2024年英语专八真题听力 演讲

Why is it harder to learn a second language?

为什么学习第二语言比较难？

Good morning, everyone. In our last lecture, we discussed briefly first language acquisition.

大家早上好。在上一节课中，我们简要地讨论了第一语言习得。

We have learned that we are born to process and produce natural human language.

我们已经知道，我们生来就是为了处理和产生自然的人类语言。

By looking at what we are exposed to or what we create with the universal grammar principles that we are born with, we also know that we acquire our native language in a natural way.

通过观察我们接触到什么或用我们与生俱来的普遍语法原则创造了什么，我们也知道我们是以自然的方式获得母语的。

However,if you have had the experience of trying to master a second language, no doubt you find it to be a challenge, urr, quite unlike your first language experience, because there are important differences between acquiring a first language and learning a second one.

然而，如果你有尝试掌握第二语言的经验，毫无疑问你会发现这是一种挑战，呃，很不像你的第一语言经验，因为获得第一语言和学习第二语言之间有重要的区别。

So in today's lecture, I will discuss why it is harder to learn a second language by comparing the differences and similarities between these two ways of language processing.

所以在今天的讲座中，我将通过比较这两种语言处理方式的差异和相似性来讨论为什么学习第二语言比较困难。

And I'll finish by briefly mentioning a related topic, that is, language translation.

最后我简单提一下一个相关的话题，就是语言翻译。

Now let's come to the differences first. First of all, as everybody knows, anyone who is learning a second language has already acquired a first language, right?

现在我们先来谈谈不同之处。首先，众所周知，任何正在学习第二语言的人，都已经习得了一门第一语言，对吧？

So the language mechanism in the brain has already had certain linguistic parameters set , such as word order in the first language.

所以大脑中的语言机制已经有了一定的语言参数设置，比如第一语言中的词序。

And that makes second language learning quite different.What one needs to learn are the specific rules of the second language, which is often called the target language.

这让第二语言学习变得很不一样。人们需要学习的是第二语言的具体规则，这通常被称为目标语言。

In second language learning, the first language tends to serve as a model and mistakes often result from taking words from the target language and putting them together, because learners tend to apply rules from the first language.

在第二语言学习中，母语往往是一种模式，错误往往是从目标语言中提取单词并将其组合在一起造成的，因为学习者倾向于应用母语的规则。

For example, if the first language is English and the target language is Korean,a second language learner might position the Korean verb between the subject and the object of the sentence, using the English word order, rather than placing the verb after the object, which is the correct Korean word order.

例如，如果第一语言是英语而目标语言是韩语，第二语言学习者可能会使用英语语序将韩语动词置于句子的主语和宾语之间，而不是将动词置于宾语之后，这是正确的韩语语序。

Generally speaking, the greater the difference between the first language and the target language , the more tasks are involved in learning the latter.

一般来说，母语和目标语言的差别越大，学习目标语言的任务就越多。

What's more, second language learning can even be characterized as a gradual shift from the first language orientation to the target language orientation.

更重要的是，第二语言学习甚至可以被描述为从母语向目标语言的逐渐转变。

Okay , let's come to the second point. As we all know, first language acquisition typically takes place in early childhood at a very young age.

好了，我们来谈第二点。众所周知，第一语言习得通常发生在幼儿时期，而且年龄很小。

However, second language learning, especially in a classroom setting,proceeds more quickly with adults and adolescents than with younger children initially.

然而，二语学习，尤其是在课堂环境下，在成人和青少年中比起较小的孩子起初进展得更快。

Although at the end of the day, it is the younger child who will become more proficient in second language learning than grown- ups.

虽然说到底，比起成年人，小孩子会更精通第二语言学习。

That is to say, even in second language learning,age is also a major factor as in first language acquisition.

也就是说，即使在第二语言学习中，年龄也是一个主要因素，就像第一语言习得一样。

The third point I want to bring up here is that it's apparent that first language acquisition happens without conscious teaching, you know, in a kind of natural way, as I mentioned just now.

我想在这里提到的第三点是，显而易见的第一语言习得是在没有有意识的教学的情况下发生的，你知道，就像我刚才提到的那样，是以一种自然的方式发生的。

But the second language learning generally does not.

但第二语言学习一般不会。

Numerous studies have shown that a number of traits such as self-confidence,motivation,good self-image and low anxiety can facilitate second language learning.

许多研究表明，自信、积极、良好的自我形象和低焦虑等特质可以促进第二语言学习。

But none of these traits seem as important to first language acquisition.

但这些特征对第一语言习得似乎都不那么重要。

Okay, let's move to the fourth point. Studies have shown that the input that affects second language learning is more complex than that in a first language acquisition context.

好了，我们来谈谈第四点。研究表明，影响第二语言学习的输入比第一语言习得的输入更复杂。

What do I mean here? Now let me give you an example.

我这里是什么意思？现在我举个例子。

If a second language learner has a classroom teacher who talks in the target language at a quick rate, in complex sentences and about complicated matters, the learner will probably have a harder time in the learning process.

如果一个第二语言学习者有一个用目标语言说话速度快、句子复杂、问题复杂的老师，学习者在学习过程中可能会遇到困难。

However,first language acquisition can proceed at the same rate whether or not adults simplify their language.

然而，无论成人是否简化语言，初级语言习得都能够以同样的速度进行。

Now,the fifth point is that practice is important for second language learning, but not so much for first language acquisition.

第五点是练习对于第二语言学习很重要，但是对于第一语言习得却没有那么重要。

Even very quiet children, I mean, kids who don't like to talk to people, can acquire their first language at the ordinary rate, but that doesn't work for a second language learner.

即使是非常安静的孩子，我是说，不喜欢和人交谈的孩子，也能以正常的速度掌握第一语言，但这对第二语言学习者是行不通的。

For example, he or she has to constantly practice listening and speaking in order to be proficient in that language. This means that second language learners need to put in a lot more effort.

例如，他或她必须不断地练习听力和口语，以便熟练掌握那门语言。这意味着第二语言学习者需要投入更多的努力。

Despite the differences I've mentioned between first language acquisition and second language learning, they also share a few similarities.

尽管我已经提到第一语言习得和第二语言学习之间存在差异，但它们也有一些相似之处。

Let's take a look at them. First is the learning speed. Second language learning can proceed as quickly as first language acquisition if the target language is used as the medium of instruction.

我们来看看它们。首先是学习速度。如果以目标语言为教学媒介，第二语言的学习可以和第一语言的学习一样快。

Then the next is language exposure ,which is both important in the two processes.

接下来是语言暴露，这两个过程都很重要。

As in first language acquisition , second language learning can be more successful when richly interactive language is used in the classroom.

与第一语言习得一样，当课堂上使用丰富的交互式语言时，第二语言学习会更成功。

That is, exposure to authentic language,be it oral or written, is a better teaching strategy than memorization drills or recitations.

也就是说，接触真实的语言，无论是口头还是书面，是比记忆钻机或背诵更好的教学策略。

So far, I've taken you through some of the differences and similarities between first language acquisition and second language learning.

到目前为止，我已经带大家了解了第一语言习得和第二语言学习的一些不同和相似之处。

You may find second language learning is, to some extent, a much harder process than first language acquisition.

你可能会发现，在某种程度上，第二语言学习是一个比第一语言习得困难得多的过程。

A final point here, which is closely related to second language learning, that is, urr, language translation.

这里最后一点，和二语学习密切相关，那就是，呃，语言翻译。

In language learning classes, you are often asked to translate between languages as a form of exercise or assessment.

在语言学习课程中，你经常被要求在不同语言之间进行翻译，作为一种练习或评估形式。

And you may have already faced challenges when transforming one language into the other.

在将一种语言转换成另一种语言时，你可能已经面临过挑战。

There is an Italian saying which goes something like this,"Translators,traitors.”What it really means is that translation can never be perfect.

有一句意大利语是这样的，“翻译者，叛徒。”这句话的真正含义是翻译永远不可能完美。

So anyone who translates necessarily betrays the original, more or less. In my opinion ,translation is not a mechanical act. Rather ,translation is a creative act.

所以任何翻译的人必然或多或少背叛了原文。在我看来，翻译不是一个机械的行为。相反，翻译是一种创造性的行为。

Some have even said that translating is rewriting.Different translators will offer different translations of the same text, and these different translations have their own strengths and drawbacks.

有人甚至说，翻译就是重写。对于同一文本，不同的译者会提供不同的译文，这些不同的译文各有优缺点。

So in my next lecture, we'll discuss the complexity of language translation. Thank you.

因此，在我的下一个讲座中，我们将讨论语言翻译的复杂性。谢谢你。

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