研究生英语阅读教程(基础级2版)课文01及其翻译(5)

[5] Not long ago the "Near East" was the accepted name for the area stretching from Egypt to Iran among Europeans and Americans; in recent decades it has been ousted by the "Middle East". Like "Far East" or "Orient", either term makes sense only if one takes Europe as the point of reference.

[6] And other languages are no better than English in this regard (aspect). The Arab world divides itself into the Maghrib (the West) and the Mashriq (the East) with the Sinai Peninsula as the border. Ironically, the division of the ancient world into Asia and Europe was probably borrowed by the Greeks from the Phoenicians, the ancestors of today's Lebanese; indeed, Europe and the Arabic Maghrib may well be derived from the same Semitic root, referring to the setting of the sun. And what can we say about a civilization like China, which unabashedly proclaims itself the "central country"?

[7] Perhaps it is too much to expect precision in such language issues. Whether or not there are good grounds (reasons) for considering "Oriental" offensive, over the past few decades the term has gradually fallen out of favor as a word to describe the people of Asia or Americans of Asian

研究生英语阅读教程(基础级2版)课文及翻译

ancestry. In today's English, the word "Oriental", when (it is) used to refer to a person, sounds old-fashioned at best and derogatory at worst.

[8] Nevertheless, while it may no longer be a good idea to refer to a person as an Oriental, it is still the standard usage in many phrases referring to things. For example, the term "Oriental carpet" refers to a type of carpet typically imported from Turkey or Central Asia. These carpets are extremely expensive (often costing thousands of dollars) and are highly prized (valued).

[9] The English language is full of other apparently (obviously) contradictory tendencies for words relating to ethnicity. "Chinatown", meaning a neighborhood where Chinese immigrants live, is proper English. But "Chinaman", meaning a Chinese person, became offensive in America during the first half of the 20th century, even though it is a direct translation of Zhongguoren. And "Frenchman", meaning a French person, is perfectly neutral English.

[10] The care Yankees must take in referring to Asians is as nothing (it is) compared with the delicacy required to get through the minefield of terms for Americans of sub-Saharan African ancestry. "Colored person" is now offensive, even though it was regarded as a polite term for much of the century after the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865). On the other hand, "person of color", meaning someone of any non-European race, is acceptable and, in some ideological circles, a favored phrase. "Negro" (the Spanish word for "black") gave way to "black" or "Black" in the 1960s, only to yield in turn to "Afro-American" in the 1980s and "African-American" or "African American" in the 1990s.

[11] And while one can speak of "black people" and "white people" or 'blacks" and "whites", one would be ill advised to speak of "red people" (American Indians—the "First Nations" of Canada, by the way) or "yellow people" (Asians). "Reds" is reserved for politics. The term "browns" is used occasionally to refer to Latin Americans of Indian or mixed Indian/European ancestry.

[12] What to make of (understand) this jumble of conflicting language taboos! One can draw two lessons: First, non-native speakers should use caution when (he or she is) speaking about ethnicity or race in English, as the English language is rife with linguistic traps in this area. Second, the number of offensive terms relating to other ethnic groups is a signal that the United States has never been fully comfortable with its status as a multiracial society. Culture is reflected in language, and the large number of pejorative ethnic terms in American English shows that the United States still suffers from ethnic and racial tensions. (942 words)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Timothy Kiefer, who once taught in Beijing University, is an American lawyer.

Reading Comprehension

Answer the following questions or complete the following statements.

1. From the first sentence we learn that the law about the use of "Oriental" will be effective in _____.

A. northeastern U. S. B. Washington D. C. only

C. all the states of the U. S. D. the state of Washington

2. Which of the following expressions is in violation of the new Law passed in 2002?

研究生英语阅读教程(基础级2版)课文及翻译

A. Oriental religions. B. Oriental restaurants.

C. Oriental newcomers. D. Oriental influence.

3. According to the author, when making geological terms

A. African countries are discriminated against

B. English speakers are scornful to other countries

C. people tend to take their own point as reference

D. people tend to accept the names as they were used long time ago

4. Critics of the word Oriental consider the word offensive to Asians because it suggests _____. A. the negligence of the Russians

B. the bias against people in East Asia

C. an ill-attitude toward Asian cultures

D. a Europe-centered view of the world

5. According to the author, the word "Orient" _____.

A. should not be used any more

B. reflects people's view of the past

C. shows self-centeredness of the Asian people

D. reflects people's prejudice against the minorities

6. It can be inferred from the passage that "Appalachian Mountains" are _____. A. in the east of the U.S. B. in the …… 此处隐藏：5213字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……