Hints:

Chinese

American

两处连字符

 

 


 









Why is it that when you study a foreign language, you never learn the little phrases that let you slip into a culture without all your foreignness exposed? Every Chinese-language textbook starts out with the standard phrase for greeting people; but as an American, I constantly found myself tongue-tied when it came to seeing guests off at the door. An abrupt goodbye would not do, yet that was all I had ever learned from these books. So I would smile and nod, bowing like a Japanese and trying to find words that would smooth over the visitors' leaving and make them feel they would be welcome to come again. In my fluster, I often hid behind my Chinese husband's graciousness. Then finally, listening to others, I began to pick up the phrases that eased relations and sent people off with a feeling of mission not only accomplished but surpassed.
在外语学习中，学会一些简单的词组就能让你不知不觉地进入另一种文化，而丝毫不暴露你作为一个外国人的身份，但你为什么总是学不会呢？每本汉语课本都，一律从问候语开始的。但是作为美国人，每当我要送客出门时，我总是张口结舌说不出话。唐突的说声再见是不行的，然而，这就是我从这些课本里所学到的一切了。因此我只能微笑，点头，像个日本人似的鞠躬，并拼命的想找些话来说，以缓和离别的气氛，使他们觉得我确实欢迎他们再来。因此，我常常靠我中国丈夫的彬彬有礼来掩饰自己的慌乱。 后来，通过听别人说话，我开始学会一些使客人听了舒服的言辞，感到送客这项重要的任务，我不仅顺利完成了，而且完成得很出色。