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TED演讲:不要再滥用Awesome这个词了(视频)
2015-09-09 15:34
来源:ted
作者:
无论是在美剧,还是美国人日常生活中,通常会在什么场合下说出“Awesome”这个词?在英语中也是存在一个词被人们滥用的场景,但事实awesome的本义是畏惧参杂着倾慕或崇敬的感觉,不仅仅是简单地翻译成“棒极了”,不是所有事情都可以被轻易的称赞为“Awesome”。
TED演讲文本:
0:12
How many times have you used the word "awesome" today? Once? Twice? Seventeen times? Doyou remember what you were describing when you used the word? No, I didn't think so, becauseit's come down to this, people: You're using the word incorrectly, and tonight I hope to show youhow to put the "awe" back in "awesome."
0:32
Recently, I was dining at an outdoor cafe, and the server came up to our table, and asked us if wehad dined there before, and I said, "Yes, yes, we have." And she said, "Awesome." And I thought, "Really? Awesome or just merely good that we decided to visit your restaurant again?"
0:53
The other day, one of my coworkers asked me if I could save that file as a PDF, and I said, "Well,of course," and he said, "Awesome." Seriously, can saving anything as a PDF be awesome?
1:10
Sadly, the frequent overuse of the word "awesome" has now replaced words like "great" and"thank you." So Webster's dictionary defines the word "awesome" as fear mingled with admirationor reverence, a feeling produced by something majestic. Now, with that in mind, was your Quiznossandwich awesome? How about that parking space? Was that awesome? Or that game the otherday? Was that awesome? The answer is no, no and no. A sandwich can be delicious, that parkingspace can be nearby, and that game can be a blowout, but not everything can be awesome. (Laughter)
1:55
So when you use the word "awesome" to describe the most mundane of things, you're takingaway the very power of the word. This author says, "Snowy days or finding money in your pantsis awesome." (Laughter) Um, no, it is not, and we need to raise the bar for this poor schmuck. (Laughter)
2:18
So in other words, if you have everything, you value nothing. It's a lot like drinking from afirehose like this jackass right here. There's no dynamic, there's no highs or lows, if everything isawesome.
2:33
Ladies and gentlemen, here are 10 things that are truly awesome.
2:37
Imagine, if you will, having to schlep everything on your back. Wouldn't this be easier for me if Icould roll this home? Yes, so I think I'll invent the wheel. The wheel, ladies and gentlemen. Is thewheel awesome? Say it with me. Yes, the wheel is awesome!
2:56
The Great Pyramids were the tallest man-made structure in the world for 4,000 years. Pharaohhad his slaves move millions of blocks just to this site to erect a big freaking headstone. Were theGreat Pyramids awesome? Yes, the pyramids were awesome.
3:14
The Grand Canyon. Come on. It's almost 80 million years old. Is the Grand Canyon awesome? Yes,the Grand Canyon is.
3:22
Louis Daguerre invented photography in 1829, and earlier today, when you whipped out yoursmartphone and you took a shot of your awesome sandwich, and you know who you are — (Laughter) — wasn't that easier than exposing the image to copper plates coated with iodizedsilver? I mean, come on. Is photography awesome? Yes, photography is awesome.
3:46
D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allied invasion of Normandy, the largest amphibious invasion in worldhistory. Was D-Day awesome? Yes, it was awesome.
3:58
Did you eat food today? Did you eat? Then you can thank the honeybee, that's the one, becauseif crops aren't pollinated, we can't grow food, and then we're all going to die. It's just like that. Butit's not like a flower can just get up and have sex with another flower, although that would beawesome. (Laughter) Bees are awesome. Are you kidding me?
4:22
Landing on the moon! Come on! Apollo 11. Are you kidding me? Sixty-six years after the WrightBrothers took off from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Neil Armstrong was 240,000 miles away. That'slike from here to the moon. (Laughter) That's one small step for a man, one giant leap forawesome! You're damn right, it was.
4:49
Woodstock, 1969: Rolling Stone Magazine said this changed the history of rock and roll. Ticketswere only 24 dollars back then. You can't even buy a freaking t-shirt for that now. Jimi Hendrix'sversion of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was the most iconic. Was Woodstock awesome? Yes, itwas awesome.
5:10
Sharks! They're at the top of the food chain. Sharks have multiple rows of teeth that grow in theirjaw and they move forward like a conveyor belt. Some sharks can lose 30,000 teeth in theirlifetime. Does awesome inspire fear? Oh, hell yeah, sharks are awesome!
5:30
The Internet was born in 1982 and it instantly took over global communication, and later tonight,when all these PowerPoints are uplifted to the Internet so that a guy in Siberia can get drunk andwatch this crap, the Internet is awesome.
5:49
And finally, finally some of you can't wait to come up and tell me how awesome my PowerPointwas. I will save you the time. It was not awesome, but it was true, and I hope it was entertaining,and out of all the audiences I've ever had, y'all are the most recent. Thank you and good night.