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IlanStavans_WebsterDictionary_2020E-_谁决定词典的内容？_-
for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic .” 用以限制语言的发展, 并让其变得困难死板。”
While the concept of a dictionary dates back to ancient civilizations , the first English dictionary was published by Robert Cawdrey in 1604. 词典的概念可追溯至古文明时期, 但直到 1604 年,罗伯特 · 考德雷 (Robert Cawdrey) 第一本英语词典才出版面世。
In the centuries that followed, many more dictionaries were written by individual authors who chose what to include or exclude . 接下来的几个世纪, 越来越多的词典由独立作者 自行删选、编撰完成。
cramping:n.图象压缩,夹压; inelastic:adj.无弹性的;无适应性的;不能适应的; civilizations:n.文明(civilization的复数形式); individual:n.个人;有个性的人;adj.单独的;个别的; exclude:v.不包括;不放在考虑之列;防止…进入;阻止…参加;
They not only defined words, they openly showcased their creators’ opinions— 他们不仅定义单词, 同时也展示自己作为创造者的想法——
After their authors deaths, many of these dictionaries quickly became outdated . 在这些词典的作者逝世后, 许多词典很快就过时了。
But one 19th century dictionary had a different fate. 但是一本于 19 世纪诞生的词典 却有着不同的命运。
In 1828, American lawyer and author Noah Webster published “An American Dictionary of the English Language” with a lofty goal: to give the United States its own version of the English language. 在 1828 年,美国律师兼作家 诺亚 · 韦伯斯特（Noah Webster）出版了 “一本美国的英语词典”。
defined:adj.有定义的,确定的; v.使明确; showcased:vt.showcase的过去式; outdated:adj.过时的;旧式的;v.使过时(outdate的过去式和过去分词); Noah:n.诺亚(圣经人物); Webster:n.编织者; lofty:adj.高的;崇高的;高级的;高傲的; United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式)
He believed that as a new nation, the United States needed its own distinct version of English to assert its independence from Britain. 他相信作为一个新的国家, 美国需要拥有 自己的与众不同的英语词典 以维护美国独立于英国的地位。
In his dictionary, Webster sought to describe and officialize the way Americans spoke. 在他的字典里, 韦伯斯特试图描述并官方化 美国人说话的方式。
Most dictionaries in Webster’s time were prescriptive : they dictated how words should be used, rather than documenting the way people actually used language in daily life. 韦伯斯特时期的大多数字典 通常具有规范性: 他们规定了应该如何运用这些词语, 而非记录日常生活中 人们实际是如何使用这些词语的。
distinct:adj.明显的;独特的;清楚的;有区别的; assert:vt.维护,坚持;断言;主张;声称; independence:n.独立;独立性;自恃心;独立不羁的精神; sought:v.seek(寻求、寻找)的过去式和过去分词形式; describe:v.描述;形容;把…称为;画出…图形; officialize:v.官方化; prescriptive:adj.规定的,规范的;指定的; dictated:adj.口述的(dictate的过去分词);v.口述(dictate的过去分词);
When Webster broke this convention and included slang words in his dictionary, critics accused him of polluting the English language. 当韦伯斯特打破这一常规, 在自己的字典里加入俚语, 批评家们指责他玷污了英语。
But he argued that these words captured local variations of language— a vital part of what made American English unique . 但他反驳到这些单词 捕捉了英语的本土化—— 这是使美式英语独一无二的 一个重要部分。
He also believed spelling rules were unnecessarily complex , and that we should write the way we speak as much as possible. 他同时认为拼写规律过分复杂, 我们应该尽可能按照口语习惯 进行书写。
convention:n.习俗;惯例;协定;常规; slang:n.俚语;行话;adj.俚语的;vi.用粗话骂;vt.用俚语说; critics:n.评论家;批评者;吹毛求疵的人(critic的复数); accused:v.控告;控诉;谴责;(accuse的过去分词和过去式) captured:adj.捕获的;被俘的;v.捕获;占领;引起;(capture的过去式和过去分词) variations:n.变奏曲,变更;[生物]变种(variation的复数形式); vital:adj.至关重要的;生死攸关的;有活力的; unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; unnecessarily:adv.不必要地;多余地; complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施;
Still, Webster’s own opinions influenced the words he included and the way he defined them. 然而,韦伯斯特的观点 对他本人选入的词语 以及定义方式产生了影响。
He excluded slang words from Black communities because he didn’t consider them proper. 他删去了黑人社区流传的俚语, 因为他认为这些俚语不合适。
he added that “women are soft, mild , pitiful , and flexible .” 他又附上“女人是柔软的, 温和的,可怜的和灵活的”。
influenced:v.影响;对…起作用;支配;左右;(influence的过去分词和过去式) excluded:v.排除;拒绝;把…除外;驱除;(excluded是exclude的过去分词) communities:n.社区;社会;团体;共有(community的复数) mild:adj.温和的; n.(英国的一种)淡味麦芽啤酒; pitiful:adj.可怜的,令人同情的; flexible:adj.灵活的;柔韧的;易弯曲的;
By the time of his death, Noah Webster was a household name . 到他逝世的时候, 诺亚 · 韦伯斯特成了一个家喻户晓的名字。
Seeing a lucrative business opportunity, brothers George and Charles Merriam bought the rights to Webster’s Dictionary. 梅利亚姆兄弟 （George & Charles Merriam） 发现了一个利润丰厚的商机, 买下了韦氏字典的版权。
Together with Webster’s son-in-law , the Merriams made a new, revised edition. 和韦伯斯特的女婿一起, 梅里阿姆家族编撰了一本新的修订版词典。
household name:n.家喻户晓的名字; lucrative:adj.有利可图的,赚钱的;合算的; son-in-law:n.女婿; revised:v.改变;修改;复习;温习;(revise的过去分词和过去式)
It was the beginning of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 这就是韦氏词典的开始。 （Merriam-Webster Dictionary）
Today, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary begins to address a contradiction in Webster’s goal: he wanted to represent an entire nation, but he based his work on just one person’s opinion: his own. 如今,韦氏词典开始向着 与韦伯斯特初衷相反的方向发展了: 韦伯斯特想要代表整个国家, 但是他只凭借一个人的观点进行编撰。 他自己的观点。
Merriam-Webster:n.梅里亚姆-韦伯斯特; contradiction:n.矛盾;反驳;驳斥; represent:v.代表;表现;描绘;回忆;再赠送;
Since Webster’s death, each new edition of the dictionary has been curated by a group of language experts rather than by a single authority . 自韦伯斯特逝世以来, 词典的每一个新版都由语言专家组,
The current criteria for including a word in the dictionary are that it has “widespread, sustained , and meaningful use.” 一个新单词入选词典的标准是 这个新单词有:“广为流传的, 可持续的以及有意义的用途。”
This clearly includes profanities , which were sometimes excluded from dictionaries in the past. 这一标准显然包含了不雅词汇, 而这按照过去的标准 有时是要被剔除的。
curated:v.当馆长(curate的过去分词); authority:n.权威;权力;当局; criteria:n.标准,条件(criterion的复数); sustained:adj.持续的; v.维持; (sustain的过去分词和过去式) meaningful:adj.严肃的;重要的;重大的;意味深长的; profanities:n.亵渎;不敬的言语;
Racial slurs also meet the criteria for inclusion , but some argue that including them might legitimize them. 种族歧视的用词也符合纳入标准, 但是一些人认为纳入 这些词语意味着将它们合法化。
they also redefine old words to reflect changing attitudes and usage . 它们也会根据态度与用法的变化 对旧词进行重新定义。
One 1736 dictionary defined “wife” as “a married woman whose will, in the judgment of the law, is subject to the will of her husband: for which reason a wife is said to have no will.” 一本 1736 年的词典里 把“妻子”定义为 基于这一点, 一位妻子没有个人意志。”
Racial:adj.种族的;人种的; slurs:vt.忽视; vi.含糊地发音; n.污点; inclusion:n.包含;内含物; legitimize:vt.使…合法;立为嫡嗣; redefine:vt.重新定义; reflect:v.反映;映出(影像);反射;表明,表达; attitudes:n.态度,看法(attitude复数); usage:n.使用;利用;利用率;惯用法; judgment:n.判断;裁判;判决书;辨别力;
The word has been in regular use for centuries, but has only recently gained a new recognized meaning, as a pronoun for one person whose gender identity is nonbinary . 这个单词已经日常使用了好几个世纪, 但是直到最近它才有了 一个新的公认含义: 代词, 指代一个性别非二元的人。
The question of which words belong in the dictionary impacts all of us— when our words and definitions are represented , they’re affirmed; 词典纳入哪些单词 影响着我们所有人—— 当词语和它们的定义被纳入词典, 它们就被肯定了;
Today, lexicographers have expanded word sourcing to include the dictionary’s users: tracking which words are most searched, and adding them to the dictionary. 现在,词典编纂者扩大了词语来源, 例如囊括词典的使用者: 追踪搜索次数最多的用词, 把它们加到词典里。
recently:adv.最近;新近; recognized:v.认识;认出;辨别出;承认;意识到;(recognize的过去分词和过去式) pronoun:n.代词(代替名词或名词词组的单词); gender:n.性别; identity:n.身份;同一性,一致;特性;恒等式; nonbinary:n.非二进制; impacts:n.影响; v.有影响,有作用; definitions:n.[数]定义(definition的复数形式); represented:v.代表; (represent的过去式和过去分词) lexicographers:n.词典编纂者; expanded:adj.扩充的;展开的;vt.扩大(expand的过去式); sourcing:v.(从…)获得;(source的现在分词) tracking:n.追踪,跟踪;v.跟踪;(track的现在分词)
So, who decides what’s in the dictionary? 那么,谁能决定词典的内容呢？
More than ever before the answer is: we do. 最终的答案是:我们。
All of us shape language every day. 我们所有人 每一天都在对语言进行改造。
When we collectively embrace one word or redefine another, eventually , those words and meanings are reflected in our dictionaries. 当我们共同接受一个单词 或者重新定义一个单词, 最终,这些词语和定义 都会在我们的字典里得以反应。
collectively:adv.共同地,全体地; embrace:n.拥抱,怀抱;v.拥抱;乐意采纳(思想、建议等);信奉;包括; eventually:adv.最后,终于; reflected:adj.反射的;得自他人的;v.反射;思考;(reflect的过去式和过去分词)