Between Two Worlds – The ABC Experience 华裔美人悠游于两个世界之间
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2004年5月28日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年6月28日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：487
课文朗读
课文讲解
According to the U.S. Census 2000, there are roughly 2.5 million American of Chinese ancestry. Of this group, an increasing number are American-born Chinese (ABCs), who grow up straddling two very distinct cultures.
根据美国2000年的户口普查，约有二百五十万美国人有中国血统。这些人当中，愈来愈多人是华裔美人(ABCs)，他们横跨在两种极端不同的文化之间长大。
At home, ABCs learn traditional Chinese values emphasizing family, harmony, and respect for authority. Outside the home, however, they learn to embrace Western ideals like self-determination, freedom, and respect for individual expression. The cultural conflict that results often plays itself out in misunderstandings and hard feelings.
在家里，华裔美人学到强调家庭、和谐与尊敬威权等传统中国价值观。不过在外头，他们学着接纳西方的理念，像是自主、自由和尊重个人表达。两者所产生的文化冲突常常会以误解和怨懑收场。
Many ABCs grow up not understanding why their parents are so stifling compared to their friends’ parents. Traditionally, Chinese parents make important decisions for their children in order to preserve the family’s good name and welfare. These parents believe it’s their responsibility to prevent children from making “mistakes.” Their Americanized children, however, usually expect to tackle major decisions on their own, and to be allowed to learn from their mistakes.
许多华裔美人及至长大成人都不能了解，他们的父母与朋友的父母相较之下，为何会管得令人几乎窒息。传统上，华人父母为保护家庭名誉和利益，会替子女做重大的决定，他们认为预防孩子犯「错」是自己的职责所在。但是孩子已经美国化了，常希望能够亲自处理重大的决定，让自己能从错误中记取教训。
This cultural conflict is often compounded by differing expressions of affection. Americanized children generally expect verbal encouragement and physical affection from their parents. In contrast, Asian-born parents believe love is shown by providing shelter and money.
这种文化冲突常常又因情感表达方式不同而更形复杂。美国化的孩子通常会期待父母给予口头的鼓励和以肢体表达情感。相形之下，亚裔父母则认为让孩子有得住、有得花就表示了他们的爱意。
For these families, understanding is often a lifelong struggle. After all, bridging these two cultures is nothing less than harmonizing East and West.
对这些家庭而言，相互体谅常得花上一辈子的工夫。毕竟，要沟通这两种文化几乎不亚于要调合东方与西方世界。
Vocabulary
单词发音
census [ˋsɛnsəs] n. 人口普查；人口调查
ancestry [ˋænsɛstrɪ] n.（总称）祖先，列祖列宗
straddle [ˋstræd!] v. 跨立于; 横跨…的两边
authority [əˋθɔrətɪ] n. 权威，威信
self-determination [͵sɛlfdɪ͵tɝməˋneʃən] n. 自己决定
play out 结束 to perform to the end
hard [hɑrd] adj. 冷酷无情的；严厉的
stifling [ˋstaɪf!ɪŋ] adj.〔境况〕令人窒息的; 压制个性发挥的
compound [kɑmˋpaʊnd] v. 加重，使恶化; 使复杂化
affection [əˋfɛkʃən] n. 爱，感情，钟爱
nothing less than 与...一模一样
Sentence of the Day
ABCs are sometimes stuck between a rock and a hard place.
华裔美人有时身陷于进退两难之间，难以抉择。
between a rock and a hard place 进退维谷，左右为难
课文讲解
Lorraine is asking her Uncle Ting for advice: 萝琳向她叔叔丁恩征询意见：
L: Guess what, Uncle? I’m getting married! But I don’t know how to tell Dad!
你知道吗，叔叔？我要结婚了！但不知道要如何向父亲启齿！
T: What? I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend!
真的？！我甚至不知道妳有男朋友呢！
L: Actually, Rick and I have been dating for years. Everyone known except for the family because …. Well, he’s white.
事实上，瑞克和我已经约会好几年了。除了家人外每个人都知道，因为…嘛，他是白种人。
T: So what? Your dad may be old-fashioned but he has lived in the U.S. for many years. Just have a heart-to-heart with him.
白种人又怎样？妳爸爸或许古板，但是他已经住在美国很多年了。只要和他开诚布公地谈一谈就可以了。
L: That’s the problem. Our conversations mainly consist of him scolding me and telling me what I should do with my life. I don’t know how to talk him as an adult.
问题就在这里。我们的谈话内容多半是他数落我，告诉我我该如何过活。
T: I understand. But you must remember: he believes his behavior shows he’s concerned. You can’t compare our family with western families.
我了解。不过妳必须记住：他相信他的行为表示关切。妳不能拿自己家和西方家庭比。
L: I’ve noticed. My friends talk about personal matters with their parents. But I can’t even imagine that.
我早注意到了。我朋友都和他们父母谈私事，但是我连想都不敢想。
T: That’s how your parents were brought up. If you want to understand them, you’ll have to discover your roots. But you’ve already made your decision, haven’t you?
妳父母也是这种方式教养长大的。若妳想了解他们，妳得先寻根。不过妳已经先作成决定了，对吧？
L: Of course. It’s my life, so it’s my decision. I just hope he’ll accept it.
当然。这是我的生活，所以得自己下决定。我只希望他能够接受这个决定。
T: He will, but not if you speak to him in that tone. Give him face and be sensitive of his perspective. He’ll come around.
他会的，但是不要用那种语气和他谈话。给他点面子，站在他立场替他想想看，他到头来会答应的。
－by Howie Phung
Vocabulary
课文讲解
old-fashioned [ˋoldˋfæʃənd] adj. 老派的，守旧的
heart-to-heart 真诚坦率地, 倾心地 very sincere and honest
scold [skold] v. 骂，责骂
concerned [kənˋsɝnd] adj. 关心的; 挂虑的，担心的
root [rut] n. 祖先 N-PLURAL 根脉; 祖籍; 血统; 根基
face [fes] n. 面子，尊严
come around 让步；改变立场 change one's position or opinion
Sentence of the Day
Traditional parents often believe that if you spare the rod, you spoil the child.
传统父母经常认为教育子女不打不成器。
spare the rod and spoil the child【谚】孩子不打不成器