Name: 【TED-Ed】文法真的很重要嗎？ (Does grammar matter? - Andreea S. Calude)
Uploaded: 2016-05-07T21:59:59.000Z
Duration: 4 min 39 s

You're telling a friend an amazing story,

你正跟朋友分享一個很棒的故事

情態副詞

and you just get to the best part when suddenly he interrupts,

而當你講到最精采的橋段時，他突然打斷你並說：

"The alien and I," not "Me and the alien."

是「外星人和我」不是「我和外星人」

大部分的人在這種時候應該會覺得很掃興

Was your sentence actually grammatically incorrect?

你剛剛講的真的是文法錯誤的句子嗎？

And if he still understood it, why does it even matter?

如果那樣講他也聽得懂，那幹嘛管那麼多？

grammar is a set of patterns for how words are put together

文法是當你講話或寫作時，各單字組成

Different languages have different patterns.

In English, the subject normally comes first,

while in Japanese and many other languages,

但對於日文和很多其他語言來說

Some scholars have tried to identify patterns common to all languages,

有些學者曾試著找出所有語言的共通模式

few of these so-called linguistic universals have been found.

And while any language needs consistent patterns to function,

而任何語言要能有效運作都需要穩固的模式

the study of these patterns opens up an ongoing debate between two positions

人們對於這些模式的研究進一步開啟了一場無止盡的辯論

known as prescriptivism and descriptivism.

這兩方分別為「規約論」和「描述論」

prescriptivists think a given language should follow consistent rules,

規約論者認為一個語言必須要遵從一套不變的規則

while descriptivists see variation and adaptation as a natural

而描述論者則認為變化和演進是

For much of history, the vast majority of language was spoken.

從歷史來看，絕大多數的語言都是口語的

But as people became more interconnected and writing gained importance,

但自從人們有更多的互動並且寫作愈來愈受重視後

written language was standardized to allow broader communication

書面語言開始被標準化來用在更廣泛的溝通

and ensure that people in different parts of a realm could understand each other.

並確保一個領域中不同地區的人們可以了解彼此所說的

In many languages, this standard form came to be considered the only proper one,

在很多語言中，這樣的標準形式是唯一被認可的

despite being derived from just one of many spoken varieties,

儘管它只是源自眾多口語變化的其中一種

而被認可的通常是有權勢的人們所使用的

Language purists worked to establish and propagate this standard

語言純粹派學者試著詳細的列出一套能反映當時文法的規則

by detailing a set of rules that reflected the established grammar of their times.

And rules for written grammar were applied to spoken language, as well.

同時寫作的文法也適用在口語上

Speech patterns that deviated from the written rules were considered corruptions,

偏離寫作規則的說話方式被認為是腐敗

and many people who had grown up speaking in these ways

were forced to adopt the standardized form.

也會被強迫使用這樣的標準形式

linguists have understood that speech is a separate phenomenon from writing

語言學家了解到口說是獨立於寫作之外的

Most of us learn to speak at such an early age that we don't even remember it.

大多數的人們早在還沒有記憶時就學會講話了

We form our spoken repertoire through unconscious habits,

我們講話的功能是在無意識的習慣中形成的

And because speech also uses mood and intonation for meaning,

而我們講話時也會用到情緒和聲調來表現不同的意思

adapting to the needs of speakers and listeners.

This could mean avoiding complex clauses that are hard to parse in real time,

像是避免使用難以即時解釋的複雜子句

making changes to avoid awkward pronunciation,

避免讓舌頭打結而改變單字的唸法

or removing sounds to make speech faster.

The linguistic approach that tries to understand and map such differences

這樣的語言學方法，試著了解並列出兩者間差異

without dictating correct ones is known as descriptivism.

且不侷限於只有一個是對的，被稱作描述論。

Rather than deciding how language should be used,

它描述人們實際上是怎麼使用語言的

and tracks the innovations they come up with in the process.

並追蹤在使用過程中被創造的新用法

prescriptivism and descriptivism continues,

At its best, prescriptivism is useful for informing people

規約論最好的地方在於告訴人們

about the most common established patterns at a given point in time.

在某個時間點最廣為接受的模式

This is important, not only for formal contexts,

這非常重要，除了對於正式的文字使用之外

but it also makes communication easier between non-native speakers

也讓擁有不同背景的非母語人士間的溝通

則讓我們洞悉心智是如何運作的

and the instinctive ways in which we structure our view of the world.

還有我們如何出於本能建構對世界的觀感

Ultimately, grammar is best thought of as a set of linguistic habits

結論是，文法最適合被解釋成一套語言習慣

that are constantly being negotiated and reinvented

woven through the contributions of speakers and listeners,