语堂先生眼中的南方人 | 「英文观止」

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语堂先生书中有言，南方人长于贸易，北方人长于战斗，故历代创业帝王几从无出大江以南者，而拱登龙座之人也多为北方人。那么相较于北方中国人民，南方中国人民还有哪些不同之处呢？今日我们接着来看语堂先生眼中的南方人。

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Down the southeast coast, south of the Yangtse, one meets a different type, inured to ease and culture and sophistication, mentally developed but physically retrograde, loving their poetry and their comforts. Sleek under grown men and slim neurasthenic women, fed on birds’- nest soup and lotus seeds, shrewd in business, gifted in belles-lettres, and cowardly in war, ready to roll on the ground and cry for mamma before the lifted fist descends, offsprings of the cultured Chinese families who crossed the Yangtse with their books and paintings during the end of the Chin Dynasty, when China was overrun by barbaric invaders.

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Down the southeast coast, south of the Yangtse, one meets a different type, inured to ease and culture and sophistication, mentally developed but physically retrograde, loving their poetry and their comforts.

be inured to, 指“习惯于”，Eg. The prisoners quickly were inured to the harsh conditions. 囚犯们很快就适应了艰苦的条件。

culture，指“修养”，Eg. He is a man of culture. 他是一个注重修养的人。

sophistication，指“诡辩，老练”，Eg. He admires their worldliness and sophistication. 他羡慕他们的老于世故。

retrograde，指“退步”，这里指“退化”，Eg. Mercury retrograde is a time of reflection, but no action. 水星逆行是沉思、考虑的时期，而不是行动的好时机。

句子分析：本句的主干为one meets a different type, 其中a different type是较北方人民而言，Down the southeast coast, south of the Yangtse是本句的地点状语，inured to其后都是对a different type的修饰。整个句式不复杂，用词却极为讲究，culture, sophistication等词用得甚好，尽现南方人民安于本分，老于世故的特质。

本句译为：循扬子江而至东南海岸，情景便迥然不同，其人民生活之典型大异。他们习于安逸，文质彬彬，巧作诈伪，智力发达而体格衰退，爱好幽雅韵事，静而少动。

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Sleek under grown men and slim neurasthenic women, fed on birds’-nest soup and lotus seeds, shrewd in business, gifted in belles-lettres, and cowardly in war, ready to roll on the ground and cry for mamma before the lifted fist descends, offsprings of the cultured Chinese families who crossed the Yangtse with their books and paintings during the end of the Chin Dynasty, when China was overrun by barbaric invaders.

neurasthenic，指“神经衰弱的”，此处化意为“纤弱的”，Eg. The incidence rate of the neurasthenic syndrome was in increasing trend with accumulative exposure dose. 神经衰弱综合症发生率随着累积辐照剂量积增呈递增趋势。

lotus seeds，指“莲子”，Eg. Add steamed lotus seeds and bring to boil. 加入蒸熟的莲子，再次煮开。

shrewd，指“精明的”，Eg. Her brother is a shrewd businessman. 她兄弟是个精明的生意人。

belles-lettres，指“纯文学”，Eg. In the late 1930s, there was board space for the publication of belles-lettres which flourished in every literature type. 1930年代中后期，较少政治倾向的纯文学十分繁荣，拥有大量的出版空间，在各个体裁领域均有丰硕成果。

cowardly，指“懦弱的”，Eg. This was a cowardly thing to do. 做这种事是懦弱的行为。

descend，指“下降”，Eg. The plane began to descend. 飞机开始终降落。

be overrun by，指“被……所控制”，Eg. The centre of New Delhi was overrun by an armed mob which attacked government buildings. 新德市里中心被一群袭击政府大楼的武装暴徒控制了。

barbaric，指“残暴的”，Eg. The way these animals are killed is barbaric. 宰杀这些动物的手段很残忍。

句子分析：本句简练地刻画了南方人体格，饮食以及性格等方面。南方人民shrewd in business，商业奇才多出于南方人民，虽不及北方人民般刚毅敢作为，南方人民却是多数伟大思想的启蒙者。Who引导的定语从句修饰offsprings of the cultured Chinese families，南方人民放不下对诗文美艺的执着，因此即使国家was overrun by barbaric invaders，入仕前他们也必携诗艺而行。或许是一方水土养一方人，亦或是皆为调和，形成了南北方人民生活之典型大异，相辅相成，不失分寸。

本句译为：男子则润泽而矮小，妇女则苗条而纤弱。燕窝莲子，玉碗金杯，烹调极滋味之美，饮食享丰沃之乐。贸迁有无，则精明伶俐；执戟荷戈，则退缩不前；诗文优美，具天赋之长才；临敌不斗，呼妈妈而踣仆。当清廷末季，中国方屏息于鞑靼民族盘踞之下，挟其诗文美艺渡江而入仕者，固多江南望族之子孙。