American Social Relations 中英文对照

1、4.American Social Relations Gladys G. Doty Janet Ross American society is much more informal than that of many other countries and ,in some ways, is characterized by less social distinction. The American mixture of pride in achievement and sense of “Im just as good as anybody else.” Along with lack

2、of importance placed on personal dignity, is difficult for a foreigner to understand. Americans in general do not like to be considered inferior, and they grumble loudly about inc onveniences or not getting a “fair deal.” Yet they do not make a point of their personal honor. As an illustration of th

3、e difference between European and American reflection in this respect, John Whyte in American Words and Ways gives the following account.美国的社会比其他国家的社会更加非正式,在某些方面,美国社会的特征就是较少的社会差别。美国式的混合物-个人的成就感、不比别人差的优越感以及对个人尊严缺乏重要性,这些对一个外国人来说是很难理解的。通常来讲美国人不喜欢被别人看成低人一等的,他们也会为自己遭受的不便而抱怨,还会为自己没有得到公平的待遇而抱怨。然而,他们也不是很重视自

4、己的荣誉。在这一方面,为了更好展示欧洲人和美国人的不同反映,John Whyte 在美国语言和方式这本书里给了我们如下的描述。A .European professor visiting in America was once sent a bill for hospital services which he had never enjoyed. The bill was accompanied by a strong letter demanding payment. It was obvious that a mistake in name had been made, but the

5、professor, thoroughly aroused by this reflection on his character and financial integrity , wrote a vigorous letter of reply (which an American might also have done . But in this letter of reply he demanded that the creditor write him a formal letter of apology for this reflection on his honor. Sinc

6、e on publicity could possibly have been given to the mistake, for mistake it was ,most Americans in that situation, after getting the matter off their chest (or without doing that would have let the matter rest.有位欧洲的教授曾在美国访问,他有次收到一份在医院接受治疗的账单,实际上他并没有接受过任何治疗。随附账单还有一封措施很强烈的信件。很明显这是因为把姓名弄错了,但是这位教授由于对信中

7、对自己人格以及金钱方面的廉洁而提出的质疑感到不舒服,他也写了一份措辞很激烈的回信。(美国人也会这样去做。但是在这份回信中,这位欧洲教授要求他的债权人写一份正式的道歉信,就因为对他人格的指责。由于这样的错误并没有被公众知悉,即使这样的错误已经发生了,但大多数美国人在这种形势下,只是将其宣泄一番,甚至有的人根本就不用宣泄,就让这件事情过去了。An example of the same thing may be that although Americans like to talk about their accomplishment ,it is their custom to show ce

8、rtain modesty in reply to compliments. When someone praises an American upon his achievement or upon his personal appearance ,which, incidentally, is a very polite thing to do in America, the American turns it aside. If someone should say, “Congratulations upon being elected president of the club,”

9、an American is expected to reply, “well, I hope I can do a good job,” or something of the sort. Or if someone says . “Thats pretty blue necktie you are wearing,” an American is likely to say ,”Im glad you like it,” or “Thank you My wife gave it to me for my birthday.” The response to a compliment se

10、ldom conveys the idea, “I, too, think Im pretty good.”同样的事情我再给你举一个例子,尽管美国人比较喜欢讨论自己的成就,但是他们有个习俗,那就是如果你得到某种赞美时,你的回答要展示某种谦虚。当有人在赞美一个美国人诸如他的成就或外貌的时候,这些话题在美国被认为是很有礼貌的事情,他也不会太在意。如果有人对一个美国人说:“祝贺你当选俱乐部主席”,他会回答“我希望把工作做好”或者诸如词类的话语。当有人说:“你打的领结很漂亮”,而美国人会说“我很高兴你喜欢它”或者“谢谢你,这是我妻子送给我的生日礼物”。所有对这种赞美的回答从来都不会传达这样的含义即“我

11、也认为我挺不错的”Likewise ,there are fewer social conventions that show social differences in America. Students do not rise when a teacher enters the room .on does not always address a person by his title, such as “professor” or “Doctor” (“Doctor” is always used ,however ,for a doctor of medicine. The respe

12、ctful “sit” is not always use in the northern and western parts of the country .同样的,在美国也很少有那种社会习俗来表现这种社会差异。当老师进教室的时候,学生是不起立的。也不经常在一个人的名字前面加一些头衔,比如教授或博士。(DOCTOR 如果从医药学方面来称呼也是可以的。表示尊敬含义的SIR在美国北部和西部也是很少使用的。Clothing in Amer ica ,as in every place in the word, to a certain degree reflects a persons socia

13、l position and income, or , at least among the young, his attitudes toward society or toward himself. Yet no person is restricted to a certain uniform or manner of dress because of his occupations or class in society. A bank president may wear overalls to paint his house and it not ashamed of either

14、 the job or the clothing, and a common laborer may wear a rented tuxedo at hisdaughters wedding .在美国正如在世界上其他地方一样,从某种意义上,人的穿着会反映其社会地位和收入,或者至少在年轻人当中可以反映这个社会或者自己的态度。但是由于自已的职业或社会地位,没有任何一个只局限穿一种特定的制服或选择某种特定的穿衣方式。一个银行的行长在粉刷自己房子的时候会穿工装服,而且不会因这种工作和穿衣的方式而感到羞愧。而一个普通劳动者在自己女儿的婚礼上也会租穿一件无尾燕尾服。Yet in spite of all

15、the informality,America it not completely without customs that show consciousness of social distinction. For example, one is likely to use somewhat more formal language when talking to superiors. While the informal “Hello” is an acceptable greeting form employee to employer, the employee is more apt

16、 to say. “Hello, Mr. Ferguson.” Wh ereas the employer may reply, “Hello, Jim.” Southerners make a point of saying “Yes, sir,” or “Yes ,mama,” or “No, sir,” or “No , mama,” when talking to an older person or a person in position of authority. Although this is a good form all over the Unite d States,

17、“Yes, Mr. Weston” or “No, Mr. Baker” is somewhat more common in a similar situation in the North or West .尽管有诸如此类非正式的东西,但是美国也并不是完全没有习俗来展现这种社会差别意识。例如,但一个人跟他的上司说话的时候,他会用更加正式的语言。尽管非正式语言HELLO 可以用于雇员和雇主之间,但对于一个雇员来说,他更倾向于使用HELLO,MR FERGUSON,而上司回答时可以直接回答HELLO JIM。当跟一个年长者或者权位更高的人说话时,美国南方人主张说YES SIR 或YES MAA

18、M 或NO, SIR或NO, MAMA。尽管这样的称谓在全美国被认为是一种很好的称谓形式,但是在美国北部或西部,人们还更倾向于称YES,MR WESTON 或NO,MRS BAKER。Certain other forms of politeness are observed on social occasions. Though people wear hates less now than in the past ,women still occasionally wear hats in church and at public social functions (except thos

19、e that are in the evening.某种表示礼貌的形式可以在社交场合会看到的。尽管现在的人不像过去那么经常带帽子,但是女性在教堂或一些公众庆祝宴会时会带上帽子的(当然这些场合如果发生在晚上就不用了In America there are still customs by which a man may show respect for a woman. He opens the door for her and lets her precede him through it .he walks on the side of the walk nearest the street

20、. He takes her arm when crossing a street or descending a stairway. Ayounger person also shows respect for an older one in much the same fashion, by helping the older person in things requiring physical exertion or involving possible accident.在美国仍然还有些习俗,男士们通过这些习惯来表现对女士的尊敬。他会给女士开门,而且让女士先进入。男士也会走在更靠近街

21、道的人行道。当穿过一条阶段或下楼梯时,男士会扶着女士。一个年轻人同样也会表示对年长者的尊敬,他们通过帮助他们做一些费体力的活或一些引发事故的活。American surface informality often confuses the foreigner because he interprets it to mean no formality at all. He does not understand the point at which informality stops. A teacher, though friendly, pleasant, and informal in c

22、lass, expects students to study hard, and he grades each students work critically and carefully. He also expects to be treated with respect. Although students are free to ask questions about statements make by the teacher, and may say that they disagree with what he says, they are not expected to co

23、ntradict him. Similarly, in boy-girl relationships a foreign student should not mistake the easy relationship and flattery that are part of the dating pattern in the United States, nor presume that in means more that it does.美国人这种表面上的非正式性会让一个外国人迷惑,因为他认为美国人的这种非正式性意味着没有正式性而言。但是他并不知道美国人的这种非正式性会在哪里变成了正式

24、性,比如一个老师在课堂上看起来友好、和善,在课堂上也表现的非正式,但老师要求学生努力学习,并且在批改作业时是很严格和仔细的。而且这位老师也同样希望学生能尊敬他。尽管学生对老师的陈述自由提出问题,而且也可以表达对老师观点的不同意,但是这些学生也不能驳斥老师的观点。同样,在男孩和女孩交往的过程中,一个外国学生也不要对美国人在约会里表现的亲近关系或奉承的话语而误会,不要认为他们还有更深层次的含义。Also, because an American is perhaps more likely to admit and laugh at his own mistakes than one who st

25、ands more on his dignity, a foreigner sometimes does not know how to handle the Americans apparent modesty. The American is quite ready to admit certain weaknesses, such as “I never was good at mathematics.” “Im a rotten tennis player.” Or “Im the worlds worst bridge player.” However,the stranger mu

26、st not be too quick to agree with him. Americans think it is all right, even sporting, to admit a defect in themselves, but they feel that it is almost an insult to have someone else agree. A part of American idea of good sportsmanship it the point of being generous to a loser. This attitude is carr

27、ied over into matters that have nothing to do with competition. If a man talks about his weak points, the listener says something in the way of encouragement, or points to other qualities in which the speaker excels. An American student reports that when he was in foreign country he was completely stunned when he said to a