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导读:《窈窕淑女》这部剧本质上是一部爱情歌舞片,大家对该片印象最深的一定是奥黛丽·赫本的容颜,除此以外,该片对英语初学者而言的启示其实非常重要。剧中,语言学家希金斯教授将伦敦穷人区的伊莱扎从卖花女调教成一位优雅淑女,除了学习礼仪外,希金斯更多地着重于纠正伊莱扎的英语口音,从最基本的字母发音开始教起,在6个月内严加训练,通过努力,她的体态、她的英语、她的礼仪,都完美符合优雅女性的标准。
英语口音问题可能是我们学习英语路上的拦路虎,怎么解决?这部影片给我们的启示:第一,遇到一位有学识并且足够耐心的老师;第二,投入全身心100%的精力和时间去学习,什么每天学一个小时、背几个单词、看几个英语视频的效果远远没有达到理想状态。
今天,美国英文学院(American Academy of English,简称AAE)带大家赏析《窈窕淑女》的精彩片段与台词,希望大家能提起学英语的决心。
1. 语音的误读
Henry Higgins: Now, try it again.
希金斯:现在再试一遍。
Eliza: The rine in spine sties minely in the pline.
伊莱扎:西伯牙的月主要下在砰原上。
Henry Higgins: The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.
希金斯:西班牙的雨主要下在平原上。
Eliza: Didn't I say that?
伊莱扎:我刚才不是税了吗?
Henry Higgins: No, Eliza, you didn't “sy” that, you didn't even “say” that, now every night before you get into bed, where you used to say your prayers, I want you to say “The
rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” fifty times. You'll learn to get much further with the Lord if you learn not to offend His ears.
希金斯:不对,伊莱扎,你没有“税”(学杜利特尔的口音),你根本没有“说”。从现在起每天晚上睡觉前,用你平常做祷告的时间,我要你说50遍“西班牙的雨主要下在平原上”。如果你能学会不让上帝听得讨厌,你就会离他更近。
分析:
伊莱扎说着一口社会底层人士的地道伦敦腔,希金斯说着标准英语,两者在相同词汇的发音生有着明显的区别。以上面的场景为例:
Eliza: The rine/rein/ in spine/spein/ sties/steis/ minely/meinli/ in the pline/plein/.
Henry Higgins: The rain/rain/ in Spain/spain/ stays/stais/ mainly/mainli/ in the plain/plain/.
伊莱扎说这句话中,将单词里所有的/ai/的音都发成了/ei/的音,属于误读。
所以, AAE还是建议英语初学者首选口音纯正的北美外教;如果自己的英语发音有偏差,纠正起来其实相当麻烦,但只要有口音纯正和耐心的老师,加上自己坚持不断练习,发音还是可以纠正成标准音的,加油!
2. 非正式词汇的使用频率高
Eliza: Oh, I know what’s right. My lady friend gets French lessons for 18 pence an hour from a real French gentleman. You wouldn’t have the face to ask me the same for teaching my own language as you would for French. I won’t give more than a shillin’. Take it or leave it.
伊莱扎:哦,我知道了。我的女性朋友在一位真正的法国绅士那里学法语要每小时18便士。如果你教我自己的语言,你不会居然有脸要求这样的价格。我只给一先令。要么接受要么放弃。
Higgins: By George, it’s enormous. It’s the biggest offer I ever had.
希金斯:确实,这是很大(一笔钱)。这是我有史以来获得的最大出价。
Eliza: Sixty pounds? What are you talking about? Where would I get sixty pounds? I never offered you 60 pounds.
伊莱扎:60英镑?你在说什么?我在哪里能得到60英镑?我从来没有答应给你60英镑。
Higgins: Hold your tongue.
希金斯:闭嘴。
Eliza: But I ain’t got 60 pounds.
伊莱扎:但我没有60英镑。
Mrs. Pearce: Don’t cry, silly girl. Sit sown. Nobody’s going to touch your money.
皮尔斯太太:别哭,傻姑娘。坐下。没人会碰你的钱。
…
Higgins: She is so deliciously low. So horribly dirty.
希金斯:她是如此的低级。太脏了。
Eliza: I ain’t dirty! I washed my face before I come, I did.
伊莱扎:我不脏!我来之前洗过脸。
Higgins: We’ll start today. This moment. Take her away and clean her. Sandpaper, if it won’t come off. Is there a fire in the kitchen? Take her clothes off and burn them and order some new ones.
希金斯:我们今天就开始。这一刻。把她带走,把她洗干净。如果洗不掉的话,用砂纸磨光。厨房里有火吗?把她的衣服脱掉烧掉,再买些新的。
分析:
对话中划重点的台词是非正式的词汇和短语,非常生活化,使用频率非常高。这也给我们学习英语的朋友提个醒,书面英语的学习主要还是在学业上,而口语是来源于生活,可能没有高深的单词或严谨的语法,但却能轻易被听众理解,并迅速拉近心理距离。所以,学习英语口语时,可以多了解一下英语的习惯用法,会学得更地道哦~
3. 大量简单句的使用
Doolittle: Good morning, Governor. I come about a very serious matter, Governor.
杜立特:早上好,州长。我遇到了一件非常严重的事情。
Higgins: Brought up in Houndslow. Mother was Welsh, I should think. What is it you want, Doolittle?
希金斯:在霍恩斯洛长大的。我想母亲是威尔士人。你想要什么,杜立特?
Doolittle: I want my daughter, that’s what I want. See?
杜立特:我想要我的女儿,这就是我想要的。明白吗?
Higgins: Of course you do, you are her father, aren’t you? I’m glad to see you have a speak of family feeling left. She is in there. Yes, take her away at once.
希金斯:当然,你是她的父亲,对吧?我很高兴看到你说起家里的感觉。她在里面。你可以马上把她带走。
Doolittle: What?
杜立特:什么?
Higgins: Take her away. Do you think I am going to keep your daughter for you?
希金斯:把她带走。你认为我会留下你的女儿吗?
Doolittle: Now, is this reasonable, Governor? Is it fairly to take advantage of a man like that? The girl belongs to me. You got her. Where do I come in?
杜立特:州长,这是合理的吗?利用这样的人公平吗?这个女孩属于我。你抓住她了。我该怎么办?
Higgins: How dare you come here and attempt to blackmail me? You sent her here on purpose!
希金斯:你怎么敢来这里勒索我?你故意送她来的!
Doolittle: Don’t take a man up like that, Governor.
杜立特:州长,别这样把人抬起来。
Higgins: The policeman shall take you up. This is a plan. A plot to extort money by threats. I shall telephone the police.
希金斯:警察会带你上去的。这是一个计划。威胁敲诈钱财的阴谋。我将给警察打电话。
Doolittle: Have I asked you for a brass of farthin? I leave it to this gentleman here. Have I asked a word about money?
杜立特:我问过你要一个铜钱吗?我把它留给这位先生。我问过钱的事吗?
分析:
以上对话中,共有29个句子,其中27个简单句,1个并列句,1个复合句。所以简单句所占比例为93%,短小精悍,结构简单,但表意明确。
据AAE毕业于伯克利加州大学(UC Berkeley)的学长分享:美国大学老师更喜欢学生在写作中运用简单句,只需主题新颖有见解,一样可以获得高分。
4. 女主Eliza的经典对白
What a fool I was, what a dominated fool to think you were the earth and sky.
我曾经是多么的傻,多么的糊涂,以为你就会说天和地。
What a fool I was, what an addle-pated fool, what a mutton-headed dolt was I.
我曾经是多么的傻,多么的糊涂,曾经是那么的死脑筋!
No, my reverberating friend. You are not the beginning and the end.
不,爱顶嘴的朋友。你并不是世上的一切。
There’ll be spring every year without you. England still will be here without you.
没有你,每年春天还会来,英格兰还会存在。
There’ll be fruit on the tree and a shore by the sea.
树上照样结果,海水照样拍打海岸
There’ll be crumpets and tea without you. Art and music will thrive without you.
没有你,点心和茶水还会存在,艺术和音乐还会兴盛
Somehow Keats will survive without you. And there still will be rain on that plain sown in Spain.
没有你,诗人们还会生活下去,西班牙的雨照样下在平原。
Even that will remain without you, I can do.
没有你,它们都不会受影响,我也一样。
They can still rule the land without you.
没有你,国家政府照样运转。
Windsor Castle will stand without you.
没有你,温莎堡照样矗立。
And without much ado we can all muddle through.
我们照样能够生活,不慌不忙。
Without you!
没有你!
Without your twirling it the earth can spin.
没有你,地球还是会旋转。
Without you pushing them the clouds roll by.
没有你,云彩还是会漂浮。
If they can do without you, Ducky, so can I.
I shall not feel along without you.
没有你,我不会感到孤独。
I can stand on my own without you.
没有你,我能够自谋生路。
So go back in your shell I can do
bloody well.
你爬回乌龟壳去吧,我能自己生活。
分析:伊莱扎的这段话说得非常文艺,主要是想表达“没有你,世界依然正常运转,我也能正常生活”。
5. 男主Henry Higgins的经典对白
Damn, damn, damn, damn. I've grown accustomed to her face. She almost makes the day begin.
该死,该死,该死,该死,我已经习惯了每天见到她,是她让新一天开始。
I've grown accustomed to the tune that she whistles night and noon, her smiles, her frowns, her ups, her downs are second nature to me now. Like breathing out and breathing in.
我已习惯了她从早到晚的口哨声,她的微笑蹙眉高兴悲伤,已经成为我天性需要的一部分,就像呼气与吸气。
I was serenely independent and content before we met. Surely I could always be the way again. And yet I've grown accustomed to her looks.
见面之前我独立自足,我当然可以回到从前,但我已习惯了她的样子。
Accustomed to her voice. Accustomed to her face.
习惯了她的声音,习惯了她的脸庞。
分析:
简单来说,这是希金斯发现自己爱上了伊莱扎时候自言自语的话,也非常的文艺,有点吐露爱意的感觉。
参考文献:《文体学视角下《窈窕淑女》台词的语体特征分析》 作者:王娅