選篇導(dǎo)讀

在語(yǔ)堂先生的眼里，中國(guó)人所謂之文明，乃愛(ài)好原始狀態(tài)之文明，而非與原始狀態(tài)脫離之文明。而正是這樣的文明，使中華民族猶如孩童般充滿活力，享受著綿長(zhǎng)的童年生活。

今日，《英文觀止》欄目將帶大家一起品讀原始狀態(tài)之文明。

賞析批注

That a country after two thousand years of comparatively civilized living could furnish living material for such a story as All Men Are Brothers, when the eating of human flesh, though rare, was still possible, certainly reveals in a measure the mystery of this enigma of social continuity against the havoc of civilization. Sung Chiang, Li Kuei and the host of robust robbers on the top of Liangshanpo, although coming almost fifteen centuries after Confucius, do not suggest to us representatives of an outworn civilization, but rather happy children of a people in the twilight of a dawning culture, when security of life was yet unknown. It seems as if the race, instead of reaching full maturity with Confucius, was really enjoying a prolonged childhood.

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That a country after two thousand years of comparatively civilized living could furnish living material for such a story as All Men Are Brothers, when the eating of human flesh, though rare, was still possible, certainly reveals in a measure the mystery of this enigma of social continuity against the havoc of civilization.

civilized, 指“文明的”，e.g. His new theory has caused a sensation throughout the civilized world. 他的新理論轟動(dòng)了整個(gè)文明世界。

comparatively, 指“比較地，相當(dāng)?shù)亍?，e.g. Here is, in this poem, an example of irony, of a really comparatively simple kind. 這里有一首詩(shī)，就是諷刺的手法，是一種比較簡(jiǎn)單的手法。

havoc, 指“大破壞”，e.g. The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city. 地震對(duì)這座城市造成了大破壞。

enigma, 指“謎，不可思議的東西”，e.g. Anyway, this returns us to the enigma of Aristotle. 無(wú)論如何，這將我們帶回到圍繞亞里士多德的謎團(tuán)。

句子分析：本句為總起句，以《水滸傳》的創(chuàng)作為例，描述了原始狀態(tài)下的文明。本句主句為“That a country...a story as All Men Are Brothers”，when引導(dǎo)的定語(yǔ)從句修飾All Men Are Brothers，在揭示《水滸傳》的時(shí)代創(chuàng)作背景的同時(shí)，也諷刺了當(dāng)時(shí)社會(huì)的黑暗與社會(huì)機(jī)構(gòu)的腐敗。

本句譯為：過(guò)了兩千年可稱為文明的生活，仍能產(chǎn)生這樣的生活史料，使文學(xué)家得資以寫(xiě)出一部出色的故事，像《水滸傳》?！端疂G傳》的時(shí)代背景是那樣的惡劣腐敗，甚至有人肉可食之感，不啻揭露了文明大破壞的社會(huì)機(jī)構(gòu)之謎。

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Sung Chiang, Li Kuei and the host of robust robbers on the top of Liangshanpo, although coming almost fifteen centuries after Confucius, do not suggest to us representatives of an outworn civilization, but rather happy children of a people in the twilight of a dawning culture, when security of life was yet unknown.

representative, 指“代表”，e.g. You should come or send a representative at least. 你應(yīng)該來(lái)，或者說(shuō)，至少派一位代表來(lái)。

outworn, 指“陳腐的，陳舊的”，在本句中譯為“衰老的”，e.g. We must break away from outworn rules and regulations. 我們必須打破陳舊的規(guī)章制度。

twilight, 指“曙暮光，霞光”，e.g. By now the blue of twilight is glowing. 此時(shí)，黃昏綻放出蔚藍(lán)色的霞光。

句子分析：Although，do not，but rather三個(gè)詞都有轉(zhuǎn)折強(qiáng)調(diào)之意。本句中運(yùn)用這三個(gè)詞，強(qiáng)調(diào)說(shuō)明了雖然當(dāng)時(shí)的社會(huì)背景惡劣腐敗，與孔子為代表的文明時(shí)代相去甚遠(yuǎn)，但是正是這些梁山好漢以最為原始的武斗，猶如天真的孩童一般，揭竿起義，替天行道。他們的狹義之舉使得他們的形象更為鮮活，也為中華文化增添了絲絲活力。

本句譯為：宋江、李逵以及其他梁山好漢，雖距離孔子時(shí)代已歷一千五百年，但是吾們不覺(jué)他們是代表衰老了的文化的人物，而毋寧說(shuō)是文化晨曦中的天真的孩子。他們生長(zhǎng)于生活尚無(wú)保障的時(shí)代。

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It seems as if the race, instead of reaching full maturity with Confucius, was really enjoying a prolonged childhood.

maturity, 指“成熟”，e.g. Humans experience a delayed maturity; we arrive at all stages of life later than other mammals. 人類發(fā)育較緩——在生命的各個(gè)階段，我們都晚于其他哺乳動(dòng)物。

prolong, 指“延長(zhǎng)”，e.g. The treaty has been prolonged for another ten years. 條約延長(zhǎng)10年。

句子分析：本句主句為the race was enjoying a prolonged childhood，instead of reaching full maturity with Confucius為狀語(yǔ)。簡(jiǎn)明扼要地總結(jié)了正是中華民族的文明并未脫離原始狀態(tài)，才使得民族生命充滿活力，享受著綿長(zhǎng)的童年。

本句譯為：中華民族受了孔子教化的洗禮雖經(jīng)過(guò)了很長(zhǎng)很長(zhǎng)的時(shí)期，這個(gè)民族的生命好像倒并未達(dá)到成熟衰老的年齡，而享受著綿長(zhǎng)的童年生活。