- 牡丹和芍药同宗？ [2012/04]
- 从旧金山湾区到大峡谷四日游 [2012/04]
- “只因为在人群中多看了你一眼” [2012/06]
- 走近美洲土狼，coyote ugly [2012/02]
- 【现场报道】旧金山华人抗议日本强占我钓鱼岛（二） [2012/09]
- 后海夜色 -- Night Life in Beijing [2011/09]
- 【太平盛世】步行街 (Shopping Plaza) [2011/09]
- 体验城际高速 [2011/09]
- 安享晚年 [2012/07]
- 英译《我的祖国》 [2011/01]
- 【现场报道】旧金山华人抗议日本强占我钓鱼岛（一） [2012/09]
- 惊涛拍岸 （Spindrifts of Big Sur） [2011/05]
- 【酒足饭饱，信口评说】天津狗不理包子 [2012/05]
- 【北岳恒山】千年悬空寺 [2012/05]
- 内部特供酒 [2012/01]
- 天津俗文化 [2011/09]
- 苹果梨 Asian Pear [2011/10]
- 【太平盛世】父老乡亲 [2011/09]
- 精品二锅头 [2011/10]
- 香椿菜 [2011/10]
- 厦大校园，美尽东南 [2010/11]
- 春的四月，院内花开 [2012/04]
- 苍鹭多高，鹈鹕多大 [2011/07]
- 家乡西凤酒 [2011/11]
- 登峰六部曲 [2012/01]
- 春天多美好 [2012/05]
- 黄了银杏红了枫叶 [2011/12]
[不胜啰嗦，再来一篇]
A couple of guys once out of the blue asked about my TOFOEL and GRE scores. I did fairly well but there was nothing to write home about. Plus those scores could only represent my English proficiency level at the time of examination. As it turned out, the guys just wanted to tell me that they did magnificently well with their exams, almost to the point of perfection. So, I took my hat off to take a deep, deep bow in front of them. They stopped my charade. As it turned out, they just wished to lament, for they couldn’t understand why they had trouble speaking and writing with English. Maybe it was an indirect way of reaching out for diagnosis or consolation. At the time of conversation I failed to makes sense because I didn't think into those issues myself. Maybe many of us don't realize that language doesn’t consist of only a few principles and rules, like grammar, vocabulary, idioms. Men who thought they could man-handle a language, like they do with mathematics, by burning a few gallons of mid-night oil, may be able to do well with examination. But the hopeless feeling is inevitable when it’s time for them to put what they thought they had mastered into practice.
How could I tell super examination takers that they hadn’t shown enough respect to every word or punctuation? In language every little detail counts. One must treat every single element in a language, such as words, comma, usage, like their best friends. That’s right. Friends don’t misuse, let alone abuse, one’s best pal. Only when one spent enough time to know and paid due respect to everything, one can advance to the level of self-expression with the language acquired with care and respect. Knowing the definition of a word is only half the way there. One must feel the language. When you can cry, laugh, show off your deep thoughts and exposit your complex feelings with a particular language, you can claim that you politely crossed the threshold of a new arena or palace. Masters are rare; so don’t flatter yourself.
If I am asked to compare language with something tangible, I choose water in which every drop is equal to the next. All the drops together make a clear lake or a tumultuous sea. Water is soft but please do not bully it. If you don’t know water and jump into it you have a good chance of getting drowned. Yes, a super genius sometimes looks like a dimwit in terms of language use. So, one has to learn, or adjust one’s attitude, in order to relate to language. One must respect every small detail in a language. If you don’t deal with details right, the details will bite back eventually. At every corner of the street, I may add. When that happens, it won’t be a pretty sight. There is reason that women are good with language because they pay attention to details. Their tendency to conduct life according to their feelings gives them a better chance to relate to language. Of course those are generalities, for I know that some men can also feel exquisitely and some women are simply course or rough. Language is not science. Instead, it’s something for us to laugh and cry with, to sing and poetry with, and to dream and despair with. One must become gentle and natural with language to have the chance to float in the water and enjoy the ride, and ultimately use the language with grace and eloquence. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a little girl could be a much better swimmer than a huge muscle guy like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
April, 2007
A couple of guys once out of the blue asked about my TOFOEL and GRE scores. I did fairly well but there was nothing to write home about. Plus those scores could only represent my English proficiency level at the time of examination. As it turned out, the guys just wanted to tell me that they did magnificently well with their exams, almost to the point of perfection. So, I took my hat off to take a deep, deep bow in front of them. They stopped my charade. As it turned out, they just wished to lament, for they couldn’t understand why they had trouble speaking and writing with English. Maybe it was an indirect way of reaching out for diagnosis or consolation. At the time of conversation I failed to makes sense because I didn't think into those issues myself. Maybe many of us don't realize that language doesn’t consist of only a few principles and rules, like grammar, vocabulary, idioms. Men who thought they could man-handle a language, like they do with mathematics, by burning a few gallons of mid-night oil, may be able to do well with examination. But the hopeless feeling is inevitable when it’s time for them to put what they thought they had mastered into practice.
How could I tell super examination takers that they hadn’t shown enough respect to every word or punctuation? In language every little detail counts. One must treat every single element in a language, such as words, comma, usage, like their best friends. That’s right. Friends don’t misuse, let alone abuse, one’s best pal. Only when one spent enough time to know and paid due respect to everything, one can advance to the level of self-expression with the language acquired with care and respect. Knowing the definition of a word is only half the way there. One must feel the language. When you can cry, laugh, show off your deep thoughts and exposit your complex feelings with a particular language, you can claim that you politely crossed the threshold of a new arena or palace. Masters are rare; so don’t flatter yourself.
If I am asked to compare language with something tangible, I choose water in which every drop is equal to the next. All the drops together make a clear lake or a tumultuous sea. Water is soft but please do not bully it. If you don’t know water and jump into it you have a good chance of getting drowned. Yes, a super genius sometimes looks like a dimwit in terms of language use. So, one has to learn, or adjust one’s attitude, in order to relate to language. One must respect every small detail in a language. If you don’t deal with details right, the details will bite back eventually. At every corner of the street, I may add. When that happens, it won’t be a pretty sight. There is reason that women are good with language because they pay attention to details. Their tendency to conduct life according to their feelings gives them a better chance to relate to language. Of course those are generalities, for I know that some men can also feel exquisitely and some women are simply course or rough. Language is not science. Instead, it’s something for us to laugh and cry with, to sing and poetry with, and to dream and despair with. One must become gentle and natural with language to have the chance to float in the water and enjoy the ride, and ultimately use the language with grace and eloquence. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a little girl could be a much better swimmer than a huge muscle guy like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
April, 2007
[口语是另一回事，必须摆脱母语发音，目前还没有写什么]