[不勝啰嗦,再來一篇]
A couple of guys once out of the blue asked about my TOFOEL and GRE scores. I did fairly well but there was nothing to write home about. Plus those scores could only represent my English proficiency level at the time of examination. As it turned out, the guys just wanted to tell me that they did magnificently well with their exams, almost to the point of perfection. So, I took my hat off to take a deep, deep bow in front of them. They stopped my charade. As it turned out, they just wished to lament, for they couldn』t understand why they had trouble speaking and writing with English. Maybe it was an indirect way of reaching out for diagnosis or consolation. At the time of conversation I failed to makes sense because I didn't think into those issues myself. Maybe many of us don't realize that language doesn』t consist of only a few principles and rules, like grammar, vocabulary, idioms. Men who thought they could man-handle a language, like they do with mathematics, by burning a few gallons of mid-night oil, may be able to do well with examination. But the hopeless feeling is inevitable when it』s time for them to put what they thought they had mastered into practice.
How could I tell super examination takers that they hadn』t shown enough respect to every word or punctuation? In language every little detail counts. One must treat every single element in a language, such as words, comma, usage, like their best friends. That』s right. Friends don』t misuse, let alone abuse, one』s best pal. Only when one spent enough time to know and paid due respect to everything, one can advance to the level of self-expression with the language acquired with care and respect. Knowing the definition of a word is only half the way there. One must feel the language. When you can cry, laugh, show off your deep thoughts and exposit your complex feelings with a particular language, you can claim that you politely crossed the threshold of a new arena or palace. Masters are rare; so don』t flatter yourself.
If I am asked to compare language with something tangible, I choose water in which every drop is equal to the next. All the drops together make a clear lake or a tumultuous sea. Water is soft but please do not bully it. If you don』t know water and jump into it you have a good chance of getting drowned. Yes, a super genius sometimes looks like a dimwit in terms of language use. So, one has to learn, or adjust one』s attitude, in order to relate to language. One must respect every small detail in a language. If you don』t deal with details right, the details will bite back eventually. At every corner of the street, I may add. When that happens, it won』t be a pretty sight. There is reason that women are good with language because they pay attention to details. Their tendency to conduct life according to their feelings gives them a better chance to relate to language. Of course those are generalities, for I know that some men can also feel exquisitely and some women are simply course or rough. Language is not science. Instead, it』s something for us to laugh and cry with, to sing and poetry with, and to dream and despair with. One must become gentle and natural with language to have the chance to float in the water and enjoy the ride, and ultimately use the language with grace and eloquence. Therefore, it』s no surprise that a little girl could be a much better swimmer than a huge muscle guy like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
April, 2007
[口語是另一回事,必須擺脫母語發音,目前還沒有寫什麼]