TEDYouth 2014
Erin McKean: Go ahead, make up new words!
艾琳．麥坎: 儘管放手去創造新單字吧！
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1,936,780 views
在 TEDYouth 這個有趣、簡短的演說裡，字典編撰師艾琳．麥坎鼓勵、甚至還鼓吹她的聽眾創造新的單字，而當下的其他字典編撰師們是不太會這樣做。她列出六種創造英文新單字方式，從連結到動詞化單字，就是為了使英語在表達我們的想法上做得更棒，以及創造出更多方法讓我們瞭解彼此的想法。
Erin McKean - Dictionary editor
As the co-founder of Reverb Technologies, the maker of the online dictionary Wordnik, Erin McKean is reshaping how we interact with language itself. Full bio
As the co-founder of Reverb Technologies, the maker of the online dictionary Wordnik, Erin McKean is reshaping how we interact with language itself. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I'm a lexicographer.
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我是一個字典編纂師，
00:13
I make dictionaries.
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而我編製字典，
00:15
And my job as a lexicographer
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身為字典編纂師我的工作是─
00:17
is to try to put all the words possible
into the dictionary.
into the dictionary.
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盡可能試著把所有可行的
字彙收進字典裡，
字彙收進字典裡，
00:20
My job is not to decide what a word is;
that is your job.
that is your job.
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我的工作不是決定什麼才是一個字，
那是你的工作；
那是你的工作；
00:26
Everybody who speaks English
decides together
decides together
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所有會說英文的人一起來決定
00:29
what's a word and what's not a word.
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什麼是字而什麼並不算是字，
00:32
Every language is just a group of people
who agree to understand each other.
who agree to understand each other.
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每一種語言不過就是一群
同意彼此理解的人，
同意彼此理解的人，
00:37
Now, sometimes when people are trying
to decide whether a word is good or bad,
to decide whether a word is good or bad,
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有時候大家想要斷定
一個字到底是好還是不好，
一個字到底是好還是不好，
00:41
they don't really have a good reason.
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他們並非真的有一個好依據，
00:43
So they say something like,
"Because grammar!"
"Because grammar!"
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所以他們就會說像
「因為文法」的這種道理，
「因為文法」的這種道理，
00:46
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
00:48
I don't actually really care about grammar
too much -- don't tell anybody.
too much -- don't tell anybody.
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實際上我真的不是太在乎文法，
請不要跟其他人講喔。
請不要跟其他人講喔。
00:52
But the word "grammar," actually,
there are two kinds of grammar.
there are two kinds of grammar.
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不過實際上「文法」這個字還分兩種，
00:55
There's the kind of grammar
that lives inside your brain,
that lives inside your brain,
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有一種文法存在於你的大腦中，
00:58
and if you're a native
speaker of a language
speaker of a language
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假如你是一種語言的天生使用者，
01:00
or a good speaker of a language,
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或是一種語言的擅長使用者，
01:02
it's the unconscious rules that you follow
when you speak that language.
when you speak that language.
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當你使用那個語言時
你所遵從的是潛意識的規則，
你所遵從的是潛意識的規則，
01:05
And this is what you learn when
you learn a language as a child.
you learn a language as a child.
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而這是當你小時後在學習語言時學到的。
01:08
And here's an example:
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這邊有一個例子：
01:10
This is a wug, right?
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這是一個"wug"對吧？(虛擬的單字)
01:11
It's a wug.
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它是一個"wug"。
01:13
Now there is another one.
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現在有另一張圖，
01:15
There are two of these.
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裡面有2個這種東西，
01:16
There are two ...
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那裡有2個什麼呢?
01:17
Audience: Wugs.
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聽眾："wugs"。
01:19
Erin McKean: Exactly! You know
how to make the plural of wug.
how to make the plural of wug.
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艾琳‧麥坎：完全正確！
你知道該如何把"wug"變成複數。
你知道該如何把"wug"變成複數。
01:22
That rule lives in your brain.
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這規則就存在你的腦海裡，
01:24
You never had to be taught this rule,
you just understand it.
you just understand it.
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你永遠不需要被教過這個規則，
你就是理解這條規則的，
你就是理解這條規則的，
01:27
This is an experiment that was invented
by a professor at [Boston University]
by a professor at [Boston University]
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這是一個在1958年(波士頓大學)
01:30
named Jean Berko Gleason back in 1958.
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珍‧伯寇‧葛里森教授所研發的實驗，
01:34
So we've been talking about this
for a long time.
for a long time.
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所以像我們這樣子說話已經很長久了。
01:37
Now, these kinds of natural rules
that exist in your brain,
that exist in your brain,
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如今存在你腦還裡的這些自然規則，
01:40
they're not like traffic laws,
they're more like laws of nature.
they're more like laws of nature.
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它們不像是交通法規，
而比較像是自然的法則，
而比較像是自然的法則，
01:44
And nobody has to remind you to obey
a law of nature, right?
a law of nature, right?
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根本沒有人提醒你遵守自然法則不是嗎？
01:48
When you leave the house in the morning,
your mom doesn't say,
your mom doesn't say,
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當你早上出門時你的母親不會說：
01:51
"Hey, honey, I think
it's going to be cold, take a hoodie,
it's going to be cold, take a hoodie,
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「嘿，親愛的，我想天氣將要變冷了，
帶上你的帶帽運動衫喔！
帶上你的帶帽運動衫喔！
01:53
don't forget to obey the law of gravity."
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別忘了要遵守地心引力的法則喔！」
01:56
Nobody says this.
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沒人會說這樣子的話。
01:58
Now, there are other rules that are more
about manners than they are about nature.
about manners than they are about nature.
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還有另一種規則與其說是自然法則
反而是比較像禮儀規矩，
反而是比較像禮儀規矩，
02:05
So you can think of a word as like a hat.
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你可以想個單字像是「帽子」呀，
02:08
Once you know how hats work,
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你一旦知道了帽子的功用，
02:10
nobody has to tell you,
"Don't wear hats on your feet."
"Don't wear hats on your feet."
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根本不必有人告訴你：
「別把帽子戴在腳底！」
「別把帽子戴在腳底！」
02:13
What they have to tell you is,
"Can you wear hats inside?
"Can you wear hats inside?
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他們得要跟你說的是
你是不是可以在裡面戴帽子、
你是不是可以在裡面戴帽子、
02:16
Who gets to wear a hat?
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誰需要戴帽子、
02:18
What are the kinds of hats
you get to wear?"
you get to wear?"
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你得要戴什麼樣子的帽子？
02:21
Those are more of the second kind
of grammar,
of grammar,
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這些比較像是第二類的文法，
02:23
which linguists often call usage,
as opposed to grammar.
as opposed to grammar.
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字典編撰師們相對於文法常叫它用法。
02:28
Now, sometimes people use this kind of
rules-based grammar
rules-based grammar
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有時候人們用第二種規則基礎的文法，
02:32
to discourage people from making up words.
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讓大家沒信心創造字，
02:35
And I think that is, well, stupid.
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而我認為這是非常蠢的事。
02:37
So, for example,
people are always telling you,
people are always telling you,
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舉例來說，大家總是跟你講：
02:40
"Be creative, make new music, do art,
invent things, science and technology."
invent things, science and technology."
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「要有創意的、製作新的音樂、玩藝術
、發明東西、科學、技術的。」
、發明東西、科學、技術的。」
02:46
But when it comes to
words, they're like,
words, they're like,
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但是講到文字的時候，
這些話會像是：「不要！不可以的！
這些話會像是：「不要！不可以的！
02:48
"Don't! No. Creativity stops right here,
whippersnappers. Give it a rest."
whippersnappers. Give it a rest."
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狂妄的小子！創新就到此為止啦，
讓一切平靜下來吧！」
讓一切平靜下來吧！」
02:53
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:54
But that makes no sense to me.
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但是那一套對我沒用，
02:56
Words are great.
We should have more of them.
We should have more of them.
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文字是最棒的，
我們應該有更多文字，
我們應該有更多文字，
02:58
I want you to make
as many new words as possible.
as many new words as possible.
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我希望你們儘其所能創造更多新字，
03:02
And I'm going to tell you six ways that
you can use to make new words in English.
you can use to make new words in English.
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我將要告訴你們六種你們可以
運用來創造英文新單字的方法：
運用來創造英文新單字的方法：
03:07
The first way is the simplest way.
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第一個是最簡單的方法，
03:09
Basically, steal them from other
languages.
languages.
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基本上就從其他語言裡盜用過來，
03:11
["Go rob other people"]
(Laughter)
(Laughter)
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「去搶劫其他人吧！」
(笑聲)
(笑聲)
03:15
Linguists call this borrowing,
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語言學家稱這個叫借用，
03:17
but we never give the words back ,
so I'm just going to be honest
so I'm just going to be honest
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但是我們絕不會再把這些字還回去，
所以我就是打算要誠實而叫它盜用，
所以我就是打算要誠實而叫它盜用，
03:20
and call it stealing.
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03:22
We usually take words for things
that we like, like delicious food.
that we like, like delicious food.
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通常我們會從拿我們喜歡的
東西來取字比如說美味的食物，
東西來取字比如說美味的食物，
03:26
We took "kumquat" from Chinese,
we took "caramel" from French.
we took "caramel" from French.
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我們從中文拿來了「金桔」、
從法文拿來了「焦糖」，
從法文拿來了「焦糖」，
03:29
We also take words
for cool things like "ninja," right?
for cool things like "ninja," right?
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我們也為很酷的「忍者」借字過來對吧?
03:32
We took that from Japanese,
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我們從日文裡拿過來，
03:34
which is kind of a cool trick because
ninjas are hard to steal from.
ninjas are hard to steal from.
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這是非常好玩的惡作劇，
因為你偷不到忍者！
因為你偷不到忍者！
03:37
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
03:39
So another way that you
can make words in English
can make words in English
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那麼另一個你可以造出英文字的方法，
03:42
is by squishing two
other English words together.
other English words together.
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是把兩個不同的英文字給湊在一塊，
03:45
This is called compounding.
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這個叫做「合併」，
03:47
Words in English are like Lego:
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英文像是「樂高」的字等，
03:49
If you use enough force,
you can put any two of them together.
you can put any two of them together.
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如果你使用足夠的力氣，
你可以把任何的兩個字湊在一塊兒，
你可以把任何的兩個字湊在一塊兒，
03:52
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
03:54
We do this all the time in English:
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在英文中我們一直這樣做，
03:56
Words like "heartbroken," "bookworm,"
"sandcastle" all are compounds.
"sandcastle" all are compounds.
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單字像是「心碎」、「書蟲」、
「沙堡」都是合併式單字，
「沙堡」都是合併式單字，
04:02
So go ahead and make words like
"duckface," just don't make duckface.
"duckface," just don't make duckface.
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所以去吧！造出像鴨臉的單字來，
只是不要裝鴨臉就好 (嘟嘴搞笑)。
只是不要裝鴨臉就好 (嘟嘴搞笑)。
04:05
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
04:07
Another way that you can make words
in English is kind of like compounding,
in English is kind of like compounding,
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另一個方式你可以造出
有點像是合併式的單字，
有點像是合併式的單字，
04:11
but instead you use so much force
when you squish the words together
when you squish the words together
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代替你用很大的力氣把兩個字擠在一起，
04:16
that some parts fall off.
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那把一些部分給拿掉了，
04:18
So these are blend words,
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所以這些是混合的字，
04:20
like "brunch" is a blend
of "breakfast" and "lunch."
of "breakfast" and "lunch."
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像是「brunch」是混合了
breakfast以及lunch、
breakfast以及lunch、
04:24
"Motel" is a blend of "motor" and "hotel."
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「Motel」是混合了motor以及hotel，
04:26
Who here knew that "motel"
was a blend word?
was a blend word?
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在場有誰知道「汽車旅館」
是一個混合字呢?
是一個混合字呢?
04:29
Yeah, that word is so old in English
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沒錯，這個字在英文裡很久了，
04:31
that lots of people don't know that
there are parts missing.
there are parts missing.
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很多人都不知道有些地方缺少了，
04:34
"Edutainment" is a blend
of "education" and "entertainment."
of "education" and "entertainment."
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「Edutainment」就是混合了
education和 entertainment的，
education和 entertainment的，
04:38
And of course, "electrocute" is a
blend of "electric" and "execute."
blend of "electric" and "execute."
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當然了，「electrocute」就是
混合了electric還有execute。
混合了electric還有execute。
04:44
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
04:46
You can also make words
by changing how they operate.
by changing how they operate.
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你也可以改變字的功用來造字，
04:49
This is called functional shift.
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這就叫做功能性的轉換，
04:50
You take a word that acts
as one part of speech,
as one part of speech,
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你挑了作為某種詞類的一個字，
04:53
and you change it into another
part of speech.
part of speech.
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而你把它改成另一種詞類，
04:55
Okay, who here knew that "friend"
hasn't always been a verb?
hasn't always been a verb?
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好的，這裡有誰知道「朋友」
並非一直以來就是當作動詞的，
並非一直以來就是當作動詞的，
05:00
"Friend" used to be noun
and then we verbed it.
and then we verbed it.
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「朋友」以前是當名詞
後來我們把它動詞化了，
後來我們把它動詞化了，
05:05
Almost any word in English can be verbed.
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幾乎任何英文裡的字都能被當成動詞，
05:08
You can also take adjectives
and make them into nouns.
and make them into nouns.
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你也可以拿形容詞把它們變成名詞，
05:10
"Commercial" used to be an adjective
and now it's a noun.
and now it's a noun.
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「commercial」以前是當形容詞
而現在它是個名詞，
而現在它是個名詞，
05:14
And of course, you can "green" things.
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沒錯你還可以讓東西「變環保些」。
05:17
Another way to make words
in English is back-formation.
in English is back-formation.
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另一個方式是利用字尾調整造出新單字，
05:20
You can take a word and you can
kind of squish it down a little bit.
kind of squish it down a little bit.
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你可以挑一個字然後你可以
像擠壓一樣把它變短一些，
像擠壓一樣把它變短一些，
05:23
So for example, in English we had the word
"editor" before we had the word "edit."
"editor" before we had the word "edit."
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舉例來說在英語裡我們有著
editor是早在有edit之前，
editor是早在有edit之前，
05:28
"Edit" was formed from "editor."
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edit是由editor而來的，
05:30
Sometimes these back-formations
sound a little silly:
sound a little silly:
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偶爾這些字尾變化聽起來有點傻氣，
05:33
Bulldozers bulldoze, butlers butle
and burglers burgle.
and burglers burgle.
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就像推土機推平地、男管家作管家、
闖空門的人闖空門。
闖空門的人闖空門。
05:37
(Laughter)
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(笑聲)
05:39
Another way to make words in English
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另一個造出英文字的方法
05:41
is to take the first letters of something
and squish them together.
and squish them together.
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是拿走某些東西的第一個字母，
然後把他們擺在一塊兒，
然後把他們擺在一塊兒，
05:44
So National Aeronautics and Space
Administration becomes NASA.
Administration becomes NASA.
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所以「國家航空暨太空總署」
就變成了NASA了，
就變成了NASA了，
05:47
And of course you can do this
with anything, OMG!
with anything, OMG!
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當然你可以對任何東西這樣做，
像是:我的天呀！(OMG)
像是:我的天呀！(OMG)
05:50
So it doesn't matter how silly
the words are.
the words are.
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因此這些字有多傻氣都沒有關係，
05:56
They can be really good words of English.
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他們可以當英文裡真正好的的字，
05:58
"Absquatulate" is a perfectly
good word of English.
good word of English.
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「偷走」是一個超級好的英文字，
06:02
"Mugwump" is a perfectly
good word of English.
good word of English.
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「變節者」是一個超級好的英文字，
06:05
So the words don't have have to sound
normal, they can sound really silly.
normal, they can sound really silly.
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因此字不需要得聽起來很正常，
它們可以聽起來真的很傻氣。
它們可以聽起來真的很傻氣。
06:10
Why should you make words?
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為什麼你應該來造字呢?
06:12
You should make words because every word
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你應該造字是因為每一個字
06:14
is a chance to express your idea and get
your meaning across.
your meaning across.
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都是一個機會來表達你的想法
以及說清楚你的意思，
以及說清楚你的意思，
06:18
And new words grab people's attention.
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而且新的單字能吸引大家的注意，
06:21
They get people to focus on what
you're saying
you're saying
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它們讓大家專注於你所講的東西，
06:24
and that gives you a better chance to get
your meaning across.
your meaning across.
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這樣就給了你一個更好的機會
來說清楚你的意思，
來說清楚你的意思，
06:27
A lot of people
on this stage today have said,
on this stage today have said,
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許多在今天這個講台的人曾經說過，
06:30
"In the future, you can do this,
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「在未來你可以做這個、
你可以對這個有幫助、
你可以對這個有幫助、
06:31
you can help with this, you can
help us explore, you can help us invent."
help us explore, you can help us invent."
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你可以幫我們做探索、
你可以幫我們創新。」
你可以幫我們創新。」
06:35
You can make a new word right now.
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現在你就可以造出新的字來，
06:37
English has no age limit.
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英文沒有年齡限制，
06:39
Go ahead, start making words today,
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放手去做今天就開始造新字吧，
06:41
send them to me, and I will put them
in my online dictionary, Wordnik.
in my online dictionary, Wordnik.
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把它們寄來給我，我會把它們放上
我的線上字典「Wordnik」
我的線上字典「Wordnik」
06:45
Thank you so much.
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非常謝謝你們的！
06:46
(Applause)
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(掌聲)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Erin McKean - Dictionary editorAs the co-founder of Reverb Technologies, the maker of the online dictionary Wordnik, Erin McKean is reshaping how we interact with language itself.
Why you should listen
Erin McKean's job as a lexicographer involves living in a constant state of research. She searches high and low -- from books to blogs, newspapers to cocktail parties -- for new words, new meanings for old words, or signs that old words have fallen out of use. In June of this year, she involved us all in the search by launching Wordnik, an online dictionary that houses all the traditionally accepted words and definitions, but also asks users to contribute new words and new uses for old words. Wordnik pulls real-time examples of word usage from Twitter, image representations from Flickr along with many more non-traditional, and highly useful, features.
Before Wordnik, McKean was one of the youngest editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary. She continues to serve as the editor of the language quarterly Verbatim ("language and linguistics for the layperson since 1974") and is the author of multiple books, including That's Amore and the entire Weird and Wonderful Words series. All that, and she maintains multiple blogs, too: McKean is the keen observationalist behind A Dress a Day and Dictionary Evangelist. Is there anything she can't do? Surprisingly, she is notoriously bad at Scrabble.
Erin McKean | Speaker | TED.com