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语言的罪行(上)
- Authors
委婉语和夸大其辞都很危险，但极端主义是更大的威胁。
双语精读
Say it like it is
实话实说
Euphemism and exaggeration are both dangers, but extremism is the bigger threat.
委婉语和夸大其辞都很危险，但极端主义是更大的威胁。
George Orwell's essay "Politics and the English Language", published in 1946, took aim at the bureaucrats, academics and hacks who obfuscated their misdeeds in vague, jargon-packed writing.
乔治·奥威尔在1946年发表了文章《政治与英语语言》，将矛头对准了那些故意用含糊不清、充满行话的文字来掩饰罪行的官僚、学者和写庸俗文章的人。
Abstractions, euphemisms and clichés all served as "the defence of the indefensible". Orwell lamented how "Millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called transfer of population or rectification of frontiers.
抽象概念、委婉语和陈词滥调都是“在辩护不可辩护之言行”。奥威尔悲叹道：“数百万农民被剥夺了农场，只能带上自己扛得动的东西在路途上艰难跋涉，而这却被称为人口转移或边境整顿。
People are imprisoned for years without trial, or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements."
人们未经审判就被监禁多年，或者被一枪打中后脑勺（实施死刑），或者被送到北极的伐木营地而死于坏血病，这都被称为消除不可靠因素。”
If Orwell were writing today, he would find plenty of euphemisms to complain about. On October 7th an open letter from a clutch of student groups at Harvard University vaguely described the "unfolding violence" in Israel without ascribing blame to Hamas.
如果奥威尔在现代写作，他会发现大量值得抱怨的委婉语。10月7日，哈佛大学的一些学生团体发表了一封公开信，含糊其辞地描述了以色列“正在发生的暴力事件”，且没有将责任归咎于哈马斯。
Abstract brutality "unfolding" shocks rather less than a clearer description of Hamas slaughtering 1,200 Israelis, nearly all civilians, including many children.
抽象的残暴行为“正在发生”，这听起来要比清晰明了地描述哈马斯杀害了1200名以色列人（几乎都是平民，其中包括许多儿童）更不那么令人感到惊骇。
As a onetime contributor to the BBC, it is easy to imagine Orwell defying the broadcaster's refusal to use the word "terrorism".
笔者作为曾经为BBC撰稿的写作者，不难想象奥威尔会如何对BBC拒绝使用“恐怖主义”一词而表示蔑视。
Orwell had no trouble doling out his medicine to both sides; he would have also had harsh words for those describing the "collateral damage" buried in Gazan rubble, another abstraction designed to prevent readers picturing dead children. Around 13,000 Palestinians have died since October 7th.
奥威尔完全可以给双方都开药，对于那些把埋在加沙废墟中的遇难者描述为“附带破坏”的人，奥威尔也会厉声谴责，附带破坏也是一个抽象概念，目的是防止读者去想象儿童死去的画面。自10月7日以来，大约有13 000名巴勒斯坦人死亡。
Orwell's famous essay had a long lead time: he was paid in December, and it appeared in print the next April. Today, however, billions of people can publish their thoughts instantaneously.
奥威尔的这篇著名文章过了很久才发表：他在12月拿到了稿酬，文章在第二年4月才见刊。然而，如今，数十亿人可以立刻发表他们的想法。
The desire to grab attention seems to incentivise stylistic sin. The social-mediafication of writing has steered the tone from the offence of euphemism to its twin offence of exaggeration.
吸引眼球的欲望似乎会助长文体上的罪行。写作的社交媒体化将文体罪行从委婉语变成了夸大其辞。
Taking what they no doubt believe to be an Orwellian starting point-the danger of being too soft in their language-keyboard warriors cannot resist the temptation to reach for the most inflammatory words available.
键盘侠们认为“语言过于柔和会带来危险”（他们无疑认为这是很奥威尔式的态度），在此起点之上，他们无法克制地想要使用最具煽动性的字眼。
What used to be called chauvinism, then sexism, is now "misogyny", a word once reserved for actual hatred of women.
过去被称为大男子主义、然后被称为性别歧视的东西，现在变成了“厌女症”，而这个词过去是专门用来表示厌恶女性。
Those who do not ascribe to left-wing views on race are accused not of bias, prejudice or even racism, but of "white supremacy", a phrase that just a decade ago was reserved for neo-Nazis.
那些不发表左翼种族观点的人不会被指责有倾向性、有偏见，甚至有种族歧视，而是被指责认可“白人至上”，而这个词在十年前只能用来形容新纳粹主义者。
词汇预习
threat [高考]
美[θret] | 英[θret]
n. 威胁；恐吓；凶兆
bias [高考]
美[ˈbaɪəs] | 英[ˈbaɪəs]
n. 偏见；偏爱；斜纹 vt. 使偏心
racism [高考]
美[ˈreɪsɪzəm] | 英[ˈreɪsɪzəm]
n. 种族主义，种族偏见；种族歧视，种族迫害
grab [高考]
美[ɡræb] | 英[ɡræb]
v.抓住，拿，攫取，吸引 n.不法所得，被抓住的人，抓取装置
transfer [高考]
美[trænsˈfɜːr , ˈtrænsfɜːr] | 英[trænsˈfɜː(r) , ˈtrænsfɜː(r)]
v. 转移；调任；转乘 n. 迁移；移动；换车；汇兑
temptation [高考]
美[tempˈteɪʃn] | 英[tempˈteɪʃn]
n. 诱惑；引诱物
contributor [高考]
美[kən'trɪbjʊtə] | 英[kənˈtrɪbjətə(r)]
n. 贡献者；捐助者；赠送者；投稿人；原因
unreliable [高考]
美[ˌʌnrɪˈlaɪəbəl] | 英[ˌʌnrɪˈlaɪəbl]
adj. 不可靠的
harsh [高考]
美[hɑːrʃ] | 英[hɑːʃ]
adj. 粗糙的；严厉的，严酷的；刺耳的；使人不舒服的；大约的
desire [高考]
美[dɪˈzaɪər] | 英[dɪˈzaɪə(r)]
n. 渴望；愿望；欲望 v. 渴望；向往；要求
decade [高考]
美[ˈdekeɪd] | 英[ˈdekeɪd]
n. 十年，十年间，十年期（尤指一个年代)
violence [高考]
美[ˈvaɪələns] | 英[ˈvaɪələns]
n. 猛烈；暴力；暴行；强暴
trial [高考]
美[ˈtraɪəl] | 英[ˈtraɪəl]
n. 审讯；试验；试用；尝试；预赛或选拔赛；讨厌的事；惹麻烦的人 v. 测试
prejudice [高考]
美[ˈpredʒudɪs] | 英[ˈpredʒudɪs]
n. 偏见；伤害 vt. 伤害；使 ... 存偏见；使偏袒
description [高考]
美[dɪˈskrɪpʃn] | 英[dɪˈskrɪpʃn]
n. 描述；刻画；类型；说明书
actual [高考]
美[ˈæktʃuəl] | 英[ˈæktʃuəl]
adj. 实际的；事实上的
resist [高考]
美[rɪˈzɪst] | 英[rɪˈzɪst]
v. 抵制；抵抗；反抗；忍住 n. 防蚀涂层
Arctic [高考]
美[ˈɑːrktɪk] | 英[ˈɑːktɪk]
adj. 北极的；极寒的 n. 北极圈；北极
offence [高考]
美[əˈfens] | 英[əˈfens]
n. 犯罪；过错；攻击，冒犯；令人讨厌的事物
vague [高考]
美[veɪɡ] | 英[veɪɡ]
adj. 不明确的；模糊的；茫然的；犹豫不决的
defence [高考]
美[dɪˈfens] | 英[dɪˈfens]
n. 防御；答辩；防务
no doubt [高考]
美[noʊ daʊt] | 英[nəʊ daʊt]
无疑； 必定
sin [高考]
美[sɪn] | 英[sɪn]
n. 原罪 v. 犯罪；违反(教规)
shot [高考]
美[ ʃɑːt] | 英[ʃɒt]
n. 注射；投篮；发射；拍摄；开枪；子弹 adj. (织物)闪色的；精疲力尽的；完了的
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
refusal [四级]
美[rɪˈfjuːzl] | 英[rɪˈfjuːzl]
n. 拒绝；回绝
elimination [四级]
美[ɪˌlɪməˈneʃən] | 英[ɪˌlɪmɪ'neɪʃn]
n. 除去；消除；淘汰
lumber [四级]
美[ˈlʌmbər] | 英[ˈlʌmbə(r)]
n. 木材；木料 v. 伐木 vi. 缓慢地移动 vt. 拖累
hatred [四级]
美[ˈheɪtrɪd] | 英[ˈheɪtrɪd]
n. 仇恨；憎恨；敌意；怨恨
sexism [四级]
美[ˈsɛkˌsɪzəm] | 英[ˈseksɪzəm]
n. 性别歧视
collateral [四级]
美[kəˈlætərəl] | 英[kəˈlætərəl]
adj. 旁系的；并行的；附属的 n. 附属担保物；支亲；副保
terrorism [四级]
美[ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm] | 英[ˈterərɪzəm]
n. 恐怖主义；恐怖行动
no more [四级]
美[noʊ mɔːr] | 英[nəu mɔ:]
也不;不再
back of [四级]
美[bæk ʌv] | 英[bæk ɔv]
在 ... 后部； 在 ... 背部
reserved [四级]
美[rɪˈzɜrvd] | 英[rɪˈzɜ:vd]
adj. 保留的；预订的；含蓄的；缄默的
exaggeration [四级]
美[ɪɡˌzædʒəˈreʃən] | 英[ɪgˌzædʒəˈreɪʃn]
n. 夸张；夸大
ascribe [六级]
美[əˈskraɪb] | 英[əˈskraɪb]
v. 归因于；归于
clutch [六级]
美[klʌtʃ] | 英[klʌtʃ]
vt. 抓住；抓牢 vi. 企图抓住；踩离合器 n. 抓住；爪子；离合器；紧要关头 n. 一窝鸡（蛋）；一群 adj. 关键的；致胜的
jargon [专四]
美[ˈdʒɑːrɡən] | 英[ˈdʒɑːɡən]
n. 行话；术语；俗语；时髦话
supremacy [专八]
美[sʊˈprɛməsi] | 英[su:ˈpreməsi]
n. 至高；主权；最高权力或地位
euphemism [专八]
美[ˈjufəˌmɪzəm] | 英[ˈju:fəmɪzəm]
n. 委婉语
instantaneously [考研]
美[ˌɪnstənˈtenɪəslɪ] | 英[ˌɪnstən'teɪnɪəslɪ]
adv. 即刻地；瞬间地
indefensible [考研]
美[ˌɪndɪˈfɛnsəbəl] | 英[ˌɪndɪˈfensəbl]
adj. 不能防守的；不合理的；不可原谅的
abstraction [考研]
美[æbˈstrækʃn] | 英[æbˈstrækʃn]
n. 抽象；抽象概念；心不在焉
rubble [考研]
美[ˈrʌbəl] | 英[ˈrʌbl]
n. 瓦砾；碎石
packed [托福]
美[pækt] | 英[pækt]
adj. 塞满的；收拾好行李的；紧压的
less than [雅思]
美[les ðən] | 英[les ðən]
不到； 少于
重点讲解
Say it like it is
实话实说
take aim at 把批评的矛头指向
【例】The politician took aim at his opponents during the debate.
在辩论中，这位政治家把火力集中在他对手身上。
【拓展】aim at sth 瞄准某物；（人）目标是
be aimed at sth 旨在……；（物）目标是
packed adj. 充满……的
【例】a packed hall 挤满了人的大厅
【拓展】fun-packed 充满乐趣的
information-packed 信息翔实的
emotion-packed 情感饱满的
drama-packed 情节紧凑的
Euphemism and exaggeration are both dangers, but extremism is the bigger threat.
委婉语和夸大其辞都很危险，但极端主义是更大的威胁。
take aim at 把批评的矛头指向
【例】The politician took aim at his opponents during the debate.
在辩论中，这位政治家把火力集中在他对手身上。
【拓展】aim at sth 瞄准某物；（人）目标是
be aimed at sth 旨在……；（物）目标是
packed adj. 充满……的
【例】a packed hall 挤满了人的大厅
【拓展】fun-packed 充满乐趣的
information-packed 信息翔实的
emotion-packed 情感饱满的
drama-packed 情节紧凑的
George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language”, published in 1946, took aim at the bureaucrats, academics and hacks who obfuscated their misdeeds in vague, jargon-packed writing.
乔治·奥威尔在1946年发表了文章《政治与英语语言》，将矛头对准了那些故意用含糊不清、充满行话的文字来掩饰罪行的官僚、学者和写庸俗文章的人。
take aim at 把批评的矛头指向
【例】The politician took aim at his opponents during the debate.
在辩论中，这位政治家把火力集中在他对手身上。
【拓展】aim at sth 瞄准某物；（人）目标是
be aimed at sth 旨在……；（物）目标是
packed adj. 充满……的
【例】a packed hall 挤满了人的大厅
【拓展】fun-packed 充满乐趣的
information-packed 信息翔实的
emotion-packed 情感饱满的
drama-packed 情节紧凑的
Abstractions, euphemisms and clichés all served as “the defence of the indefensible”. Orwell lamented how “Millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called transfer of population or rectification of frontiers.
抽象概念、委婉语和陈词滥调都是“在辩护不可辩护之言行”。奥威尔悲叹道：“数百万农民被剥夺了农场，只能带上自己扛得动的东西在路途上艰难跋涉，而这却被称为人口转移或边境整顿。
rectification n. 纠正；修正
【例】rectification of error 纠正错误
【近义词】correction/revision/amendment n. 改正/修改/修正案
【拓展】rectify v. 纠正；修正
elimination n. 消除；消灭
【例】elimination of poverty/disease 消除贫困/疾病
【近义词】removal n. 去除；清除
People are imprisoned for years without trial, or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements.”
人们未经审判就被监禁多年，或者被一枪打中后脑勺（实施死刑），或者被送到北极的伐木营地而死于坏血病，这都被称为消除不可靠因素。”
rectification n. 纠正；修正
【例】rectification of error 纠正错误
【近义词】correction/revision/amendment n. 改正/修改/修正案
【拓展】rectify v. 纠正；修正
elimination n. 消除；消灭
【例】elimination of poverty/disease 消除贫困/疾病
【近义词】removal n. 去除；清除
If Orwell were writing today, he would find plenty of euphemisms to complain about. On October 7th an open letter from a clutch of student groups at Harvard University vaguely described the “unfolding violence” in Israel without ascribing blame to Hamas.
如果奥威尔在现代写作，他会发现大量值得抱怨的委婉语。10月7日，哈佛大学的一些学生团体发表了一封公开信，含糊其辞地描述了以色列“正在发生的暴力事件”，且没有将责任归咎于哈马斯。
ascribe sth to
1. 把某事归属于……
【例】ascribe the play to Shakespeare 认为这部剧是莎士比亚写的
2. 认为某事的原因是
【例】ascribe his failure to bad luck 认为他失败是因为运气不好
【近义词】attribute sth to 认为某事是……所为；归因于
slaughter v. 宰杀；屠杀；杀戮
【例】Innocent people were slaughtered.
无辜人民惨遭杀戮。
We were slaughtered by the other team.
我们惨败于另一个队。
【近义词】butcher/massacre v. 屠杀
Abstract brutality “unfolding” shocks rather less than a clearer description of Hamas slaughtering 1,200 Israelis, nearly all civilians, including many children.
抽象的残暴行为“正在发生”，这听起来要比清晰明了地描述哈马斯杀害了1200名以色列人（几乎都是平民，其中包括许多儿童）更不那么令人感到惊骇。
ascribe sth to
1. 把某事归属于……
【例】ascribe the play to Shakespeare 认为这部剧是莎士比亚写的
2. 认为某事的原因是
【例】ascribe his failure to bad luck 认为他失败是因为运气不好
【近义词】attribute sth to 认为某事是……所为；归因于
slaughter v. 宰杀；屠杀；杀戮
【例】Innocent people were slaughtered.
无辜人民惨遭杀戮。
We were slaughtered by the other team.
我们惨败于另一个队。
【近义词】butcher/massacre v. 屠杀
As a onetime contributor to the BBC, it is easy to imagine Orwell defying the broadcaster’s refusal to use the word “terrorism”.
笔者作为曾经为BBC撰稿的写作者，不难想象奥威尔会如何对BBC拒绝使用“恐怖主义”一词而表示蔑视。
defy v.
1. 违抗；蔑视
【例】to defy the teacher 违抗老师的命令
2. 抗住；顶住
【例】He was going ahead defying all difficulties.
他排除万难，坚持干下去。
3. 使不可能
【例】defy description/categorization/definition
无法描述的/无法分类的/无法定义的
dole out sth to sb 给某人发放/施舍某物
【例】She doled out a plateful of stew to him.
她发给他一盘炖肉。
【近义词】give out/hand out/dispense sth to sb 分发
Orwell had no trouble doling out his medicine to both sides; he would have also had harsh words for those describing the “collateral damage” buried in Gazan rubble, another abstraction designed to prevent readers picturing dead children. Around 13,000 Palestinians have died since October 7th.
奥威尔完全可以给双方都开药，对于那些把埋在加沙废墟中的遇难者描述为“附带破坏”的人，奥威尔也会厉声谴责，附带破坏也是一个抽象概念，目的是防止读者去想象儿童死去的画面。自10月7日以来，大约有13 000名巴勒斯坦人死亡。
defy v.
1. 违抗；蔑视
【例】to defy the teacher 违抗老师的命令
2. 抗住；顶住
【例】He was going ahead defying all difficulties.
他排除万难，坚持干下去。
3. 使不可能
【例】defy description/categorization/definition
无法描述的/无法分类的/无法定义的
dole out sth to sb 给某人发放/施舍某物
【例】She doled out a plateful of stew to him.
她发给他一盘炖肉。
【近义词】give out/hand out/dispense sth to sb 分发
Orwell’s famous essay had a long lead time: he was paid in December, and it appeared in print the next April. Today, however, billions of people can publish their thoughts instantaneously.
奥威尔的这篇著名文章过了很久才发表：他在12月拿到了稿酬，文章在第二年4月才见刊。然而，如今，数十亿人可以立刻发表他们的想法。
lead time 从设计到完成生产的时间；从订货到交货的时间
【例】The lead time for this product is about six weeks from the date of order.
从订购日期开始，这个产品的提前期大约是六周。
steer v. 掌舵；驾驶；操控
【例】steered the boat into the harbour 把船开进港
steer the conversation away from his divorce 把话题从离婚上引开
steer the team to victory 率领全队取得胜利
The desire to grab attention seems to incentivise stylistic sin. The social-mediafication of writing has steered the tone from the offence of euphemism to its twin offence of exaggeration.
吸引眼球的欲望似乎会助长文体上的罪行。写作的社交媒体化将文体罪行从委婉语变成了夸大其辞。
lead time 从设计到完成生产的时间；从订货到交货的时间
【例】The lead time for this product is about six weeks from the date of order.
从订购日期开始，这个产品的提前期大约是六周。
steer v. 掌舵；驾驶；操控
【例】steered the boat into the harbour 把船开进港
steer the conversation away from his divorce 把话题从离婚上引开
steer the team to victory 率领全队取得胜利
Taking what they no doubt believe to be an Orwellian starting point—the danger of being too soft in their language—keyboard warriors cannot resist the temptation to reach for the most inflammatory words available.
键盘侠们认为“语言过于柔和会带来危险”（他们无疑认为这是很奥威尔式的态度），在此起点之上，他们无法克制地想要使用最具煽动性的字眼。
inflammatory adj. 煽动性的；使人发怒的
【例】inflammatory remarks 煽动的言语
【拓展】inflame v. 激怒；激起强烈感情
flame/inflammation n. 火焰/炎症
be reserved for 留给……；专门供……用
【例】These seats are reserved for special guests.
这些座位是留给贵宾的。
He gave me a look of the sort usually reserved for naughty school-children.
他用那种看顽皮学生的特有目光朝我看了一眼。
【拓展】reserve sth for 把某物留下来给……
【例】Reserve your strength for the climb.
留点力气等下爬山吧。
What used to be called chauvinism, then sexism, is now “misogyny”, a word once reserved for actual hatred of women.
过去被称为大男子主义、然后被称为性别歧视的东西，现在变成了“厌女症”，而这个词过去是专门用来表示厌恶女性。
inflammatory adj. 煽动性的；使人发怒的
【例】inflammatory remarks 煽动的言语
【拓展】inflame v. 激怒；激起强烈感情
flame/inflammation n. 火焰/炎症
be reserved for 留给……；专门供……用
【例】These seats are reserved for special guests.
这些座位是留给贵宾的。
He gave me a look of the sort usually reserved for naughty school-children.
他用那种看顽皮学生的特有目光朝我看了一眼。
【拓展】reserve sth for 把某物留下来给……
【例】Reserve your strength for the climb.
留点力气等下爬山吧。
Those who do not ascribe to left-wing views on race are accused not of bias, prejudice or even racism, but of “white supremacy”, a phrase that just a decade ago was reserved for neo-Nazis.
那些不发表左翼种族观点的人不会被指责有倾向性、有偏见，甚至有种族歧视，而是被指责认可“白人至上”，而这个词在十年前只能用来形容新纳粹主义者。
inflammatory adj. 煽动性的；使人发怒的
【例】inflammatory remarks 煽动的言语
【拓展】inflame v. 激怒；激起强烈感情
flame/inflammation n. 火焰/炎症
be reserved for 留给……；专门供……用
【例】These seats are reserved for special guests.
这些座位是留给贵宾的。
He gave me a look of the sort usually reserved for naughty school-children.
他用那种看顽皮学生的特有目光朝我看了一眼。
【拓展】reserve sth for 把某物留下来给……
【例】Reserve your strength for the climb.
留点力气等下爬山吧。
课后练习
What was George Orwell criticizing in his essay "Politics and the English Language"?
A. The misdeeds and unethical conduct of bureaucrats.
B. The use of jargon and vague language in political discourse.
C. The agricultural policy and the exploitation of farmers.
D. The brutal treatment of suspects and prisoners.
What is the author's view of the Harvard student groups' open letter?
A. The author applauds the student groups for their objective portrayal of the violence.
B. The author believes the student groups have shown sympathy for the victims.
C. The author criticizes the student groups for understating the casualty.
D. The author disapproves of the student groups’ support of Hamas.
How has the social-mediafication of writing influenced writing styles?
A. It has led to exaggerated and dramatic language.
B. It has encouraged the use of clear language to convey ideas.
C. It has incentivised an increase in the use of euphemism.
D. It has promoted a more objective and balanced tone in writing.
How have the labels for sexist behaviors or beliefs changed over time?
A. They have become more accurate and descriptive.
B. They have become less severe and more neutral.
C. They have been replaced by jargon and technical terms.
D. They have escalated in severity and become more inflammatory.