前幾天一起學習了2018年高考英語全國卷I的閱讀C篇,了解到許多語言都處於瀕危境地,消失的語言越來越多。其實，關於瀕危語言的話題不僅會出現在高考閱讀中，也可能會出現在英語寫作中。雅思就出現過一道觀點題型的作文題目，討論政府是否有必要拯救瀕危語言，題目是這樣的：Several languages are in danger of extinction because they are spoken by very small numbers of people. Some people say that governments should spend public money on saving these languages, while others believe that would be a waste of money. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
在外刊原文「Babel runs backwards」，中間也談到了很多關於拯救瀕危語言是否有必要的觀點，今天我將挑選一些相關觀點、態度的句子段落，不僅是很好的拓展閱讀，也有助於我們在寫作中提煉觀點。
比如認為沒有必要拯救瀕危語言的觀點有：只使用固定的幾種語言可能減少誤解的空間。
It is tempting to think thatlife could be simpler, better and perhaps more peaceful if everybody could settle on one, or just a few, languages, leaving less room for misunderstanding. But there is little evidence that monolingualism promotes peace.人們不禁會想,如果每個人都使用固定的一種或者幾種語言,減少誤解的空間, 生活會變得更簡單、更美好、甚至更和平。但是，幾乎沒有證據表明單一語言能夠促進和平。
分析小語種消失的原因：But minority languages disappear for many reasons. It could be because their speakers are beset by some calamity: droughts, floods, earthquakes, or imported epidemics.但是小語種的消失有很多原因。可能是因為這些語言的母語者遭受到像乾旱、洪水、地震或輸入性流行病這樣的災難。
但主要還是因為它們的母語者主動放棄了它們：However, most languages disappear because their speakers voluntarily abandon them. Where a dominant language is associated with progress and economic success, speakers of minority languages come under pressure to learn it in order to get on. The most obvious example in the modern world is English, which is advancing by leaps and bounds—encouraged by the internet.然而，大多數語言消失是因為它們的母語者自願放棄它們。當一種主流語言關係到發展和經濟上的成功，小語種的使用者要取得進步就要面臨學習這種語言的壓力。現今社會最明顯的例子就是英語，在網際網路的推動下，英語的發展和應用突飛猛進/英語實現了跨越式的發展。
一些人認為應該順其自然：Throughout human history, languages have been born, evolved and died; why not let nature take its course? If speakers of minority languages really wanted to hang on to them, they would make strenuous efforts to keep them alive. If they do not, it means they no longer have a use for them. Trying to save moribund languages is pointless.縱觀人類歷史，語言從誕生到演變，最後消亡，為什麼不順其自然呢?如果小語種的母語者真的想保留他們的語言，他們就會竭盡全力讓他們的語言存活下去。如果他們不這樣做，就意味著他們不再需要它們了。試圖拯救垂死的語言是毫無意義的。
這一段開始提出另一方的觀點，以保護瀕危物種為例，同理說明保護瀕危語言的意義：
Misguided cultural Darwinism, cry the linguists. Endangered languages were perfectly suited to their speakers' way of life until their habitat changed through the intervention of other humans.There is a close parallel with man's encroachment on the natural environment, but the environmentalists have made faster progress. Greenery has become mainstream, and preserving some rare butterfly, wildflower or ecosystem is considered a worthy goal. In the same way, languages should be preserved to safeguard diversity.A widespread loss of languages is the equivalent of an ecological disaster.
語言學家大聲疾呼「這是被誤導的文化界的達爾文主義」。瀕危語言曾與其母語者的生活方式安安合適，直到其他人的介入，他們的棲息地才因此改變。這與人類對自然環境的侵蝕有許多共通之處，但環保主義者進展較快，綠化已成為主流，保護一些稀有的蝴蝶、野花或生態系統被認為是一個值得追求的目標。同樣的道理，語言應該被保存下來，以保護多樣性。大量語言的流失相當於一場生態災難。
The extinction of each language results in the irrecoverable loss of unique cultural, historical and ecological knowledge. Each language is a unique expression of the human experience of the world...Every time a language dies, we have less evidence for understanding patterns in the structure and function of human language, human prehistory, and the maintenance of the world's diverse ecosystems. Above all, speakers of these languages may experience the loss of their language as a loss of their original ethnic and cultural identity.
每一種語言的消亡，都會給獨特的文化、歷史和生態知識造成不可挽回的損失。每種語言都是人類來過這世界獨一無二的表現……每當有一種語言消亡，能幫助我們理解人類語言、人類歷史以及維持世界多樣化生態系統的結構和功能模式的依據就越少。最重要的是，這些語言的母語者可能會失去他們的語言，而這也會使他們喪失原始的民族和文化特徵。
最後我們再一起來看看前雅思考官Simon的高分範文，我們可以學習這篇範文的行文結構、觀點句表達和用詞，以及行文過渡方法等等。觀點類作文是雅思作文的招牌，這篇範文的行文結構是這樣：首段是「背景句+一句話介紹雙方觀點」，第二段是先討論一方觀點及原因，第三段再討論另一方觀點和原因，第四段就是總結段，用來表達個人觀點。
It is true that some minority languages may disappear in the near future. Although it can be argued that governments could save money by allowing this to happen, I believe that these languages should be protected and preserved.（首句先描述相關事實背景，然後將不贊同的觀點放在although引導的讓步狀語從句中，再把自己認同的觀點做成主句。）
There are several reasons why saving minority languages could be seen as a waste of money. Firstly, if a language is only spoken by a small number of people, expensive education programmes will be needed to make sure that more people learn it, and the state will have to pay for facilities, teachers and marketing. This money might be better spent on other public services. Secondly, it would be much cheaper and more efficient for countries to have just one language. Governments could cut all kinds of costs related to communicating with each minority group.第二段是討論不贊同的觀點，再羅列原因一（耗資巨大的教育項目，要斥資購買教育設施、聘請教師等，與其如此，不如把錢用在刀刃上）、原因二（各國都只用一種語言更省錢更高效）。
Despite the above arguments, I believe that governments should try to preserve languages that are less widely spoken. A language is much more than simply a means of communication; it has a vital connection with the cultural identity of the people who speak it. If a language disappears, a whole way of life will disappear with it, and we will lose the rich cultural diversity that makes societies more interesting. By spending money to protect minority languages, governments can also preserve traditions, customs and behaviours that are part of a country’s history.第三段用「Despite the above arguments, I believe that…」過渡，承上啟下，表達觀點立場，接著給出原因（語言不僅是一種溝通工具，更承載著其母語者的文化），最後再概括保護瀕危語言就是保護一個國家的歷史傳統、習俗。
總結段再簡單地表達了個人觀點：In conclusion, it may save money in the short term if we allow minority languages to disappear, but in the long term this would have an extremely negative impact on our cultural heritage.
以上。
2018高考英語全國卷I閱讀C篇外刊原文解析：瀕危語言
2018全國卷I閱讀C篇外刊原文解析：瀕危語言（2）
2018全國卷I閱讀C篇外刊原文解析：瀕危語言（3）
2018全國卷I閱讀C篇外刊原文解析：瀕危語言（4）
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