作者：葛传椝
出版社：上海译文出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
葛传椝英文随笔(葛传椝英语学习系列)试读：
PREFACE
Except for the fact that it is issued in three volumes，this book may be properly called an omnibus. It contains special articles，letters，prefaces，little essays，poems interpreted，and essays concerning the study of English. Most of the things included have been first published in The Chung Hwa English Weekly，under the headings “Talks on Things”，“This and That”，“Thoughts and Impressions”，“The Open Classroom”，“Chats on Writing English”，and “Helps to the Study of English”. The “Thoughts and Impressions” series and three other essays originally appeared under a pseudonym.
It is a matter of regret that I did not make a duplicate of my first letter to Mr H. W. Fowler，and therefore cannot include it in this book. The one printed herein，as is mentioned in “To the Memory of Mr H. W. Fowler”，was written a fortnight after his death.
The essays concerning the study of English must not be regarded as a systematic treatment of the subject. Many of the points touched upon are more fully dealt with in my How to Master English Without a Teacher.
The following publishers have kindly permitted the inclusion of the pieces the titles of which follow their names in brackets：The China Journal （“On the Europeanization of the Chinese Language” and “Some Fragments of Pai Chü-i’s Poetry concerning Women”）； The English Weekly （“Letter to Mr H. W. Fowler” and “Letter to Mr A. J. Fowler” [dated March 23，1934]）； The Ching Wen Book Company （“Preface to ‘The Diary of a Student’”，“Preface to ‘The Peacock Flies South-East’”，and “Preface to ‘A Chinese Schoolboy Visits England’”）.Hertz C. K. KêDecember，1936
说明
《葛传椝英文随笔》所收文章均出自《葛传椝英文集》（Man and Student）第二集。《葛传椝英文集》第一集和第三集的文章分别收入《葛传椝英文书信序言选编》和《葛传椝英文学习法》中。[1]IN A BARBER’S SHOP[2]As soon as you enter a barber’s shop，you lose your freedom.[3][4] You are not to regain it till you have paid for it after a full hour’s [5]slavery.[6]
Well，you may not wish to call it slavery. You may call it enjoyment. Many persons call it enjoyment； perhaps they enjoy [7][8]slavery. Drunkards enjoy being slaves to drink. Young lovers enjoy [9]being slaves of their sweethearts’ caprices.And many persons enjoy being slaves to a barber once a week！[10]
I，for one， do not enjoy being a slave to a barber. As soon as I enter a barber’s shop，I feel I lose both my freedom and my [11][12]dignity. For I have to resign myself，and especially that [13]important part of myself，the head，to the control of an ignorant or [14]at least ill-educatedbarber （I beg barbers’ pardon）. He turns [15]about my head as though it were his own instead of mine. He [16]sometimes offers me a newspaper as much as to say， “While I improve the outside of your head for you，you ought to improve its [17][18][19]insideyourself”. But in fact，he does not care a bit about what is in my head. He treats my head，which contains a knowledge of [20][21][22]English grammar，rhetoric， phonetics， literary history， [23]versification，etc.，in the same way as any head that does not contain a single word of English.[24][25]
Talking of English，I wonder why the barbers in some fashionable shops in Shanghai often speak English — surely pidgin [26][27]English— among themselves. But this is by the way.[28]
To return to the question of slavery. I feel my slavery more [29]keenly as often asI look into the glass before me. Is it not enough to [30]make a slave of me？ Is it necessary to remindme that I am a slave？[31]
I am glad that I do not make so much of my hair as to require [32][33]it to be shampooed or singedin a barber’s shop. I want to have [34][35]my hair cut，and have it cut，that’s all. Thus，if I have to be a slave once every three or four weeks，my period of slavery is always a short one.[36]
Emerging from a barber’s shop，I often heave a sigh of relief.[37]
[1]barber’s shop：理发店
[2]as soon as：一俟
[3]lose my freedom：失去我之自由
[4]are not to regain：不可复得
[5]a full hour’s slavery：足有一小时之奴隶生活
[6]well：语气助词
[7]drunkards：酒徒
[8]enjoy being slaves to drink：以耽于狂饮为乐
[9]their sweethearts’ caprices：彼等之情人之任性
[10]for one：就我个人而言
[11]dignity：尊严
[12]resign：抛弃
[13]ignorant：无知识的
[14]ill-educated：教育不良的
[15]as though：宛如
[16]as much as to say：若曰
[17]improve its inside：改善其内部 （意即增加知识）
[18]in fact：在事实上
[19]does not care a bit：毫不留意
[20]rhetoric：修辞学
[21]phonetics：语音学
[22]literary history：文学史
[23]versification：诗学
[24]Talking of：今既论及……
[25]wonder：不知；不解
[26]pidgin English：洋泾浜英语 （一种中国人与欧美人间所用之极不纯正之英语，“pidgin”原系“business”之转误）
[27]by the way：偶然说及
[28]To return to：回至；再说
[29]as often as：每次
[30]remind：提醒
[31]make so much of：如是重视
[32]shampooed：用洗发水洗
[33]singed：烫
[34]that’s （= that is） all：如是而已
[35]if：虽
[36]Emerging：走出
[37]heave a sigh of relief：因得安慰而叹息[1]DO YOU ENJOY THE TELEPHONE？
Some time ago I talked to you about slavery in a barber’s shop. Today I will talk about another form of slavery：I mean being a slave to the telephone.[2][3]
If you have seen telephoning in the movies but have never talked on the telephone yourself，you cannot possibly know the [4]meaning of being a slave to the telephone. On the screen the [5]telephonic system is a perfect one. The man，or the woman，just [6]snatches the receiverand speaks，“Hullo … yes … please … all right … thank you … good-bye”. There seems to be no delay，no [7][8]indistinctness of sound，no wrong number，no “engaged” — in a [9]word，no slavery.
In real life，however，telephoning is quite a different thing. The number is often wrong，though oftener right. The right number is often “engaged”，though oftener not “engaged”.[10]
Granting that the number is right and is not “engaged”，[11]stillthere is much slavery. “I wish to speak to Mr Wang”，you say. But you get the reply “Here we have no Mr Fang”. “I wish to speak to [12]Mr Wang”，you say again，with emphasis on Wang. But you get [13]the reply “Here we’ve twenty Wangs”. “I mean Mr A. B. Wang”，you say. But you get the reply “Here we’ve two Mr A. B. Wangs”. “I mean the one who is rather tall but not very tall，who sometimes wears a [14]blue silk gown but always a low-crownedhat，and who is a native of Shanghai”，you say. But you get the reply “And may I know your name”？ You say your name three or four times and then wait，wait，[15][16]wait. When waiting，you are a perfect slave. You are not allowed to read a book，nor to write a letter，nor to have a cup of tea，[17]nor even to build castles in the air.You can only imagine how the [18]man at the other end of the line is going to tell Mr A. B. Wang and how Mr A. B. Wang is hastening to the telephone.
At last，fortunately，you hear Mr A. B. Wang speaking. Then you two begin to talk — but I do not think so easily as those in the movies. [19]Indistinctness of sound，repetition，misunderstanding， [20]annoyance — all these are highly probable.
I am glad that I do not often have to talk on the telephone. I wonder why some people like to telephone as often as they have the [21][22]least occasion. I know a little boy who rings up his father in his [23]office more than ten times a day. Of course，he enjoys doing it.
[1]telephone：电话机；电话
[2]telephoning：打电话
[3]movies：电影
[4]screen：银幕
[5]telephonic system：电话之组机
[6]snatches the receiver：执住听筒
[7]indistinctness：不清爽；糊涂
[8]engaged：有人正在打电话 （即电话占线）
[9]in a word：总而言之
[10]granting：假定
[11]still：仍；但
[12]emphasis：着重
[13]we’ve = we have
[14]low-crowned：低冠的
[15]wait，wait，wait：继续等待
[16]perfect：完全的；纯粹的
[17]build castles in the air：冥想；空想
[18]line：电线
[19]misunderstanding：误解
[20]annoyance：困恼
[21]have the least occasion：虽只有极微之理由
[22]rings up：用电话唤
[23]of course：当然GETTING AND LOSING
Once I lost a small dictionary only a few days after I bought it. A short time later I got a letter from a friend informing me of his being [1]jilted by his sweetheart. In reply I remember I wrote something like this：I am very sorry to learn that you have lost your sweetheart. I also [2]have a loss to tell you of； that is， I have recently lost a small [3]dictionary，which I bought but a fortnight ago.[4]You want me to consoleyou？ Well，losing things is common [5]enough，and losing a sweetheart is no exception.So far as I can [6]see， the only way not to lose a thing is not to get it. If I had not bought the small dictionary，I could not possibly have lost it. I have [7]never had a sweetheart，and so I have never had the sad experience of losing one.
What do you think of my opinion，reader？ Don’t think that I [8][9]wrote the letter in jest. I was perfectly serious.I meant what I said.[10][11] All we have may be lost at any moment — and for ever.One [12]may lose one’s life when one least expects it. A clerk may lose his [13]position when he counts on promotion. A girl may lose her [14][15]chastitywhen she thinks she has most force of character among her friends.[16]
As soon as you come into possession of something，you [17]begin to run the risk of losing it. By something I mean everything； [18][19]it may be a dictionary，a fountain-pen， a reputation， a [20]friendship，a love，and so forth.[21]
A student of mine lost an umbrella in a tram-car the other day.[22] I am glad that he does not seem to have lost the few rhetorical [23]principlesthat I had explained to him only two or three days before he lost his umbrella.
[1]jilted by his sweetheart：为其爱人所弃
[2]that is：即谓
[3]but a fortnight ago：仅两星期以前
[4]console：安慰
[5]exception：例外
[6]So far as I can see：就我所知
[7]so：故；所以 （此字应重读）
[8]in jest：嬉戏
[9]serious：认真的；非说笑话的
[10]meant what I said：意与言合
[11]for ever：永远
[12]least expects it：最不期望之；以为决不临到此事
[13]counts on：预冀
[14]chastity：贞操
[15]force of character：品性之力量；自持之力
[16]come into possession of：得到
[17]run the risk of …：冒……之险
[18]fountain-pen：自来水笔
[19]reputation：名誉
[20]and so forth：以及其他
[21]tram-car：电车
[22]the other day：数日前
[23]rhetorical principles：修辞学原理A SICK MAN’S THOUGHTS[1]
Owing to ill health I have not talked to you for a long time. I am [2][3][4]now well again，and，fearing the editor may have been growing impatient over my delay in sending him my “talks”，have decided upon [5][6]the above-given subject， to assurehim — and also you — that I really was a sick man till but a few days ago.[7][8][9]
I hasten to add that I had only slight attacks of feverand a [10][11]cough. I was not very ill. I was simply poorly，and too unwell to write.
But if I was too unwell to write，I was yet well enough to think. [12]Hence my thoughts.[13][14]
As is often said， one does not realizethe value of health till [15][16]one is taken ill. Needless to say， my chief thought during my [17][18][19]indispositionwas how to get over it. I tried to account for it in [20]several ways，and regretted having stayed too late at a friend’s [21]house on a certain night，having gone out too early on a certain morning，having walked too much on certain days，and，having …[22][23][24]
I thought a great deal besides.Perhaps one cannot afford [25]to spend whole days thinking and thinking except when ill in bed. Then one thinks and thinks； for the only thing one then can do is to think — if one can then think at all. During my recent illness，I thought of many things that I do not usually think of. I thought of particular little [26][27]incidentsin my early childhood，of particular passages in books that I had read long before，of particular faces I had seen，and of ...
Nor did I think altogether aimlessly and carelessly. I thought seriously of life and its problems. I thought of the most serious thing in my mind — the reading and writing of books. I considered what an
[28]ideal series of English readers for Chinese students should be. I [29][30]planned （of course merely mentally） a handbookof English composition for Chinese college students that should teach them to write English as Englishmen write it.[31]
I wonder I did not think much of any of my favourite authors [32]during my last illness. Last year，when I was laid up with a cold， I [33][34]used to think so much of Burnsand Blakethat I dreamt of them in the night.
[1]owing to：因
[2]well：健全的
[3]editor：主笔
[4]growing：变
[5]subject：题
[6]assure …：向……郑重声明
[7]hasten：赶快
[8]add：加言
[9]slight attacks of fever：寒热病之小袭击；小寒热
[10]cough：咳嗽
[11]poorly：身体不适的
[12]Hence my thoughts：故有我 （下文所述） 之思想
[13]As is often said：有如人所常言者
[14]realize：知
[15]taken ill：起病
[16]Needless to say：不必说
[17]indisposition：小病
[18]get over ...：由……复原
[19]account for …：说明……之理由
[20]regretted：悔
[21]certain：某
[22]a great deal：多
[23]besides：除此以外
[24]cannot afford：不能；不会得
[25]thinking and thinking：继续思想
[26]incidents：事
[27]passages：文字之片段
[28]ideal：理想的，完美的
[29]mentally：在心上
[30]handbook：小书
[31]favourite authors：喜读之作家
[32]was laid up with a cold：因伤风而卧
[33]Burns：即Robert Burns，罗伯特·彭斯，苏格兰诗人，生于1759年，卒于1796年
[34]Blake：即 William Blake，威廉·布莱克，英国诗人，生于1757年，卒于1827年[1]BUYING SECOND-HAND BOOKS[2]
Money being no consideration， perhaps no-one would prefer [3][4]second-hand clothes to new clothes or second-hand furniture to [5]new furniture. But we must not jump at the same conclusion in [6][7]regard tobooks — and women. One may seek twenty excuses to [8]break off an engagement for the purpose of marrying，or “keeping”，[9][10][11]a woman who has either buried or divorcedher fifth husband. [12][13]One may also fall in love with a “ragged veteran” at first sight [14]and keep it for God knows how long.[15]
Not being here concerned with women，let us imagine a [16][17][18]hard student parting witha favourite book for his next meal. [19][20]the book has its pages badly thumbed， and probably its binding [21][22]somewhat loosened，but it bears its owner’s signature， the date of its being bought （and maybe also that of its being sold），and [23]his copious notes and comments.Another hard student （but by no [24][25]means so hard up as the first student） sees it at a second-hand [26]book-shop，opens it，reads it here and there，finds it interesting，looks at it again and again，talks （mentally） with it，thinks of its fate，[27] takes pity on it，and falls in love with it. Having inquired the price，he buys it. Having bought it，he carries it home. Having carried it [28]home，he reads it and caresses it，and caresses it and reads it.
Have you ever had such an experience？ Do you believe me when I say one may prefer a second-hand book to a brand-[29]newcopy of the same book？ It seems to me that while new books [30]are mere things，second-hand books are personalities.
I have to add，however，that in saying so I have had only literary [31][32]books in mind. Dictionaries，scientific treatises， grammars，[33]and all sorts of text-books cannot develop a personality. They are the best when the newest. If I sometimes buy a second-hand [34]dictionary，it is because money isa consideration with me. It is [35]cheap，and I hold it cheap.
[1]Second-hand：已被他人用过的；旧的
[2]Money being no consideration：在并无金钱问题之时 （意即在不必省钱之时）
[3]prefer … to …：爱……而不爱
[4]furniture：家具
[5]jump at the same conclusion：贸然得出同样之结论
[6]in regard to：关于
[7]seek twenty excuses：利用许多托词
[8]break off an engagement：解除婚约
[9]“keeping” …：与……姘；包养
[10]buried：葬
[11]divorced …：与……离婚
[12]“ragged veteran”：穿破衣之老兵 （指旧书）
[13]fall in love with … at first sight：与……一见钟情
[14]God knows how long：无人知多久
[15]concerned with：论及
[16]hard：勤奋的
[17]parting with：与……分离
[18]favourite book：喜读之书
[19]badly thumbed：被拇指弄污
[20]binding：装订
[21]bears：载；带有
[22]signature：签字
[23]copious notes and comments：许多注解及评语
[24]by no means：决不
[25]hard up：无钱的；穷困的
[26]here and there：随处
[27]fate：命运
[28]caresses：抚弄
[29]brand-new：簇新的
[30]personalities：人
[31]had … in mind：想到……
[32]treatises：论文
[33]grammars：文法书
[34]is：实系；果是 （此字应重读）
[35]hold it cheap：轻视之OWNING A WATCH[1]
“What time is it by your watch？” This question，which is [2]undoubtedly one of the most frequently asked in the world，[3]suggests the idea that each of us has a separate time of his own，just as he has a separate head of his own.[4]
And as a matter of fact， it often happens that the watches [5]produced by two or more persons at the same time show different times. One of them may be right，and yet often none of them are right. [6]At any rate，only one of them may be right，and the other or others must be wrong.[7]
Well，I seem to hear you say，“Mr Kê，you are referring to poor watches. You must own but a poor watch.” Reader，I do not own [8]a watch at all. Once I owned one，but I soon had to get rid of it for [9]economy’s sake.[10]
For so far as watches are concerned， owning is almost the [11]same thing as owing.Buying a watch may be compared to borrowing money. Sudden stoppage，high speed，slow movement，[12]going by fits and starts — all these remind you to pay the interest [13]falling due.[14]
Nor is it true of poor watches only. I know people who have [15]paid large sums for their watches，but who have to make periodical little payments on them. And the larger the principal，the larger the [16]interest.
I know a lady who says her watch is such a good one that she [17][18][19]takes carenot to wind it up until it runs down. Is it true that a good watch must not be wounded up until it runs down？ If so，it seems to be necessary that anyone who owns a good watch should [20]own a poor one as well. Moreover，the poor watch would have to serve the good one — for the simple reason that it is poor.
[1]What time is it by your watch？：君之表上此刻为何时？
[2]undoubtedly：无疑
[3]separate：各别的
[4]as a matter of fact：在事实上
[5]produced：取出
[6]At any rate：无论如何
[7]referring to：说及
[8]had to get rid of it：不得不弃之
[9]for economy’s sake：为节省起见
[10]so far as watches are concerned：就表而论
[11]owing：欠 （钱）
[12]going by fits and starts：时走时停
[13]interest falling due：到期之利息 （指修表所用之钱）
[14]of：关于
[15]periodical：定期的
[16]the larger the principal，the large the interest：本金愈大，则子金亦愈大
[17]takes care：留心
[18]wind it up：开此表；给表上发条
[19]runs down：（发条走完而） 停
[20]as well：亦MY IDEAL HUSBAND
I have not yet met my ideal husband，though I know several young men in whom I like to think I have found some or other [1]qualification of a good husband. An ideal husband is perhaps as hard to find as an ideal teacher，an ideal guide to English composition，[2][3] or an ideal snapshot camera.
The first requirement of my ideal husband is that he should treat his wife as a personality，not as a thing. He would love me as he [4]loves his parents and brothers and sisters rather than as he loves his [5]stick，his gramophone， his favourite book，or his evening read.[6][7]It sounds laughably absurd that a husband should ever treat his [8]wife as if she were his stick （I do not exactly mean when he walks with her），his gramophone，his favourite book，or his evening read. Yet it is nevertheless true that husbands often look upon their wives [9]asthings，to be liked and loved. I have heard a young man say that [10]he cannot conveniently afford to have so great a luxury as a wife. [11]Personally I would not gloryin being considered a luxury，nor would I ever think of making a luxury of myself.
Being passionately fond of English literature，I would sooner [12][13]remain single for life than have a husband who does not have [14]the same taste as I. My ideal husband would read to meand enjoy being read to by me. He would talk with me about sixteenth-century [15][16]English writers as interestingly and as interestedly as so many [17][18]couplesin Shanghai talk about American film stars.[19]
I do not have much to say besides the above-mentioned two requirements. I have simply to add that my ideal husband would also possess the ordinary qualifications of a good young man. He would be honest，energetic，and trustworthy. He would take good care of his [20]health and his conduct. He would use his money wisely. He would [21]forbear borrowing or begging or stealing. He would not under any [22][23]circumstances commit a murder.
As I have said，I have not yet met my ideal husband. I am yet to [24]wait and see.
[1]some or other qualification：某种资格
[2]guide to English composition：英文作文指南
[3]snapshot camera：快照相机
[4]rather than：而非
[5]gramophone：留声机
[6]read：阅读 （时间）
[7]sounds：似乎
[8]as if：好像
[9]look upon … as …：视……如……
[10]luxury：奢侈品
[11]glory：自豪；自以为荣
[12]single：不嫁的
[13]would sooner … than …：宁愿……而不愿……
[14]read to me：读书给我听
[15]interestingly：令人感到兴趣
[16]interestedly：自己感到兴趣
[17]couples：夫妇
[18]film stars：电影明星
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