think.
而是關(guān)于你怎么思考，
It’s how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think.
關(guān)于你說的語言如何影響了你的思維方式。
And that gives you the opportunity to ask,
大家可以問問自己：
'Why do I think the way that I do?'
“我為什么是這樣思考問題的？”
'How could I think differently?'
“我能換種方式思考嗎？”
And also,
還有，
'What thoughts do I wish to create?'
“我想創(chuàng)造什么樣的想法？”
Thank you very much.
非常感謝。
