数年前，我在美国工作时，有位同事是中国人，名字叫 Wilson。Wilson 的英文也不差，但他平时上网浏览，都以中文网站为主，周末甚至驱车到华人区买中文报。
大马博客欣子姑娘到泰北旅行，学当背包客。她出发前买了台湾人写的旅游指南，到了当地才觉得书的资料不太适合。或许有人问：“为何她不买 Lonely Planet，毕竟那才是背包客的圣经。”
问题就在这里：欣子姑娘是以中文写作，中文是她的 comfort zone。出国旅行要买旅游指南，很自然的就想到台湾版中文书。
在大马，多拜“华教斗士”数十年来的努力，中文已成为许多华人的 comfort zone。这些人平时阅读的是中文书报，上的是中文网站，看的是港台电视剧，听的是华、粤语歌，偶尔也唱唱《爱拼才会赢》。即使忽然对 Harry Potter 感兴趣，也只会选购中文译本。若是向朋友借了英文原版来，只看几页，就会觉得“周身都唔舒服”。总而言之，英文嘛，能免则免啦。
其实，我也是过来人，中学时不看英文书，阅读的科幻小说、福尔摩斯等等，全部是中文译本。到了中四、中五时补习英文，程度才有提升。大学时，参考书九成都是英文写的，避都避不来。大学毕业时，我总算是走出了中文的 comfort zone。
华教斗士大力提倡母语教育，美其名是多元文化主义 multiculturalism。但是，当他们说什么“华人必须讲华语”，不讲华语就被贬为香蕉人，他们根本就对多元文化不感兴趣。
P/S
No offense to 欣子.
Wah, your Mandarin and English both are top class!
ReplyDelete"这些人平时阅读的是中文书报" (I read SinChew Daily at home, The Star when I'm at school)
ReplyDelete"上的是中文网站" (Very very rare, like once in a blue moon)
"看的是港台电视剧" (TVB dramas rox! But I skip those Taiwanese idol dramas)
"听的是华、粤语歌" (Still not as frequent as English songs)
"偶尔也唱唱《爱拼才会赢》" (Nonono... We should sing "long pan, long lao"!)
"即使忽然对 Harry Potter 感兴趣，也只会选购中文译本" (I hv Vol.4 with me for years but I'm just too lazy to read it. Stopped at pg 1xx. Will hv to re-read it then.)
"若是向朋友借了英文原版来，只看几页，就会觉得“周身都唔舒服” (Books that are translated may lose its essence, and some may get lost in translation. So its best to stick to the original language for pure reading pleasure.)
neo
ReplyDeleteNot top class, but good enough for communication, LOL...
kyh
Congratulations! You've stepped out of 'language comfort zone'.
It's a natural instinct to seek comfort and to stay in the comfort zone for as long as possible. No?
ReplyDeleteI agree with KYH that translation causes some loss of essence. But then again, reading it is better than not.
Happy New Year, KS.
i still in 'language comfort zone'...
ReplyDeletebut i going to live in UK, i bought both language, cos Mandarin easy understand, English provide more info.
happysufer
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's fun to be out of the comfort zone. That's why we have so many DIY shops...
kikey
If you can blog in English, you're out of the comfort zone already.
中学时期，我把easy和difficult弄反了。 没法完整说一段英文句子。SPM后孤身到新山做工读生，勉勉强强挨了4个月，也勉勉强强可以说几句写几句像样的英文。知道世界不只是眼前的，还有看不到的，现在还在适应期哦，哈哈！
ReplyDeletehahahaaaa... i prefer the original version when reading ~
ReplyDeletea chinese book best read the chinese version, while an english book, best read in the original version, when translated, a lot is missing ~ ^_^
pingping
ReplyDeleteAt least you have tried. Some don't...
迷迭香
Absolutely agree with you :)