關於 we humans 文法 ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

翻轉視界 18 Changing Perspective

There's not just one road to the destination, but many roads. You just need to take the little step that’s right in front of you, and then the next one, and a few years down the track, they will seem like massive achievements.

通往目的地的路不止一條，有很多路可走。你只需要邁出眼前這一小步，然後再邁出下一步，幾年下來，將會成為巨大成就。

文章來自於New Humans of Australia (有取得授權)

★★★★★★★★★★★★

I didn’t meet my father until I was 6 years old. My parents had a comfortable, middle-class life in Shanghai, or as close as you could get under communism. But they always wanted to live overseas, and just before I was born, my dad came to Sydney to set things up. I don’t know why, but in the end, my mother and I didn’t join him until I was 6.

•a middle-class life 中產階級生活
•set things up 打點一切
•live overseas 往海外生活
•in the end 最後 (表達在經過一段時間或一連串事件之後的結果)

直到六歲前我都未曾見過父親。我的雙親在上海過著舒適的中產階級生活，或著說，在共產階級下所能得到的最接近的生活。他們一直響往海外生活，就在我出生前，我父親來到雪梨打點一切。但不知何故，直到六歲那年我與母親才終於與父親團聚。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Unfortunately, half a year after we arrived, he left us. That was a huge shock. Our transition had already been quite difficult, as we both didn't speak English. Also, as Shanghai was such a big bustling city, Sydney felt a bit like the countryside, especially on the weekends, as no shops were open back then!

•shock 令人震驚的事件（或經歷）；驚愕，震驚 (come as a great shock 讓人倍感震驚)
•transition 轉變；過渡
•a bustling city 繁華都會

不幸的是，就在我跟母親抵達半年後，父親離開了我們。這是個巨大的打擊，因爲我們不會說英文，在適應過渡期本就已過得相當艱辛。此外，不同於上海的繁華都會，雪梨更像鄉下，尤其在週末，那時連商店都不開門。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

We were very much reliant on my dad, not only financially, but also as a conduit into the wider community. So to have that broken was quite distressing. I remember Mum crying a lot. As we had become socially isolated, we didn’t find out anything about Centrelink, so we survived on her savings for a while, and then got some help from her family back in China.

•be reliant on… 依賴...
•a conduit into 進入...的渠道
•distressing (adj.) 令人苦惱的,令人擔憂的
•become socially isolated 變得孤立於社會
•survive on her savings 僅靠的她積蓄過日子

我們相當依賴我父親，不僅是經濟，他也是我們進入更廣泛社區的渠道。因此，當局面被打破時令人相當痛苦，我還記得母親時常哭泣。由於我們孤立於社會，所以我們並不知道澳洲社會福利聯絡中心 （Centrelink）的任何資訊，僅靠母親的積蓄支撐了一段時間，然後從母親在中國的娘家得到一些幫助。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Eventually, Mum moved us down to Melbourne, where we were able to make some new networks and family friendships. But I was bullied a bit at school about things like my food and clothing! Whenever someone bullied me, I would defend myself, but because I didn’t have the language skills to explain to the teacher why, I got in trouble quite a bit. I ended up having to move school 3 times before I came to Balwyn Primary School, which was relatively multicultural.

•be able to 能夠
•make new networks 建立新的人脈，關係網
•be bullied 被霸凌
•language skills 語言能力
•get in trouble 惹上麻煩
•end up 最後處於；最後成爲；以…告終
•relatively 相對地
•multicultural 多元文化的

最後，母親帶著我搬遷到墨爾本，在那我們能夠建立起新的網絡與家庭情誼。然而。我在學校飽受霸凌，例如我的食物及衣物。每當有人霸凌我，我會自我防衛，但我的語言技巧不足以向老師解釋事發原因，因此常常陷入麻煩。後來我不得不再三轉學，直到就讀相對多元文化的博文小學（Balwyn Primary School）。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

After that, I did alright. Music featured very prominently in my life. I had started learning the violin from the age of 2.5 years old and even with all the troubles that were going on in my life, had somehow still kept up with it. As a result, I got a music scholarship to Trinity Grammar School. But even there I used to get into quite a lot of mischief, and would often skip school to go to the movies.

•do alight 過得不錯，做的不錯
•feature (v.) 以…為特色；給…以顯著的地位
•prominently 重要地；著名地；突出地，顯眼地

之後，我便過得不錯。音樂在我生活中佔有重要的一席之地，我從兩歲半開始學習小提琴，儘管生活中事事不如意，我依然堅持不輟。因此，我獲得三一文法學校（ Trinity Grammar School）的音樂獎學金。但即使在那，我也常惡作劇、逃學看電影。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

By the end of year 11, I was told I would have to either repeat the year, or consider going to another school, which was quite humiliating for my mum. I decided to move school and surprisingly, I ended up doing quite well in year 12! As a result, I ended up getting into a double degree in Law and Music at Monash.

•repeat the year 留級 ; 重唸一年
•humiliating 令人感到恥辱的，丟臉的

11年級結束時，我被告知要麽被留級，要麼考慮轉學，這對我母親來說相當丟人。我決定轉學，而令人驚訝的是，我在12年級的時候表現優異，最後錄取蒙納士大學法律與音樂雙學位。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

When I started, my first thought was that I didn’t belong because I had done so badly in school up to year 11 and everyone else seemed so smart. But I put my head down, got through it, and ended up getting a job in the legal department of a major manufacturing company, which was a different approach to what most law students do.

•do not belong 不屬於這
•put my head down 埋頭苦幹
•the legal department of ...的法律部門
•a different approach 不同途徑
•approach （思考問題的）方式，方法，態度

當我開始進入大學，最初的想法是我不屬於這，因為我在11年級前都表現不佳，而這裡的人似乎都聰明絕頂。但我埋頭苦幹，咬牙撐過，最後在一家大型製造公司的法律部門找到工作，這與多數法律系學生的途徑不同。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

I really enjoyed it. It was hard work, but I learned a lot of foundational business, legal and corporate communication skills. After that I worked in corporate governance in RMIT, then started to moonlight as a lecturer in the Law Faculty. Eventually, they asked me if I wanted to do a PhD and I blindly said yes! I next worked at Swinburne University, and then was head-hunted to lead the corporate legal team at the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Commission.

•foundational 基礎的
•communication skills 溝通技巧
•corporate governance
•moonlight (v.) （尤指瞞著僱主）從事第二職業，兼職
•headhunt (v.) 物色（人才）； 挖角
•legal team 法律團隊

我非常喜歡這份工作，這是份辛苦的工作，但我學習了很多基礎商業、法律以及公司溝通技巧。之後我在皇家墨爾本理工大學（ RMIT）從事公司治理工作，並開始兼職擔任法律系講師。後來他們問我是否想要讀博士，我便盲目地答應了。接下來，我在斯威本大學（Swinburne University）工作，再被挖角到商用小客車委員會領導法律團隊。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

I had a good life, but after a while, I realised I wanted a different kind of job. I could see my seniors were making a lot of money but that their family life was not that good. And looking at my own upbringing, I wanted to be the kind of father who could be present in my own kids’ lives. So I decided on dentistry. It would not only allow me to use the hand skills that I had developed from playing the violin, but also the analytical and reasoning skills that I'd developed in law. Plus it would be flexible, and offer me a stable income and the chance to meet different people every day!

•upbringing 教養
•decide on sth 決定某事或東西
•analytical and reasoning skills 分析和推理能力
•offer a stable income 提供穩定收入

我的生活很不錯，但一段時間後，我意識到自己想要一份不同的工作。我知道前輩們賺了很多錢，但他們的家庭生活並不美滿。看著自己的成長經歷，我想要成為可以在孩子生活中出席的父親，所以我決定改行當牙醫。這項職業能讓我使用從拉小提琴中發展出的手部技巧，也能運用我在法律中發展出的分析與推理技能。此外，這個職業相當靈活，能為我提供穩定收入，並有機會每天與不同的人見面。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

My now fiancée, who was my girlfriend at the time, was also applying for further study, and coincidentally we both got into university in South Australia, so we moved to Adelaide together a few years ago.

•fiancée 未婚妻
•at the time 當時
•apply for 申請
•further study 繼續教育，進修；進一步研究；深造
•coincidentally 碰巧地；巧合地

我的未婚妻，當時的女友，也申請繼續深造，巧的是我們都考上南澳大學（University of South Australia)，所以幾年前一起搬到阿得雷德（ Adelaide）。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

I was lucky to get a university job at Flinders University. Initially, I started out as a casual lecturer in the law school, but I’ve since transitioned into teaching health law and research, and I’m currently writing a few books on the intersection between law and medicine. And also, obviously, trying to finish my dentistry degree!

•start out as… 起初擔任...
•transition into… 轉變到...

我很幸運的在福林德斯大學（Flinders University）找到工作，起初我在法學院擔任臨時講師，但我後來轉換到醫事法教學及研究。目前我正撰寫幾本關於法律與醫學相接的書籍，並努力完成我的牙醫學位。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Mum eventually retrained as a Chinese high school teacher, and she’s still teaching to this day. Like most first generation migrants, she struggled quite a lot, and invested heavily in my success. After we’re married, my fiancée and I are planning to have children, and I’m sure they will have it much easier than I did.

•retrain 重新培養；再培訓；再訓練
•to this day 至今
•first generation migrants 第一代移民
•struggle a lot 掙扎奮鬥許久
•have it much easier 過的比較輕鬆

我的母親最終重新接受培訓，成為一名中文高中老師並執教至今。如同大多數第一代移民，她掙扎奮鬥許久，並為我的成功投資甚多。我與未婚妻打算婚後生孩子，我確信孩子會過的比我輕鬆得多。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Still, a lot of the failures that I’ve had in my life have really informed a lot of my successes. Looking back, I wouldn't really want to change that to have a smoother life.

•inform [正式] 影響某人的態度或意見
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/inform

•have a smoother life 有一個更順遂的人生

我的生活中的種種失敗確實為我的成功提供借鑑。回首過去，我不會想要改變那些坎坷經歷去擁有一個更順遂的人生。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Over the years, I've learned that perseverance is very important. I hope that through telling my story, I can be an example to others who might be in a similar position as I was: to show that there's not just one road to the destination, but many roads. You just need to take the little step that’s right in front of you, and then the next one, and a few years down the track, they will seem like massive achievements.

•over the years 多年來
•perseverance 不屈不撓，堅持不懈
•be an example 成為榜樣
•be in a similar position 處於相似的處境
•down the road/line/track 將來(的路)

多年來，我學到堅持不懈是至關重要的。我希望透過講述自己的故事，能成為其他可能與我有相似處境的人的榜樣：向他們展示通往目的地的路不止一條，有很多路可走。你只需要邁出眼前這一小步，然後再邁出下一步，幾年下來，將會成為巨大成就。

有興趣的同學可以支持New Humans of Australia

www.patreon.com/newhumansofaustralia

Photographer: Paul Heinrich instagram.com/paulfheinrich

文章與圖片出處: https://bit.ly/2XJsciq

★★★★★★★★★★★★

翻轉視界: http://bit.ly/3fPvKUs

批判性思考問題大全: http://bit.ly/34rdtJ7

宇宙的螢火蟲

之前發了一則極短文：

For a few moments, like cosmic fireflies, we will travel with other humans
有些時候，我們會像難以計數的螢火蟲一般與其他人類同行
—《起源的故事》(Origin Story)導論第一段
#掰譯不嫌太早

＊　＊　＊

熱心好奇的網友Google了一下"cosmic fireflies"並找到一下這標題、文字敘述和一張美呆了的天文照片。（如圖，連結見留言）

//Hubble's Cosmic Fireflies | NASA

Galaxies glow like fireflies in this spectacular NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image! This flickering swarm of cosmic fireflies is a rich cluster of galaxies called Abell 2163.//

一旦發現這美麗的照片，很容易驟下結論。這位網友留言大意是說： 哇，原來cosmic fireflies 指的是天上點點繁星啊！這好難，教人怎麼可能譯對？

另外，譯者本人也分享該篇短文並道歉，大意是說：感謝指正，原來 cosmic fireflies 指繁星，會請出版社再版時改正。

感謝譯者雅量，但故事未完，才剛開始，我覺得這是一場美麗的誤會，必須說明一下。

首先，cosmic fireflies指繁星這說法，不是我說的，而我也不認爲是這樣。

翻譯難的地方就在，每當遇到意思不是非黑即白的原文（例如此處的譬喻），如何思考得出比較合理的詮釋，的確是最困難最費神的，但我們仍要努力說理，以理服人，絕對不是我說了算，還是某某老師說了算。

要解釋這一點，必須回到原文，看作者寫的整段話。

//We arrive in this universe through no choice of our own, at a time and place not of our choosing. For a few moments, like cosmic fireflies, we will travel with other humans, with our parents, with our sisters and brothers, with our children, with friends and enemies. We will travel, too, with other life-forms, from bacteria to baboons, with rocks and oceans and auroras, with moons and meteors, planets and stars, with quarks and photons and supernovas and black holes, with slugs and cell phones, and with lots and lots of empty space. The cavalcade is rich, colorful, cacophonous, and mysterious, and though we humans will eventually leave it, the cavalcade will move on. In the remote future, other travelers will join and leave the cavalcade. Eventually, though, the cavalcade will thin out. Gazillions of years from today, it will fade away like a ghost at dawn, dissolving into the ocean of energy from which it first appeared.//

真正在脈絡裡消化原文的意思後，我們再來討論兩點：

1 爲何作者寫for a few moments，是什麼意思？原譯是「有些時候」，對嗎？我訝異的是，沒有人在這裡起疑！

2 可能因爲所有目光都被cosmic fireflies給吸引住了，也難怪。作者cosmic fireflies的比喻要怎麼翻？

為避免文章太長廢話太多，直接先說結論：

for a few moments 意爲「短暫的時間」，cosmic fireflies 就是字面上的意思：「宇宙（中的）螢火蟲」，整句意爲：

在一段短暫時間裡，我們像宇宙中的螢火蟲一般，與其他人類同行。

作者整段大意：

人的出生全不由己。人的一生跟宇宙其他天體、日月星辰相比，何其短暫。

在這宇宙之中，你我好像螢火蟲一樣，發出微光飛著、動著，和親友等其他人類一起「旅行」，但很快就要離開「車隊」，因爲我們生命很短。（螢火蟲生命一樣很短，以幾個月計算。）

相比之下，車隊的其他成員（其他更長壽的物體，如日月星辰）會繼續旅行更長一段時間。

但，連它們也會同整個宇宙，在很久很久以後的將來，消失毀滅。從無中生有（大霹靂），終歸於無形。

＊　＊　＊

for a few moments 介系詞 for 的語義就是「一段持續的時間」，這和「有些時候」(sometimes) 意思根本不一樣啊，前者表達在時間軸上一段單一的長度，後者表達在時間軸上分布於多個小段的頻率。

出去跟人約會，時間晚了，你要道別回家，對方說，
Stay with me for a few more moments.
請問你要翻譯成
「再多陪我一點時間」
還是
「有些時候再多陪我一下」？

夠清楚了吧？

而cosmic fireflies因爲是作者比喻我們人類，而人的一生是活著的，不斷隨時間推移，身體也在移動，好比螢火蟲的飛動。螢火蟲的微光，也就是人的生命的光，人死了，光就滅了，這譬喻並不牽強。所以we are like cosmic fireflies就是「我們就像宇宙的螢火蟲」。很多譬喻都可以輕易跨越語言仍被理解，這時，最好的策略就是直譯，無需多此一舉去曲解原文，編出新的但不一樣的意思。

原譯「難以計數的螢火蟲」，是把cosmic不當聯想成「astronomical」（天文）、想起astronomical figure（天文數字－＞難以計數）。

若是翻譯成「繁星」或「難以計數的星辰」，更不對，因爲人會活動，如螢火蟲會飛動，但天上的星星對我們而言是靜態的。

哈伯望遠鏡拍攝到的星系團，長橢圓的光點，所以「星系團如宇宙的螢火蟲」也是很適切的比喻，因爲看起來像極了螢火蟲。

但此處，作者或許獨立發明，或許借用哈伯那張照片的比喻，但他仍舊創造了一種新的比喻，用螢火蟲來比喻人，我們當然不能硬搬，不當運用消去法，產生「人如繁星」的翻譯：

　「星系如宇宙的螢火蟲」
＋「人如宇宙的螢火蟲」
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
＝「人如繁星」

寫得急，文字雜，編排亂，請見諒。

本文重點：
1 勿忘基本文法（像介系詞for如此基本的文法和字義）！
2 很多譬喻都可輕易跨越語言仍被理解，這時，最好的策略就是直譯。

很多人問我該怎麼學英文、應該看什麼書。這本書有很多版本，有簡單的和難度比較高的。如果只能推薦一本，我會推薦你這本。
這位作家只寫了一本書，就是這本。他就過世了，他都不知道這本書在他過世之後成為經典名著，還三次被拍成電影。
這個故事真的碰觸到人類內心深處的一個地方，不管年齡或者性別，你看這本書，你會意識到：人類的皮膚被輕輕的割傷，會感受到疼，動物亦然。
這真的會讓人重新思考一切。
我相信學校、英文補習班制式的英文教學會讓你學到文法和單字，但如果學會那麼多卻沒有使用這些能打開門的鑰匙去閱讀、了解到一個語言的文學與文化，是非常可惜的。就如同你收集了許多把鑰匙，卻沒有去開啟任何一扇門。
#blackbeauty #黑駿馬
If you were to only read one English book in your whole life, what would it be? This would be my suggestion, a book that explores the way in which we interact with our fellow earthlings expressed in a way that can be appreciated by all humans regardless of race, gender, age or religious persuasion.