Poet Ali: Hi. Audience: Hi.
嗨。 (觀眾)嗨。
PA: I want to ask you guys a question. How many languages do you speak? This is not a rhetorical question. I actually want you to think of a number. For some of you, it's pretty easy. Inside your head, you're like, "It's one. You're speaking it, buddy. I'm done." Others of you maybe are wondering if the language an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend taught you, where you learned all the cusswords, if it counts -- go ahead and count it. When I asked myself the question, I came up with four, arguably five, if I've been drinking.
我想問各位一個問題。 你會講多少種語言? 我不是隨便問問, 我要你真的想一個數字。 對有些人,答案很簡單。 你可能會想:「一種, 就是你正在說的這種,然後沒了。」 其他人或許在猶豫, 前男友、前女友教你的都是些髒話, 不知道這樣算不算。 你就儘管都算進來,對自己好一點。 我問自己這個問題, 得到的答案是四種。 如果喝醉了,勉強算五種。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
(In Italian: With a little bit of wine I can speak Italian.)
(義大利語)我只要喝點酒 就會說義大利語。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Cheers!
謝謝!
But on closer examination, I came up with 83 -- 83 languages, and I got tired and I stopped counting. And it forced me to revisit this definition that we have of language. The first entry said, "The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured or conventional way." The definition at the bottom refers to specialized fields, like medicine, science, tech. We know they have their own vernacular, their own jargon. But what most interested me was that definition right in the center there: "the system of communication used by a particular community or country." And I'm not interested in altering this definition. I'm interested in applying it to everything we do, because I believe that we speak far more languages than we realize. And for the rest of our time together, I'm going to attempt to speak in one language that is native to every single human being in this room.
像這樣放寬標準,我數到大概 83 種 就數累了,不數了。 這讓我重新思考語言的定義。 第一個定義: 「人類溝通的方式, 可以是口語或書面形式, 以詞彙構成,並遵循 特定結構或慣用的方法。 最下面那個定義是針對特定領域, 像醫學、科學、技術。 這些領域有自己的術語, 自己的行話。 但我最感興趣的是最中間的那個定義: 「某特定社群或國家 使用的溝通系統。」 我並不是要修改這個定義, 而是想把它應用到我們做的每件事上, 因為我相信我們會的語言 遠比自己認為的多。 剩下的時間, 我要嘗試說一種語言, 一種與在座每個人共通的語言。
But that changes things a little bit, because then it's no longer a presentation. It becomes a conversation, and in any conversation, there must be some sort of interaction. And for any interaction to happen, there has to be a degree of willingness on both parties. And I think if we just are willing, we will see the magic that can happen with just a little bit of willingness. So I've chosen a relatively low-risk common denominator that can kind of gauge if we're all willing. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
但事情會有點變化, 因為這就不會再是個演講, 而是一場對話。 在任何對話中, 必須要有些互動。 任何互動的發生, 需要雙方都有意願參與。 我想只要我們有意願參與, 奇妙的事就會發生。 只要有一絲意願就可以了。 所以我選擇了一個 較低風險的共通點, 來測試我們是否都有此意願。 如果你覺得很開心,就拍拍手。
(Claps)
(拍手聲)
Now you're talking!
這就對了!
(In Spanish: For all the people who speak Spanish, please stand up. And look at a person sitting to your side and start laughing.)
(西班牙語)會講西班牙語的人請起立。 (西班牙語)看著坐在 你旁邊的人,然後大笑。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
Thank you so much. Please be seated.
很感謝各位,請坐。
Now, if that felt a little bit awkward, I promise there was no joke being had at your expense. I simply asked the Spanish-speaking audience to stand up, look at a person that was sitting close to them and laugh. And I know that wasn't nice, and I'm sorry, but in that moment, some of us felt something. You see, we're often aware of what language does when we speak somebody's language, what it does to connect, what it does to bind. But we often forget what it does when you can't speak that language, what it does to isolate, what it does to exclude. And I want us to hold on as we journey through our little walk of languages here.
現在,如果你們有點尷尬, 我保證剛才不是在拿你們開玩笑。 我只是請會講西班牙語的觀眾起立, 看著坐在他們旁邊的人,然後大笑。 我知道這樣有點不禮貌,很抱歉, 但就在那一刻, 有些人會有些感覺。 我們說別人的語言時, 常會感覺到語言的作用, 它能用以聯繫彼此, 它能用以拉近關係。 但我們常忘了不會說那種語言時 所造成的結果; 那是一種隔閡和排斥。 所以在我們繼續探索語言的過程當中, 希望大家稍微忍耐一下。
(In Farsi: I'd like to translate the idea of "taarof.") I said in Farsi, "I'd like to translate this idea of 'taarof' in the Persian culture," which, really -- it has no equivalent in the English lexicon. The best definition would be something like an extreme grace or an extreme humility. But that doesn't quite get the job done. So I'll give you an example. If two gentlemen were walking by each other, it'd be very common for the first one to say, (In Farsi: I am indebted to you), which means, "I am indebted to you." The other gentlemen would respond back, (In Farsi: I open my shirt for you) which means, "I open my shirt for you." The first guy would respond back, (In Farsi: I am your servant) which means, "I am your servant." And then the second guy would respond back to him, (In Farsi: I am the dirt beneath your feet) which literally means, "I am the dirt beneath your feet."
(波斯語)我想解釋 「taarof」的含義。 我剛用波斯語說,我想要解釋 「taarof」 在波斯文化裡的含義。 這個字在英語裡沒有同義詞。 最好的解釋就是它是一種極致的優雅, 或者極致的謙恭, 但這樣還是無法完全解釋它的意思, 所以我要舉個例子。 如果兩位紳士在路上碰見, 通常其中一個人會先說: (波斯語) 意思是「我虧欠你。」 另一位則會回答: (波斯語)「我為你敞開衣襟。」 意思是「我為你敞開衣襟。」 先說話的那位就會回答: (波斯語) 意思是「我是你的僕人。」 第二位會再回他: (波斯語) 字面上就是 「我是你腳下的塵土」的意思。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
Here's an exhibit for you guys, in case you didn't get the picture.
如果你腦中還沒有畫面的話, 這圖片讓你參考。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
And I share that with you, because with new languages come new concepts that didn't exist before. And the other thing is, sometimes we think language is about understanding the meaning of a word, but I believe language is about making a word meaningful for yourself.
我分享這些,是要各位體會到 伴隨著新的語言而來的, 是從未有過的新思維。 此外, 有時我們認為語言在於了解字的含義, 但我相信語言是要讓字 對你個人產生意義。
If I were to flash this series of words on the screen, some of you, you'd know exactly what it is right away. Others of you, you might struggle a little bit. And I could probably draw a pretty clear-cut line right around the age of 35 and older, 35 and younger. And for those of us that are in the know, we know that's text-speak, or SMS language. It's a series of characters meant to convey the most amount of meaning with the least amount of characters, which sounds pretty similar to our definition of languages: "system of communication used by a community." Now, anyone who's ever got into an argument via text can make a case for how it's maybe not the best method of communication, but what if I told you that what you saw earlier was a modern-day love letter?
如果我在螢幕上閃過這串字, 你們當中有些人馬上知道是什麼意思, 但有些人可能很難找到頭緒。 我應該可以清楚地將這兩種人 劃分為約 35 歲以上, 和 35 歲以下的人。 對於知道意思的人來說, 那很顯然是簡訊對話, 或是 SMS 語言。 就是用最少的字元, 表達最多的含義, 聽起來跟我們給語言的定義非常相近: 「某特定社群使用的溝通系統。」 曾用簡訊爭論的人, 可能會說這不是最好的溝通方式。 但是如果我告訴你 那是一封現代情書呢?
If you follow along: "For the time being, I love you lots, because you positively bring out all the best in me, and I laugh out loud, in other words, let's me know what's up. 'Cause you are a cutie in my opinion, and as far as I know to see you, if you're not seeing someone, would make happy. For your information, I'll be right there forever. In any case, keep in touch, no response necessary, all my best wishes, don't know, don't care if anyone sees this. Don't go there, see you later, bye for now, hugs and kisses, you only live once."
跟著我一起讀: 「此時此刻,我愛你很多, 因為你引出我最好的一面, 惹我大笑,換句話說, 告訴我,我們之間是什麼? 因為我覺得我看見的你是小可愛, 如果你沒有和其他人交往,我會開心。 通知你,我會永遠等你, 不管怎樣,保持聯絡,不一定要回覆, 給你我最好的祝福, 不知道、不在乎別人看見這私訊, 先不說那個,回頭見, 再見了,抱抱和親親, 人生只有一回。」
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Kind of a modern-day Romeo or Juliet.
好像現代版的羅密歐或茱麗葉,
In that moment, if you laughed, you spoke another language that needs no explanation: laughter. It's one of the most common languages in the world. We don't have to explain it to each other, it's just something we all feel, and that's why things like laughter and things like music are so prevalent, because they seem to somehow transcend explanation and convey a profound amount of meaning.
剛才如果你笑了, 你已經說了另一種 不需要解釋的語言:笑聲。 那是世上最通用的一種語言。 我們不需要解釋, 就知道我們都有一樣的感受, 這就是笑聲和音樂這麼流行的原因, 因為它們似乎能夠超越語言, 傳達一種真切的含義。
Every language we learn is a portal by which we can access another language. The more you know, the more you can speak. And it's something common that we all do. We take any new concept, and we filter it through an already existing access of reality within us. And that's why languages are so important, because they give us access to new worlds, not just people. It's not just about seeing or hearing, it's about feeling, experiencing, sharing.
我們學習的每種語言 都是進入另一種語言的通道。 你知道的語言越多,你會說的就越多。 這是我們經常做的事, 我們使用心中已成立的現實 來過濾任何新的概念。 這就是為什麼語言如此重要, 因為各種語言帶我們通往新的世界, 不只是認識更多人。 語言的目的不只在於聽聞, 而是為了感受、體驗、分享。
And despite these languages that we've covered, I really don't think we've covered one of the most profound languages, and that's the language of experience. That's why when you're talking with someone, if they've shared something you've shared, you don't need to explain it much. Or that's why, when you're sharing a story and you finish, and the people you're talking to don't quite get it, the first thing we all say is, "Guess you had to be there." I guess you had to be here this week to know what this is about. It's kind of hard to explain, isn't it?
除了我們提過的這些語言, 我覺得我們還沒觸及 意義最深遠的一種語言, 那就是「經驗」。 這就是為什麼當你和某人交談時, 如果他和你有相同的經歷, 你就不需要解釋太多。 或當你分享了一個故事, 談話的對象卻不太能了解, 我們馬上會補充一句: 「你得親身經歷才會了解。」 同樣的,這週你們也得在這裡, 才會知道這是怎麼回事。 有點難解釋,對吧?
And for the sake of our research, I'm going to close by asking that you participate one more time in this language of experience. I'm going to filter through some languages, and if I'm speaking your language, I'm going to ask that you just stand and you stay standing. You don't need to ask permission, just let me know that you see me, and I can also see you if you speak this language of experience. Do you speak this language? When I was growing up in primary school, at the end of the year, we would have these parties, and we'd vote on whether we wanted to celebrate at an amusement park or a water park. And I would really hope the party wasn't at a water park, because then I'd have to be in a bathing suit. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I approach a dressing room, my sweat glands start activating on their own, because I know the garment is not going to look on me like it did on that mannequin.
為了進一步測試, 我最後要請你們參與 用「經驗」這種語言的對話。 我會連串地講幾種語言, 如果我說到了你的語言, 請你站起來,不要坐下。 你不需要問可不可以, 如果你說這種「經驗」語言, 只要讓我知道你看得見我, 讓我也看得見你。 你會講這種語言嗎? 我唸小學時, 年終我們都會開一些趴, 我們會投票決定要去主題樂園, 或是水上樂園慶祝。 我實在不希望去水上樂園, 因為我就得穿泳裝。 我不知道你們的情況, 但每次我走向更衣室, 我就會不由自主地緊張冒汗, 因為我知道泳衣穿在我身上 不會像穿在模特兒身上一樣好看。
Or how about this? When I would go to family functions or family gatherings, every time I wanted a second plate -- and I usually did --
或像這樣的經驗? 我參加家庭活動或聚會, 每次我想再來一盤的時候 ——我常要第二盤——
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
it was a whole exercise in cost-benefit analysis, my relatives looking at me like, "I don't know. Do you really need that? Looks like you're doing OK there, bud." Did my cheeks have a big "Pinch me" sign that I didn't see? And if you're squirming or you're laughing or you stood up, or you're beginning to stand, you're speaking the language that I endearingly call "the language of growing up a fat kid." And any body-image issue is a dialect of that language.
這時候就會很像成本效益分析, 親戚看著我,像在說: 「你真的還要吃嗎? 你看起來『存糧』很夠了。」 我胖胖的臉頰上有寫著 「捏我」的字樣嗎? 如果你在不安的蠕動, 或在笑,或起立了, 或正要站起來, 表示你也會說 「小胖子成長歷程」的語言。 而任何有關體型的問題 都是同類的方言。
I want you to stay standing. Again, if I'm speaking your language, please go ahead and stand. Imagine two bills in my hand. One is the phone bill, and one is the electric bill. Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, pay one off, let the other one go, which means, "I might not have enough to pay both at the current moment." You've got to be resourceful. You've got to figure it out. And if you're standing, you know the language of barely making ends meet, of financial struggle. And if you've been lucky enough to speak that language, you understand that there is no motivator of greatness like deficiency. Not having resources, not having looks, not having finances can often be the barren soil from which the most productive seeds are painstakingly plowed and harvested.
站著的人請不要坐下。 如果我講到了你的語言,請起立。 想像我手裡有兩份帳單, 一份是電話帳單, 另一份是電費帳單, 點啊點叮噹, 繳一份帳單,另一份不理。 意思是說:我可能沒錢 同時繳兩份帳單。 你必須要運用機智,設法解決。 如果你起立,你知道 這是勉強維持生計的語言、 財務困難的語言。 如果你曾說那種幸運的語言, 你會了解物質匱乏 所能帶來的強大動力。 沒有資源、沒有外表、沒有錢, 就像貧脊的土壤, 經過艱辛的耕耘, 讓撒下的種子有最豐碩的收穫。
I'm going to ask if you speak this language. The second you recognize it, feel free to stand. When we heard the diagnosis, I thought, "Not that word. Anything but that word. I hate that word." And then you ask a series of questions: "Are you sure?" "Has it spread?" "How long?" "Doctor, how long?" And a series of answers determines a person's life. And when my dad was hungry, we'd all rush to the dinner table to eat, because that's what we did before. We ate together, so we were going to continue doing that. And I didn't understand why we were losing this battle, because I was taught if you fight and if you have the right spirit, you're supposed to win. And we weren't winning. For any of you that stood up, you know very well that I'm speaking the language of watching a loved one battle cancer.
你會說這種語言嗎? 如果你認得這種語言,請起立。 我們等待醫生的診斷, 我心想:「不要說那個字。 什麼都好,就是不要說那個字。 我痛恨那個字。」 然後你問了一串問題: 「你確定嗎?」 「擴散了嗎?」 「還能活多久?」 「醫生,到底多久?」 而這些問題的答案 決定了一個人的生命。 我爸爸肚子餓的時候, 我們會趕到餐桌前吃飯, 因為我們以前都是這麼做。 我們以前一起吃飯, 所以要一直這樣一起吃飯。 我不懂為什麼我們沒有打贏這場仗, 我以前學到的是, 如果你抱著積極的心態努力, 你一定會贏。 但我們沒有贏。 如果你站起來, 你必然知道我說的這種語言, 叫做「眼見心愛的人與癌症戰鬥」。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Any terminal illness is a derivative of that language.
所有絕症都是類似的語言。
I'm going to speak one last language. Oh -- no, no, I'm listening. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no no, no no, me and you, right here, yup.
現在我要說最後一種語言。 喔,不,不,我在聽。 是是是,不不不不, 我和你,就在這裡,對。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
No, I'm with ya. I'm with ya!
不,我在聽,我在聽!
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
Or, imagine the lights are all off and a blue light is just shining in your face as you're laying on the bed. And I know some of you, like me, have dropped that phone right on your face.
或想像燈都關著, 只有藍光照在你的臉上, 你像這樣躺在床上。 我知道你們有些人跟我一樣, 不小心把手機砸到自己臉上。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
Or this one, right? Passenger seat freaking out, like, "Can you watch the road?" And for anybody that stood up, you speak the language that I like to call "the language of disconnection." It's been called the language of connection, but I like to call it the language of disconnection. I don't mean disconnection, I mean disconnection, human disconnection, disconnected from each other, from where we are, from our own thoughts, so we can occupy another space.
或是這樣: 前座乘客緊張地說: 「你看路好嗎?」 站起來的人, 你會說的是我稱之為「斷線」的語言。 有人說這叫「連線」的語言。 但是我喜歡把它叫做「斷線」的語言。 不是普通的斷線, 而是更嚴重的斷線—— 人的斷線, 人與人之間的斷線, 人與現實的斷線, 人與自己思想的斷線, 然後進入到另一個空間。
If you're not standing, you probably know what it's like to feel left out.
如果你還沒站起來, 你可能知道被遺落的感覺。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
(Applause)
(掌聲)
You probably -- you know what it's like when everybody's a part of something, and you're not. You know what it's like being the minority. And now that I'm speaking your language, I'm going to ask you to stand, since we're speaking the same language. Because I believe that language of being the minority is one of the most important languages you can ever speak in your life, because how you feel in that position of compromise will directly determine how you act in that position of power.
當每個人都有所歸屬,你卻沒有, 你知道那是什麼感覺。 你知道屬於少數人的感覺, 既然現在我說了你們的語言, 請你們也站起來, 因為我們說的是相同的語言。 我相信少數人的語言 是你生命中說過最重要的語言之一, 因為處於弱勢的感覺 會直接決定當你 掌有權力時的所作所為。
Thank you for participating. If you'd take a seat, I want to speak one last language.
謝謝各位的參與, 各位請坐下,我要說最後一種語言。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
This one, you don't need to stand. I just want to see if you recognize it.
你們不用站起來。 我只想看看你們 是否認得出這是什麼語言。
Most the girls in the world are complainin' about it. Most the poems in the world been written about it. Most the music on the radio be hittin' about it, kickin' about it, or rippin' about it. Most the verses in the game people spittin' about it, most the songs in the world, people talkin' about it. Most the broken hearts I know are walkin' without it, started to doubt it, or lost without it. Most the shadows in the dark have forgotten about it. Everybody in the world would be trippin' without it. Every boy and every girl will be dead without it, struggle without it, nothing without it. Most the pages that are filled are filled about it. ["It" = Love] The tears that are spilled are spilled about it. The people that have felt it are real about it. A life without it, you'd be lost. When I'm in it and I feel it, I be shoutin' about it. Everybody in the whole world knowin' about it. I'm hurt and broke down and be flowin' about it, goin' about it wrong 'cause I didn't allow it. Can the wound or scar heal without it? Can't the way that you feel be concealed about it? Everybody has their own ideal about it, dream about it, appeal about it. So what's the deal about it? Are you 'bout it to know that life is a dream and unreal without it? But I'm just a writer. What can I reveal about it?
世上多數女孩都抱怨這件事, 世上多數詩歌都為以它為主題, 廣播裡大部分音樂 都為它鼓譟、為它激動、 為它瘋狂。 舞台表演詩都為它傾吐, 世上大部分歌曲都在談論它, 破碎的心靈沒有了它 開始信心動搖, 或因失去它而迷惘。 黑暗中的陰影都忘卻了它。 世上每個人會因為沒有它而顛仆。 每個男孩和女孩會因沒有它而死, 因沒有它而掙扎, 因沒有它而失去價值。 大多的文字,都為它而寫。 淚水都是因它淌下。 感受過它的人最為真摯。 生命中沒有它,你會迷失。 當我身在其中、感受到它, 我會為它吶喊。 世上每個人都知道它, 我傷心崩潰、沉浸其中。 我不允許它發生,把事情搞砸了。 沒有它,傷口、疤痕能癒合嗎? 它給你的感覺,你藏得住嗎? 每個人對它都抱著不同的理想, 不同的夢、 不同的憧憬。 所以這是怎麼回事? 你知道嗎? 沒有它,生命像一場夢, 一切都不真實。 但我只是個作家, 關於它,我能說些什麼? [「它」 = 愛]
Why is it that the most spoken-about language in the world is the one we have the toughest time speaking or expressing? No matter how many books, how many seminars, how many life-coaching sessions we go to, we just can't get enough of it. And I ask you now: Is that number that you had at the beginning, has that changed? And I challenge you, when you see someone, to ask yourself: What languages do we share? And if you don't come up with anything, ask yourself: What languages could we share? And if you still don't come up with anything, ask yourself: What languages can I learn? And now matter how inconsequential or insignificant that conversation seems at the moment, I promise you it will serve you in the future.
為什麼世上最常被談論到的語言 是最難說出口、最難表達的? 不論讀過多少本書, 參加過多少研討會, 上過多少人生指導課, 我們仍然嫌它永遠不夠。 現在我再問一次: 一開始的那個數字變了嗎? 我向你挑戰,當你見到某人時, 問你自己: 我們有什麼共通語言? 如果一個也想不到, 問你自己:我們可以有什麼共通語言? 如果還是沒有頭緒, 再問自己:我可以學什麼語言? 此刻,無論這個自我對話 聽起來有多麼無足輕重、無關緊要, 我保證你未來會因此受益。
My name is Poet Ali. Thank you.
我的名字是詩人阿里。謝謝。
(Applause)
(掌聲)(歡呼聲)