The American and the English
1) Of the intrinsic differences that separate American from English the chief have their roots in the obvious disparity between the environment and traditions of the American people since the seventeenth century and those of the English.2) The latter have lived under a relatively stable social order and it has impressed upon their souls their characteristic respect for what is customary and of good report.3) Until the World War brought chaos to most of their institutions their whole lives were regulated perhaps more than those of any other people save the Spaniards by a regard for precedent.4) The Americans though partly of the same blood have felt no such restrain and acquired no such habit of conformity.5) On the contrary they have plunged to the other extreme for the conditions of life in their country have put a high value upon the precisely opposite qualities of curiosity and daring and so they acquired that character of restlessness that impatience of forms that disdain of the dead hand which now broadly marks them.
參考譯文
許多本質(zhì)上的不同造成了美語從英語中分出來。而主要的不同是兩種語言根植于兩個完全不同的社會環(huán)境和文化傳統(tǒng)。自欺欺人17世紀來，美國人和英國人在這兩方面的差異十分明顯。英國人相對說來生活在一個相對穩(wěn)定的社會秩序里。這種秩序銘記在他們心靈里的是對習慣上和名譽上的東西有一種特有的尊敬。雖然第一次世界大戰(zhàn)改變了他們大多數(shù)的風俗習慣，但在這之前，他們的全部生活，或許比其他任何民族的生活，除西班牙人，都更受到先例的制約。而雖然美國人中一部分的祖先是英國人，但他們沒有這種約束。也沒有這種一致性習慣的要求。相反，他們走到了另一個極端，因為他們國家的生活狀況使他們看重的是好奇和冒險這恰恰相反的品質(zhì)，這樣他們養(yǎng)成的是不安現(xiàn)狀，厭煩形式主義，藐視舊勢力的影響的個性。這些個性在他們身上普遍反映出來。
1) Of the intrinsic differences that separate American from English the chief have their roots in the obvious disparity between the environment and traditions of the American people since the seventeenth century and those of the English.2) The latter have lived under a relatively stable social order and it has impressed upon their souls their characteristic respect for what is customary and of good report.3) Until the World War brought chaos to most of their institutions their whole lives were regulated perhaps more than those of any other people save the Spaniards by a regard for precedent.4) The Americans though partly of the same blood have felt no such restrain and acquired no such habit of conformity.5) On the contrary they have plunged to the other extreme for the conditions of life in their country have put a high value upon the precisely opposite qualities of curiosity and daring and so they acquired that character of restlessness that impatience of forms that disdain of the dead hand which now broadly marks them.
參考譯文
許多本質(zhì)上的不同造成了美語從英語中分出來。而主要的不同是兩種語言根植于兩個完全不同的社會環(huán)境和文化傳統(tǒng)。自欺欺人17世紀來，美國人和英國人在這兩方面的差異十分明顯。英國人相對說來生活在一個相對穩(wěn)定的社會秩序里。這種秩序銘記在他們心靈里的是對習慣上和名譽上的東西有一種特有的尊敬。雖然第一次世界大戰(zhàn)改變了他們大多數(shù)的風俗習慣，但在這之前，他們的全部生活，或許比其他任何民族的生活，除西班牙人，都更受到先例的制約。而雖然美國人中一部分的祖先是英國人，但他們沒有這種約束。也沒有這種一致性習慣的要求。相反，他們走到了另一個極端，因為他們國家的生活狀況使他們看重的是好奇和冒險這恰恰相反的品質(zhì)，這樣他們養(yǎng)成的是不安現(xiàn)狀，厭煩形式主義，藐視舊勢力的影響的個性。這些個性在他們身上普遍反映出來。