"古典語言"都有哪些？為什么還花這么多時間去學習死了的語言

今天的這段對話，在討論語言，

"古典語言"都有哪些？為什么還花這么多時間去學習死了的語言

來聽今天的講解:

A: Hi, Sarah.

嗨，薩拉。

B:Hi, Louis. Long time no see.

嗨，路易斯。好久不見。

A:Yeah. It seems that you are always busy. Where are you going?

是很久沒見了。你好像一直都很忙啊。要去哪里？

B:Well. I’d just finished my Latin class. I found it interesting and want to know more, so I’m going to the library to find some relative books.

哦。我剛上完拉丁語課，覺得很有意思，想多了解點。所以，正要去圖書館找點相關的書呢。

A:Latin class? I haven’t heard about that. Is it a course given in Foreign Languages Department?

拉丁語課？我都沒聽說過。是外國語學院開的課嗎？

B:Nope. During this semester, there are a series of public elective courses on classical languages. The teacher is from Holland. He has been teaching in China for several years.

不是的。本學期有一系列有關古典語言的公選課。老師是荷蘭人，他已經在中國敎了好幾年了。

A:What do you mean by “classical languages”？

你說的"古典語言"都有哪些??？

B:Well. Besides Latin, he also opens other courses such as Hittite and Ancient Greek.

哦。除了拉丁語之外，他還開了其他的諸如古希臘語、赫梯語這樣的課。

A:Are you studying all these languages?

這些語言你都在學嗎？

B:Yeah. That’s why I，m so busy. Anyway, I enjoy to learn new languages and get to know ancient civilization. You know, language is a wonderful manifestation of history.

是的。要不然我整天這么忙碌啊。不過，我喜歡學習新語言，接觸人類古老文明。 要知道，語言能最好地詮釋歷史。

A:I agree. By the way, what do you mean by “Hittite”？ I haven’t heard about it before.

哦。對了，"赫梯語”是什么語言？我從來沒聽說過。

B:It is an Indo-European language, and is related to languages such as Ancient Greek, Latin, Vedic, and so on. Within the Indo-European language family, Hittite is the oldest attested to date. Hittites used to live in today’s Turkey but there is now no native speaker of this language.

是印歐語言中的一種，它與古希臘語、拉丁語、吠陀語等古老語言都有聯(lián)系。赫 梯語是迄今為土證實的印歐語系中最古老的語言。赫梯人曾經生活在今天的土耳 其那塊兒，但是現(xiàn)在已經設有真正的赫梯人了。

A:So it’s a “dead languages”.

那它是一門“死了的語言"。

B:Actually, not only Hittite, Latin and Ancient Greek are also considered to be “dead languages”.

實際上，不僅赫梯語，拉丁語和古希臘語也被認為是“死了的語言"。

A:Then, why do you spend so much time on dead languages?

那你為什么還花這么多時間去學習死了的語言？

B:I’ll ask you a question first. Have you heard of “general education”？

我先問你一個問題。你聽說過"通識敎育”嗎？

A:Sounds so familiar. Is it the same as Chinese quality-oriented education?

聽著很耳熟。是不是與中國的“素質教育意思一樣？

B:Yeah. In my opinion, they are similar. What do you think about “general education”？

是的，在我看來兩者是相似的。你怎么看待"通識教育”呢？

A:Actually I don’t know any detail about it. It’s said that American students have Latin classes at junior high school.

實際上，我一點也不了解‘‘通識教育”是什么。據(jù)說，美國學生從初中起就學習拉丁文了。

B:That’s true. And it is the case in many western countries. Originally, the concept came from “liberal education” in Ancient Greek. The term “general education” first appeared in America after the release of the Yale Report of 1828. In the report, it was argued that the appropriate object of a collegiate education is to lay the foundation of a superior education rather than train students to be qualified professional workers. That is to say, all the students should learn the basic things.

是的。很多西方國家都是這樣的。其概念可追溯至古希臘時期的"自由教育"（或 稱"博雅教育”理念。“通識教育"的說法最早出現(xiàn)在美國，是在《1828年耶魯報告》發(fā)表之后?！兑攬蟾妗抵赋觯髮W教育的目標在于為更高層次的教育奠定基礎， 而不是把學生訓練成合格的職業(yè)工作者。就是說，大學期間，學生的任務就是學 習一些基礎的東西。

A:But why should all the students in a college be required to tread in the same steps? Why should not each one be allowed to select those branches of study which are most to his taste, which are best adapted to his peculiar talents, and which are most nearly connected with his intended profession?

可是，為什么要要求所有學生步調一致呢？為什么不能根據(jù)他們各自的興趣、天 分、職業(yè)意向來選擇各自的學習內容呢？

B:According to general education, these are to be learned in the professional and practical schools. Through general education, students enter upon some elementary truths, and will get to know whether he or she has a taste or capacity for a science.

以通識教育的觀點來看，這些都是在職業(yè)學校要學的東西。接受了通識教育，學 生就能夠接觸到一些基本常識，這樣，才能判斷自己是否對某一學科真地感興趣， 是否有這方面的天分。

A:I see. If he is really destitute of talent sufficient for the common departments of education, he is destined for some narrow sphere of action. However, if he acquires a thorough5 knowledge of the principles of science, he may then educate himself and make proper choice.

我明白了。如果沒有發(fā)揮學生多方面的才能，那么，他的活動范圍注定會是很狹 隘的；相反，如果能對學科各個方面有個全面的了解，他就可以實現(xiàn)自我教育， 做出正確的選擇了。

B:Yes. Actually, we are easily made to believe that we have no capacity for the study of a science because we know little or nothing about it.

是的。事實上，由于我們的基本常識少之又少，很容易就會相信自己沒有能力勝 任某學科領域的學習。

A:Still I have a question. Under the general education system, what is a young man fitted for when he takes his degree? Does he come forth7 from the college qualified for, for example, business?

我還有一個疑問。假如實施通識教育，那么，從這樣的教育體系下畢業(yè)的年輕人 能做什么呢？他能勝任諸如從商這樣的工作嗎？

B:Well, if he stops here, the answer is No. His education is begun, but not completed.

哦，如果他從此不再學習的話，答案是否定的。他是接受過教育，但是這個教育 過程并沒有完成。

A:Then the college should be reproached because it doesn’t provide its students with the skills to make a living.

那么，就該責備學校了，因為它無法向其畢業(yè)生傳授謀生的本領。

B:Just imagine. Do we complain of the mason who has laid the foundation of a house but has not finished the building since the product of his labor is not habitable?

設想，泥瓦匠為建設一所房子鋪設了地基，但是并設有完成建造房子這項工作， 這樣一來，他的工作成果是沒有居住價值的。那么，我們有理由譴責他的工作做 得不好嗎？

A:Nope.

沒有。

B:The role of a mason is similar to that of a college. A well-planned general education program of study will provide students with the foundation they will need to excel in whatever disciplines they choose to pursue.

泥瓦匠的角色與大學的角色是類似的。只要含理地規(guī)劃通識教育，就能夠幫肋學 生奠定所需的基礎知識，從而勝任他想選擇的任何學科。

A:You are right. So it would be useful to take classical classes. By the way, when will be the next class from that classical scholar? I’d like to go with you.

有道理。看來，學習古典課程還是很有用的。對了，那位古典學者什么時候上下 一節(jié)課啊？我想和你一起去聽聽。

B:Tonight there will be a Hittite class at 7 p.m. Maybe we can go together.

今晚7點有一節(jié)赫梯語的課。我們一起去吧。

A:Ok. Now, maybe you’d like to help me with the lessons since you have already covered a lot.

好的。你們已然學了很多東西了，你先幫我補補課吧。

B:No problem. Let’s sit down there and have a talk.

沒問題。我們去那邊坐下說吧。

A:You are really nice. Thank you very much.

你真好，太感謝了。

B:Never mention it.

不要客氣。