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社交媒体打破了俚语的功能(Social media broke slang)
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社交媒体打破了俚语的功能
我第一次遇到俚语"茶"这个词，是在一个被一些人称为X的社交媒体平台上，这个词起源于黑人变装文化。 
双语精读
It was on the social-media platform some call X that I first encountered the slang term tea, an expression that originated in Black drag culture to mean "gossip" or "secret biographical information"--as in, "She said she didn't get fillers, but her boyfriend spilled the tea."
我第一次遇到俚语"茶"这个词，是在一个被一些人称为X的社交媒体平台上，这个词起源于黑人变装文化，意思是"八卦"或"关于个人经历的秘密信息"，比如，"她说她没有做填充，但她的男朋友把茶弄洒了/泄露了秘密。"
As a middle-aged heterosexual, I shouldn't know any of this stuff. But I live under unnatural conditions -- conditions dictated by social media and its delivery system, the smartphone.
作为一个中年直男，我不应该知道这些东西。但我生活在非自然环境中----由社交媒体及其传达系统（智能手机）所决定的环境。
Because social media gives me access to conversations among people of all ages, from every place and subculture, I am exposed to a virtual fire hose of slang.
因为社交媒体让我能够接触到来自各个地方和亚文化圈的各个年龄段的人的对话，所以我就是在被虚拟的俚语消防水管喷射。
The discourse that produces new slang is not only publicly available online, but also amplified based on its ability to attract attention from outside its original context. We all stand before this fire hose now, and some of it gets in our mouths.
产生新俚语的话语不仅在网上公开可用，而且还会根据其出圈能力而被放大。我们现在都站在这条消防水管前面，其中一些俚语就进入了我们嘴里。
The situation has created a language crisis, in which Americans of all types and backgrounds use expressions of every provenance, destroying the power of slang to perform its basic function: to signal membership in a group.
这种情况造成了一种语言危机，即各种类型和背景的美国人使用各种来源的表达方式，从而破坏了俚语发挥其基本功能的能力：表明自己是某个群体的成员。
The incentives imposed by social media to develop and use slang are, of course, not new. Middle schools, skate parks, barracks, gay bars, locker rooms, and various music scenes have operated on the slang-for-esteem model for generations.
社交媒体为创造和使用俚语所施加的激励当然不是新鲜事。中学、滑板公园、军营、同性恋酒吧、更衣室和各种音乐圈子，已经在几十年里都是说俚语能得到尊重的模式。
But these milieus differ from social media in one crucial way: The wrong people cannot get in. On social media, there is no such exclusion.
但这些环境在一个关键方面与社交媒体不同：不属于这个环境的人无法进入。在社交媒体上，不存在这样的排斥。
Thirty-five-year-olds hear the slang of teenagers, college students are privy to the language of the urban underclass, and advertising consultants learn how to talk like self-diagnosed anxiety shut-ins. As a result, how someone talks is no longer a reliable indicator of where they're coming from.
三十五岁的人能听到青少年的俚语，大学生能了解城市底层阶级的语言，广告顾问能学会如何像自我诊断为焦虑症的宅男宅女那样说话。结果，一个人的说话方式不再是表明他们来自哪里的可靠指标。
The irony is that social media--the disembodied online spaces where what we post becomes the entirety of who we are--is where we most need the identity cues that slang used to provide.
具有讽刺意味的是，社交媒体----这个我们发布的内容就是我们的全部存在的无形在线空间----是我们最需要曾经由俚语提供的身份线索的地方。
These cues are an essential part of life offline, if only at a subconscious level. If I'm in a crowd and someone addresses us collectively, I immediately start assessing that person's background and orientation based on whether they say "ladies and gentlemen," "you guys," or "y'all."
这些线索是线下生活的重要组成部分，哪怕只是在潜意识层面。如果我身处人群中，有人称呼我们整个群体，我会立即根据他们说的是"女士们先生们""大家伙儿"还是"你们大家"来评估这个人的背景和取向。
词汇预习
essential [高考]
美[ɪˈsenʃl] | 英[ɪˈsenʃl]
adj. 本质的；必要的；重要的 n. 要素；必需品
gossip [高考]
美[ˈɡɑːsɪp] | 英[ˈɡɒsɪp]
n. 流言蜚语；爱说长道短的人；闲话 vi. 散播(流言蜚语)
context [高考]
美[ˈkɑːntekst] | 英[ˈkɒntekst]
n. 上下文；环境；背景
virtual [高考]
美[ˈvɜːrtʃuəl] | 英[ˈvɜːtʃuəl]
adj. 实质的；【计】虚拟的
membership [高考]
美[ˈmembərʃɪp] | 英[ˈmembəʃɪp]
n. 成员资格；会员全体；从属关系
stuff [高考]
美[stʌf] | 英[stʌf]
n. 东西；原料；材料 n. 素质；本质；废物；无用的想法；废话，蠢话 vt. 塞满；填满
publicly [高考]
美['pʌblɪkli] | 英['pʌblɪkli]
adv. 公开地；公然地；以公众名义
locker [高考]
美[ˈlɑːkər] | 英[ˈlɒkə(r)]
n. 更衣箱；储物柜；冷藏室；上锁的人
indicator [高考]
美[ˈɪndɪkeɪtər] | 英[ˈɪndɪkeɪtə(r)]
n. 指示器；指示剂；指示牌；【统计学】指标；【计】指示符
exclusion [高考]
美[ɪkˈskluːʒn] | 英[ɪkˈskluːʒn]
n. 排除；除外；逐出
media [高考]
美[ˈmiːdiə] | 英[ˈmiːdiə]
n. 传播媒介；(medium的复数)媒体；新闻媒介
access [高考]
美[ˈækses] | 英[ˈækses]
n.入口，通道；获得的机会，使用权；（对计算机存储器的）访问，存取；（情感）爆发，发作；探视权 v. 接近，进入；获取，访问（计算机信息） adj.[美]（电视节目或时间等）对外公开的
anxiety [高考]
美[æŋˈzaɪəti] | 英[æŋˈzaɪəti]
n. 焦虑；担心；渴望
identity [高考]
美[aɪˈdentəti] | 英[aɪˈdentəti]
n. 一致；身份；特征
reliable [高考]
美[rɪˈlaɪəbl] | 英[rɪˈlaɪəbl]
adj. 可靠的；可信的
urban [高考]
美[ˈɜːrbən] | 英[ˈɜːbən]
adj. 城市的；都市的
drag [高考]
美[dræɡ] | 英[dræɡ]
v. 拖；拉；迫使；缓慢行进；进行过久；扯进；打捞 n. 拖；拉；累赘；阻力 n. 男子穿的女子服装
differ [高考]
美[ˈdɪfər] | 英[ˈdɪfə(r)]
vi.不同，相异，不同意，意见相左，争吵
platform [高考]
美[ˈplætfɔːrm] | 英[ˈplætfɔːm]
n. 平台，站台，月台，讲台，(政党的)政纲 v. 把…放在台上；起草政纲；站在讲台上演说
self [高考]
美[self] | 英[self]
n. 自己；本性；自我 pron. 我自己；你自己；他或她自己 adj.同一的；纯净的；单一的 v. 近亲繁殖；自花授粉
gay [高考]
美[ɡeɪ] | 英[ɡeɪ]
adj. 同性恋的；[旧]艳丽的；[旧]快乐的；[非正式]品质差的，没有意义的 n. 同性恋者（尤指男性）
access to [高考]
美[ˈæksɛs tu] | 英[ˈækses tu:]
接近，有权使用；进入，通向…的路口
if only [高考]
美[ɪf ˈoʊnli] | 英[ɪf ˈəʊnli]
要是 ... 多好； 只要； 但愿
differ from [高考]
美[ˈdɪfər frəm] | 英[ˈdɪfə(r) frəm]
不同于； 与 ... 有区别
crucial [高考]
美[ˈkruːʃl] | 英[ˈkruːʃl]
adj. 决定性的；关键的
where [高考]
美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]
adv. 在哪里；在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方
middle-aged [四级]
美[ˌmɪdl ˈeɪdʒd] | 英[ˌmɪdl ˈeɪdʒd]
adj. 中年的
unnatural [四级]
美[ʌnˈnætʃərəl] | 英[ʌnˈnætʃrəl]
adj. 不自然的；反常的；不近人情的
subculture [四级]
美[ˈsʌbˌkʌltʃɚ] | 英[ˈsʌbkʌltʃə(r)]
n. 亚文化群
advertising [四级]
美[ˈædvərtaɪzɪŋ] | 英[ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ]
n. 广告；广告业
irony [六级]
美[ˈaɪrəni] | 英[ˈaɪrəni]
n. 反讽；讽剌之事
orientation [六级]
美[ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃn] | 英[ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃn]
n. 适应；定位；情况介绍；信仰；倾向；[计]定向；（学生）迎新会
discourse [六级]
美[ˈdɪskɔːrs , dɪsˈkɔːrs] | 英[ˈdɪskɔːs , dɪsˈkɔːs]
n. 谈话，讨论；（一系列的）演讲，文章 vi. 讲述；谈话 vt. 叙述；讨论
slang [六级]
美[slæŋ] | 英[slæŋ]
n. 俚语；行话 vt. 使用俚语；辱骂 vi. 辱骂
hose [六级]
美[hoʊz] | 英[həʊz]
n. 水管；橡皮软管；(复数)长统袜；男士紧身裤 vt. 用水管冲洗；[美俚]痛打
based on [六级]
美[best ɑn] | 英[beɪst ɔn]
以 ... 为基础； 基于
smartphone [六级]
美[ˈsmɑːrtfoʊn] | 英
n.智能手机
esteem [专四]
美[ɪˈstiːm] | 英[ɪˈstiːm]
n. 尊敬 vt. 尊敬；认为
entirety [专八]
美[ɛnˈtaɪrɪti, -ˈtaɪrti] | 英[ɪnˈtaɪərəti]
n. 全部
subconscious [专八]
美[ˌsʌbˈkɑnʃəs] | 英[ˌsʌbˈkɒnʃəs]
adj. 潜意识的；下意识的 n. 潜意识
biographical [考研]
美[ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl] | 英[ˌbaɪə'ɡræfɪkl]
adj. 传记的
provenance [雅思]
美[ˈprɑvənəns] | 英[ˈprɒvənəns]
n. 出处；起源
重点讲解
It was on the social-media platform some call X that I first encountered the slang term tea, an expression that originated in Black drag culture to mean "gossip" or "secret biographical information"--as in, "She said she didn't get fillers, but her boyfriend spilled the tea."
我第一次遇到俚语"茶"这个词，是在一个被一些人称为X的社交媒体平台上，这个词起源于黑人变装文化，意思是"八卦"或"关于个人经历的秘密信息"，比如，"她说她没有做填充，但她的男朋友把茶弄洒了/泄露了秘密。"
biographical adj. 传记类的；与个人生平相关的
【例】a biographical film 传记电影
the biographical details of the musician 关于音乐家生平经历的细节
【拓展】biography n. 传记
autobiography n. 自传
As a middle-aged heterosexual, I shouldn't know any of this stuff. But I live under unnatural conditions -- conditions dictated by social media and its delivery system, the smartphone.
作为一个中年直男，我不应该知道这些东西。但我生活在非自然环境中----由社交媒体及其传达系统（智能手机）所决定的环境。
dictate v.
1. 口述；听写
【例】to dictate a letter 口述一封信
The teacher dictated some English words to the class.
老师让班上学生听写几个英语单词。
【拓展】dictation n. 口述；听写
2. 支配；决定
【例】Your job dictates where you live.
你在哪里工作决定了你在哪里生活。
【近义词】determine v. 决定
virtual adj.
1. 几乎就是；事实上就是
【例】a virtual impossibility 实质上不可能的事
2. 虚拟的
【例】virtual reality 虚拟现实
Because social media gives me access to conversations among people of all ages, from every place and subculture, I am exposed to a virtual fire hose of slang.
因为社交媒体让我能够接触到来自各个地方和亚文化圈的各个年龄段的人的对话，所以我就是在被虚拟的俚语消防水管喷射。
dictate v.
1. 口述；听写
【例】to dictate a letter 口述一封信
The teacher dictated some English words to the class.
老师让班上学生听写几个英语单词。
【拓展】dictation n. 口述；听写
2. 支配；决定
【例】Your job dictates where you live.
你在哪里工作决定了你在哪里生活。
【近义词】determine v. 决定
virtual adj.
1. 几乎就是；事实上就是
【例】a virtual impossibility 实质上不可能的事
2. 虚拟的
【例】virtual reality 虚拟现实
The discourse that produces new slang is not only publicly available online, but also amplified based on its ability to attract attention from outside its original context. We all stand before this fire hose now, and some of it gets in our mouths.
产生新俚语的话语不仅在网上公开可用，而且还会根据其出圈能力而被放大。我们现在都站在这条消防水管前面，其中一些俚语就进入了我们嘴里。
amplify v. 放大；引申
【例】to amplify the sound 放大声音
to amplify your point 进一步阐述你的观点
【拓展】amplifier n. 扩音器；大喇叭
ample adj. 大量的；充裕的
membership n. 会员身份；全体会员
【例】He applied for membership of the club.
He applied to be a member of the club.
他申请成为俱乐部的会员。
【拓展】friendship/ownership/leadership n. 友谊/所有权/领导力
childhood/adulthood/parenthood n.童年/成年时期/父母身份
The situation has created a language crisis, in which Americans of all types and backgrounds use expressions of every provenance, destroying the power of slang to perform its basic function: to signal membership in a group.
这种情况造成了一种语言危机，即各种类型和背景的美国人使用各种来源的表达方式，从而破坏了俚语发挥其基本功能的能力：表明自己是某个群体的成员。
amplify v. 放大；引申
【例】to amplify the sound 放大声音
to amplify your point 进一步阐述你的观点
【拓展】amplifier n. 扩音器；大喇叭
ample adj. 大量的；充裕的
membership n. 会员身份；全体会员
【例】He applied for membership of the club.
He applied to be a member of the club.
他申请成为俱乐部的会员。
【拓展】friendship/ownership/leadership n. 友谊/所有权/领导力
childhood/adulthood/parenthood n.童年/成年时期/父母身份
The incentives imposed by social media to develop and use slang are, of course, not new. Middle schools, skate parks, barracks, gay bars, locker rooms, and various music scenes have operated on the slang-for-esteem model for generations.
社交媒体为创造和使用俚语所施加的激励当然不是新鲜事。中学、滑板公园、军营、同性恋酒吧、更衣室和各种音乐圈子，已经在几十年里都是说俚语能得到尊重的模式。
scene n. 活动领域；界
【例】the dance scene 舞坛
the fashion scene 时尚界
【近义词】arena/sphere n. 圈子；界；领域
milieu n. 周围环境；社会环境
【例】My liberal, upper-middle-class urban milieu likes to pride itself on trusting the science.
我所处的自由主义、中上阶级城市圈子以信任科学为傲。
【近义词】environment n. 环境
exclusion n. 排除；不包括
【例】Her exclusion from the meeting hurt her very much.
她未被邀请参加会议，这使她自尊心大受伤害。
【拓展】exclude v. 排除
exclusive adj. 排外的；独享的；高级的
【近义词】inclusion n. 包括；包容
But these milieus differ from social media in one crucial way: The wrong people cannot get in. On social media, there is no such exclusion.
但这些环境在一个关键方面与社交媒体不同：不属于这个环境的人无法进入。在社交媒体上，不存在这样的排斥。
scene n. 活动领域；界
【例】the dance scene 舞坛
the fashion scene 时尚界
【近义词】arena/sphere n. 圈子；界；领域
milieu n. 周围环境；社会环境
【例】My liberal, upper-middle-class urban milieu likes to pride itself on trusting the science.
我所处的自由主义、中上阶级城市圈子以信任科学为傲。
【近义词】environment n. 环境
exclusion n. 排除；不包括
【例】Her exclusion from the meeting hurt her very much.
她未被邀请参加会议，这使她自尊心大受伤害。
【拓展】exclude v. 排除
exclusive adj. 排外的；独享的；高级的
【近义词】inclusion n. 包括；包容
Thirty-five-year-olds hear the slang of teenagers, college students are privy to the language of the urban underclass, and advertising consultants learn how to talk like self-diagnosed anxiety shut-ins. As a result, how someone talks is no longer a reliable indicator of where they're coming from.
三十五岁的人能听到青少年的俚语，大学生能了解城市底层阶级的语言，广告顾问能学会如何像自我诊断为焦虑症的宅男宅女那样说话。结果，一个人的说话方式不再是表明他们来自哪里的可靠指标。
be privy to sth 准许得知某事
【例】She was privy to the confidential details of the project due to her role as the team leader.
由于担任团队领导的角色，她可以了解项目的机密细节。
【近义词】be informed about 得知某事；被告知某事
indicator n. 指示信号；标志
【例】the economic indicator 经济指标
【拓展】indicate v. 表明
【近义词】signal n./v. 信号/标志；表明
disembodied adj. 无实体的；脱离肉体的
【例】a disembodied voice 只听见声音看不见人
【拓展】embody v. 体现；具体表现
The irony is that social media--the disembodied online spaces where what we post becomes the entirety of who we are--is where we most need the identity cues that slang used to provide.
具有讽刺意味的是，社交媒体----这个我们发布的内容就是我们的全部存在的无形在线空间----是我们最需要曾经由俚语提供的身份线索的地方。
be privy to sth 准许得知某事
【例】She was privy to the confidential details of the project due to her role as the team leader.
由于担任团队领导的角色，她可以了解项目的机密细节。
【近义词】be informed about 得知某事；被告知某事
indicator n. 指示信号；标志
【例】the economic indicator 经济指标
【拓展】indicate v. 表明
【近义词】signal n./v. 信号/标志；表明
disembodied adj. 无实体的；脱离肉体的
【例】a disembodied voice 只听见声音看不见人
【拓展】embody v. 体现；具体表现
These cues are an essential part of life offline, if only at a subconscious level. If I'm in a crowd and someone addresses us collectively, I immediately start assessing that person's background and orientation based on whether they say "ladies and gentlemen," "you guys," or "y'all."
这些线索是线下生活的重要组成部分，哪怕只是在潜意识层面。如果我身处人群中，有人称呼我们整个群体，我会立即根据他们说的是"女士们先生们""大家伙儿"还是"你们大家"来评估这个人的背景和取向。
orientation n.
1. 方向
【例】The school has an orientation towards practical skills.
那所学校以教授实用技术为导向。
the Orientation Day in college 大学迎新日
2. 基本态度；取向
【例】political/sexual/religious orientation
政治立场/性取向/宗教态度
【拓展】orient/orientate v. 确定方向
disoriented/disorientated adj. 失去方向的；迷茫的
课后练习
How did the author become familiar with the slang term "tea"?
A. Through attending Black drag culture events.
B. Through his interest in the history of beverages.
C. Through social media and his smartphone usage.
D. Through conversations with heterosexual individuals.
What does the metaphor of a "fire hose" represent in the text?
A. The offensive nature of slang to some groups of people.
B. The diverse range of people using slang on social media.
C. The incomprehensibility and vagueness of slang on the internet.
D. The overwhelming amount of slang encountered on social media.
What impact has social media had on the use of slang?
A. It has diminished the power of slang to indicate identity.
B. It has endangered the purity of standard language.
C. It has facilitated understanding of different milieus.
D. It has associated slang with a sense of esteem.
What does the author think about the loss of identity cues on social media?
A. It is detrimental to online interactions.
B. It is beneficial for personal expression.
C. It helps reduce discrimination and bias.
D. It is less consequential than in offline life.
