英女王2016圣诞致辞We can do small things with great love

英女王2016圣诞致辞

给大家讲个常识

标准英音叫Received Pronunciation，即RP

在语言学研究中

我们经常研究的对象就是Queen Elizabeth II

超长待机的英女王

每年都会在圣诞之际

给我们来一场英音的洗礼

今年的圣诞

女王从里约奥运，扯到了医护人员，又扯到了宗教信仰

传递着一个最高尚的信念：

We can do small things with great love

我说这是年度逼格最高的闲扯

没有异议吧？

再给大家普及个语言学上的常识

所谓的Received Pronunciation

即Standard English in the United Kingdom

严格来讲，是不存在的

因为，无论是女王还是BBC，口音都在演变

只是演变的细微程度

非语言学研究者们察觉不出

这个很好理解吧

比如我，土生土长的北京人儿

上直播课的时候

经常有人问老师你是不是东北人

我觉得，除了我说话比较逗以外

还因为我被某些个感染力超强的东北朋友影响某些词的发音

比如我常说

瞅啥瞅！

这……以前的我真不会说哒

再来给大家普及个常识

女王每次在结尾都会说

Happy Christmas

你们知道她为什么不说Merry Christmas吗？

嘻嘻嘻先不告诉你

视频：英国女王2016年圣诞致辞

We can do small things with great love

Transcript and translation of the Speech:

There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so few of them. But the 67 medals at this year’s Games in Rio and 147 at the Paralympics meant that the GB medallists’ reception at Buckingham Palace was a crowded and happy event. 

曾几何时，英国的奥运奖牌获得者们都是家喻户晓的人物，因为当时能获此殊荣的人很少。但今年的里约奥运会我们获得了67枚奖牌，在残奥会上，我们又获得了147枚奖牌。这使今年在白金汉宫举行的英国奖牌获得者接见活动非常的热闹与欢快。

Throughout the Commonwealth there were equally joyful celebrations. Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand won more medals per head of population than any other countries.

整个英联邦都举办了相类似的庆祝活动。格林纳达，巴哈马，牙买加以及新西兰，所获得的人均奖牌数均高于其他国家。

Many of this year’s winners spoke of being inspired by athletes of previous generations. Inspiration fed their aspiration; and having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others.

在获奖牌运动员中，有很多人都曾说过他们被上一代的运动员的精神所激励，激励激发远大的志向，并让他们发挥出了自己都未曾发觉的潜力。这些运动员现在也正激励着下一代。

A few months ago, I saw inspiration of a different kind when I opened the new Cambridge base of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where Prince William works as a helicopter pilot. It was not hard to be moved by the dedication of the highly skilled doctors, paramedics and crew, who are called out on average five times a day.

几个月前，我见到了另一种形式的激励。那是当我为东盎格鲁空中救护服务队的新剑桥基地揭幕的时候，威廉王子在那里担任空中救护直升机飞行员。人们很容易会被这些高水平的医生、护理人员及工作人员的奉献精神所打动。这些人平均一天要出动五次。

But to be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.

但是要想鼓舞人心，你不一定非要救死扶伤或者赢得奖牌。我经常从平凡人身上感受到了力量，这些人做着不平凡的事情。志愿者、搬运工人、社区组织者或者是一个好的邻居。这些无名英雄们的无私奉献是他们变得不平凡。

They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa, from this year Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She once said: ‘Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love’.

他们是周围亲友的激励者。他们的存在证实了特蕾莎修女所传达的一个真理。今年，特蕾莎修女被封为圣人。她曾经说过，不是每个人都是做大事的人，但我们可以把小事做得有大爱。

This has been the experience of two remarkable organisations, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Prince’s Trust, which are 60 and 40 years old this year. These started as small initiatives but have grown beyond any expectations, and continue to transform young people’s lives.

这也是两个著名的组织爱丁堡公爵奖励计划以及王子信托一直在做的事情。今年这两个组织刚度过了60周年和40周年，他们提出了一个小举措，但是却超乎想象地迅速发展，并且持续改变着年轻人的生活方式。

To mark my 90th birthday, volunteers and supporters of the six hundred charities of which I have been patron came to a lunch in the Mall. Many of these organisations are modest in size but inspire me with the work they do.

为了庆祝我90周岁的生日，来自我资助过的600多家慈善机构的志愿者和支持者们在白金汉宫外的林荫路参加了游行派对。这些组织中，有些规模不大，但是却用他们的工作激励着我。

From giving friendship and support to our veterans, the elderly or the bereaved; to championing music and dance; providing animal welfare; or protecting our fields and forests, their selfless devotion and generosity of spirit is an example to us all.

他们有的为退伍军人和老人提供支持和帮助，有的为音乐和舞蹈事业奉献自己，有的提供动物福利或者保护我们的土地和森林免遭破坏，他们的无私与慷慨为我们所有人树立了榜样。

When people face a challenge they sometimes talk about taking a deep breath to find courage or strength. In fact, the word ‘inspire’ literally means ‘to breathe in’. But even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.

当人们面临挑战的时候，他们经常说要深吸一口气，从内心寻求勇气和力量。实际上“激励”这个词字面意义就是“吸气”。但即使是有了其他人的鼓励，我们有时仍然会觉得这个世界的问题太庞大。从我们自身来说，我们渺小得帮不上忙。我们不能结束战争或者消灭不公，但是这成千上万个小善举，可以积累成超乎我们想象的巨大影响。

At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.

圣诞节这一天，我们都在关注2000多年前一个婴儿的诞生，但他出身贫寒，他的父母，约瑟和玛丽并没有觉得自己很重要。

Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.

耶稣一生大部分时间生活贫困，从没有出过远门。即使他没有做过错事，他还是被许多人污蔑排斥。但现在，亿万人民追随着他的教导，把他当作人生的指路明灯。我就是信徒中的一员，因为耶稣使我看清用大爱做小事的无限价值。无论做事的人是谁，无论他们的信仰如何。

The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.

圣诞节提醒我们，激励是一件被赐予并被传递的礼物。大爱从小事开始，持续滋长。

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

祝大家圣诞快乐。