Name: 世界上最「特別」的國家是巴布亞紐幾內亞？！ (Geography of Papua New Guinea: The Most Interesting Country in the World?)
Uploaded: 2024-05-31T10:51:07.000Z
Duration: 12 min 44 s

In my opinion, Papua New Guinea is one of the most interesting countries in the world.

在我看來，巴巴新幾內亞是世界上最有趣的國家之一。

程度副詞

The country makes up less than 1% of the world's landmass, yet is home to nearly 12% of the world's languages and contains over 5% of the world's plant and animal species.

這個國土面積不到世界陸地面積 1%的國家，卻擁有世界上近 12% 的語言和世界上 5%以上的動植物物種。

To outsiders, its inhabitants have some of the world's wildest cultural traditions, and no one knows its exact population.

在外人看來，這裡的居民擁有世界上最狂野的文化傳統，沒有人知道這裡的確切人口。

It can nearly be double the official amount.

These attributes can, of course, largely be explained by its geography.

當然，這些特徵在很大程度上可以用地理位置來解釋。

Take a look at this map by an online user under the name Mutursiking.

來看看這位名叫 Mutursiking 的網友繪製的地圖。

It's a map displaying the estimated 800-plus distinct languages of Papua New Guinea.

這是一張顯示巴巴新幾內亞約 800 多種不同語言的地圖。

One of the most obvious reasons for so many languages is the country's rugged terrain.

造成如此多語言的一個最明顯的原因就是該國崎嶇的地形。

Notable features are the New Guinea Highlands, which reach as high as 14,000 feet in elevation and run through the country's center.

新幾內亞高原海拔高達 14,000 英尺，貫穿該國中部，是其顯著特徵。

And then there are the Finisterre and Sarawakid ranges in the northeast, with one peak reaching 13,000 feet.

此外，東北部還有菲尼斯特雷山脈和薩拉瓦基德山脈，其中一座山峰高達 13 000 英尺。

Papua New Guinea is also among the world's most forested countries, with around 80% of its land area covered, most of which is dense tropical rainforest.

巴巴新幾內亞也是世界上森林覆蓋率最高的國家之一，國土面積約 80%，其中大部分是茂密的熱帶雨林。

The country also has approximately 600 islands, though most are uninhabited.

該國還有約 600 個島嶼，但大多數無人居住。

The isolation caused by the geography has limited interaction between groups, creating distinct communities and allowed languages to develop and evolve independently over thousands of years.

地理環境造成的隔離限制了各群體之間的交流，形成了不同的社區，使語言得以在數千年的時間裡獨立發展和演變。

Many of these communities maintain a tribal and clan-based society.

其中許多社區保持著以部落和氏族為基礎的社會。

The exact percentage of Papua New Guinea's population living in tribal clan-based societies is difficult to quantify.

生活在以部落氏族為基礎的社會中的巴巴新幾內亞人口的確切比例很難量化。

However, it is widely recognized that a significant majority of the population lives in rural areas and maintains a lifestyle that is closely tied to traditional tribal and clan systems.

然而，人們普遍認識到，絕大多數人口生活在農村地區，其生活方式與傳統的部落和氏族制度密切相關。

Another theory suggests that the relatively consistent conditions of a tropical climate allowed groups to acclimate to their specific elevation levels, leading them to stay put rather than migrate up or down the mountain slopes, thus maintaining their isolation.

另一種理論認為，熱帶氣候相對穩定的條件使各群體能夠適應其特定的海拔高度，從而使他們留在原地，而不是向山上或山下遷移，從而保持了與世隔絕的狀態。

In many Papuan cultures, it is taboo to speak the names of certain individuals, such as in-laws, priests, or deceased persons.

在許多巴布亞文化中，忌諱說出某些人的名字，如姻親、牧師或已故者。

This leads to language changes if, for example, a person's name is inspired by elements of the natural world, such as animals, plants, rivers, or weather phenomena.

例如，如果一個人的名字受到自然界元素（如動物、植物、河流或天氣現象）的啟發，就會導致語言的變化。

Since the thing the person was named after can no longer be used, a synonym or new word takes its place, deepening the differences in the country's languages.

由於這個人的名字已經不能再用了，於是一個同義詞或新詞取而代之，從而加深了國家語言之間的差異。

There are also taboos concerning the mentioning of names of certain plants or animals which may be linked to the beliefs about the natural world and its spirits.

還有一些關於提及某些植物或動物名稱的禁忌，這可能與對自然界及其靈魂的信仰有關。

Such as the southern cassowary, which is often considered the world's most dangerous bird.

比如南方食火雞，它通常被認為是世界上最危險的鳥類。

The bird can grow up to 6.5 feet tall and 130 pounds, can slice you open with its sharp claws, and it tends to have territorial behavior, but thankfully, it's usually shy.

這種鳥可以長到 6.5 英尺高，130 磅重，可以用鋒利的爪子把你切開，而且它往往有領地行為，但值得慶幸的是，它通常很害羞。

In some communities, the cassowary is considered a sacred animal.

在一些社區，食火雞被視為神聖的動物。

Avoiding the direct mention of the cassowary's name can be a form of respect towards the animal, acknowledging its powerful presence.

避免直接提及食火雞的名字可以是對這種動物的一種尊重，承認它的強大存在。

There is a belief that mentioning the cassowary directly could attract its attention in a harmful way or disturb its spirit, leading to potential danger or misfortune.

人們認為，直接提及食火雞可能會以有害的方式引起它的注意或擾亂它的精神，從而導致潛在的危險或不幸。

By not naming it directly, people hope to live harmoniously without invoking the spirits associated with the cassowary.

通過不直接命名，人們希望在不召喚與食火雞有關的神靈的情況下和諧共處。

Certain tribes hold the belief that cassowaries embody the spirits of female ancestors reincarnated, whereas others regard the cassowary as the primal mother.

有些部落認為，食火雞是女性祖先轉世靈童的化身，而另一些部落則將食火雞視為原始母親。

Though not the primary reason for so many Papuan languages, it's also been suggested that some groups may have deliberately changed aspects of their language to distinguish themselves from other tribes.

雖然這並不是巴布亞語言如此之多的主要原因，但也有人認為，一些族群可能故意改變了自己語言的某些方面，以區別於其他部落。

There's also never been a single unifying language in what is now Papua New Guinea.

現在的巴巴新幾內亞也從未有過統一的語言。

Before colonialism, it did not experience the formation of centralized states or empires that covered large portions of its territory.

在殖民主義之前，它沒有經歷過中央集權國家或覆蓋大片領土的帝國的形成。

And while European colonialism is infamous for the destruction of native cultures, it's been argued that the intervention of European colonial powers, such as the Dutch and later the British in the South and Germany in the North, may have unintentionally preserved many of the smaller languages by preventing the rapid expansion of some larger groups.

雖然歐洲殖民主義因破壞本土文化而臭名昭著，但也有人認為，歐洲殖民國家（如荷蘭和後來在南方的英國以及在北方的德國）的干預可能無意中阻止了一些較大群體的迅速擴張，從而保留了許多小語種。

However, a couple of widely used lingua francas have emerged.

不過，也出現了幾種廣泛使用的通用語言。

English, and the most widely used language in Papua New Guinea with around 5 to 6 million speakers,

英語是巴巴新幾內亞使用最廣泛的語言，約有 5 至 6 百萬人使用、

Takpisin, or sometimes called New Guinea Pigeon.

Takpisin，有時也叫新幾內亞鴿。

Takpisin is a Creole language that takes approximately 60 to 70% of its vocabulary from English, and also incorporates elements from German, Portuguese, and various indigenous languages of Papua New Guinea.

塔克皮辛語是一種克里奧爾語，約有 60% 至 70% 的詞彙來自英語，還融入了德語、葡萄牙語和巴巴新幾內亞各種土著語言的元素。

Takpisin, along with English and Hirimotu are the official languages of Papua New Guinea.

塔克皮辛語、英語和希裡莫圖語是巴巴新幾內亞的官方語言。

Hirimotu is a language native to Papua New Guinea's southeast coast in and around the country's capital.

希裡莫圖語（Hirimotu）是一種原產於巴巴新幾內亞東南海岸、該國首都及其周邊地區的語言。

如今，它擁有約 100 000 個揚聲器。

But unlike most languages in the country, it comes from the Austronesian language family.

但與該國大多數語言不同的是，它來自南島語系。

Hirimotu can also be considered a lingua franca, but its speakers are dropping due to the wider adoption of Takpisin.

希裡莫圖語（Hirimotu）也可被視為一種通用語，但由於塔克皮辛語（Takpisin）被更廣泛地採用，其使用人數正在減少。

The importance of maintaining a unique cultural identity has discouraged the adoption of a single unifying language in Papua New Guinea.

在巴巴新幾內亞，保持獨特文化身份的重要性阻礙了採用單一的統一語言。

Instead of promoting the exclusive use of English or Takpisin, parents continue to teach their children local languages.

家長們沒有提倡只使用英語或塔克皮辛語，而是繼續教孩子們學習當地語言。

The median number of people who speak each language is estimated at less than 1,400.

每種語言的使用人數中位數估計不到 1 400 人。

Every language in Papua New Guinea hasn't been studied extensively.

巴巴新幾內亞的每一種語言都沒有被廣泛研究過。

It's also not clear how many people actually live in Papua New Guinea.

巴巴新幾內亞究竟有多少人也不清楚。

In 2022, Papua New Guinea's official estimate was 11.7 million.

2022 年，巴巴新幾內亞的官方估計數字為 1 170 萬。

But a UN report was leaked that estimated the country's population was around 17 million.

但據洩露的一份聯合國報告估計，該國人口約為 1700 萬。

The wide range in numbers, like the high amount of languages, is largely due to geography.

數量上的巨大差異，就像語言數量的巨大差異一樣，在很大程度上是由地理因素造成的。

The country's terrain is rugged and remote, with many communities spread across mountains, dense forests, and islands.

該國地形崎嶇偏遠，許多社區分佈在高山、密林和島嶼上。

This makes it logistically difficult and expensive to conduct comprehensive surveys and censuses.

這使得開展全面調查和普查在後勤上十分困難，而且成本高昂。

The cost of reaching remote villages because of the lack of modern infrastructure in rural areas is expensive.

由於農村地區缺乏現代基礎設施，到達偏遠村莊的費用十分昂貴。

Not to mention the need for translators, as less than half of Papua New Guinea speak Gua Francas.

更不用說需要翻譯了，因為只有不到一半的巴巴新幾內亞人說 Gua Francas 語。

And as is a common characteristic in many rural areas across the world, there is a stronger distrust of the government in some areas, which may lead to reluctance to participate in government-led initiatives like a census, potentially leading to underreporting or difficulties in data collection.

而且，正如世界上許多農村地區的共同特點一樣，一些地區對政府更加不信任，這可能會導致人們不願參與政府主導的人口普查等舉措，從而可能導致少報或數據收集困難。

But the estimates may be more accurate when Papua New Guinea conducts a new census.

但在巴巴新幾內亞進行新的人口普查時，估計數字可能會更加準確。

Papua New Guinea's geography has made it not only into an anthropologist and linguist's paradise, but also one for biologists.

巴巴新幾內亞的地理位置使其不僅成為人類學家和語言學家的天堂，也是生物學家的天堂。

Papua New Guinea is home to an estimated 13 to 14,000 known plant species, with a significant number of them endemic, thanks to the country's proximity to the equator, sufficient rainfall, and fertile soils derived from volcanic ash.

巴巴新幾內亞靠近赤道，雨量充沛，火山灰形成的土壤肥沃，是以這裡已知的植物種類估計有 13,000 至 14,000 種，其中相當一部分是特有物種。

Animal life in Papua New Guinea is equally remarkable.

巴巴新幾內亞的動物生活同樣引人注目。

There are over 3,000 animal species in the country and its surrounding waters.

該國及其周邊水域有 3000 多種動物。

Papua New Guinea has over 800 bird species, but it's most famous for its birds of paradise, boasting 38 of the known 42 species.

巴巴新幾內亞有 800 多種鳥類，但最著名的是天堂鳥，在已知的 42 種鳥類中，巴巴新幾內亞就有 38 種。

These birds are renowned for their vibrant plumage and elaborate mating dances, and can be seen on the country flag.

這些鳥類以其鮮豔的羽毛和精心編排的交配舞蹈而聞名，國旗上就能看到它們的身影。

Papua New Guinea has more than 200 mammal species.

巴巴新幾內亞有 200 多種哺乳動物。

Notably, it hosts several species of marsupials, including tree kangaroos.

值得注意的是，這裡有幾種有袋類動物，包括樹袋鼠。

It's also home to the unique echidna, which slays eggs.

這裡也是獨特的針鼴的家園，針鼴會殺死雞蛋。

Papua New Guinea is surrounded with marine life.

巴巴新幾內亞周圍充滿了海洋生物。

The surrounding coral reefs are part of the Coral Triangle, also known as the Amazon of the Seas.

周圍的珊瑚礁是珊瑚三角區的一部分，也被稱為海洋中的亞馬遜。

These reefs support thousands of species of fish, corals, and other marine creatures.

這些珊瑚礁養育著數千種魚類、珊瑚和其他海洋生物。

The country's waters are home to six of the seven species of marine turtles.

該國水域是七種海龜中六種的家園。

Papua New Guinea is also home to nearly 9% of the world's reptiles and amphibian species.

巴巴新幾內亞還擁有世界上近 9% 的爬行動物和兩棲動物物種。

From an outsider's perspective, there are some strange traditions in Papua New Guinea.

在外人看來，巴巴新幾內亞有一些奇怪的傳統。

The Sepik River people undergo a painful scarification process, where their skin is cut and scarred to resemble crocodile scales, symbolizing strength, bravery, and a transition to adulthood.

塞皮克河人要經歷一個痛苦的疤痕化過程，他們的皮膚會被切割並留下疤痕，就像鱷魚的鱗片一樣，象徵著力量、勇敢和向成年的過渡。

Though rarely practiced today, the Enga people have a unique method of mummifying their dead.

恩加人有一種獨特的將死者製成木乃伊的方法，雖然現在已經很少使用。

The body is dried by placing it over a fire for several weeks or even months.

將屍體放在火上烘乾數週甚至數月。

It is then placed in a cliffside cave or rock overhang so that it can watch over the tribe.

然後，它被安置在懸崖邊的洞穴或懸巖上，這樣它就能守護部落。

A practice that Papua New Guinea is well known for is cannibalism.

巴巴新幾內亞的一個著名習俗是食人。

Today, this is rarely practiced, if at all.

如今，這種做法已經很少見了。

I think it's also important to note that not every tribe practiced this, and today, the majority of Papua New Guinea society considers it taboo.

我認為還需要指出的是，並非每個部落都有這種習俗，如今，巴巴新幾內亞社會的大多數人都認為這是禁忌。

In a popular YouTube video by Drew Bensky, members of the Mamuna tribe claimed that the neighboring Korowai eat people as a form of punishment.

在德魯-本斯基（Drew Bensky）製作的 YouTube 熱門視頻中，馬穆納部落的成員聲稱，鄰近的科羅瓦伊人吃人是一種懲罰。

Other groups ate family members following their death, believing that it was required to release their spirit.

還有一些人在家人死後吃掉他們，認為這樣才能釋放他們的靈魂。

This was the case with the four people, who began to develop a fatal neurodegenerative disorder from eating the dead that were affected.

這四個人就是這種情況，他們因為吃了受影響的死者而開始患上致命的神經退行性疾病。

The group stopped their cannibalism after nearly 3,000 people died, and it was finally recognized that it was spreading by the consumption of their dead.

在死了近 3000 人之後，該組織停止了食人行為，人們最終認識到，該組織是通過食用死者的屍體而傳播的。

There are still reports of cannibals, but some believe they are just rumors that were started to attract tourists.

仍有關於食人族的報道，但有些人認為這只是為了吸引遊客而散佈的謠言。

A belief in witchcraft and sorcery is common in many parts of Papua New Guinea.

在巴巴新幾內亞的許多地方，人們普遍相信巫術和妖術。

Accusations of witchcraft are often triggered by the illness or death of a family member or friend, leading relatives and other villagers to seek vengeance against the suspected witch, whom they believe to be responsible for their misfortune.

對巫術的指控通常由家庭成員或朋友的疾病或死亡引發，導致親屬和其他村民對被懷疑是巫師的人進行報復，因為他們認為是巫師造成了他們的不幸。

In 2014, Papua New Guinea's Constitutional and Law Reform Commission estimated that there were over 150 sorcery accusation-related murders annually, and likely hundreds more tortured and chased from their homes.

2014 年，巴巴新幾內亞憲法和法律改革委員會估計，每年有 150 多起與巫術指控相關的謀殺案，可能還有數百人遭受酷刑並被趕出家園。

Women are six times more likely to be accused of witchcraft.

婦女被控施巫術的機率是男性的六倍。

I typically like to talk about positive things in my country videos, but this is difficult to overlook.

在我的國家視頻中，我通常喜歡談論積極的東西，但這一點很難被忽視。

Papua New Guinea is one of the worst countries in the world, if not the worst country, to be a woman.

巴巴新幾內亞是世界上最不適合女性居住的國家之一，甚至是最糟糕的國家。

It is estimated that nearly 70% of women in Papua New Guinea have suffered domestic abuse, and over 50% of women have been raped.

據估計，巴巴新幾內亞近 70% 的婦女遭受過家庭虐待，50% 以上的婦女遭到過強姦。

Hopefully, as the country's economy and education improves, so will its culture of violence towards women.

希望隨著國家經濟和教育水準的提高，針對婦女的暴力文化也能得到改善。

In the year 2000, the country had a literacy rate of 57%.

In 2010, the rate had increased to 62%, and 63% in 2023.

2010 年，該比例增至 62%，2023 年增至 63%。

The size of its economy has doubled since 2010.

自 2010 年以來，其經濟規模翻了一番。