美丽的英语-第10章
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e sun's brightness； and the big doors and windows were painted sky blue as if the houses were built of colorful toy bricks as in the fairy tales。
Usually the courtyard was quiet； and sometimes it was so quiet that you could feel that it was so spacious； yet empty。 I loved reading in the courtyard where the sunshine was mild and the air was fresh。 I sat under a big tree where the leaves breathed perfume of greenness and tenderness。
There was a black dog； he was a big watchdog。 To me he was friendly and when I was reading he would always lie beside my wheelchair。 Sometimes I felt the book was dull； so I would raise my head and wanted to talk to somebody。 But at those times no one was there talking to me。 In the evening when the sun was setting； the courtyard was bathed in golden red light。 People coming home from work brought life to the courtyard。 Men and women chattered when drawing water from the well。 After school children played catching games around the courtyard； as they were running and laughing the black dog ran after them joyfully barking。 Everyday the scene appeared as the same。
During the day there was not only the black dog and me in the courtyard； there was also a Granny who was over eighty…years old。 She was my neighbor and utterly blind。 Most of the time she stayed in her house； sitting in an old armchair。 Sometimes the armchair was moved to the front of the door and she sat there a whole afternoon in silence。 No sound was heard from her so I often forgot her existence and in my consciousness there was only the black dog and me in the courtyard； but in reality there was the black dog； me and Granny。
One day I again sat under the big tree； reading Die Weltraetsel （The Mystery of the Universe） by Ernst Haeckel； a German biologist。 The chapter I was reading related to the life processes of human beings。 Haeckel said； the processes of life in the nature were flowing like the loquacious stream； the blazing fire； the fitful breezes and the collapsing of rocks from mountains。。。 I couldn’t help thinking of Granny。 I turned my head and looked at her。 I saw that she was sitting in her armchair not far from me。 She held a dragon stick with both hands in front of her chest。 Her head drooped； and the skin on her face was flabby。 Her eyes were slightly closed and she made no sound as if she was asleep。 She was always so quiet and serene。 What was she thinking about？ Was the river of her consciousness still flowing？ I wanted very much to ask her if she felt lonely？ If there were any other feelings in her mind？
I turned my wheelchair to her side and asked her loudly； are you asleep Granny？
No； I don’t feel sleepy； Granny answered。
So； what are you thinking about？ I asked。
I was recalling the days when I was a young girl and I was made a match； she replied。
I was so surprised； I opened my eyes wide as if a rainbow suddenly appeared before me。
第二部分：从汉语到英语从汉语到英语（3）
With her eyes still slightly closed Granny said； when I was young matchmakers went to my home one after another。 My face was so fair； I always wore a flower patterned cotton…padded coat and my waist was only two spans。 My hair was beautiful； too； I always washed my hair with sesame flowers or egg whites。 My plait was so thick and black that when I walked the end swayed behind my back。 At the end of my plait I always tied a five…inch long bundle with a piece of red string。。。
What； a Granny of over eighty…years old was recalling her maiden years！ I was really surprised。 In fact； the old people still keep their mind young； which the youngsters cannot imagine。
Under the big green tree I went on reading The Mystery of the Universe。 During my reading the wings of dusk came quietly shading the setting sun。 In that moment； I almost forgot that in the courtyard there was Granny； the black dog； and me。
I continued to read my books in the courtyard as usual。 One day I went to a very dull page and my eyes stayed stubbornly on a line。 I raised my eyes and saw Granny sitting quietly in the sunlight with a gush of wind blowing her silver hair。 I turned my wheelchair to her side and held her hands； which were coolish； soft； flabby but gentle。 I asked her； do you feel bored all alone； Granny？ No； I don’t feel bored； she answered。 I sit here as if I sit on the roadside at the edge of my home village like when I was young。 Lively people are coming and going before my eyes。 The day when my husband married me was very lively。 My head was covered with a red head kerchief and I wore a red coat and a red skirt made of silk。 That day a big cart came decorated with red silk and was pulled by a mule and two horses。 It was the twelfth moon； the road was covered by thick snow。 The wheels pressed two deep grooves into the ground behind my cart。。。 Granny murmured very slowly with her harsh voice。 She raised her head a little and in her eyes I saw she had memories lingering from a year long ago。
It suddenly came to me the awareness of another meaning of life。 Once I had thought that Granny sitting in the solitude was waiting silently for her death to come and had no any expectation。 I had also considered how bored and bitter she would feel in her loneliness and darkness。 But； actually she was spending her days under the sunlight in so calm a mood。 Before her eyes the hands of the clock turned backward。 The lives of the past were coming back nearer and nearer。 She found the lost years and got from them new comfort and pleasure。 The real life is the life in one’s memory； and the life in the memory is more vivid than it is in reality。 Life lasts forever in the memory。
One day Granny fell ill and was sent to the hospital； I felt very sorry。 People said that perhaps she could not get over such an illness； and perhaps she would never be back to the courtyard。 When I was alone in the courtyard I always recalled the days when there had been Granny； the black dog and me。 I felt lonely and sad。 Everyday I asked the one who sent food to the hospital about the condition of Granny。 One day someone told me that Granny could eat again； and when she opened her eyes she could clearly tell the stories of her ancestors and perhaps she would come back soon。
Granny did come back to the courtyard again and I was deeply moved by her strong vitality。 I then highly valued each day I spent with her in the courtyard。 Each day Granny sat there bathing in the warm sunshine and pondering over her past with her head leaned low as before。
That autumn she was visibly weakened and sat fewer and fewer hours in the courtyard。 One day she told me； I knew I would come back； I must be back and wait for him at home。 She said it was an autumn day； a day like today； leaves fell rustling everywhere； when my husband left early in the morning。 He was a good ironsmith； and wore a coat and carried a cloth…wrapper on his back。 At the door he said； you’d better not go out of the courtyard； for the baby’s just a month old。 When I earn money I’ll surely be back。 He said if he could not earn money he would be back before the end of the year。 I made a new cotton coat for him； but he hasn’t come back yet。 Since that day I made a new cotton coat for him every autumn； but he still hasn’t come back。 Now； I cannot make a coat； I can’t see anything； and if he comes back I cannot make out what he is really like。。。
I caressed Granny’s hands lightly； they were very cool。 A few dead leaves came whirling from the bare trees and threads of cold rain of late autumn fell from the sky。 Granny suddenly shivered with cold and her hands shook a little。 She said； I feel bad today。 It is getting colder again； but why hasn’t he come back yet？ In murmuring so； tears rolled slowly down from her dim eyes。
The next day Granny was gone。 People of her family said that she got up in the middle of the night and made her way to the middle of the cabinet； and rummaged out of it the coat she had made for her husband。 She said it was cold； and she should go and send it to him。 She then fell asleep with the coat in her arms。 She looked very calm； and people said she had gone without any suffering。
That left only the black dog and me in the courtyard。 It snowed heavily that winter。 The white snow buried Granny’s long and persevering expectations。 In my obscure meditation there was often a quiet and a bit harsh voice leisurely telling a long story； which had no ending。 The figure of Granny had gone with the wind； but her memory still lives on in the green leaves of life。
What can I recall when I am old with my hair silver； I asked myself。
在这里，我期待着陌生朋友们的译文，我愿和你们一起分享汉译英、英译汉的快乐。
第二部分：从汉语到英语我是可怕的Trivium（1）
I’m the Terrible Trivium
我是可怕的Trivium
在我自学英语的那些年，曾有一段时间，每天只学习英语语法，因为我背了很多单词，却写不好一封长信，于是我就寄希望于学习语法了。我想，语法，不就是语言的法则吗？有一本书上也说，学语言就是学语法规则，就像学数学要记公式一样。只要背熟了公式，解题就容易多了。所以，我真的以为只要学好了语法，英语就学了一半，甚至可以做到事半功倍。
那段时间，只要县城里那个小书店来了英语语法书我都要买来，比如，《英语语法》，《趣味英语语法》，甚至《医用英语语法》都买来了。我十分认真地学习名词、动词、代词、介词、形容词、副词……然后是主语、谓语、宾语……再后来是简单句、并列句、复合句……然后又是时态、语态……陈述式、虚拟式、命令式……可是一段时间过去，我却觉得语法学得越多，分析句子就越繁琐，有些句子用语法一点点地分析之后，反而让人糊涂了。
这时，朋友N告诉我，对语法知识要做到“难得糊涂”。你想想，连英语国家的学生都害怕的东西，何况我们中国人呢？过了好多年，当我翻译的《小米勒旅行记》出版时，我想起在书里那只令人恐怖的大脏鸟就是用“I’m the terrible Trivium。”来吓唬小米勒他们的，而这个可怕的trivium 就是中世纪学校里每个学生必读的“grammar； rhetoric； logic”（语法、修辞、逻辑）。
一般来说学习任何一种语言都要下苦功，古人有“十年磨一剑”的格言，学习语言也如同磨剑，要历经千锤百炼，才能制成真正的宝剑，用起来得心应手。我重新梳理了学过的语法知识，想从中理出一条主线。我想，既然语言的最基本单位是词，只要把词的知识弄明白了，语法的难度恐怕就减轻了一半。我首先从名词开始。从简单的事物，再到复杂和抽象的事物。首先，既然名词就是代表这些事物的，那么，名词也分为abstract nouns（抽象名词）和common nouns（普通名词）。想一想很有意思，很多表示事物性质和特性的词都是抽象名词。比如：
advice （忠告）
care （关心）
color （颜色）
courage （勇气）
faith （信仰）
headache （头痛）
kindness （善良）
wealth （财富）
wisdom （智慧）
人名、地名和很多具体事物的名称都是普通名词，也是最常见的：
Sir Isaac Newton （伊萨克·牛顿勋爵）
basketball （篮球）
internet （因特网）
mobile…phone （移动电话）
另外还有一些是专有名词（proper names），是一些特定的地方和事物专用的：
The British Commonwealth of Nations （英联邦）
NATO （The North Atlantic Treaty Organization）（北大西洋公约组织）
APEC （Asia…Pacific Economic Cooperation）（亚太经合组织）
中文里有一群，一对，一列，这些表示群体的词，英语里也是，这些有下划线的词有好几
