【2023.3.1】六分钟英语 何谓“母语”Why's it called 'm
Introduction
'Mother tongue' is an interesting English expression. Like many languages, English has a number of gender-specific terms that don’t refer to gender-specific ideas and concepts. And this complicated relationship between language and gender is what Sam and Georgina are talking about in this programme.
This week's question
Which of these languages is the newest? Is it:
A: Esperanto
B: Afrikaans
C: Light Warlpiri
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript
Sam
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Sam.
Georgina
And I'm Georgina.
Sam
Georgina, what languages do you speak?
Georgina
Well, my mother tongue is English and I also speak Spanish and French badly!
Sam
OK. It’s interesting that we say ‘mother tongue’, isn’t it? Like many languages, English has a number of gender-specific terms that don’t refer to gender-specific ideas and concepts. And this complicated relationship between language and gender is what we will be talking about today. But first, this week’s quiz question, which is also on the topic of languages. Which of these languages is the newest? Is it:
A: Esperanto
B: Afrikaans
C: Light Warlpiri
What do you think, Georgina?
Georgina
Well, I’ve only heard of two of these - Esperanto and Afrikaans – so I think I’m going to choose the other one, Light Warlpiri, purely as I’ve never heard of it, so I think that must be the one.
Sam
OK, well we’ll find out if your intuition is correct later in the programme. Professor Lera Boroditsky is a cognitive scientist who was a guest on the BBC World Service programme, The Conversation. She was asked about why we use the term ‘mother tongue’ in English.
Professor Lera Boroditsky
Different languages actually do it differently, but definitely there’s a strong association between mothers as primary caregivers and people who teach us things, and so there’s that point of origin metaphor that applies in a lot of languages.
Sam
So, how does she explain the use of mother tongue, Georgina?
Georgina
Well, she says it’s a form of metaphor. A metaphor is a way of describing something by comparing it to something else. In a metaphor,though, you don’t say that something is likesomething else, you say that it ‘is’ something else. For example, having good friends is the key to a happy life.
Sam
It is indeed. In this metaphor, language is seen as coming from your primary caregiver, the person who looked after you most when you were young, and traditionally this was mothers.
Georgina
So, this is perhaps the point of origin, the starting place,of the metaphorical phrase, mother tongue. Let’s listen again.
Professor Lera Boroditsky
Different languages actually do it differently, but definitely there’s a strong association between mothers as primary caregivers and people who teach us things, and so there’s that point of origin metaphor that applies in a lot of languages.
Sam
Language is very powerful in society and culture, and when it comes to gendered language, it can cause some issues. Here’s Lera Boroditsky again:
Professor Lera Boroditsky
… in English of course we have some words that are gendered, like ‘actor’ and ‘actress’ or ‘waiter’ and ‘waitress’, and very commonly when there are those two gender forms people perceive the masculine form as being a more prestigious job or the more skilled job than the feminine form, so an actor is a fancier job than an actress and a waiter is a fancier job than a waitress, and so they could then come with pay disparities and so on.
Sam
So, what’s the subconscious difference in attitude towards, for example, an actor and actress?
Georgina
Well, she says that people perceive those roles differently. This means that we are aware of, or believe there is a difference in the jobs because of the vocabulary. The male form is perceived to be more prestigious – more important, more respected, even though it’s exactly the same job.
Sam
And this attitude can lead to problems such as disparities in pay. A disparity is a difference, an inequality, and in the world of work it can mean men getting paid more than women for the same job. Here’s Professor Boroditsky again.
Professor Lera Boroditsky
…in English of course we have some words that are gendered, like ‘actor’ and ‘actress’ or ‘waiter’ and ‘waitress’, and very commonly when there are those two gender forms people perceive the masculine form as being a more prestigious job or a more skilled job than the feminine form, so an actor is a fancier job than an actress and a waiter is a fancier job than a waitress, and so they could then come with pay disparities and so on.
Sam
OK, before we take another look at today’s vocabulary, let’s reveal the answer to this week’s quiz. Which of these languages is the newest, is it:
A: Esperanto
B: Afrikaans
C: Light Warlpiri
Georgina, what did you say?
Georgina
I thought it had to be Light Walpiri, but just because I had never heard of it before.
Sam
Well, congratulations. Your instincts were good, that is correct. Let’s move on to vocabulary and look at today’s words and phrase again.
Georgina
A primary caregiver is a person who has most responsibility for looking after someone.
Sam
A point of origin is the place or time when something begins.
Georgina
A metaphor is a way of describing something. We can say that something is something else that has similar qualities.
Sam
You’re a star!
Georgina
Aw, thank you.
Sam
No, I meant, you're a star, is an example of a metaphor.
Georgina
Oh, OK. Of course, I knew that.
Sam
Mmmm, if you say so. To perceive is to think of something in a particular way. We might perceive the value of different jobs based on the vocabulary used to describe them.
Georgina
Something prestigious is important and respected.
Sam
And finally, a disparity is a difference, an inequality and is often used when talking about how men and women aren’t always paid the same for the same job. And that is all from us. We look forward to your company again soon. In the meantime, you can always find us online, on social media and on the BBC Learning English app. Bye for now.
Georgina
Bye!
Vocabulary
primary caregiver
the person most responsible for looking after someone
point of origin
the place or time where something begins or comes from
metaphor
a way to describe something by saying that it is something else with similar qualities
perceive
to understand something to be true, to think of something in a particular way
prestigious
important, respected
a disparity
a difference, an inequality
====================================================================
双语版Transcript
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Sam.
大家好。这里是六分钟英语，我是萨姆。
And I'm Georgina.
我是乔治娜。
Georgina, what languages do you speak?
乔治娜，你会说什么语言？
Well, my mother tongue is English and I also speak Spanish and French badly!
嗯，我的母语是英语，我还说西班牙语和法语，但是说得不好！
OK. It'sinteresting that we say 'mother tongue', isn't it?
好的。我们称某些语言是"母语"，这很有趣，不是吗？
Like many languages, English has a number of gender-specific terms that don't refer to gender-specific ideas and concepts.
和许多语言一样，英语中有许多性别类词语，它们并不涉及性别类的观点和概念。
And this complicated relationship between language and gender is what we will be talking about today.
而且语言和性别之间的这种复杂关系就是我们今天要讨论的。
But first, this week's quiz question, which is also on the topic of languages.
但首先是这周的测试问题，它也是关于语言的话题。
Which of these languages is the newest?
这些语言中哪一种是最新出现的？
Is it: A:Esperanto, B: Afrikaans, or C: Light Warlpiri?
是A：世界语，B：阿非利堪斯语，还是C：轻瓦尔皮瑞语？
What do youthink, Georgina?
你觉得呢，乔治娜？
Well, I've only heard of two of these - Esperanto and Afrikaans – so I think I'm going to choose the other one, Light Warlpiri, purely as I've never heard of it, soI think that must be the one.
好吧，我只听说过其中的两种——世界语和阿非利堪斯语——所以我想我会选择另一种，轻瓦尔皮瑞语，纯粹是因为我从未听说过，所以我想肯定是那种语言。
OK, well we'll find out if your intuition is correct later in the programme.
好的，稍后我们将看看你的直觉是否正确。
Professor LeraBoroditsky is a cognitive scientist who was a guest on the BBC World Service programme, The Conversation.
莱拉·博洛迪茨基教授是认知科学家，曾做客BBC全球服务节目《对话》。
She was asked about why we use the term 'mother tongue' in English.
她被问及为什么我们在英语中使用"母语"一词。
Different languages actually do it differently, but definitely there's a strong association between mothers as primary caregivers and people who teach us things, and so there's that point of origin metaphor that applies in a lot of languages.
不同的语言被称为"母语"其实是有差异的，但作为主要照顾者和教我们东西的人，母亲之间有很强的联系，因此对于"母语"源头的隐喻适用于很多种语言。
So, how does she explain the use of mother tongue, Georgina?
所以，她如何解释母语的使用，乔治娜？
Well, she saysit's a form of metaphor.
她说那是一种隐喻。
A metaphor is away of describing something by comparing it to something else.
隐喻是通过将某物比作别的东西来描述某物的一种方式。
In a metaphor,though, you don't say that something is like something else, you say that it'is' something else.
但在隐喻中，你不是说某物像别的东西，你会说它就是别的东西。
For example,having good friends is the key to a happy life.
例如，有好朋友就是幸福生活的关键。
It is indeed.
确实是。
In this metaphor, language is seen as coming from your primary caregiver, the person who looked after you most when you were young, and traditionally this was mothers.
在这个隐喻中，语言被认为来自你的主要照顾者，在你年轻的时候照顾你最多的人，传统上那是指母亲。
So, this is perhaps the point of origin, the starting place, of the metaphorical phrase,mother tongue.
所以，这可能是隐喻短语——"母语"的源头，开始的地方。
Let's listen again.
让我们再听一遍。
Different languages actually do it differently, but definitely there's a strong association between mothers as primary caregivers and people who teach us things, and so there's that point of origin metaphor that applies in a lot of languages.
不同的语言被称为"母语"其实是有差异的，但作为主要照顾者和教我们东西的人，母亲之间有很强的联系，因此对于"母语"源头的隐喻适用于很多种语言。
Language is very powerful in society and culture, and when it comes to gendered language,it can cause some issues.
语言在社会和文化中是非常强大的，当涉及到性别类语言时，它会引起一些问题。
Here's LeraBoroditsky again. … in English of course we have some words that are gendered, like 'actor' and 'actress' or 'waiter' and 'waitress', and verycommonly when there are those two gender forms people perceive the masculineform as being a more prestigious job or the more skilled job than the feminineform, so an actor is a fancier job than an actress and a waiter is afancier job than a waitress, and so they could then come with pay disparitiesand so on.
这是莱拉·博洛迪茨基再次谈到的。当然在英语中我们有一些性别类词语，像"男演员"和"女演员"或者"男服务员"和"女服务员"，而且在有两种性别形式的情况下，人们通常会认为男性的工作比女性更重要，更有技术含量，所以男演员是比女演员更高级的工作，男服务员是比女服务员更高级的工作，因此他们可以会出现薪资差异等等。
So, what's the subconscious difference in attitude towards, for example, an actor and actress?
那么，潜意识里对例如男女演员的态度有什么不同呢？
Well, she says that people perceive those roles differently.
好的，她说人们对这些角色的认知是不同的。
This means that we are aware of, or believe there is a difference in the jobs because of the vocabulary.
这意味着我们觉得或者认为，由于表示工作的词汇不同，工作是存在差异的。
The male formis perceived to be more prestigious – more important, more respected, even though it's exactly the same job.
男性被认为更有声望——更重要，更受尊重，即使是完全相同的工作。
And this attitude can lead to problems such as disparities in pay.
这种态度可能会导致一些问题，比如薪酬差距。
A disparity is a difference, an inequality, and in the world of work it can mean men getting paid more than women for the same job.
"Adisparity"是一种差异，一种不平等，在工作领域，它可能意味着同样的工作，男性的工资比女性高。
Here's Professor Boroditsky again. … in English of course we have some words that are gendered, like 'actor' and 'actress' or 'waiter' and 'waitress', andvery commonly when there are those two gender forms people perceive themasculine form as being a more prestigious job or the more skilled job than the feminine form, so an actor is a fancier job than an actress and a waiteris a fancier job than a waitress, and so they could then come with paydisparities and so on.
再听一遍莱拉·博洛迪茨基教授所说的。当然在英语中我们有一些性别类词语，像"男演员"和"女演员"或者"男服务员"和"女服务员"，而且在有两种性别形式的情况下，人们通常会认为男性的工作比女性更重要，更有技术含量，所以男演员是比女演员更高级的工作，男服务员是比女服务员更高级的工作，因此他们可以会出现薪资差异等等。
OK, before we take another look at today's vocabulary, let's reveal the answer to this week's quiz.
好的，在我们回顾今天的词汇之前，我们先来揭晓一下本周小测验的答案。
Which of theselanguages is the newest, is it: A: Esperanto, B: Afrikaans, or C: LightWarlpiri?
这些语言中哪一种是最新出现的？是A：世界语，B：阿非利堪斯语，还是C：轻瓦尔皮瑞语？
Georgina, whatdid you say?
乔治娜，你说是什么？
I thought it had to be Light Walpiri, but just because I had never heard of it before.
我觉得肯定是轻瓦尔皮瑞语，但仅是因为我以前从未听说过。
Well,congratulations. Your instincts were good, that is correct.
好吧，恭喜你。你的直觉是对的。
Let's move onto vocabulary and look at today's words and phrase again.
让我们继续词汇部分，再次看看今天的单词和短语。
A primary caregiver is a person who has most responsibility for looking after someone.
主要照顾者是负有最大责任照顾某人的人。
A point of origin is the place or time when something begins.
源头是某件事开始的地点或时间。
A metaphor is away of describing something.
隐喻是描述某事物的一种方式。
We can say thatsomething is something else that has similar qualities.
我们可以说某物就是具有相似性质的别的东西。
You're a star!
你就是明星！
Aw, thank you.
啊，多谢。
No, I meant,you're a star, is an example of a metaphor.
不，我的意思是，"你是个明星"是个隐喻的例子。
Oh, OK. Of course, I knew that.
哦，好吧。我当然知道。
Mmmm, if yousay so.
嗯，如果你这么说的话。
To perceive is to think of something in a particular way.
感知就是以一种特殊的方式去思考某件事。
We might perceive the value of different jobs based on the vocabulary used to describe them.
我们可能会根据用来描述不同工作的词汇来感知它们的价值。
Something prestigious is important and respected.
某事物有声望就是重要的和受人尊敬的。
And finally, a disparity is a difference, an inequality and is often used when talking about how men and women aren't always paid the same for the same job.
最后，"a disparity"是一种差异，一种不平等，经常被用于当男性和女性做同样的工作却没有得到同样的报酬。
And that is all from us.
以上就是我们的全部内容。
We look forward to your company again soon.
我们期待你的下次参与。
Bye for now.
再见了。
Bye!
