高斋Joy有话说:研究表明,隔离会对人的心理健康造成危害。那么,疫情期间长期隔离下的我们该如何筑牢心理防线,缓解自身孤独感?
经济学人上最近有篇文章讲到了新冠疫情对人们心理健康的影响,今天“高斋外刊双语精读”就带大家看看这篇文章,文章标题叫作How will humans, by nature social animals, fare when cut off from one another?人天生就是一种社会动物,一旦彼此隔离将会怎样?
标题里面我们需要注意三个知识点:
A. by nature是固定表达,表示“本质;生性;天性;生来”,如:
He was by nature a spirited little boy.
他是个生性活泼的小男孩。
标题中的humans, by nature social animals意思就是“人天生是社会动物”;
B. fare这个词常见的是作名词,表示“旅费;路费;车费”,但在这里它作动词,意思是“进展”。常见表达fare well进展良好,表现良好。如《华尔街日报》上的这句话:
Some smaller rivals with a focus on emerging countries or niche markets fared betterthan big Wall Street firms.
一些专注于新兴市场国家或小众市场的较小规模公司比华尔街的大型公司表现更好。
C. be cut off from one another相当于be isolated from one another,表示“彼此隔离”。
文中给出了缓解孤独感的几点建议,一起来看一下。
经济学人原文:
①The longer a quarantine goes on, the greater the effect on people’s mental health. ②A study, which looked at the impact of SARS, found that those who were quarantined for more than ten days were significantly more likely to display symptoms of PTSD than those confined for fewer than ten days. ③Even under the tightest restrictions, people find ways to cope. ④Writing in the New York Times, Scott Kelly, a former astronaut who spent a year on the International Space Station, suggested that keeping a routine and writing a journal can help ease loneliness. ⑤Talking to friends and family over video calls helps, too—though the clunkiness of much of the software makes them an imperfect substitute for an encounter in person. ⑥Studies have shown that those who feel they have “supportive people” in their social networks are less likely to react to stressful circumstances than those who do not.
高斋参考译文:
隔离时间越久,对人的心理健康影响就越大。一项针对SARS的研究显示,隔离时间超过10天的人比隔离期不到10天的人更有可能出现创伤后应激障碍(简称PTSD)的症状。但即便在最严厉的限制措施下,人们也能找到应对的方法。在国际空间站待了近一年的前NASA宇航员斯科特·凯利(Scott Kelly)在《纽约时报》上撰文,指出隔离期间保持良好的作息习惯和写日记有助于缓解孤独感。尽管大部分软件使用起来没那么方便,与亲友视频通话比不上面对面交流,但同样也有助于降低孤独感。多项研究表明,知道身边有人会帮助自己,也有助于减轻一个人的精神压力。
段落分析:第①句是总领句,点明主旨:隔离时间越久,对人的心理健康影响就越大;第②句通过针对SARS的一项研究说明隔离时间更久更容易出现心理健康问题;
第③句属于承上启下句,指出在面对隔离带来的心理健康威胁时,人们有办法应对,同时引出后面对ways的具体说明;第④⑤⑥句分别介绍了“隔离期间”三种缓解孤独感和压力的方法。
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第一句:The longer a quarantine goes on, the greater the effect on people’s mental health.
隔离时间越久,对人的心理健康影响就越大。
1. 比较级的用法:the +比较级……, the +比较级……,译为“越……,就越……”。如金融时报例句:
But the longer that this drought continues, the bigger the policy issues become.
但信贷枯竭持续时间越长,政策问题就会越严重。
2. quarantine 美[ˈkwɔːrəntiːn]:这个词最近很常见了,它既可以作动词,也可以作名词。
A. 作动词,表示“对……进行隔离/检疫”。如金融时报上有一篇文章标题就叫作:
China quarantines city in effort to contain viral outbreak
武汉封城,以遏制疫情蔓延;
B. 作名词,表示“检疫;隔离”。经济学人上有句话是这么说的:
She is serving out the last few days of a two-week quarantine that local officials said new arrivals must undergo.
按照当地政府要求,入境人员需隔离14天,现在她还有最后几天隔离期就结束了。
今天这句话的quarantine是名词,表示“隔离”。
3. 一词多义:go on可以表示“继续;进行;持续;发生;时间流逝”,今天这个goes on表示“持续;继续”之意。如经济学人例句:
But at least they may be realising that things cannot go on like this.
不过,至少他们可能已经认识到事态不能再继续这样下去了。
goes on也可以说continues。
4. 注意介词搭配:the effect on表示“对……的影响”,使用介词on,也可以说the impact on,第二句就使用了这个。
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第二句:A study, which looked at the impact of SARS, found that those who were quarantined for more than ten days were significantly more likely to display symptoms of PTSD than those confined for fewer than ten days.
一项针对SARS的研究显示,隔离时间超过10天的人比隔离期不到10天的人更有可能出现创伤后应激障碍(简称PTSD)的症状。
1. 句子结构分析:主干是A study found that...其中which looked at the impact of SARS是A study的定语从句, that those who were quarantined for more than ten days were significantly more likely to display symptoms of PTSD than those confined for fewer than ten days是found的宾语从句。
宾语从句中的主干是those were significantly more likely to display symptoms of PTSD than those,其中who were quarantined for more than ten days是those的定语从句,confined for fewer than ten days是those的后置定语。
2. 固定句型:A study looked at ...当作一个固定句型来记,表示“针对……的研究;研究了……;研究内容包括……”,looked at也可以写为took a look at,我们在CATTI和MTI翻译班里讲过一个类似的句子:
The most recent Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll took a look at how they feel about the areas they call home.
今后我们在英语作文写作中,说明报告、研究的内容时,就可以借鉴这一部分的写作句式:The research/study looked at/took a look at …
还比如经济学人精读:奥巴马《美国工厂》刷屏,中国工厂文化VS美国文化!| 外刊双语中讲到纪录片探讨了如何实现跨文化适应这一问题时有这么一句:
The film gives a close-up look at how the cultures adjust to one another.
The film gives a look at就表示电影探讨了/讲述了什么内容。
3. 固定句型:A study, which looked at ..., found that ...也可以当作一个固定句型来记,意思是“一项针对……研究显示/发现/表明”。
其中found that也可以换为showed that,suggested that,said that,revealed that,还可以用according to。
4. 固定表达:were significantly more likely to ... than ...是固定表达,意思是“比……更可能”。如经济学人例句:
Secretaries, waiters and journalists were significantly more likely to think themselves middle-class than accountants, computer programmers or civil servants.
与会计师、电脑程序员或公务员相比,秘书、侍应生和记者明显更倾向于把自己归为中产阶级。
5. 同义词替换:display symptoms of表示“出现……症状”。“出现症状”除了用display,也可以说show,have,develop,如世卫组织官网上的这句:
In addition, during the week before the child developed symptoms, her mother purchased chickens from a local market.
此外,在该女童出现症状的前一周,其母亲曾在当地市场买鸡。
还比如develop symptoms of arsenic poisoning 出现砷中毒症状。
5. PTSD:创伤后应激障碍(post‐traumatic stress disorder,简称PTSD)是指个体经历、目睹或遭遇到一个或多个涉及自身或他人的实际死亡,或受到死亡的威胁,或严重的受伤,或躯体完整性受到威胁后,所导致的个体延迟出现和持续存在的精神障碍。
6. confined for和quarantined for在这里是同义表达,都表示“隔离多久”。“居家隔离”可以说be confined to one’s homes。
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第三句:Even under the tightest restrictions, people find ways to cope.
但即便在最严厉的限制措施下,人们也能找到应对的方法。
1. restriction既可以作不可数名词,表示“限制;约束”,如sports clothes that prevent any restriction of movement 宽松的运动服;
也可以是可数名词,表示“限制措施;限制规定;制约因素”,restrictions在今天这里是可数名词,表示“限制措施,限制规定”。如金融时报上的这句话:
Giuseppe Conte, Italy’s prime minster, from Tuesday imposed restrictions on the movement of the whole of Italy.
意大利总理朱塞佩•孔特(Giuseppe Conte)宣布从周二开始限制整个意大利的人员移动。
imposed restrictions on表示实施限制措施,impose也可以说place。
2. cope表示“解决;应对”。“设法应对”可以说manage to cope。我们知道cope是不及物动词,所以处理/应对某事是cope with sth。如ted上这句:
We have a real major outbreak of disease in the United States, we are not prepared to cope with it.
面对美国此次疾病大爆发,我们完全没准备好应对。
3. find ways to cope:to do可以理解为ways的修饰成分,也可以理解为目的。
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第四句:Writing in the New York Times, Scott Kelly, a former astronaut who spent a year on the International Space Station, suggested that keeping a routine and writing a journal can help ease loneliness.
在国际空间站待了近一年的前NASA宇航员斯科特·凯利(Scott Kelly)在《纽约时报》上撰文,指出隔离期间保持良好的作息习惯和写日记有助于缓解孤独感。
1. 句子结构分析:这句话的主干是Scott Kelly suggested that;that keeping a routine and writing a journal can help ease loneliness是suggest的宾语从句。
宾语从句中,主干是keeping a routine and writing a journal can help ease loneliness。
Writing in the New York Times是现在分词短语作状语;a former astronaut是Scott Kelly的同位语;who引导的是定语从句,修饰astronaut。
2. 翻译思维:Writing in the New York Times不能翻译为“在《纽约时报》中写道”,它的意思是斯科特·凯利(Scott Kelly)在《纽约时报》上撰文。
3. 国际空间站(英语International Space Station,缩写ISS):由16个国家共同建造、运行和使用,是有史以来规模最大、耗时最长且涉及国家最多的空间国际合作项目,支持人在地球轨道长期驻留。
4. 专有名词在句中往往加the,所以是the International Space Station和the New York Times。
5. keep a routine需要根据语境理解含义。routine作名词本意是“常规,惯例,例行公事”,如《华尔街日报》上的这句话:
Even if you can only do half an hour, it will help you sleep and get back into a routine.
即使只活动半小时,也能帮助你更好地安睡并尽快恢复到正常的生物钟。
今天这个keep a routine的意思就是“保持良好的作息习惯”。
6. help这个词在这里不是“帮助”,而是表示“有助于,有利于”,如经济学人例句:
Better vigilance would help catch viral newcomers early.
提高防范意识有助于及早发现新病毒。
7. help ease loneliness即“有助于缓解孤独感”。ease也可以替换为relieve。
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第五句:Talking to friends and family over video calls helps, too—though the clunkiness of much of the software makes them an imperfect substitute for an encounter in person.
尽管大部分软件使用起来没那么方便,与亲友视频通话比不上面对面交流,但同样也有助于降低孤独感。
1. 句子结构分析:这句的主干是Talking to friends and family over video calls helps。
2. 破折号的用法:破折号在这里的用法是引出转折,它的语法意义就相当于逗号,但前面helps, too中已经有了一个逗号,避免逗号太多,所以用了破折号。
中文的习惯一般是重心放后面,所以先说“尽管/虽然”,然后说“但是”。
3. Talking to friends and family over video calls:video calls表示视频通话,如经济学人这句:
It could not, however, support enough data to enable video calls, photo-sharing and other mobile internet use that customers wanted. That gave rise to 3g.
但2G网络无法支持足够的数据来提供客户想要的视频通话、照片分享和其他移动互联网应用。于是3G应运而生。
4. over video calls:通过视频电话。over在这里表示“利用;通过”之意,如:
You don't have to commit to anything over the phone.
你不用在电话里承诺什么。
The head of state addressed the nation over the radio.
这位国家元首通过广播向全国发表了讲话。
注意介词是over。
“通过视频电话”也可以说by videophone,注意by后面不加冠词,还比如by bus。
5. clunkiness本意是“笨重”,如the clunkiness of the first cameras 笨重的第一代相机。
但今天这里肯定不能是软件笨重,只能说软件不够轻便灵活。
the clunkiness of much of the software makes them an imperfect substitute是make sth sth的用法,翻译的时候需要意译。
6. 固定表达:an imperfect substitute for字面意思就是“一个不完美的替代品”,其中im-是否定前缀,表示“不;无;非”。
经济学人精读:停课不停学!师生关系有何变化?| 外刊双语中提到了一个类似表达a poor substitute for,原句是这么说的:
Many parents fret that online learning is a poor substitute for classroom instruction.
许多家长担心在线学习效果不好,不能代替课堂教学。
a poor substitute for和an imperfect substitute for当作固定表达来记,意思是“比不上”。
7. an encounter in person:当面交流。相当于a face to face encounter,其中encounter也可以说meeting。
8. family是集合名词表示复数概念,表示“家人”。如:
The support of family and friends is vital.
亲友的支持极为重要。
9. helps同样表示“有助于”之意,这里补充完整就是help ease loneliness,所以意思翻译完整,即“同样有助于缓解孤独感”。
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第六句:Studies have shown that those who feel they have “supportive people” in their social networks are less likely to react to stressful circumstances than those who do not.
多项研究表明,知道身边有人会帮助自己,也有助于减轻一个人的精神压力。
1. Studies have shown that固定句型,见过很多次了,表示“多项研究表明”。Studies是复数表示不止一项研究,所以翻译为“多项研究”。
2. “supportive people”:指提供帮助的人。联系前一句的Groups have formed in many places to support local vulnerable people,可推断出supportive在这里表示“提供帮助的,给予帮助的”,不是“支持的”。如金融时报例句:
Perhaps most poignantly of all, she says that everyone at Imperial was "very nice and polite . . . and supportive. "
或许最令人心酸的是,她说帝国理工的每个人都“非常友善而且有礼貌……给予了她很多帮助”。
3. they have “supportive people” in their social networks字面意思就是在他们的社交网络中有提供帮助的人,实际上是说在他们所认识的人中有人愿意在他们需要时提供帮助。
4. 备考CATTI和MTI的小伙伴注意了,react to stressful circumstances不能直译,字面意思就是“对压力环境作出反应”,但是中文不这么说,其言下之意就是感受到压力,are less likely to react to stressful circumstances就是不那么容易感受到压力,也就是“知道身边有人会帮助自己,也有助于减轻一个人的精神压力”。
今天就分享这么多,这段期间朋友不聚会,正好可以多看看书,多练习练习翻译。写写日记、练练翻译还有助于缓解压力和孤独感。我们一起努力,做自己生活的主人!