【2023.2.24】六分钟英语 你能识破谎言吗？Can you spot a
Introduction
Do you know when someone is lying to you? Are all lies bad? Could they be a way to preserve society? Sam and Rob discuss the social benefits of lying and teach you some vocabulary. Honestly.
This week's question
A competition is held in Cumbria in the UK every year to find and award the title of "The Biggest Liar in the World". But which type of people are not allowed to take part?
a) Farmers
b) Lawyers
c) Estate agents
Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript
Rob
Hello. This is 6 Minute English. I'm Rob.
Sam
And I'm Sam.
Rob
In this programme, we’re talking about biscuits.
Sam
Really? That’s not what I was told… oh hold on, you’re lying.
Rob
Yes, you’re right, Sam. I am lying simply to demonstrate our topic – lying and how to detect it. You detected my lie very easily, Sam!
Sam
I could tell by the smirk on your face that you were telling a fib – that’s the word for a small, inoffensive lie.
Rob
To be honest, talking about lie detecting will be much more interesting than biscuits. But first, let’s start with a question for you to answer. A competition is held in Cumbria in the UK every year to find and award the title of "The Biggest Liar in the World". But which type of people are not allowed to take part?
a) Farmers
b) Lawyers
c) Estate agents
What do you think, Sam?
Sam
I’d be lying if I said I knew – but based on personal experience I’d say estate agents – they’d find it too easy!
Rob
Ha – well that’s your opinion but I’ll let you know if you’re right at the end of the programme. So, lying is something I’m sure a lot of us do – sometimes to avoid trouble, sometimes to cheat people, or sometimes just to impress someone – did you know I can speak seven languages, Sam?
Sam
That’s just a barefaced lie, Rob! But I can see how easy lying can be, and that’s what neuroscientist Sophie Scott thinks. Here she is on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Seriously’ podcast, explaining how we sometimes lie just to be nice!
Sophie Scott, neuroscientist
Often what we mean by lying is someone setting out to deceive us with their words or their actions but actually normal conversation probably can only happen because we don’t actually say all the time exactly what we really think and what we really mean. And that kind of cooperation is at the heart, I think, of a lot of social interactions for humans and I think that’s one of the strong pushes to make conversation polite and therefore frequently not actually truthful.
Rob
So Sophie mentions two types of lying. There’s the one when we try to deceive someone – so that’s trying to hide something by tricking someone to gain an advantage.
Sam
Hmm, that’s like you getting me to pay £10 for a cinema ticket when actually they were only £5. That’s just dishonest, but there are also what I like to call white lies – small lies we tell to avoid upsetting someone. Those are lies that aren’t intended to give you an advantage.
Rob
Yes, Sophie Scott says we use them in normal conversation – when we don’t say what we really mean.
Sam
So, we want to make conversation polite because we want to cooperate with each other – she says cooperation is at the heart. Something that’s at the heart is the most important or essential part.
Rob
Now telling lies is one thing but how do you know if we’re being lied to? Sometimes there are telltale signs, such as someone’s face turning red or someone shuffling their feet.
Sam
But if you really want to know if someone is lying, maybe we should listen to Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire. Here he is speaking on the ‘Seriously’ podcast…
Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of Hertfordshire
Liars in general say less. They tend to have a longer what's called response latency, which is the time between the end of the question and the beginning of the answer. And there also tends to be an emotional distance in the lie – so the words ‘me’,’my’, ‘I’ – all those things tend to drop away in lies and it’s much much harder for liars to control what they’re saying and how they’re saying it, so focus your attention there, you become a better lie detector.
Rob
Some good advice from Richard Wiseman. So to detect lies we need to listen out for the response latency – a term used in psychology to describe the time taken between a stimulus or question and a response to it. The bigger the gap, the more chance there is that someone is lying. Is that a good summary, Sam?
Sam
Sort of, Rob. Richard also suggests we focus on – or concentrate on – what and how people are saying things too. There’s probably more to it than just that.
Rob
Well now you know how to detect my lies, Sam, maybe honestly is the best policy – as they say. So I’m now going to give you an honest answer to the question I asked earlier. A competition is held in Cumbria, in the UK, every year to award the title of "The Biggest Liar in the World". But which type of people are not allowed to take part?
a) Farmers
b) Lawyers
c) Estate agents
Sam
I guessed c) estate agents.
Rob
And you are wrong, I’m afraid. Lawyers, as well as politicians, are not allowed to enter the competition. It’s claimed "they are judged to be too skilled at telling porkies" – porkies is an informal word for ‘pork pies’ and that rhymes with ‘lies’.
Sam
Fascinating stuff, Rob and that’s no lie! But now, shall we recap some of the vocabulary we’ve heard today?
Rob
Why not? A fib is a small inoffensive lie.
Sam
A white lie is also a small lie, told to avoid upsetting someone.
Rob
When you deceive someone, you try to hide something by tricking them to gain an advantage.
Sam
When something is at the heart of something, it is the most important or essential part of it. And we heard about response latency – a term used in psychology to describe the time taken between a stimulus or question and a response to it.
Rob
OK, thank you, Sam. That’s all from 6 Minute English. We look forward to your company next time. Goodbye!
Sam
Bye everyone!
Vocabulary
fib
small inoffensive lie
white lie
small lie, told to avoid upsetting someone
deceive
try to hide something by tricking people to gain an advantage
at the heart
most important or essential part
response latency
a term used in psychology to describe the time taken between a stimulus or question and a response to it
porkies
informal word for 'lies'
双语版Transcript
Hello. This is6 Minute English. I'm Rob.
大家好，这里是六分钟英语，我是罗伯。
And I'm Sam.
我是萨姆。
In thisprogramme, we're talking about biscuits.
在本期节目中，我们将谈到饼干。
Really? That'snot what I was told… oh hold on, you're lying.
真的？那不是别人告诉我的……等等，你在撒谎。
Yes, you'reright, Sam.
是的，你是对的，萨姆。
I am lyingsimply to demonstrate our topic – lying and how to detect it.
我撒谎只是为了表明我们的话题——撒谎以及如何识破它。
You detected mylie very easily, Sam!
你很容易就识破了我的谎言，萨姆！
I could tellfrom the smirk on your face that you were telling a fib – that's the word for asmall, inoffensive lie.
我可以从你脸上的假笑分辨出你在撒小谎——那是形容小的、无伤大雅的谎言的单词。
To be honest,talking about lie detecting will be much more interesting than biscuits.
说实话，谈论测谎比谈论饼干有趣多了。
But first,let's start with a question for you to answer.
但首先，让我们以一个你要回答的问题开始。
A competitionis held in Cumbria in the UK every year to find and award the title of"The Biggest Liar in the World".
英国坎布里亚郡每年都会举办一场比赛，评选出"全球最大骗子"。
But which typeof people are not allowed to take part? a) Farmers, b) Lawyers, or c)Estate agents?
但是哪种人是不允许参加的呢？a)农民，b)律师，还是c)房地产经纪人？
What do youthink, Sam?
你觉得呢，萨姆？
I'd be lying ifI said I knew – but based on personal experience I'd say estate agents – they'dfind it too easy!
如果我说我知道，那就是在撒谎——但根据我的个人经验，我会说是房地产经纪人——他们会发现说谎太容易了！
Ha – wellthat's your opinion but I'll let you know if you're right at the end of theprogramme.
哈哈，这是你的观点，但我会在节目最后告诉你是否回答正确。
So, lying issomething I'm sure a lot of us do – sometimes to avoid trouble, sometimesto cheat people, or sometimes just to impress someone – did you know I canspeak seven languages, Sam?
我确信撒谎是我们很多人都会做的——有时是为了避免麻烦，有时是为了欺骗别人，有时只是为了给别人留下深刻印象——萨姆，你知道我会说七种语言吗？
That's just abarefaced lie, Rob!
那个谎言太厚颜无耻了，罗伯！
But I can seehow easy lying can be, and that's what neuroscientist Sophie Scott thinks.
但我能明白撒谎有多么容易，神经学家索菲·斯科特就是这么认为的。
Here she is onBBC Radio 4's 'Seriously' podcast, explaining how we sometimes lie just to benice!
她在BBC广播4频道的Seriously播客节目中解释了我们有时为了友善而撒谎。
Often what wemean by lying is someone setting out to deceive us with their words or theiractions, but actually normal conversation probably can only happen becausewe don't actually say all the time exactly what we really think and what wereally mean.
通常我们所说的撒谎是指某人用他们的语言或行为来欺骗我们，但实际上在正常的对话中可能会撒谎，因为我们并不是一直都在说我们真正认为的和我们真正想说的。
And that kindof cooperation is at the heart, I think, of a lot of social interactions forhumans and I think that's one of the strong pushes to make conversation politeand therefore frequently not actually truthful.
我认为，那种合作是人类许多社会交往的核心，我认为那是促使人们礼貌交谈的强大推动力之一，因此，交谈往往并不真实。
So Sophiementions two types of lying.
苏菲提到了两种类型的撒谎。
There's the onewhen we try to deceive someone – so that's trying to hide something by trickingsomeone to gain an advantage.
其中一种是当我们试图欺骗某人时，所以那是说企图通过欺骗某人来隐藏某些东西，以获取优势。
Hmm, that's likeyou getting me to pay £10 for a cinema ticket when actually they were only £5.
嗯，那就像你让我花10英镑买电影票，而实际上它们仅卖5英镑。
That's justdishonest, but there are also what we like to call white lies – small lies wetell to avoid upsetting someone.
那就是不诚实，但也有我们喜欢称之为善意的谎言——我们为了不使别人心烦而说的小谎。
Those are liesthat aren't intended to give you an advantage.
那些谎言并不是为了给你带来好处。
Yes, SophieScott says we use them in normal conversation – when we don't say what wereally mean.
是的，索菲·斯科特说我们在正常谈话中会撒谎——那时我们没有说出我们真正想说的话。
So, we want tomake conversation polite because we want to cooperate with each other – shesays cooperation is at the heart.
所以，我们想要使交谈有礼，因为我们想要与对方合作——她说合作是核心。
Somethingthat's at the heart is the most important or essential part.
某事是核心就是说它是最重要或最必要的部分。
Now tellinglies is one thing but how do you know if we're being lied to?
撒谎是一回事，但是你怎么知道我们是否被骗了呢？
Sometimes thereare telltale signs, such as someone's face turning red or someone shufflingtheir feet.
有时会有一些明显的迹象，比如某人的脸变红了，或者某人坐立不安。
But if youreally want to know if someone is lying, maybe we should listen to RichardWiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire.
但是如果你真的想知道某人是否在撒谎，或许我们应该听听赫特福德大学心理学家理查德·怀斯曼的说法。
Here he isspeaking on the 'Seriously' podcast… Liars in general say less.
这是他在Seriously播客上谈到的……说谎者通常说得较少。
They tend tohave a longer what's called response latency, which is the time between the endof the question and the beginning of the answer.
他们所谓的反应时间往往更长，那是指提问结束到回答开始之间的时间。
And there alsotends to be an emotional distance in the lie – so the words 'me', 'my','I' – all those things tend to drop away in lies and it's much much harderfor liars to control what they're saying and how they're saying it, sofocus your attention there, you become a better lie detector.
而且谎言中也常常有情感上的距离，所以"我"，"我的"，"我"——所有这些词往往不会出现在谎言中，而且说谎者很难控制他们要说什么以及如何说出来，所以集中注意力，你就会成为一个更好的测谎仪。
Some goodadvice from Richard Wiseman.
理查德·怀斯曼给出的一些好建议。
So to detectlies we need to listen out for the response latency – a term used in psychologyto describe the time taken between a stimulus or question and a response to it.
所以为了识破谎言，我们需要仔细倾听反应时间——这是心理学中用来描述从一个刺激或提问到对其反应所花费的时间。
The bigger thegap, the more chance there is that someone is lying.
反应时间越大，就越有可能有人在撒谎。
Is that a goodsummary, Sam?
是很好的总结吗，萨姆？
Sort of, Rob.Richard also suggests we focus on – or concentrate on – what and how people aresaying things too.
还不错，罗伯。理查德还建议，我们也要集中注意力——或关注人们在说什么，怎么说。
There'sprobably more to it than just that.
可能不仅限于此。
Well now youknow how to detect my lies, Sam, maybe honestly is the best policy – as theysay.
现在你知道怎么识破我的谎话了，萨姆，也许诚实才是最好的策略——就像他们说的那样。
So I'm nowgoing to give you an honest answer to the question I asked earlier.
所以我现在要诚实地给出你之前所回答问题的答案了。
A competitionis held in Cumbria, in the UK, every year to award the title of "TheBiggest Liar in the World".
英国坎布里亚郡每年都会举办一场比赛，评选出"全球最大骗子"。
But which typeof people are not allowed to take part? a) Farmers, b) Lawyers, or c)Estate agents?
但是哪种人是不允许参加的呢？a)农民，b)律师，还是c)房地产经纪人？
I guessed c)estate agents.
我猜是c) 房地产经纪人。
And you arewrong, I'm afraid. Lawyers, as well as politicians, are not allowed to enterthe competition.
恐怕你答错了。律师和政治家都不允许参加比赛。
It's claimed"they are judged to be too skilled at telling porkies" – porkies isan informal word for 'pork pies' and that rhymes with 'lies'.
据说"他们被认为太擅长说谎了"——"porkies"是"porkpies"的非正式说法，与"lies"押韵。
Fascinatingstuff, Rob and that's no lie!
很有意思，罗伯，这不是谎话！
But now, shallwe recap some of the vocabulary we've heard today?
但是现在，我们能回顾一下今天听到的词汇了吗？
Yeah! Why not?
为什么不呢？
A fib is asmall inoffensive lie.
"小谎"是一种小的，无伤大雅的谎言。
A white lie isalso a small lie, told to avoid upsetting someone.
"善意的谎言"也是一个小谎，说出来是为了避免让某人心烦。
When youdeceive someone, you try to hide something by tricking them to gain anadvantage.
当你欺骗某人时，你试图通过欺骗他们来隐藏某事以获得优势。
When somethingis at the heart of something, it is the most important or essential part of it.
当某物处于核心时，它就是最重要或最必要的部分。
And we heardabout response latency – a term used in psychology to describe the time takenbetween a stimulus or question and a response to it.
我们还听到了"反应时间"——这是心理学中用来描述从一个刺激或提问到对其反应所花费的时间。
OK, thank you,Sam.
好的，谢谢你，萨姆。
That's all from6 Minute English.
以上就是本期六分钟英语的全部内容。
We look forwardto your company next time.
我们期待你的下次参与。
Goodbye!
再见！
Bye everyone!
