The Poetry of Everyday Language | Julián Delgado Lopera | TED

翻译人员: Zheng Jia 校对人员: suya f.

My passion for the poetics of everyday language

我对日常用语诗学的热情

began at 5 pm on Saturdays,

从周六下午的五点钟开始——

at my abuela's dining room,

在我祖母的餐厅里，

at a table full of loud, unstoppable women.

在坐满喧嚣不止的女人们的桌前。

My five aunts plus my mom’s five aunts,

我的五个姨妈和我妈妈的五个姨妈，

all smoking, some in their bras, some in their “rulos,”

都在抽烟，有些只穿着胸罩， 有些挂着“卷发棒”，

all complaining about the ineptitude of their husbands

她们全在抱怨丈夫的无能，

or the rising prices at the grocery store.

或是杂货店上涨的价格，

Some used grand gestures, pointing with their mouths.

要么手舞足蹈，四处努嘴；

Others made up words.

要么信口开河。

Some yelled, some cried.

有些人喊叫，有些人哭泣。

They were all narrating a similar experience,

她们都在叙述一种相似的经历，

but each one of them put her own twist to her story.

但对自己的故事却各有描摹。

Each one used a different word choice, a different rhythm.

每个人都选择了不同 的词汇，不同的节奏。

My mom complained in silence,

我妈妈的抱怨是无声的，

shaking her head and sighing.

她摇着头，叹口气；

My Tía T used energized curse words,

我的姨妈则会骂些激动的脏话，

"That hijo de su madre," she would say.

“That hijo de su madre，”她会说。

"That good-for-nothing son of a bitch."

“那个没用的混蛋。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

My great aunt shut her eyes, drank coffee and pointed at God.

姨婆闭上眼睛， 喝着咖啡，手指上帝。

"Diosito!

“上帝啊！

What is wrong with this man?"

这男的什么毛病？”

Each one putting a different tune, a different music to her story.

每个人都为她的故事 配上不同的语调和旋律。

As a kid, I sat among them in awe,

小时候，我带着敬畏坐在她们中间，

marveled at how elastic, how expansive,

惊叹于这张餐桌上的语言 是多么灵活，多么宽广，

how infinite language felt at the dining table, how fun.

多么无限，多么有趣。

If my aunts didn't know a word, they would just make it up,

假如姨妈们有什么说不出来 的单词，她们就编一个，

laugh about it,

笑一场，

and stick it to their husbands' nicknames.

然后把它搭在丈夫的绰号上。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

The word would then be tossed around

接下来那个单词会被反复提及，

and eventually become part of our intimate, familiar vocabulary.

最终成为我们亲密的、 熟悉的词汇之一。

My family is originally from the coast of Colombia,

我的家庭来自 哥伦比亚（Colombia）海岸，

which is a region known for its magnificent storytellers,

这个地区以其伟大的故事叙述者 和壮丽的语汇而闻名。

its grand words,

a region where made-up words are the norm,

在那里，造词是常态，

where music and rhythm are essential to speaking.

音乐和韵律对说话至关重要。

I inherited the creative tongue from my aunts.

我从姨妈那里继承了 富有创造力的语言。

In Colombia, I was a loud, energized sucker.

在哥伦比亚，我是个 大声喧哗、精力充沛的笨蛋。

I wouldn’t shut up, I made up words, too.

我不会闭嘴，我也会造词。

But the moment I moved to the States and landed in Miami,

但是当我搬到美国、 落地迈阿密地那一刻，

all that energy and love for language disappeared.

所有对语言的能量和爱意都消失了。

It was here that I had my first encounter with language hierarchy.

就在这里，我第一次接触到 语言的等级之分。

I was 15 years old and we were reading "Romeo and Juliet" in English class.

我那时十五岁，我们正在英语课上 读《罗密欧与朱丽叶》。

I begged and prayed that I wouldn't be called to read Juliet's part

我默默乞求不要被叫起来 读朱丽叶的部分，

because it was long and I didn't know what most of the words meant.

因为它很长， 而且大部分单词我都不认识。

But of course I was called to read Juliet's part.

但是显然，我被叫起来 读了朱丽叶的部分。

My heart sank.

我的心一沉。

When I said I didn't want to, the teacher responded

当我说我不想读的时候， 老师回答，

I will lose participation point if I didn't.

如果不读，就会扣我的平时分。

OK, I had to read it.

好吧，那我不得不读了。

I tried to push my tongue in impossible ways,

我努力以不可能 的方式拗着我的舌头，

tried to echo the sound that I have been listening around me.

试图复刻我一直在耳边听到的声音。

But I butchered all the words.

但是我把每个词都读得乱七八糟。

Everyone around me laughed

周围的每个人都笑了，

and the teacher just stood there silently.

而老师就一言不发地站在那里。

I remember clenching that desk, wanting to disappear,

我还记得我紧紧捏着桌子， 想要原地消失，

wishing to be made small, invisible.

我希望自己变小，变得看不见。

I went home that day and told my mom I wasn't going back to school.

那天我回到家，告诉妈妈 我不想再回学校了。

The laughter and ridicule in school created deep fear and anxiety inside me.

学校里的嘲笑声让我的内心 产生了深深的恐惧和焦虑。

I spoke differently and this clearly was wrong.

我说话和他们不一样， 而这显然是错的。

It saddened me that I couldn’t access that part of myself

我很难过，我无法触及自己

that was so excited about language

为语言而感到无比兴奋的那一部分，

because my way of speaking, with an accent

因为我带着口音的说话方式，

or inventing words or pronouncing words as I heard them,

或者造词的行为， 或者听读的发音方式，

was deemed wrong.

都被认为是错误的。

I said "sans giving" instead of Thanksgiving.

我把“感恩节”说成“梗节”。

I mix both languages:

我把两种语言混淆在一起：

"I have to 'plancha' it."

“我得“伸抖”它。”

"Give me the 'trapo.'"

“把那个“抹倍儿”给我。”

"Mom wants her 'chanclas.'"

“妈妈想要她的“拖板儿鞋”。”

"'Oye ye estas' ready?"

““你在这方”，好了吗？”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I remember staying up late to practice pronouncing words

我记得我熬夜练习单词的发音，

so the kids at school wouldn't make fun of me.

这样学校里那些孩子 就不会捉弄我了。

I hated myself for not fitting in,

我因为无法融入而憎恨自己，

not realizing that there was a hierarchy much bigger than me at play here.

却没有意识到这里有一个 比我大得多的等级制度。

I felt I was the one who was wrong.

我觉得我是那个错了的人。

And it wasn't only me who was being corrected and laughed at.

被纠正和嘲笑的不止是我。

I saw teachers correct some of my peers,

我也看见老师们纠正我的一些同伴——

usually anyone who wasn't white,

常常是没有白色皮肤的每个小孩——

shaming immigrant kids for saying "quota" instead of "quarter,"

让他们为自己感到羞愧，

因为他们说“四分兹一” 而不是“四分之一”，

“la pena bota” instead of “peanut butter,”

说“花僧王油” 而是不是“花生黄油”，

“con flae” instead of “cornflakes.”

说“鱼米片”而不是“玉米片”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It seemed all of us were crossing an invisible language boundary.

我们都好像在跨越 一道看不见的语言边界，

A boundary policed by the teacher and maintained by the students' laughter.

一道由老师维护、 由学生的嘲笑巩固的边界。

Now let's take a step back and see what's really happening here.

现在让我们退一步， 看看这里究竟发生了什么。

We tend to think of language, in this case English, as a closed circle,

我们往往把语言——这里是英语—— 想成一个封闭的圈子，

where all of us English speakers exist.

那里面是我们所有说英语的人。

A closed circle where correct English is elevated at the center.

在这个封闭的圆圈里， 正确的英语被抬到中心。

When someone says something in another language,

当有人说别的语言的时候，

we know it is outside of that circle.

我们知道它在这个圈子之外。

When someone speaks English with an accent or without proper grammar,

但是当有人说英语带口音、 或是使用错误的语法时，

we know it is inside the circle,

我们知道它在这个圈子里面，

but not correct, not at the center.

但是它不正确，不在中心。

So we push both the language and the people who speak it

所以我们把语言和使用它的人

to the margins.

都推到了边缘。

We really don't consider

我们不去真正考虑

how looking at language as a closed circle with a solid center

把语言看作一个 有确切中心的封闭圆圈

excludes so many people,

排斥了多少人、

so many ways of speaking and making sense of the world.

多少种讲述和理解这个世界的方式，

How this in turn creates a hierarchy of language.

而这又是如何造成了语言的等级制度。

I learned about how this hierarchy isolates people the hard way,

我知道这种等级制度 是如何孤立人们的——

by watching the condescension of cashiers at the grocery store

在每一次我妈妈没能叫对 东西名字的时候，

every time my mom wouldn't pronounce things right.

我都看见杂货店里 那些收银员眼中的傲慢；

By watching my mother shrink at every joke at her mispronunciation

在我妈妈每一次因错误的发音 而被嘲笑的时候，

我都看见她瑟缩的样子，

until she stopped trying to speak English altogether

直到她再也不尝试说英语，

and would just sit quietly in shame.

她只是安静地、羞愧地坐着。

My mother, who back in Colombia will call the manager,

我的母亲，那样一个回到哥伦比亚 会打电话给经理、

the owner if needed,

甚至老板，

when her coupons wouldn't scan because

只因为她的优惠券扫不出来的人——

“This rice is two for one, señorita, it says it right here.

她会说“这米饭买一送一，小姐， 这里明明白白写着呢。

Llámame el manager.”

给我把经理叫来。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I can still see her, hand on hips, negating with her head,

我到现在还历历在目—— 她把手放在屁股上，摇头表示否定，

articulating like homegirl got a degree in bargaining studies.

说话就像个学过议价学的老乡。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

My mom, the discounts queen,

我妈妈是还价女王，

would not leave until she felt justice was served

她才不会黯然离场， 除非她觉得自己

between coupons and rice.

在优惠券和米饭中得到了公平，

Proudly bragged to her sisters about it later over coffee.

然后在茶余饭后骄傲地跟姐妹炫耀。

I walked alongside her with a warm grounding feeling.

我走在她身边， 有一种温暖踏实的感觉。

My mom could take anyone.

我妈妈什么人都能拿下。

When we moved to the States,

到我们搬去美国之后，

her sense of being a valued human being deserving of respect was destroyed

她作为一个值得尊重的、 有价值的人的感觉，

by ridicule and condescension.

被嘲笑和居高临下的态度摧毁了。

As I slowly became aware of this hierarchy,

当我慢慢开始意识到这种等级制度，

I realized that my mom, my sister, my friends and me,

我发现我的妈妈、我的姐姐、 我的朋友和我自己，

we were all close to the bottom.

我们都是接近底层的人。

We were on the margins of this circle and therefore of society.

我们在这个圆圈的边缘， 因此也在社会的边缘。

We couldn't reach the center

我们没法到达中心——

because of our ethnic and cultural background.

因为我们的种族和文化背景。

We sat in shame because our way of speaking wasn't as "refined."

我们羞愧地坐着，因为我们 说话的方式不那么“文雅”。

I realize also that this hierarchy permeates all spaces

我同时也发现，等级制度 渗透在一切空间中，

and it's a gatekeeper when it comes to accessing resources and opportunities.

它是获取资源和机会的一道门槛。

I wasn't hired on several jobs

我有几份工作都没能被录用，

because I couldn’t speak “correct English,”

因为我不会说“正确的英语”，

the managers letting me know,

经理们告诉我，

"We're just a little worried the customers won't understand you."

“我们就是有点担心， 顾客会听不懂你说的话。”

My writing also hasn't been published in many places

我的作品发表的地方也不多，

because it mixes both languages and this is seen as less than, not pure.

因为它混合了两种语言， 而这被看作不够纯粹。

My writing has been ridiculed in many academic workshops

我的作品在许多 学术研讨会上受到嘲笑，

where several times white writers have made fun

有好几次白人作家大声嘲笑

of my use of Spanglish out loud,

我的“西英语”，

rereading the text for all to hear,

把那些文字重读给所有人听，

questioning its legitimacy as real literature.

质疑它是否是真正的文学。

My abilities as a student, a worker,

我作为一个学生、一个职工的能力，

my value as a human being, has been questioned over and over again.

我作为一个人的价值，被反复质疑。

And yet.

然而，

There's beauty and connection in these marginal spaces.

在这些边缘地带仍有美和连结。

For people in the margins, language creates cohesion between us.

对于处在边缘的人来说， 语言创造了我们之间的凝聚力。

That "different" way of speaking is a secret door

那个“不同”的说话方式 是一扇只有我们中某些人

only some of us have access to.

才能打开的秘密之门。

A door to an underworld of language freedom.

那是一扇通往语言自由 的地下世界的门。

This world begins for me not in Miami,

对我来说，这个世界 不是从迈阿密开始的，

but in the former "Esta Noche" gay Latino bar here, in San Francisco.

而是从旧金山这里的一家

名叫“今夜”(Esta Noche) 的拉美同性恋酒吧开始的。

(Cheers and applause)

（欢呼和掌声）

Ten years ago, I moved to San Francisco in search of my freak tribe

十年前，我为了寻觅我 的“怪胎部落”搬到旧金山来，

and found the “queenas” tucked in a dingy bar on 16th Street,

找到了藏身在 16 街一家昏暗酒吧 里的“皇后”们（queenas），

ironing their wigs and filling up their bras.

她们熨着假发，挤在自己的胸罩里。

Queena -- it’s a blend between “queen”

“皇后”（Queena）—— 它是英语的“皇后”

and “reina,” Spanish for queen.

和西班牙语“皇后”的混合体。

Queena.

“皇后”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It was at "Esta Noche" that I learned

是在“今夜”，我认识到

about the long history of LGBT people creating new words

LGBT 群体创造新词汇 的悠久历史，

to reflect our own histories, our own realities.

我们试图反映我们自己 的历史，我们自己所处的现实。

It was here that my passion for language bloomed again.

是在这里，我再次绽放出 对语言的热情。

The story begins with the words.

这个故事从这些单词开始——

"Fierce,"

“猛男，”

"perra,"

“泼妇，”

"sissy marica,"

“娘娘腔的基佬，”

"come here, butch papi."

“到这儿来，男人婆。”

Here, Spanglish blends with queer slang

在这里，西班牙语 混合着同性恋俚语，

as drag queens take the center stage to the roar of the crowd.

而变装皇后们在人群 的欢呼声中走上舞台中央。

Here, there's unapologetic invention and creativity.

这里有着有不加掩饰 的的发明和创造。

It is not only a mix of two languages,

它不仅仅是两种语言的混合，

but a constructing, a shaping of new words

更是一种构建， 一种对新词汇的塑造，

to reflect our own bodies, our own gender,

以此来反映我们自己的躯体， 我们自己的性别，

the ways that we come together.

以及我们相聚在一起的方式。

Here, you don't have to be a man or a woman.

在这里，你不必成为 一个男人或是一个女人。

You don't have to be gay or straight.

你不必是弯的或者直的。

Here, the categories for gender are infinite,

在这里，性别的种类是无穷的，

as are the words to describe body parts,

就像那些形容身体部位、

sexual orientation, feelings.

性取向和感受的词汇。

Here, language lets her hair down,

在这里，语言取下她的桂冠，

"se suelta las trenzas."

“松开她的辫子。”

Gloria Trevi plays in the background as the next drag queen gets introduced

背景音乐里播放着 格洛丽亚 · 特雷维，

as a non-binary femme daddy mermaid of the revolution.

下一个出场的变装皇后被介绍为 革命的非二元女性美人鱼爸爸。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

We all snap our fingers,

我们都打着响指，

"Get it! Mami!"

“拿下！妈咪！”

I stand next to someone with hot pink hair and a T-shirt that reads

我站在一个染着火辣粉色头发 的人旁边，那人的T恤上写着

"Gender queer cyborg."

“同性恋赛博格”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Boys in crop tops yell, "Yes, perras."

穿着紧身上衣的男孩子们 大喊，“是的，婊子。”

They sashay up and down, twirling on the dance floor.

他们上下摇摆，在舞池中旋转。

"Serve," someone says,

“上菜，”有人说，

“Bring it,” someone responds,

“拿来，”有人回答，

“¡Esa!” we all roar.

“Esa！”我们都吼起来。

We wear glitter on our bodies and glitter on our language.

我们的身上穿戴着闪闪发光的东西， 我们的语言也同样闪闪发光。

We feel seen.

我们感觉被看到了。

Our realities take up space

我们的存在充满了整个空间，

and therefore we experience a sense of belonging.

因此我们感受到一种归属感。

We feel less alone, connected.

我们觉得不再那么孤独， 我们彼此连结。

We add a sense of magic and possibility to the world.

我们为这个世界增添了魔法， 增添了可能性。

We make it less boring and more inviting.

我们让它变得不那么 无聊而更加诱人。

Now think of the ways that you speak,

现在想想你们说话的方式，

the words that you use.

你们使用的词汇。

Think of how you have borrowed words from your parents, your friends.

想一想你们是如何从你们的父母 和朋友那里借来这些词汇。

This is how you know you belong to those circles, right?

这就是你们确认自己属于那些圈子 的方式，对吗？——

By echoing back that language.

通过重复那句话。

The place where you grow up shows up in your accent, how you punctuate,

你的口音、你的停顿、你的元音

how you use your vowels.

昭示着你成长的地方。

This is your very own language wardrobe.

这是你自己的语言衣橱。

Each one of us has a different wardrobe depending on our background,

我们每一个人都有一个不同的衣橱， 它取决于我们的背景、

our ethnicity, our access to education, our immigration status,

我们的民族、我们接受教育 的机会、我们的移民身份、

the places that we come from.

以及我们所来自的那些地方。

Now consider how some of the most glittery,

现在想想，一些最闪亮的、

the most creative language wardrobes are erased,

最有创意的语言衣橱是如何被抹去、

stigmatized or only seen as spectacles.

被污名化、或者只被看作猎奇。

But what if,

但是如果，

alongside the language wardrobes we see and hear every day,

在我们每天见到 和听到的语言衣橱之外，

we also allowed for the freaky, the weird,

我们也允许那些奇特的、古怪的、

the ones that we don't understand.

难以理解的词汇存在，

Wouldn't our world be that much more interesting?

那么我们的世界 难道不是有趣得多吗？

Wouldn't our notion of what it means to be human expand?

我们对人类意义 的概念难道不会扩充吗？

What would happen if these different ways of using language,

那会怎么样呢？ 要是这些使用语言的不同方式、

of mixing English with other languages,

把英语和其他语言混合起来的做法、

of making up words, were not considered less than,

以及编造词汇的行为，

but instead, manifestations of creative brilliance?

它们不被视作不如人意， 而成为创造性智慧的体现呢？

People are, after all, inventing, creating, mixing.

人们毕竟总是在发明、创造、混合。

What would happen if, for instance,

那会怎么样呢？要是——比如——

we didn’t see English and Spanish as mutually exclusive,

我们不把英语 和西班牙语看作互斥的、

as two separate languages,

彼此绝缘的两种语言，

but as open circles touching each other?

而是开放的、彼此触碰的圆圈？

Imagine legislation written in Spanglish

想象一下用“西英语”写的法规，

or traffic signs written in queer slang.

或者用同性恋俚语写的交通指示。

"Men at Werk."

“工作中的男人。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Imagine textbooks where children also learn words

想象一下在课本里， 孩子们也会学习

such as “gender queer” and “queena,”

诸如“同志”和“皇后”，

where they learn how to write, “Ahí te guacho mami.”

他们也学着写“去吧，妈咪。”

That playfulness will seep into our own lives,

那种嬉闹会渗透进我们的生命，

lighten our worlds.

照亮我们的世界。

Maybe we would treat each other better.

或许我们就能更好地对待彼此，

Our daily interactions will be kinder,

我们的日常交往就会更加友好。

less uncomfortable and fearful around those who speak differently.

用语不同的人周围 就不会再有那么多不适和恐惧，

Less isolating and damaging for those of us on the margins.

对我们这些处在边缘的人而言 就能减少孤立和伤害。

I want to invite us to suspend the idea of a "correct" way of speaking,

我想邀请大家一起中止 “正确”的说话方式、

a "correct" way of using language.

“正确的”用语方式这个观念。

And let's allow for those rhythms,

让我们允许那些韵律、

those incorrect words at the margins to rise up.

那些错误的边缘单词生长起来。

Let's listen.

让我们去听。

Recognize the glitter in each other's way of speaking.

认识到对方说话方式中的闪光点。

Activate that kid at the dining table

鼓励餐桌上那个

who is in awe and curious about language and its world.

对语言和其世界充满敬畏 和好奇的孩子。

That child listening to her tías drop their

那个孩子听着她的阿姨们一边甩着

"Ay, my goodness,"

“啊，老天，”

as they drop their “Ajá, baby, come pa acá.”

一边又甩出“啊哈， 宝贝，在这里吃。”

Their endless possibility to bring surprise and magic through language.

她们用语言带来 无尽可能的惊喜和魔力。

Let's dance "pegadito" with language.

让我们和语言跳一场贴面的舞蹈。

Let's tune into the ways that each one of us speaks.

让我们调频到 我们每个人的说话方式，

The many different ways

我们每一个人解读世界 的那么多种不同方式。

that each one of us make sense of the world.

Thank you.

感谢你们。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼）