高级英语七中英笔记

L3.PubTalkandtheKing’sEnglish(酒吧闲谈与标准英语)HenryFairlie(亨利·费尔利)Conversationisthemostsociableofallhumanactivities.Anditisanactivityonlyofhumans.Howeverintricatethewayinwhichanimalscommunicatewitheachother,theydonotindulgeinanythingthatdeservesthenameofconversation.人类的一切活动中，闲谈是最具交际性的sociable（主题句），也是人类特有的。而动物之间的信息交流，无论其方式何等复杂intricate，也是称不上交际的。Anditisanactivityonlyofhumans.(para1)并且它是人类特有的一种活动。Andconversationisanactivitywhichisfoundonlyamonghumanbeing．Sociable[ˈsoʊʃəbl]adj.随和的，好交际的，友善的friendlyoragreeable,eapeciallyinaneasy,informalway(用书）intricate(adj):hardtofolloworunderstandbecausefullofpuzzlingparts，details，orrelationships错综复杂的；难以理解的，难懂的Indulge:任凭自己沉溺于……；耽于toallowyourselftohaveordosththatyoulike,eapeciallysththatisconsideredbadforyou----indulgeinsth,indulgeyourself.例：Womendonotindulgeintothesameextentasmen.deserve:值得；应得Thecharmofconversationisthatitdoesnotreallystartfromanywhere,andnoonehasanyideawhereitwillgoasitmeandersorleapsandsparklesorjustglows.Theenemyofgoodconversationisthepersonwhohas“somethingtosay.”Conversationisnotformakingapoint.Argumentmayoftenbeapartofit,butthepurposeoftheargumentisnottoconvince.Thereisnowinninginconversation.Infact,thebestconversationalistsarethosewhoarepreparedtolose.Suddenlytheyseethemomentforoneoftheirbestanecdotes,butinaflashtheconversationhasmovedonandtheopportunityislost.Theyarereadytoletitgo.2.闲谈的引人入胜之处就在于它没有一个事先设定好的主题。它时而迂回meander前进，时而奔腾leap起伏，时而火花四射sparkle，时而热情洋溢glow，话题最终会扯到什么地方去谁也拿不准。感觉“有话想说”的人是一个“完美闲谈”的最大敌人。闲谈不是为了争论，尽管争论经常是闲聊的一部分，但是其目的并不是为了说服对方。闲谈之中是不存在什么输赢胜负（convince说服）的。事实上，真正的闲聊高手往往是随时准备让步（lose输掉）的。他们也许会偶尔间觉得该把自己最得意的奇闻轶事anecdote选出一件插进来讲一讲，但一转眼inaflash大家已谈到别处去了，插话的机会随之丧失，他们也就听之任之了。meander:n.(比方）proceedinanaimlessway;ramble漫谈，闲聊例：Thediscussionmeanderedonforhours.讨论会漫无边际的进行了几个小时。makeapoint:explainfullywhatoneisproposing.表白一种见解，证明一个论点例：Allfight，you’vemadeyourpoint；nowkeepquietandlettheotherssaywhattheythink．好啦，你已经把话说清楚了；那就别说了，让别人谈谈见解。Conversationalist:n.健谈的人Sparkle:v.befulloflifeandwit活力和才智换发。Shealwayssparklesatparties.在聚会上，他总是神采奕奕。Glow:glowwithpride/joy/pleasure.Anecdote:[ˈænɪkdoʊt]n.奇闻轶事(关于真人真事的短小有趣的事）inaflash:suddenly，veryquickly瞬间，非常忽然。Withoutanydelay例：Justwaithere．I’vbebackinaflash．就在这儿等我，我立即就回来。Conversationisnotformakingapoint.(para2)交谈并不是为了表白一种见解。Conversationisnotforpersuadingotherstoacceptourideaorpointofview．（说服convincing,takingsb.over）Infact,thebestconversationalistsarethosewhoarepreparedtolose.(para2)事实上，最佳的交谈者，是那些准备输的人。Infactapersonwhoreallyenjoysandisskilledatconversationwillnotarguetowinorforceotherstoaccepthispointofview．meander(v.):wanderaimlesslyoridly；ramble漫步；闲逛conversationalist(n.):apersonwhoconverses；esp．，onewhoenjoysandisskilledatconversation交谈者；(尤指)健谈者anecdote(n.):ashort，entertainingaccountofsomehappening，usuallypersonalorbiographical轶事，逸事PerhapsitisbecauseofmyupbringinginEnglishpubsthatIthinkbarconversationhasacharmofitsown.Barfriendsarenotdeeplyinvolvedineachother’slives.Theyarecompanions,notintimates.Thefactthattheirmarriagesmaybeontherocks,orthattheirloveaffairshavebrokenoreventhattheygotoutofbedonthewrongsideissimplynotaconcern.TheyarelikethemusketeersofDumaswho,althoughtheylivedsidebysidewitheachother,didnotdelveintoeachother’slivesortherecessesoftheirthoughtsandfeelings.3.或许是从小混迹于(upbringingn.培养，养育)英国小酒吧的缘故吧，我觉得酒馆里的闲聊是别有韵味的。酒馆里的朋友们对彼此的生活毫不了解（involvein使牵扯到），他们只是临时的伙伴，互相之间并无深交（intimate密友，知己）。这些人之中，也许有人的婚姻面临破裂（ontherock婚姻的破坏），有人恋爱受挫，有人碰到别的什么不顺心的事儿（gooutofbadonthewrongside），但这些都无关紧要。他们就像大仲马笔下的三个火枪手（musketeer火枪手）同样，虽然朝夕相处，却历来但是问（delve发掘）彼此的私事（recess私事），也不去打探别人内心的秘密。4.Barfriendsarenotdeeplyinvolvedineachother'slives.(para3)酒吧友人没有深层次地涉及彼此的生活。Peoplewhomeeteachotherforadrinkinthebarofapubarenotintimatefriendsfortheyarenotdeeplyabsorbedorengrossedineachother’slives．（closefriends密友）intimate(n.):aclosefriendorcompanion密友，知己ontherocks:inorintoaconditionofruinorcatastrophe(婚姻)破坏的，失败的例：Tim’smarriageisontherocks．提姆的婚姻亮起了红灯。delve(v.):investigateforinformation；search发掘；调查(研究)recess(n.):asecluded，withdrawn，orinnerplace幽深处getoutthebedonthewrongside:tobecrossorgrouchy上午起来便心情不好Loveaffair:naromanticsexualrelationship,usuallybetweentwopeoplewhoarenotmarriedtoeachother.Itwasonsuchanoccasiontheotherevening,astheconversationmoveddesultorilyhereandthere,fromthemostcommonplacetothoughtsofJupiter,withoutanyfocusandwithnoneedforone,thatsuddenlythealchemyofconversationtookplace,andallatoncetherewasafocus.Idonotrememberwhatmadeoneofourcompanionssayit–sheclearlyhadnotcomeintothebartosayit,itwasnotsomethingthatwaspressingonhermind–butherremarkfellquitenaturallyintothetalk.有一天晚上的情形正是如此。当时人们正在漫无边际地东拉西扯，从最普通的家常琐事聊得有关木星的科学趣闻。完全没有一个特定的主题。可忽然间中心话题奇迹般地出现了，大伙的话题都集中到了一处。我不记得其中一个伙伴的那句话是什么情况下说出来的–但是，显然她并没有特意地准备什么，那也算不上是什么非说不可的要紧话–那只但是是随着大伙儿的话题十分自然地脱口而出的。desultorily(adv.):aimlessly；atrandom随意地；无目的地alchemy(n.):anearlyformofchemistry，whosechiefaimsweretochangebasermetalsintogold：amethodorpoweroftransmutation;esp.theseeminglymiraculouschangeofathingintosomethingbetter炼金术；变化物质的方法或魔力“Someonetoldmetheotherdaythatthephrase,‘theKing’sEnglish,’wasatermofcriticism,thatitmeanslanguagewhichoneshouldnotproperlyuse”“就在前几天，有人告诉我说‘标准英语’这个词是带贬义色彩的批评用语，指的是人们应当尽量避免使用的英语。”Theglowoftheconversationburstintoflames.Therewereaffirmationsandprotestsanddenials,andofcoursethepromise,madeinallsuchconversation,thatwewouldlookituponthemorning.Thatwouldsettleit;butconversationdoesnotneedtobesettled;itcouldstillgoignorantlyon.此语一出，谈话氛围立即热烈起来burstintoflames。有人表达赞成affirmation，也有人怒斥protest，尚有人则不认为然denial。最后，当然少不了像解决所有这种场合下的意见分歧同样，大家约好次日一早去查证一下。问题就这样解决settle了。但是，闲聊并不需要解决什么问题，大家依旧可以糊里糊涂地继续闲扯下去。Itcouldstillgoignorantlyon(para6)大伙依旧可以糊里糊涂地扯下去。Theconversationcouldgoonwithoutanybodyknowingwhowasrightorwrong.burstinto:忽然进入（某种状态）flame:n.火焰affirmation:n.肯定，确认protest:n.反对，抗议denials:否认，拒绝接受ItwasanAustralianwhohadgivenhersuchadefinitionof“theking’sEnglish,”whichproducedsomerathertartremarksaboutwhatonecouldexpectfromthedescendantsofconvicts.WehadtraveledinfiveminutestoAustralia.Ofcourse,therewouldberesistancetotheKing’sEnglishinsuchasociety.Thereisalwaysresistanceinthelowerclassestoanyattemptbyanupperclasstolaydownrulesfor“Englishasitshouldbespoken.”7.告诉她“标准英语”应做这种解释的本来是个澳大利亚人。知道这个后，有些人便说起刻薄话来了，说什么囚犯的后代这样说倒也局限性为奇。就这样，不到5分钟，大家便扯到了澳大利亚。在那个地方，“标准英语”自然是不受欢迎的。由于下层人民总是会抵制上流社会给“规范英语”制定的条条框框。tart(adj.):sharpintaste；sour；acid辛辣的；尖酸的；刻薄的laydown:toassertordeclare;声明，颁布例：Hehadalreadyclearlylaindownhisviewinhisopeningspeech.例：Theregulationslaydownarigidprocedureforcheckingsafetyequipment．法令规定了一套严格的安检程序。LookatthelanguagebarrierbetweentheSaxonchurlsandtheirNormanconquerors.TheconversationhadswungfromAustralianconvictsofthe19thcenturytotheEnglishpeasantsofthe12thcentury.Whowasright,whowaswrong,didnotmatter.Theconversationwasonwings.想想撒克逊农民(churl)与征服他们的诺曼统治者之间的语言隔阂barrier吧。于是闲聊的主题又从19世纪的澳大利亚囚犯(convict)转移到【swung（使）摇摆】了12世纪的应当农民(peasant)身上。谁对谁错，并没有关系。闲聊依旧热火朝天地进行着。barrier:n.屏障；妨碍roadblockchurl(n.):afarmlaborer；peasant农民；庄稼人，乡下人Conqueror:n.征服者，占领者Swung:v.(使)摇摆convict(n.):apersonfoundguiltyofacrimeandsentencedbyacourt罪犯Peasant:n.农夫onwings:inflight；continuallymovingabout像飞同样地，飘飘然例：Thebirdsareonwingsinthesky．鸟儿在空中展翅高飞。Shewenthomeonwings.她高快乐兴地回家。Someonetookoneofthebest–knownofexamples,whichisstillalwaysworththereconsidering.WhenwetalkofmeatonourtablesweuseFrenchwords;whenwespeakoftheanimalsfromwhichthemeatcomesweuseAnglo–Saxonwords.Itisapiginitssty;itispork(porc)onthetable.Theyarecattleinthefields,butwesitdowntobeef(boeuf).Chickensbecomepoultry(poulet),andacalfbecomesveal(veau).EvenifourmenuswerenotwritteninFrenchoutofsnobbery,theEnglishweusedinthemwouldstillbeNormanEnglish.WhatallthistellsusisofadeepclassriftinthecultureofEnglishaftertheNormanConquest.有人举了一个众所周知但仍值得深思的例子。在谈到饭桌上的肉食时我们用法语词，而谈到提供这些肉食的牲畜是则用盎格鲁-撒克逊词。猪圈里的活猪叫pig，饭桌上吃的猪肉便成了pork（来自法语pore）；地里放养的牛叫cattle，而桌上吃的牛肉则叫beef（来自法语boeuf）；小鸡叫chicken，用作肉食则变成poultry（来自法语poulet）；calf（小牛）加工成肉则变成veal（来自法语vcau）。即便我们的菜单没有为了装洋耍派头而写成法语，我们所用的英语仍然是诺曼式的英语。这一切向我们昭示了被诺曼人征服之后的英国文化上所存在的深刻的阶级裂痕。rift(n.):anopenbreakinapreviouslyfriendlyrelationship分裂；失和Sty:sties[C]aplacewherepigsarekept=pigstyPoultry:n.hens,ducks,geese,turkeys,etc.Keptforeatingorfortheireggs;domesticfowls家禽Veal:fleshofacalfusedasmeat（使用的）小牛肉6.Theyarecattleinthefields,butwesitdowntobeef(boeuf).(para9)地里放牧着的牛叫cattle，席上吃的牛肉则叫beef。Theseanimalsarecalledcattlewhentheyarealiveandfeedinginthefields;butwhenwesitdownatthetabletoeat．Wecalltheirmeatbeef．TheSaxonpeasantswhotilledthelandandrearedtheanimalscouldnotaffordthemeat,whichwenttoNormantables.Thepeasantswereallowedtoeattherabbitsthatscamperedovertheirfieldand,sincethatmeatwascheap,theNormanlordsofcourseturneduptheirnosesatit.Sorabbitisstillrabbitonourtables,andnotchangedintosomerenderingoflapin.撒克逊农民peasant种地养殖rear牲畜，自己出产的肉自己却吃不上，所有送到了诺曼人的餐桌上。农民们只能吃在地里乱窜scamper的兔子。由于兔子的肉便宜，诺曼贵族自然不屑turnupone’snosesat去吃它。因此，活兔子和兔子肉共用rabbit这个词表达，而没有换成由法语lapin转化（rendering翻译）而来的某个词。scamper(v.):runorgohurriedlyorquickly(儿童及某些小动物)奔跑，蹦蹦跳跳例：Therabbitscamperedawayinfright.兔子惊恐地抛了rendering(n.):atranslation翻译turnupone’snoseat:tosneerat，scorn嘲笑，轻蔑例：Thechildrenturneduptheirnosesatmyhomecooking．孩子们嘲笑我的厨艺。Aswelistentodaytotheargumentsaboutbilingualeducation,weoughttothinkourselvesbackintotheshoesoftheSaxonpeasant.ThenewrulingclasshadbuiltaculturalbarrieragainsthimbybuildingtheirFrenchagainsthisownlanguage.TheremusthavebeenagreatdealofculturalhumiliationfeltbytheEnglishwhentheyrevoltedunderSaxonleaderslikeHerewardtheWake.“Theking’sEnglish”-ifthetermhadexistedthen-hadbecomeFrench.AndhereinAmericanow,900yearslater,wearestilltheheirstoit.如今，当我们听着有关双语bilingual教育问题的争论时，我们应当设身处地intotheshoesof替当时的撒克逊农民想一想，新的统治阶级ruling用法语来对抗撒克逊农民自己的语言，从而在农民周边筑起一道文化壁垒。当英国人在像觉醒者赫里沃德这样的撒克逊领袖领导下起来造反时，他们一定深深地感受到了文化上的屈辱humiliation。“标准英语”-假如那时候有这个名词的话-已经变成法语了。而九百年后我们在美国这个地方仍然继承了这种影响。bilingual(adj.):of，inorusingtwolanguages(用)两种语言的intheshoesof:inanother’sposition站在别人的立场上，设身处地例：I’mgladI’mnotinhisshoeswithallthosedebtstopayoff．我庆幸不用像他那样去偿还所有的债务。Heir:n.(tosth)继承人7.ThenewrulingclasshadbuiltaculturalbarrieragainsthimbybuildingtheirFrenchagainsthisownlanguage.(para11)新的统治阶级用法语来对抗其他语言，这样就建立起了对抗这些农民的文化壁垒。ThenewrulingclassbyusingFrenchinsteadofEnglishmadeitdifficultfortheEnglishtoacceptorabsorb合并thecultureoftherulers．Sothenextmorning,theconversationover,onelookeditup.Thephrasecameintousesometimeinthe16thcentury.“Queen’sEnglish”isfoundinNashe’s“StrangeNewsoftheInterceptingofCertainLetters”in1593,andin1602,Dekkerwroteofsomeone,“thouclipsttheKing’sEnglish.”IsthephraseinShakespeare?Thatwouldbetheconfirmationthatitwasingeneraluse.Heusesitonce,whenMistressQuicklyin“TheMerryWivesofWindsor”saysofhermastercominghomeinarage,“…herewillbeanoldabusingofGod’spatienceandtheKing’sEnglish,”anditringstrue.那晚闲聊过后的第二天一大早便有人去查阅了资料。这个名词在16世纪已有人使用过了。纳什作于1593年的《截获intercept信函奇闻》中就有过“标准英语”（Queen’sEnglish）的提法。162023德克写到某人时有句话说：“你thou把‘标准英语’（King’sEnglish）简化了”。莎士比亚作品中是否也出现过这一提法呢？如出现过，那就证明这个词在当时既已通用。他用过一次，在《温莎的风流娘们》中，女仆Quickly在讲到她家老爷回来后将会有的盛怒情形时说，“……少不了一通臭骂，骂得昏天暗地，“标准英语”不知要给他糟蹋成个什么样子啦。”后来的事实果然被她说中了。intercept(v.):seizeorstopontheway，beforearrivalattheintendedplace拦截；截断；截击。例：Reportersinterceptedhimashetriedtoleavebytherearentrance.他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。abuse(v.):usewrongly；useinsulting，coarseorbadlanguage；scoldharshly滥用；辱骂，口出恶言Thou:人称代词。汝，你。Onecouldhaveexpectedthatitwouldbeaboutthenthatthephrasewouldbecoined.Afterfivecenturiesofgrowth,oftusslingwiththeFrenchoftheNormansandtheAngevinsandthePlantagenetsandatlastabsorbingit,theconqueredintheendconqueringtheconqueror,Englishhadcomeroyallyintoitsown.我们有理由认为这个词就是那个时候产生（coin杜撰）的。通过前后五百年的发展和与诺曼人、安茹王朝(Angevin)及金雀花王朝(Plantagenets)的法语的竞争，英语最终同化absorbing了法语。被统治者成了统治着，英语取得了国语的地位comeintoitsown。coin(v.):makeup；devise；invent(anewword，phrase，etc．)编造；杜撰(新词、新短语等)tussle(v.):tofightorstrugglewithoutusinganyweapons，bypullingorpushingsomeoneratherthanhittingthem.斗争，搏斗；竞争词组Tusslewith例：Hewastusslingwiththeothereintoone’sown:toreceivewhatproperlybelongstoone，esp．acclaimorrecognition得到自己该得的东西，如荣誉或世人的口碑Royally:adv.像王族，庄严地8.Englishhadcomeroyallyintoitsown.(para13)英语取得了国语的地位。TheEnglishlanguagereceivedproperrecognitionandwasusedbytheKingoncemore．TherewasaKing’s(orQueen’s)Englishtobeproudof.TheElizabethansblewonitasonadandelionclock,anditsseedsmultiplied,andfloatedtotheendsoftheearth.“TheKing’sEnglish”wasnolongeraformofwhatwouldnowberegardedasracialdiscrimination.这样便有了一种英国人值得引认为傲的“标准英语”。伊丽莎白时代的人没费吹灰之力便使其影响日盛（multiplied（使）增长、相乘），遍及全球（blew吹）。“标准英语”再也不带有今天所谓的种族歧视racialdiscrimination的性质了。dandelion(n.):anyofseveralplantsofthecompositefamily，commonlawnweedswithjaggedleaves，oftenusedasgreens，andyellowflowers蒲公英(属)YettherehadbeensomethingintheremarkoftheAustralian.Thephrasehasalwaysbeenusedalittlepejorativelyandevenfacetiouslybythelowerclasses.OnefeelsthatevenMistressQuickly-aservant-issayingthatDr.Caius-hermaster-willlosehiscontrolandspeakwiththevigorofordinaryfolk.IftheKing’sEnglishis“Englishasitshouldbespoken,”theclaimisoftenmockedbytheunderlings,whentheysaywithajeer“Englishasitshouldbespoke.”Therebellionagainstaculturaldominanceisstillthere.但是，那个澳大利亚人的解释也有一定道理。下层阶级在使用这一名词时总带着一点轻蔑pejorative、讥讽facetious的味道。我们会发现，就连Quickly这样一个婢女（servant佣人）也会说她的主子凯厄斯大夫管不住自己的舌头，而讲起平民百姓ordinaryfolk们所讲的那种粗话。假如说“标准英语”就是所谓“规范英语”，这种见解经常会受到下层人民的嘲笑mock讥讽jeer，他们有时故意开玩笑地把它称做“规反英语”。下层人民对于文华上的专制还是颇有（抵制rebellion反抗）心理的。pejorative(adj.):disparagingorderogatory轻蔑的；贬低的facetious(adj.):(usuderog通常作贬义）jokingortryingtobejocular，esp．atanimappropriatetime滑稽的；诙谐的；(尤指在不适当的时候)开玩笑的例：afacetiousyoungman耍贫嘴的小伙子underling(n.):apersoninasubordinateposition；inferiordisparaging(通常作蔑词)下属；jeer:n.Jeeringremark;taunt揶揄的言语；嘲讽；例：Heranoff,theirjeersringinginhisears.他一跑了之，耳边仍回响着他们的冷嘲热讽。mock:(~atsb/sth)makefunof,eapbymimickinghim/itcontemptuously;ridicule取笑（某人、某物）；特别指模仿嘲弄，愚弄mockingsmile,voice,laugh嘲弄的微笑、声音、大笑9.Thephrasehasalwaysbeenusedalittlepejorativelyandevenfacetiouslybythelowerclasses.(para15)下层阶级使用这个短语时，常带有贬义，甚至讥讽的味道。Thephrase，theKing’sEnglish，hasalwaysbeenuseddisrespectfully无礼地；不恭地andjokingly开玩笑地bythelowerclasses.（or:Theworkingpeopleveryoftenmakefunoftheproperandformallanguageoftheeducatedpeople．）Therebellionagainstaculturaldominanceisstillthere.(para15)对文化支配的对抗仍然存在。Therestillexistsintheworkingpeople，asintheearlySaxonpeasants，aspiritofoppositiontotheculturalauthorityoftherulingclass.在劳动人民中仍然存在着，就像初期的撒克逊农民同样，反对统治阶级文化权威的精神。Thereisalwaysagreatdanger,asCarlyleputit,that“wordswillhardenintothingsforus.”Wordsarenotthemselvesareality,butonlyrepresentationsofit,andtheKing’sEnglish,liketheAnglo-FrenchoftheNormans,isaclassrepresentationofreality.Perhapsitisworthtryingtospeakit,butitshouldnotbelaiddownasanedict,andmadeimmunetochangefrombelow.正如卡莱尔所说，“对我们来说，词语会变成具体harden的事物”是一种始终存在的危险。词语自身并不是现实，它但是是现实的一种反映形式representation而已。标准英语和诺曼人的盎格鲁法语的性质同样，也只是一个阶段用来表达现实的一种形式。让人们学着去讲也许不错，但既不应当把它作为法令edict，也不应当使它完全不接受immune来自下层的改变。edict(n.):anofficialpublicproclamationororderissuedbyauthority；decree法令；命令；布告Immune：(adj.):exemptfromorprotectedagainstsomethingdisagreeableorharmful不受影响的；可避免的harden:v.(causesthto)becomehare,strong,etc(使某物）变硬；变坚强，变鉴定11.Thereisalwaysagreatdanger,asCarlyleputit,that"wordswillhardenintothingsforus."(para16)正如卡莱尔提出的，“对我们而言，词语会变成具体的事物”，这始终会有极大的危险。Thereisalwaysagreatdangerthatwemightforgetthatwordsareonlysymbolsandtakethemforthingstheyaresupposedtorepresent．Forexample，theword“dog”isasymbolrepresentingakindofanimal．Wemustn’tregardtheword“dog”asbeingtheanimalitself．总是有一个很大的危险，我们也许会忘掉，单词只是符号sign/mark，并把他们的东西，他们应当代表的话，例如，“狗”是一个象征，代表一种动物，我们不能把“狗”这个词自身作为动物自身。Ihaveanunendingloveaffairwithdictionaries-Audenoncesaidthatallawriterneedsisapen,plentyofpaperand“thebestdictionarieshecanafford”-butIagreewiththepersonwhosaidthatdictionariesareinstrumentsofcommonsense.TheKing’sEnglishisamodel-arichandinstructiveone-butitoughtnottobeanultimatum.17.我历来对词典有着始终不渝的酷爱-奥登曾经说过，一支笔、够用的纸张“他所能弄到的最佳的词典”就是一个作家的所有所需-但其实上我更赞同另一种说法，即把词典当作是一种常识工具。标准英语是一种范本-一种丰富而又指导作用的范本-但并不是一种绝对的权威。ultimatum(n.):afinalofferordemand，esp．byoneofthepartiesengagedinnegotiations，therejectionofwhichusuallyleadstoabreakinrelationsandunilateralaction，theuseofforceetc．bythepartyissuingtheultimatum最后通牒accept,reject,issue,deliveranultimatum几首、拒绝、发出、送交最后通牒。Sowemayreturntomybeginning.Evenwiththemosteducatedandthemostliterate,theKing’sEnglishslipsandslidesinconversation.Thereisnoworseconversationthantheonewhopunctuateshiswordsashespeaksasifhewerewriting,orevenwhotriestousewordsasifhewerecomposingapieceofproseforprint.WhenE.M.Forsterwritesof“thesinistercorridorofourage,”wesitupatthevividnessofthephrase,theforceandeventerrorintheimage.ButifE.M.Forstersatinourlivingroomandsaid,“Weareallfollowingeachotherdownthesinistercorridorofourage,”wewouldbejustifiedinaskinghimtoleave.situp:(colloq．)to。becomesuddenlyalert；besurprisedorstartled吃惊，警惕例：Icalledheradamnedhypocriteandthatmadehersitup．我骂她惺惺作态，她立即警惕起来Sinister:suggestingevil,orthatsthbadmayhappen邪恶的，险恶的。Asinistermotive,action,place邪恶的动机，不详之处。Corridor:n.Longnarrowpassage,fromwhichdoorsopenintoroomsorcompartments过道，走廊由此我们可以回到我先前的话题上。即便是那些学问再高、文学修养再好的人，他们所讲的标准英语在闲聊中也经常会离谱走调。要是有谁闲聊时也像做文章同样句逗分明，或像写一篇要发表的散文般咬文嚼字的话，那他说的话就一定极为倒人胃口。看到E.M.福斯特笔下写出“如今这个时代阴森恐怖的长廊”时，我们可以深刻体会到语言的生动、比方的张力。但假若福斯特坐在我们的会客室里说“我们大家正一个接一个地步入这个时代阴森恐怖的长廊”时，我们肯定会让他离开。Greatauthorsareconstantlybeingaskedbyfoolishpeopletotalkastheywrite.Otherpeoplemaycelebratetheloftyconversationsinwhichthegreatmindsaresuppose