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| Some people still study Latin, but usually in expensive private schools |
媒體英語會帶大家一起學習BBC撰稿人在報道世界大事時常用到的單詞和短語。
Background: 如今只有私立學校和高等學府教授拉丁語。不過英國人有的時候會把一些拉丁詞語當作速記來使用，特別是在法律和正式文件中。有些詞比如 et cetera 和 via 都廣為使用。但有些詞語對有些人來說則相當陌生。現在英國一些地方議會決定禁止其員工在講話時和書面語中使用拉丁語，不過此舉很具爭議。
Questions:請在聽下面錄音的時候試著回答這些問題。這是一個用來幫助你提高聽力技能的練習。
1. True or False: It can be easier to use Latin than ordinary English words.
2. True or False: Some local councils say that Latin is generally used by working class people.
3. Are some linguists unhappy about the change?
4. Might the debate about Latin continue for a long time?
Click here for answers
Latin Ban 禁止使用拉丁語
Bona fide 真正的/真實的, ad lib 即興撰造, quid pro quo 補償物/交換物... English is full of Latin words and phrases which are used as a kind of shorthand 速記.
But some local councils say that Latin is elitist and discriminatory 具優越感和帶有歧視的, because people might not understand it - particularly if English isn't their first language.
Bournemouth council in the south of England is the latest local authority 地方當局 to draw up a list 制定了一分清單 of nineteen phrases which its staff are no longer allowed to use, verbally or in official correspondence 口語或正式書信.
Other local councils have banned QED 這就是所要證明的 and ad hoc 特別的. The move has prompted derision 嘲笑 among some linguists.
We asked Dr Peter Jones, the co-founder of the charity Friends of Classics to imagine that he was a civil servant in charge of implementing 實施 the ban. What sort of memo 備忘錄 might he have to write?
“You will be aware that a number of councils has decided that all Latin words and phrases should be subject to a veto 否決, e.g. 'e.g.', et cetera 等等. Ergo 所以/因此, some will think this hocus-pocus 戲弄/欺騙, but I say you cannot allow the status quo 現狀 to remain as it is".
But the move has been welcomed by the Plain English Campaign which says some officials only use Latin to make themselves feel important.
A campaign spokesman said the ban might stop people confusing the Latin abbreviation 縮寫 'e.g.' with the word egg. The debate may well continue ad nauseam 冗長乏味的.
GLOSSARY 詞匯表 (收聽發音, 請單擊英語單詞)
Answers
1. True or False: It can be easier to use Latin than ordinary English words.
True – Latin is used as a shorthand.
2. True or False: Some local councils say that Latin is generally used by working class people.
False – Latin is seen as elitist.
3. Are some linguists unhappy about the change?
Yes – it has prompted derision from some linguists.
4. Might the debate about Latin continue for a long time?
Yes – it may well continue ad nauseam.
