Language around gender and identity evolves (and always has) | Archie Crowley

Transcriber:

譯者: Camila Lin 審譯者: Helen Chang

I am a linguist.

我是個語言學家。

Linguists study language.

語言學家就是研究語言的人。

And we do this in a lot of different ways.

我們用許多種不同的方法來研究語言。

Some linguists study how we pronounce certain sounds.

有些語言學家，研究的是我們 發出特定聲音的方法。

Others look at how we build sentences.

有些人則研究句構的組成。

And some study how language varies from place to place,

還有人研究語言在各地的差異。

just to name a few.

以上只是幾個例子。

But what I'm really interested in

但我真正有興趣的，

is what people think and believe about language

是人們對語言的想法與信念，

and how these beliefs affect the way we use it.

以及這些信念怎麼 影響我們使用語言的方法。

All of us have deeply held beliefs about language

每個人都對語言懷抱著深切信念，

such as the belief that some languages are more beautiful than others

例如，相信某些語言 比起其他語言更加優美，

or that some ways of using language are more correct.

或是某些用法更加正確。

And as most linguists know,

就像大多數的語言學家所知的那樣，

these beliefs are often less about language itself

實際上，我們對所屬社會的想像，

and more about what we believe about the social world around us.

比語言本身對這些信念的影響更大。

So I’m a linguist,

我是個語言學家，

and I'm also a nonbinary person,

也是非二元性別者，

which means I don't identify as a man or a woman.

意思是，我不將自己視為男人或女人。

I also identify as a member of a broader transgender community.

我也是廣義跨性別社會的一員。

When I first started getting connected to other transgender people,

當我第一次接觸其他跨性別者時，

it was like learning a whole new language

那感覺就像是學習一種全新的語言，

and the linguist part of me was really excited.

而我身為語言學家的 那部分因此相當興奮。

There was a whole new way of talking about my relationship with myself

我學到了一種全新的自我溝通方式，

and a new clear way to communicate that to other people.

以及一種嶄新而清楚的溝通方式。

And then I started having conversations with my friends and family

然後，我開始向家人及朋友

about what it meant for me to be trans and nonbinary,

談論非二元性別及跨性別對我的意義、

what those words meant to me specifically,

這些詞彙對我的特殊意義，

and why I would use both of them.

以及我使用這兩個單詞的原因。

I also clarified the correct words they could use when referring to me.

我也清楚地指出那些 能用來指稱我的正確詞彙。

For some of them, this meant some very specific changes.

對他們之中的一些人來說， 這代表某些特別的改變。

For example, some of my friends

舉例來說，

那些喜歡用「淑女們」或「女孩們」 來叫我們這個小圈圈的朋友，

who are used to talking about our friend group as “ladies” or “girls”

switched to nongendered terms like “friends” or “pals.”

改用「朋友們」或「好友們」 這種不帶性別意涵的詞彙。

And my parents can now tell people that their three kids are their son,

而我的父母現在則能告訴其他人，

他們的三個小孩是 兒子、女兒，和孩子。

their daughter and their child.

And all of them would have to switch the pronouns they used to refer to me.

而在提及我時，所有人 都不再使用過去用的那些代名詞。

My correct pronouns are “they” and “them,”

我的正確代名詞是 「他們」和「他們的」，

also known as the singular they.

就是單數用法的「他們」。

And these people love me,

這些人愛我，

but many of them told me that some of these language changes

但他們之中有很多人告訴我， 對他們來說，

were too hard or too confusing

某些改變實在太困難、太困惑，

or too ungrammatical for them to pick up.

或太不符合文法，以至於難以使用。

These responses led me to the focus of my research.

這些回饋讓我專注於我的研究。

There are commonly held,

許多普遍但有害、錯誤的語言信念，

yet harmful and incorrect beliefs about language

會成為懷有這些信念的人們的阻礙，

that for the people who hold these beliefs,

act as barriers to building and strengthening relationships

讓他們難以與那些包含 跨性別者的家庭和社群

with the transgender people in their families and communities,

建立或加強關係，就算他們 真的很想那樣做。

even if they want to do so.

Today, I'm going to walk you through some of these beliefs

今天，我會告訴你們一些 錯誤的語言信念，

in the hope that we can embrace creativity in our language

而我期望我們都能接受語言的創造力，

and allow language to bring us closer together.

並允許語言讓我們凝聚一心。

You might see your own beliefs reflected in these experiences in some way,

你可能會發現，你的信念以某種形式 反映在這些經驗中，

but no matter what,

但無論如何，

I hope that I can share with you some linguistic insights

我希望和你們分享一些語言學的視點，

that you can put into your back pocket

你可以將這些知識儲藏於心，

and take with you out into the world.

帶著它們在世界中闖蕩。

And I just want to be super clear.

我想先說清楚。

This can be fun.

這可以很有趣。

Learning about language brings me joy,

研究語言讓我快樂，

and I hope that it can bring you more joy too.

我也希望這能為你帶來更多快樂。

So do you remember how I said that for some of my friends and family

你還記得我是怎麼形容 我的某些朋友和家人的嗎？

learning how to use the singular they was really hard,

對他們來說，學會將「他們」 視為單數相當困難，

and they said it was too confusing or too ungrammatical for them to pick up.

他們也認為這太讓人困惑， 也太不符合文法，所以很難讓人使用。

Well, this brings us to the first belief about language that people have.

這件事讓我們看到人們 對語言抱持的第一個信念：

Grammar rules don't change.

文法永遠不變。

As a linguist, I see this belief a lot out in the world.

身為一個語言學家， 我在世界各地都發現過這種想法。

A lot of language users believe that grammar just is what it is.

很多語言使用者都相信文法就是文法。

When it comes to language,

當我們談起語言，

what's grammatical is what matters.

文法才是重點。

You can't change it.

你不能改變文法。

I want to tell you a story about English in the 1600s.

我想說個關於十七世紀英文的故事。

Back then, as you might imagine,

那時，正如你想像的一樣，

people spoke differently than we do today.

當時的口語和現代的口語並不相同。

In particular, they used "thou" when addressing a single other person,

特別是，他們用「thou」 來指稱「你」，

and "you" when addressing more than one other person,

而「you」則用來指「你們」。

But for some complex historical reasons

但因為某些我們今天沒有時間說明的

that we don't have time to get into today,

複雜歷史成因，

so you'll just have to trust me as a linguist here,

你就相信我這個語言學家吧：

but people started using "you" to address someone,

人們開始用「you」來指稱「你」，

regardless of how many people they were talking to.

不管他們到底正在和幾個人說話。

And people had a lot to say about this.

人們對此充滿怨言。

Take a look at what this guy, Thomas Elwood, had to say.

來看看湯瑪斯·埃爾伍德怎麼說。

He wrote,

他寫道：

"The corrupt and unsound form of speaking in the plural number

「捨棄『thou』，使用『you』 這複數名詞來指稱單數，

to a single person,

‘you’ to one instead of ‘thou,’

是腐敗且不可接受的用法。

contrary to the pure, plain and single language of truth,

這和用『thou』指『你』， 用『you』指『你們』

‘thou’ to one and ‘you’ to more than one.”

那單純、樸素、包含 簡單語言真理的用法完全相反。」

And he goes on.

然後他就繼續長篇大論。

Needless to say,

當然，

this change in pronouns was a big deal in the 1600s.

在十七世紀，這個 代名詞新用法是件大事。

But actually, if you followed the debates about the singular they at all,

但如果你把關於單數 「他們」的用法辯論看過一遍，

these arguments might sound familiar to you.

你可能會發現，這些反駁 聽起來都很熟悉。

They're not that far off from the bickering we hear

它們和我們聽見的所謂

about the so-called grammaticality of pronouns

「談論跨性別和非二元性別者的 代名詞文法」的爭論很像。

used to talk about trans and nonbinary people.

One of the most common complaints about the singular they

關於單數「他們」的最常見抱怨，

is that if "they" is used to refer to people in the plural,

就是如果「他們」是 用來指稱複數人稱，

it can't also be used to talk about people in the singular,

那它就不能也用來指單數的人，

which is exactly what they said about “thou” and “you.”

這和人們對「thou」 和「you」的看法一模一樣。

But as we have seen, pronouns have changed.

但一如我們所知的那樣， 代名詞已經改變了。

Our grammar rules do change

我們的文法規則是會變的，

and for a lot of different reasons.

原因則各不相同。

And we're living through one of these shifts right now.

我們現在正面臨著這種轉變。

All living languages will continue to change,

所有仍被使用的語言，都會繼續改變，

and the Thomas Elwoods of the world

而湯瑪斯·埃爾伍德這樣的人，

will eventually have to get with the program

最終也必須接受事實，

because hundreds of years later,

因為數百年後，

it's considered right to use "you" when addressing another person.

人們已經認為用「you」 來指稱另一個人是正確的。

Not just allowable, but right.

不是可被接受，而是正確的。

The second belief about language that people have

第二個人們常有的語言信念，

is that dictionaries provide official, unchanging definitions for words.

是字典提供不變且正式的字義。

When you were in school,

在你的學生時代，

did you ever start an essay with a sentence like,

你有沒有把這種句子當作文章的開頭：

"The dictionary defines history as ..."

「字典對歷史的定義是......」

Well, if you did, which dictionary were you talking about?

嗯，如果你寫出了這種句子， 那你提到的字典是哪本呢？

Was it the Oxford English Dictionary?

是牛津英文字典嗎？

Was it Merriam Webster?

是韋氏字典嗎？

Was it Urban Dictionary?

是俚語字典嗎？

Did you even have a particular dictionary in mind?

你心中真的有一本確實的字典嗎？

Which one of these is “the dictionary?”

到底哪本才是你說的字典？

Dictionaries are often thought of as the authority on language.

我們常認為字典是語言的主宰。

But dictionaries, in fact, are changing all the time.

但事實上，字典總是在改變。

And here's where our minds are really blown.

這就是讓我們震撼的地方。

Dictionaries don't provide a single definition for words.

字典提供的不是單純的字義。

Dictionaries are living documents

字典是不斷被修訂的文件，

that track how some people are using language.

追蹤著特定人群使用語言的方法。

Language doesn't originate in dictionaries.

語言的源頭不是字典。

Language originates with people

語言的源頭是人，

and dictionaries are the documents that chronicle that language use.

而字典是以編年體 紀錄語言使用方法的文件。

Here's one example.

這裡有個例子。

We currently use the word "awful"

我們現在會用「awful」

to talk about something that is bad or gross.

來形容某件糟糕或噁心的事。

But before the 19th century, "awful" meant just the opposite.

但在十九世紀以前， 「awful」的意思完全相反。

People used "awful" to talk about something

人們用「awful」來形容

that was deserving of respect

那些值得尊敬，

or full of awe.

或讓人敬畏的事情。

And in the mid-1900s,

而在 1950 年代，

"awesome" was the word that took up these positive meanings

「awesome」吸收了 這些正面的意涵，

and "awful" switched to the negative one we have today.

「awful」則變成我們現在 熟知的負面詞彙。

And dictionaries over time reflected that.

漸漸的，字典也反映出這個變化。

This is just one example of how definitions and meanings

這只是定義和字義 隨時間轉變的一個例子。

have changed over time.

And to keep up with it, how dictionaries are updated all the time.

而為了追上這些改變， 字典也隨時在更新。

So I hope you're starting to feel a little more comfortable

所以我希望你們開始以更自在的態度，

with the idea of changing language.

面對語言的改變。

But of course, I'm not just talking about language in general.

但當然，我討論的不是廣義的語言，

I'm talking about language as it is impactful for trans people.

而是那些對跨性別者充滿衝擊的語言。

And pronouns are only one part of language,

代名詞只是語言的一角，

and they're only one part of language that's important for trans people.

它們也只是衝擊 跨性別者的語言的一角。

Also important are the identity terms

那些跨性別者用來形容自己、

that trans people use to talk about ourselves,

定義自我的名詞同樣重要，

such as trans man, trans woman, nonbinary or gender queer.

像是跨性別男性、跨性別女性、 非二元性別者或是性別酷兒。

And some of these words have been documented in dictionaries

有些字也被收進字典

for decades now

已經好幾十年了，

and others are still being added year after year.

每年也會加入許多新字。

And that's because dictionaries are working to keep up with us,

這是因為字典在努力跟上我們的用法，

the people who are using language creatively.

我們這些用創意使用語言的人。

So at this point, you might be thinking,

所以現在，你可能會想，

"But Archie, it seems like every trans person has a different word

「但亞契，好像每個跨性別者

想被稱呼的字都不一樣欸。

they want me to use for them.

There are so many opportunities for me to mess up or to look ignorant

有超多機會能讓我搞砸、 讓自己看起來很無知，

or to hurt someone's feelings.

或是傷害到對方。

What is something I can memorize

有沒有什麼我記得住，

and reliably employ when talking to the trans people in my life?"

又能在和跨性別者說話時 派上用場的字？」

Well, that brings us to the third belief about language that people have.

這帶我們進入了第三個語言信念：

You can't just make up words.

你不能憑空造字。

Folks, people do this all the time.

但你們聽好，人們每天都在做這種事。

Here's one of my favorite examples.

這是我最愛的例子之一。

The "official" term for your mother's mother

「奶奶」是母親的母親，

or your father's mother is grandmother.

或是父親的母親的「正式」稱謂。

I recently polled my friends

我最近調查了我的朋友，

and asked them what they call their grandmothers.

問他們怎麼叫自己的奶奶。

We don't get frustrated if your friend's grandma goes by Meemaw

如果你的朋友叫他們的 奶奶「Meemaw」，

and yours goes by Gigi.

而你卻叫自己的奶奶「Gigi」， 你也不會覺得很困擾。

We just make rather short work of it

我們只會簡單快速地記住這件事，

and memorize it and move on getting to know her.

然後放下它，去認識她。

In fact, we might even celebrate her by gifting her with a sweatshirt

事實上，我們甚至可以送她 一件長袖連帽衫，或一個刺繡枕頭，

or an embroidered pillow that celebrates the name she has chosen for herself.

來榮耀她為自己選的稱呼。

And just like your Nana and your grandma,

就像你的奶奶和你的祖母，

trans people have every right to choose their own identifying language.

跨性別者完全有權利 選擇自己的身分認同語言。

The process of determining self-identifying language

找到自我認同的語言的過程，

is crucial for trans people.

對跨性別者來說非常重要。

In my research,

在我的研究中，

many trans people have shared that finding new vocabulary

有很多跨性別者都認為， 找到這個新的單字，

was an important part of understanding their own identities.

是了解自己的性別認同很重要的一步。

As one person I interviewed put it,

就像我的某個受訪者所說的，

"Language is one of the most important personal things

「語言是最重要的個人事物之一，

because using different words to describe myself

因為用不同的字來自述，

and then finding something that feels good, feels right,

因此興起喜悅或正確的感受，

is a very introspective and important process.

是很重要的內省過程。

With that process you can piece together,

在這個過程中，藉著使用 最適合你的語言，

with the language that you find out works best for you,

你會漸漸拼湊出

who am I?"

自己的真實面貌。」

Sometimes the words that feel good are already out there.

有時候，會讓你喜悅的字已經存在了。

For me, the words trans and nonbinary just feel right.

對我來說，「跨性別者」 和「非二元性別者」就讓我感覺不錯。

But sometimes the common lexicon doesn’t yet hold

但有時候，常用字詞中還不存在

the words that a person needs to feel properly understood.

讓某個人覺得被理解的字。

And it's necessary and exciting to get to create and redefine words

所以去創造跟再定義能更加反映出 我們的性別經驗的字，

that better reflect our experience of gender.

是必要且讓人興奮的。

So this is a very long answer, but, yes,

這是個很長的回答，但沒錯，

I'm absolutely going to give you a magic word,

我現在就要給你們一個魔法單字，

something really easy you can memorize.

某個超簡單超好記的字。

And I want you to think of this word

我希望你們能好好想想這個字，

as the biggest piece of advice I could give you

把它當成我能給你們的最大建議。

if you don't know what words to use for the trans people in your life.

如果你們不知道該用甚麼字來 描述你們遇到的跨性別者，

Ask.

就問吧。

I might be a linguist and a trans person

我可能是個語言學家兼跨性別者，

and a linguist who works with trans people,

也是個和跨性別者合作的語言學家，

but I'm no substitute for the actual trans people in your life

但我無法為你們遇到的 那些跨性別者代言，

when it comes to what words to use for them.

告訴你們，他們希望聽見甚麼字。

And you're more likely to hurt someone's feelings by not asking

而且比起詢問，

不問或是擅自假設，

or assuming

than you are by asking.

更有可能會傷到他們的心。

And the words that a person uses might change.

而且，一個人所用的字可能會改變。

So just commit to asking and learning.

所以就問跟學習吧。

Language is a powerful tool

語言是一個強大的工具，

for explaining and claiming our own identities

能用來解釋和宣告我們的認同，

and for building relationships that affirm and support us.

以及建立肯定與支持性的關係。

But language is just that, a tool.

但語言就只是一個工具。

Language works for us,

語言為我們所用，

not the other way around.

而非我們被語言所用。

All of us, transgender and cisgender

所有的人，跨性別者與順性別者，

can use language to understand ourselves

都能用語言來了解自己，

and to respect those around us.

來尊重身邊的人。

We're not bound by what words have meant before,

我們不被字以前的意義所束縛，

what order they might have come in

不被它們進入的順序所束縛，

or what rules we have been taught.

也不被我們學到的規矩所束縛。

We can consider the beliefs that we might have had

我們可以想想自己

about how language works

對語言運作抱持的信念，

and recognize that language will continue to change.

並理解語言會繼續改變。

And we can creatively use language

我們可以用創意來運用語言，

to build the identities and relationships that bring us joy.

來建立帶給我們歡樂的認同與關係。

And that's not just allowable.

那不只是可被接受的，

It's right.

而是正確的事情。

Believe me.

相信我。