Unit 11
The relation of language and mind has interested philosophers for many centuries.（61）The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse language could be.
Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different rom their own. Two anthropologists—linguists，Franz Boas and Edward Sapir，were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
（62）We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished，as the people who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages. Other linguists in the earlier part of this century，however，who were less eager to deal with bizarre（古怪的）data from “exotic（外来的）”language，were not always so grateful.（63）The newly described languages were often so strikingly different from the wellstudied languages of Europe and Southeast Asia that some scholars even accused Boas and Sapir of fabricating their data. Native American languages are indeed different，so much so in fact that Navajo could be used by the US military as a code during World WarⅡto sand secret messages.
Sapir’s pupil，Benjamin Lee Whorf，continued the study of American Indian languages.（64）Being interested in the relationship of the language and thought，Whorf developed the idea that the structure of the language determines the structure of habitual thought in a society. He reasoned that because it is easier to formulate certain concepts and not others in a given language，the speakers of that language think along one track and not along another.（65）Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which，in its strongest from，states that language imprisons the mind，and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce farreaching consequences for the culture of a society. Later，this idea became to be known as the Sapir Whorf hypothesis，but this term is somewhat inappropriate. Although both Sapir and Whorf emphasized the diversity of languages，Sapir himself never explicitly supported the notion of linguistic determinism.
Unit 11
61) The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought, which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse language could be.
句子分析：
这是一个带宾语从句，定语从句的复合句，其框架结构分析如下：
主句的主、谓结构：The Greeks assumed that 希腊人假定
宾语从句：the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought语言结构与思想的过程之间有某种联系
定语从句：which took root in Europe（这种想法）扎根于欧洲
时间状语从句：long before people realized how diverse language could be早在人们意识到语言会有多么的不同之前
翻译技巧:
此句可以采用层层剥茧的方法，先抓住整个句子的结构，然后再考虑具体的措词问题。在理清了上述结构之后，还需注意下面几个词语的处理：
assumed 假定；认为；以为
the process of thought思想的过程；思维过程
took root生根；在…扎下了根
很多人不能正确理解这个动词词组的意思，有的译成了“起源于…..”，“在…….出现了”，有的译成了“在….占统治地位”，都是不可接受的翻译。
long before 早在…之前；“在…之前早就…”
考生的错误在于不能辨别long before所限定的时间顺序，有译成“在扎根欧洲很长时间之前”，“不久的将来人们就意识到…”， 也有译成“很久以前人们就意识到…”。另外, 不要与before long（不久，不久以后）相混淆
diverse “丰富；差异性；多样性；千差万别”
多数人犯错是因为不认识该词意思，凭印象根据拼写类似词而译成“相反；倒转；转换”。
how diverse 多么的不同；多么的千差万别
could be 可能会是（can 过去式）
完整的译文：
希腊人认为，语言结构与思维的过程之间存在着某种联系。这种想法，早在人们意识到语言会有多么千差万别之前在欧洲就已经根深蒂固了。
(62) We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.
句子分析：
这是一个带原因状语从句、定语从句的复合句，其框架结构分析如下：
主句的主、谓、宾结构：We are obliged to them 我们感激他们
原因状语从句：because some of these languages have since vanished因为自此这些语言中的一部分消失了
定语从句：as the peoples who spoke them die d out or became assimilated and lost their native languages 因为讲它们的人灭亡了或同化了，并且丧失了自己的语言
翻译技巧:
此句的结构并不难掌握，主要是准确表达其中的下面几个措辞：
1）be obliged to感激，感谢某人
极少有人能译对这个词组，多数人根据oblige的常用意思译为“被迫”，“有义务”，都不符原文。这里提醒考生，同样的拼写可能有多种不同的含义。许多人片面追求词汇量，以为达到5000千、6000千词汇就没问题了。其实，词汇的问题比较复杂，除了拼写、基本含义，还有搭配、用法、多重含义等。这些是用词汇表、小字典进行强记所无法解决的。
