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中文输入法的漫长攻坚战(Typing rebellion)
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中文没有字母表，这一直是令人担忧的问题。在19世纪和20世纪初，这意味着用中文打字和发电报要慢得多。
双语精读
Typing rebellion
输入法的叛逆
The Chinese language's lack of an alphabet has been a source of concern. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it meant Chinese typewriting and telegraphy were much slower.
中文没有字母表，这一直是令人担忧的问题。在19世纪和20世纪初，这意味着用中文打字和发电报要慢得多。
Leaders including Mao Zedong believed characters were constraining China's economic and social development. He wondered whether they should be ditched altogether in favour of an alphanumeric system.
包括毛主席在内的领导人认为，汉字制约了中国的经济和社会发展。他在考虑是否应该完全放弃方块字，转而采用字母数字系统。
The alphabet anxiety intensified when the personal-computing revolution in the West began to transform the world. Thomas Mullaney, a professor at Stanford University, has written an informative and enjoyable history of how China addressed this crucial technical question.
当西方的个人电脑革命开始改变世界时，字母表焦虑加剧了。斯坦福大学教授墨磊宁撰写了一部信息丰富且引人入胜的历史书，讲述了中国如何解决这一关键技术问题。
He observes that Chinese people, when typing on a Western-designed computer or phone, are required to operate entirely in code in order to turn keyboard letters into characters.
他观察到，中国人在使用西方设计的电脑或手机打字时，需要完全使用代码才能将键盘字母转换为汉字。
"The Chinese Computer" zeroes in on some forgotten but memorable characters. Kao Chung-Chin worked with IBM in the 1940s to develop the electric Chinese typewriter using a different four-number code for every character.
《中文打字机》关注了一些已被遗忘但值得记住的人物。高仲芹在20世纪40年代与IBM合作开发了电子中文打字机，用四个数字代表每个汉字。
Samuel Caldwell, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spoke no Chinese but developed a system whereby each key on the QWERTY keyboard represented a brush stroke in a character; typing the first few strokes linked to a photographic storage matrix.
麻省理工学院教授塞缪尔·考德威尔不会说中文，但开发了一个系统，其中QWERTY键盘上的每个键代表汉字的一个笔画，输入前几个笔画就会链接到一个照片存储矩阵。
In the 1970s China contemplated abandoning QWERTY altogether and produced huge keyboards of characters. But from the 1980s onwards, new "structure-based" input systems flourished, such as wubi.
20世纪70年代，中国考虑完全放弃QWERTY键盘，并制作了巨大的汉字键盘。但从20世纪80年代起，新的“基于结构”的输入法开始蓬勃发展，如五笔输入法。
In those methods, each QWERTY key correlates with a different visual component of a character so, typed consecutively, they form a full character.
在这些方法中，每个QWERTY键都代表汉字中的一个不同的字形组成部分，因此连续按键，就会形成一个完整的汉字。
The lure of the Chinese market meant Western computer companies were eager for a solution. And, for all its tricksiness, the QWERTY keyboard has prevailed.
中国市场的诱惑意味着西方计算机公司热切地渴望找到一个解决方案。而且，尽管QWERTY键盘过于复杂，但它还是（在中国市场）占据了主导地位。
Of the different codes it is pinyin, which writes characters phonetically using the Roman alphabet, that has won the day. Type in a Chinese sound using Latin letters-tong, for instance-and a menu appears of the most commonly used characters with that sound.
在各种编码方式中，拼音赢得了胜利，拼音用罗马字母拼写汉字的发音。用拉丁字母输入一个中文发音——比如tong——然后就会出现一个菜单，其中包含具有该发音的最常用的一些汉字。
Mr Mullaney points out that half the world's population uses scripts that require workarounds with a QWERTY keyboard. This is a global issue of which few Westerners are aware. China has, he writes, "saved the Western-designed computer...from its foundational limitations".
墨磊宁指出，世界上一半人口使用的字母系统在用QWERTY键盘输入时需要变通处理。这是一个全球性的问题， 很少有西方人意识到这一点。他写道，中国“将西方设计的计算机......从其根本局限性中拯救了出来”。
Mr Mullaney's book does not cover the current tech wars between China and America. It does, however, underline the impressive progress China has achieved in computing. For decades the country has been fighting-and typing-with one hand tied behind its back.
墨磊宁的书并未涵盖当前中美之间的科技战争。但这本书凸显了中国在计算机领域取得的令人瞩目的进展。数十年来，这个国家一直在一只手被绑在背后的情况下进行斗争和打字。
词汇预习
source [高考]
美[sɔːrs] | 英[sɔːs]
n. 来源；发源地；原始资料 v. 从...获得
issue [高考]
美[ˈɪʃuː] | 英[ˈɪʃuː]
n. 问题，议题，争论点；（报纸、杂志等的）期刊号；发放，分配；（新股票或邮票等的）发行；子女，后嗣；流出，发出 v. 发表，颁布；分发，分配；正式发行；流出，发出；由……产生，由…得出
economic [高考]
美[ˌiːkəˈnɑːmɪk] | 英[ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk]
adj. 经济的，经济学的；有利可图的；节约的
current [高考]
美[ˈkɜːrənt] | 英[ˈkʌrənt]
n. 趋势；(水、气、电)流 adj. 现在的；流通的
code [高考]
美[koʊd] | 英[kəʊd]
n. 密码；法规；准则 v. 制成法典；把 ... 编码
impressive [高考]
美[ɪmˈpresɪv] | 英[ɪmˈpresɪv]
adj. 给人深刻印象的；令人钦佩的
commonly [高考]
美[ˈkɑmənli] | 英[ˈkɒmənli]
adv. 一般地；通常地；普通地
entirely [高考]
美[ɪnˈtaɪərli] | 英[ɪnˈtaɪəli]
adv. 完全地；全部地
input [高考]
美[ˈɪnpʊt] | 英[ˈɪnpʊt]
n. 投入；输入信息；输入数据；信息输入端 v. 输入
informative [高考]
美[ɪnˈfɔːrmətɪv] | 英[ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv]
adj. 提供消息的；情报的；见闻广博的
memorable [高考]
美[ˈmemərəbl] | 英[ˈmemərəbl]
adj. 值得纪念的；难忘的
stroke [高考]
美[stroʊk] | 英[strəʊk]
n. 中风；笔画；钟声；抚摩 v. 抚摩（动物的毛皮）；轻抚；轻挪；轻触
lack [高考]
美[læk] | 英[læk]
n. 缺乏；无 v. 缺乏；不足
aware [高考]
美[əˈwer] | 英[əˈweə(r)]
adj. 知道的；意识到的
anxiety [高考]
美[æŋˈzaɪəti] | 英[æŋˈzaɪəti]
n. 焦虑；担心；渴望
eager [高考]
美[ˈiːɡər] | 英[ˈiːɡə(r)]
adj. 热切的；渴望的
revolution [高考]
美[ˌrevəˈluːʃn] | 英[ˌrevəˈluːʃn]
n. 革命；变革；重大改变；旋转
technical [高考]
美[ˈteknɪkl] | 英[ˈteknɪkl]
adj. 技术的；技能的；工艺的；专门技术的
component [高考]
美[kəmˈpoʊnənt] | 英[kəmˈpəʊnənt]
n. 零部件；元件；组成部分；成分 adj. 组成的；构成的
altogether [高考]
美[ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər] | 英[ˌɔːltəˈɡeðə(r)]
adv. 总共；完全；总的来说
transform [高考]
美[trænsˈfɔːrm] | 英[trænsˈfɔːm]
v. 使改观，使变形，使转化；变换（电流）的电压；（数）变换（数学实体） n.（数，语言学）变换式，转换句；（数，语言学）转换规则
typewriter [高考]
美[ˈtaɪpraɪtər] | 英[ˈtaɪpraɪtə(r)]
n. 打字机
storage [高考]
美[ˈstɔːrɪdʒ] | 英[ˈstɔːrɪdʒ]
n. 保管；贮藏；仓库；保管费；[计]存储器
favour [高考]
美[ˈfeɪvər] | 英[ˈfeɪvə(r)]
n. 恩惠；支持；喜爱；偏爱 v. 支持；偏袒；有利于；长得像
alphabet [高考]
美[ˈælfəbet] | 英[ˈælfəbet]
n. 字母表；基本原理(元素)；符号系统
lack of [高考]
美[læk ʌv] | 英[læk ɔv]
缺乏
in order [高考]
美[ɪn 'ɔːrdər] | 英[ɪn 'ɔːdə]
整齐；秩序井然；按顺序
crucial [高考]
美[ˈkruːʃl] | 英[ˈkruːʃl]
adj. 决定性的；关键的
photographic [四级]
美[ˌfoʊtəˈgræfɪk] | 英[ˌfəʊtəˈgræfɪk]
adj. 摄影的；逼真的
rebellion [四级]
美[rɪˈbeljən] | 英[rɪˈbeljən]
n. 叛乱；反抗
tech [四级]
美[tek] | 英[tek]
n. 技术学校；技术；技术人员
Roman [六级]
美[ˈroʊmən] | 英[ˈrəʊmən]
adj. 罗马的；罗马帝国的；罗马天主教的 n. 罗马人；罗马天主教徒；罗马字体
whereby [六级]
美[werˈbaɪ] | 英[weəˈbaɪ]
adv. 凭借
in favour of [六级]
美[ɪn ˈfeɪvər əv] | 英[ɪn ˈfeɪvə(r) ɒv]
赞成； 支持
lure [六级]
美[lʊr] | 英[lʊə(r)]
vt. 诱惑；吸引 n. 诱惑；吸引力；饵
matrix [专八]
美[ˈmetrɪks] | 英[ˈmeɪtrɪks]
n. 矩阵；发源地；基质；母体；子宫；(人或社会成长发展的）社会环境、政治局势；线路网；道路网；[地]杂基；矩阵转接电路；唱片模板
Latin [考研]
美[ˈlætn] | 英[ˈlætɪn]
n. 拉丁语；拉丁人 adj. 拉丁语的；拉丁人的；拉丁语系国家的
onwards [雅思]
美[ˈɑːnwərdz] | 英[ˈɒnwədz]
adv. 向前；前进；在前面
重点讲解
Typing**** rebellion
输入法的叛逆
The Chinese language****’s lack**** of**** an**** alphabet**** has been**** a source**** of**** concern.**** In**** the 19th**** and early 20th**** centuries,**** it**** meant Chinese typewriting and telegraphy**** were**** much**** slower****.****
中文没有字母表，这一直是令人担忧的问题。在19世纪和20世纪初，这意味着用中文打字和发电报要慢得多。
Leaders including Mao Zedong believed characters were constraining China’s economic and social development. He wondered whether they should be ditched altogether in favour of an alphanumeric system.
包括毛主席在内的领导人认为，汉字制约了中国的经济和社会发展。他在考虑是否应该完全放弃方块字，转而采用字母数字系统。
constrain v. 限制；约束
【例】His creativity was constrained by the strict rules.
他的创造力被严格的规定约束了。
【近义词】limit v. 限制数量
restrict v. 限制；限定
restrain v. 制止；抑制
【拓展】constraint n. 制约因素
in favour of 赞同；（两件事物中）更偏好
【例】to vote in favour of the new policy
投票支持新政策
He abandoned medicine in favour of a career in literature.
他弃医从文。
The alphabet anxiety intensified when the personal-computing revolution in the West began to transform the world. Thomas Mullaney, a professor at Stanford University, has written an informative and enjoyable history of how China addressed this crucial technical question.
当西方的个人电脑革命开始改变世界时，字母表焦虑加剧了。斯坦福大学教授墨磊宁撰写了一部信息丰富且引人入胜的历史书，讲述了中国如何解决这一关键技术问题。
intensify v. 加剧；激化
【例】The debate intensified.
辩论变得更激烈了。
to intensify the effort to do sth
加大做某事的力度
【拓展】intense adj. 激烈的；剧烈的
address v. 设法解决；应对
【例】to address the challenge of global warming
应对全球变暖的挑战
【近义词】deal with 应对；处理
solve v. 彻底解决
He observes that Chinese people, when typing on a Western-designed computer or phone, are required to operate entirely in code in order to turn keyboard letters into characters.
他观察到，中国人在使用西方设计的电脑或手机打字时，需要完全使用代码才能将键盘字母转换为汉字。
intensify v. 加剧；激化
【例】The debate intensified.
辩论变得更激烈了。
to intensify the effort to do sth
加大做某事的力度
【拓展】intense adj. 激烈的；剧烈的
address v. 设法解决；应对
【例】to address the challenge of global warming
应对全球变暖的挑战
【近义词】deal with 应对；处理
solve v. 彻底解决
“The Chinese Computer” zeroes in on some forgotten but memorable characters. Kao Chung-Chin worked with IBM in the 1940s to develop the electric Chinese typewriter using a different four-number code for every character.
《中文打字机》关注了一些已被遗忘但值得记住的人物。高仲芹在20世纪40年代与IBM合作开发了电子中文打字机，用四个数字代表每个汉字。
zero in on 瞄准；关注；集中注意力于
【例】During the meeting, we need to zero in on the main issue.
在会议中我们要关注主要问题。
【近义词】focus on/concentrate on 关注
stroke n. 笔刷的动作；笔触；笔画
【例】The artist's strokes conveyed the texture of the fur perfectly.
画家的笔触完美地表现了皮毛的质地。
to outline the future path in broad strokes
粗略地勾勒出未来的道路
【拓展】at the stroke of a pen 大笔一挥
Samuel Caldwell, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spoke no Chinese but developed a system whereby each key on the QWERTY keyboard represented a brush stroke in a character; typing the first few strokes linked to a photographic storage matrix.
麻省理工学院教授塞缪尔·考德威尔不会说中文，但开发了一个系统，其中QWERTY键盘上的每个键代表汉字的一个笔画，输入前几个笔画就会链接到一个照片存储矩阵。
zero in on 瞄准；关注；集中注意力于
【例】During the meeting, we need to zero in on the main issue.
在会议中我们要关注主要问题。
【近义词】focus on/concentrate on 关注
stroke n. 笔刷的动作；笔触；笔画
【例】The artist's strokes conveyed the texture of the fur perfectly.
画家的笔触完美地表现了皮毛的质地。
to outline the future path in broad strokes
粗略地勾勒出未来的道路
【拓展】at the stroke of a pen 大笔一挥
In the 1970s China contemplated abandoning QWERTY altogether and produced huge keyboards of characters. But from the 1980s onwards, new “structure-based” input systems flourished, such as wubi.
20世纪70年代，中国考虑完全放弃QWERTY键盘，并制作了巨大的汉字键盘。但从20世纪80年代起，新的“基于结构”的输入法开始蓬勃发展，如五笔输入法。
flourish v. 繁荣；兴盛
【例】The plants/business/e-commerce flourished.
植物生长茂盛/生意兴隆/电商蓬勃发展。
【近义词】thrive/prosper v. 繁荣发展
【辨析】nourish v. 滋养；培养
consecutively adv. 连续地；接连地
【例】He won the championship three times consecutively.
他连续三次赢得了冠军。
【近义词】successively adv. 接连地
continuously adv. 连续地；一直
In those methods, each QWERTY key correlates with a different visual component of a character so, typed consecutively, they form a full character.
在这些方法中，每个QWERTY键都代表汉字中的一个不同的字形组成部分，因此连续按键，就会形成一个完整的汉字。
flourish v. 繁荣；兴盛
【例】The plants/business/e-commerce flourished.
植物生长茂盛/生意兴隆/电商蓬勃发展。
【近义词】thrive/prosper v. 繁荣发展
【辨析】nourish v. 滋养；培养
consecutively adv. 连续地；接连地
【例】He won the championship three times consecutively.
他连续三次赢得了冠军。
【近义词】successively adv. 接连地
continuously adv. 连续地；一直
The lure of the Chinese market meant Western computer companies were eager for a solution. And, for all its tricksiness, the QWERTY keyboard has prevailed.
中国市场的诱惑意味着西方计算机公司热切地渴望找到一个解决方案。而且，尽管QWERTY键盘过于复杂，但它还是（在中国市场）占据了主导地位。
prevail v. 普遍存在；流行
【例】This custom still prevails among members of the older generation.
这一风俗仍在老一辈人们中流行。
【近义词】pervade v. 充满；遍布
Of the different codes it is pinyin, which writes characters phonetically using the Roman alphabet, that has won the day. Type in a Chinese sound using Latin letters—tong, for instance—and a menu appears of the most commonly used characters with that sound.
在各种编码方式中，拼音赢得了胜利，拼音用罗马字母拼写汉字的发音。用拉丁字母输入一个中文发音——比如tong——然后就会出现一个菜单，其中包含具有该发音的最常用的一些汉字。
prevail v. 普遍存在；流行
【例】This custom still prevails among members of the older generation.
这一风俗仍在老一辈人们中流行。
【近义词】pervade v. 充满；遍布
Mr Mullaney points out that half the world’s population uses scripts that require workarounds with a QWERTY keyboard. This is a global issue of which few Westerners are aware. China has, he writes, “saved the Western-designed computer...from its foundational limitations”.
墨磊宁指出，世界上一半人口使用的字母系统在用QWERTY键盘输入时需要变通处理。这是一个全球性的问题， 很少有西方人意识到这一点。他写道，中国“将西方设计的计算机......从其根本局限性中拯救了出来”。
workaround n. 变通方法；应变方法
【例】We haven’t found a permanent solution yet, but we have a temporary workaround.
我们还没有找到彻底的解决办法，但有一个权宜之计。
【近义词】stopgap n. 暂时的办法
underline v. 画下划线；强调
【例】In his speech, he underlined the importance of staying united.
他在演讲中强调了团结的重要性。
【辨析】underlie v. 构成基础
【例】Many facts underlie my decision.
我的决定是基于许多事实。
Mr Mullaney’s book does not cover the current tech wars between China and America. It does, however, underline the impressive progress China has achieved in computing. For decades the country has been fighting—and typing—with one hand tied behind its back.
墨磊宁的书并未涵盖当前中美之间的科技战争。但这本书凸显了中国在计算机领域取得的令人瞩目的进展。数十年来，这个国家一直在一只手被绑在背后的情况下进行斗争和打字。
workaround n. 变通方法；应变方法
【例】We haven’t found a permanent solution yet, but we have a temporary workaround.
我们还没有找到彻底的解决办法，但有一个权宜之计。
【近义词】stopgap n. 暂时的办法
underline v. 画下划线；强调
【例】In his speech, he underlined the importance of staying united.
他在演讲中强调了团结的重要性。
【辨析】underlie v. 构成基础
【例】Many facts underlie my decision.
我的决定是基于许多事实。
课后练习
What was one of the concerns about the Chinese language?
A. The complexity of Chinese grammar and vocabulary.
B. The invasion of foreign words into the Chinese language.
C. The difficulty in learning Chinese characters for non-natives.
D. The inefficiency of Chinese typewriting due to the lack of an alphabet.
What was Samuel Caldwell's contribution to the development of a Chinese typewriting system?
A. He created a large keyboard that included all Chinese characters.
B. He used each key on the QWERTY keyboard to represent a brush stroke.
C. He sorted the visual structure of Chinese characters and created a database.
D. He collaborated with IBM to use a four-number code for every Chinese character.
Which input system became the most popular for writing Chinese characters according to the text?
A. The four-number code system.
B. The sound-based pinyin system.
C. The structure-based wubi system.
D. The QWERTY brush stroke system.
What does Mr. Mullaney highlight about the QWERTY keyboard?
A. The inconvenience faced by users from outside of the western world.
B. The technological dominance of China in computing.
C. The current tech wars between China and America.
D. The need to transform the QWERTY keyboard.