ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Suzanne Talhouk - Poet and language advocate
Suzanne Talhouk is an advocate for the Arabic language as a tool of power, pride and unity.

Why you should listen

Raised in war-torn Lebanon, Suzanne Talhouk has a masters in physics and a passion for poetry; she has released two collections of poems. Dismayed by what she saw as a lack of power during the recent war in the Middle East, Talhouk saw the Arabic language as medium to unite and empower the Arab world. She launched Feil Amer, an organization that aims to preserve the Arabic language, and to reinstate the pride in young Arabs towards their language.

More profile about the speaker
Suzanne Talhouk | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxBeirut

Suzanne Talhouk: Don't kill your language

Suzanne Talhouk: 邊個話講阿拉伯話唔型㗎?

Filmed:
1,438,887 views

Suzanne Talhouk 呼籲通過令阿拉伯語現代化,並將佢用喺創意表達,嚟到復興阿拉伯語。佢嘅工作集中喺重建阿拉伯語世界嘅身份認同,擺脫人對於阿拉伯語嘅自卑感。
- Poet and language advocate
Suzanne Talhouk is an advocate for the Arabic language as a tool of power, pride and unity. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
Good morning早上!
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早晨!
00:15
Are you awake清醒?
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大家瞓醒未呀?
00:18
They took my name名字 tag標記,
but I wanted to ask問吓 you,
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佢哋收走咗我塊名牌
00:21
did anyone任何人 here write their佢哋 name名字
on the tag標記 in Arabic阿拉伯文?
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但我想問下大家
有冇人係用阿拉伯文寫塊名牌㗎?
00:23
Anyone任何人! No one?
All right, no problem個問題.
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有冇呀?冇?
好啦,唔緊要
00:29
Once一旦 upon之後 a time, not long ago,
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冇幾耐之前
00:33
I was sitting in a restaurant餐廳 with my friend朋友,
ordering訂購 food食品.
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我同個朋友去間餐廳食嘢
00:38
So I looked at the waiter服務員 and said,
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我用阿拉伯話問個侍應︰
00:42
"Do you have a menu菜單 (Arabic阿拉伯文)?"
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「有冇餐牌可以睇睇?」
00:45
He looked at me strangely奇怪,
thinking思維 that he misheard开奖.
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佢好奇怪咁望實我,好似聽錯咗咁款
00:49
He said, "Sorry? (English英文)."
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佢用英文講︰「咩話?」
00:52
I said,
"The menu菜單 (Arabic阿拉伯文), please."
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我話︰「(阿拉伯話)餐牌,唔該。」
00:56
He replied回答,
"Don't you know what they call it?"
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佢答返話︰
「乜你唔知呢份嘢叫咩名㗎咩?」
00:59
"I do."
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我話:「我知。」
01:01
He said, "No! It's called "menu菜單" (English英文),
or "menu菜單" (French法文)."
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佢話︰「你根本就唔知!
份嘢叫做(英文)『餐牌』,
又或者(法文)『餐牌』!」
01:04
Is the French法文 pronunciation發音 correct?
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我啲法文準唔準呀?
01:06
"Come, come, take care護理 of this one!"
said the waiter服務員.
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個侍應就同個同事講︰
「嚟嚟嚟,呢張枱你搞掂佢!」
01:09
He was disgusted反感 when talking講嘢 to me,
as if he was saying to himself自己,
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同我講嘢嗰陣,佢一臉不屑
好似同緊自己講:
「就算地球剩返佢一個女人,
我都唔會睺佢!」
01:13
"If this was the last girl女孩 on Earth地球,
I wouldn't唔會 look at her!"
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01:17
What's the meaning意義
of saying "menu菜單" in Arabic阿拉伯文?
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咁用阿拉伯文講「餐牌」
有乜咁大件事呢?
01:19
Two words的話 made作出 a Lebanese黎巴嫩 young年輕 man
judge法官 a girl女孩 as being backward落後
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呢兩粒字就足以
令一個黎巴嫩嘅後生仔覺得
01:28
and ignorant無知.
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一個女人落後無知
01:30
How could she speak that way?
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「有乜理由用阿拉伯話㗎?」
01:36
At that moment時刻, I started初時 thinking思維.
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嗰一刻,我個腦係咁轉
愈諗愈嬲
01:39
It made作出 me mad.
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01:40
It definitely絕對 hurts!
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我覺得好委屈!
01:41
I'm denied否認 the right to speak
my own自己 language語言 in my own自己 country國家?
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我喺自己國家
講自己母語嘅權利都被剝奪?
01:44
Where could this happen發生?
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咁嘅事都有?
01:46
How did we get here?
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點解會變成咁㗎?
01:49
Well, while we are here,
there are many好多 people like me,
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喺呢度,有好多人同我一樣?
01:53
who would reach達到 a stage階段 in their佢哋 lives生活,
where they involuntarily不由自主地 give up
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佢哋人生行到嚟某個階段
01:57
everything
that has happened發生 to them in the past過去,
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被迫放棄自己嘅根?
先能夠證明畀人哋睇
自己係有文化、有地位
01:59
just so they can say that they're modern現代
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02:01
and civilized文明.
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02:03
Should I forget唔記得 all my culture文化, thoughts思想,
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我係咪要抹走晒我嘅生活方式
思想、知識同記憶呢?
02:06
intellect智力 and all my memories記憶?
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02:11
Childhood童年 stories故事 might可能 be the best最好 memories記憶
we have of the war戰爭!
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戰亂嘅時候,童年回憶可能
就成為我哋最大嘅情感寄託!
02:15
Should I forget唔記得 everything
I learned in Arabic阿拉伯文, just to conform符合?
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為咗合群,我就要抹走晒
我母語賜畀我嘅所有嘢?
02:20
To be one of them?
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然後隨波逐流?
02:23
Where's邊係 the logic邏輯 in that?
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究竟道理何在?
02:26
Despite儘管 all that,
I tried試過 to understand理解 him.
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撇除呢堆諗法
我都想去理解呢個侍應
02:29
I didn't want to judge法官 him
with the same相同 cruelty殘酷 that he judged判斷 me.
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雖然佢用歧視嘅目光睇我
但我唔想掉轉頭批判返佢
阿拉伯話滿足唔到當今嘅需要
02:35
The Arabic阿拉伯文 language語言
doesn't satisfy滿足 today's今日嘅 needs需要.
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02:39
It's not a language語言 for science科學,
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做科研唔會用到佢
02:41
research研究,
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02:43
a language語言 we're used to in universities大學,
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大學課堂同職場上唔會用佢
02:45
a language語言 we use in the workplace車間,
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02:47
a language語言 we rely依賴 on if we were to perform執行
an advanced先進 research研究 project項目,
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做高級研究亦用唔著佢
02:53
and it definitely絕對 isn't a language語言
we use at the airport機場.
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喺機場就更加唔在講啦
咁做嘅話
啲人肯定會搜我哋身都似
02:56
If we did so,
they'd佢地會 strip us of our clothes.
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咁仲有邊度可以?
我哋好應該反思一下
03:00
Where can I use it, then?
We could all ask問吓 this question個問題!
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03:04
So, you want us to use Arabic阿拉伯文.
Where are we to do so?
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你要我哋用阿拉伯話
但邊度先用得到呢?
03:08
This is one reality現實.
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事實擺在眼前
03:11
But we have another另一個 more important重要 reality現實
that we ought應該 to think about.
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但有一樣嘢更需要我哋思考
03:16
Arabic阿拉伯文 is the mother母親 tongue.
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阿拉伯話係我哋嘅母語
03:19
Research研究 says that mastery掌握
of other languages語言
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研究話,想掌握其他語言
首先要掌握好母語
03:25
demands要求 mastery掌握 of the mother母親 tongue.
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03:29
Mastery掌握 of the mother母親 tongue is a prerequisite前提
for creative創造性 expression表達 in other languages語言.
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如果想用其他語言做創作
前提係要掌握好母語
03:36
How?
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點解?
03:38
Gibran纪伯伦 Khalil哈利勒 Gibran纪伯伦,
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黎巴嫩詩人 Gibran Khalil Gibran
03:40
when he first started初時 writing寫作,
he used Arabic阿拉伯文.
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第一次創作就係用阿拉伯文
03:44
All his ideas想法, imagination想象 and philosophy哲學
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佢嘅所有諗法、想像同感悟
03:51
were inspired啟發 by this little boy男孩
in the village
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都嚟自佢細個喺村莊裡面
03:54
where he grew增長 up,
smelling a specific特定 smell氣味,
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聞過、聽過、思考過嘅嘢
03:57
hearing聽到 a specific特定 voice聲音,
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03:58
and thinking思維 a specific特定 thought.
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04:00
So, when he started初時 writing寫作 in English英文,
he had enough baggage行李.
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所以當佢開始用英文創作嘅時候
佢彈藥充足
04:04
Even when he wrote in English英文,
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即使佢寫嘅係英文
04:07
when you read his writings著作 in English英文,
you smell氣味 the same相同 smell氣味,
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你睇嘅係英文
味道質感同樣依舊
04:11
sense the same相同 feeling感覺.
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04:13
You can imagine想象 that that's him
writing寫作 in English英文,
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你會想像得到用英文寫作嘅佢
04:16
the same相同 boy男孩 who came from the mountain.
From a village on Mount安裝 Lebanon黎巴嫩.
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依然係嗰個喺黎巴嫩山長大嘅男仔
04:22
So, this is an example例子
no one can argue認為 with.
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呢個例子毋庸置疑
04:29
Second第二, it's often經常 said
that if you want to kill a nation國家,
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第二,啲人經常話
要一個國家滅亡
04:34
the only way to kill a nation國家,
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唯一方法就係消滅佢嘅語言
04:37
is to kill its language語言.
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04:38
This is a reality現實
that developed開發 societies社會 are aware of.
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發達國家亦意識到呢個現實
04:44
The Germans德國人, French法文, Japanese日文 and Chinese中文,
all these nations國家 are aware of this.
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德國、法國、日本、中國
呢啲國家都深明呢個道理
04:50
That's why they legislate立法
to protect保護 their佢哋 language語言.
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因此佢哋會立法保護佢哋嘅語言
04:54
They make it sacred神聖.
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佢哋令自己嘅母語變得有地位
04:57
That's why they use it in production生產,
they pay支付 a lot of money to develop發展 it.
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所以當地人好多時都會用到母語
佢哋花好多錢發展佢哋嘅語言
05:03
Do we know better than them?
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我哋比佢哋更清楚語言嗎?
05:06
All right,
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05:07
we aren't唔係 from the developed開發 world世界,
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我哋嘅國家唔發達
05:08
this advanced先進 thinking思維
hasn't reached達到 us yet尚未,
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民智未開
05:11
and we would like to catch抓住 up
with the civilized文明 world世界.
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但我哋要追上世界文明嘅步伐
05:15
Countries國家 that were once一旦 like us,
but decided決定 to strive努力 for development發展,
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有啲曾經同我哋同樣景況嘅國家
05:19
do research研究,
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努力發展同做科研
05:21
and catch抓住 up with those countries國家,
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去趕上發達國家
05:22
such as Turkey土耳其, Malaysia馬來西亞 and others,
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譬如如土耳其、馬來西亞
05:25
they carried進行 their佢哋 language語言 with them
as they were climbing the ladder,
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喺發展嘅同時,佢哋捍衞自己嘅語言
05:29
protected保護 it like a diamond鑽石.
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珍而重之咁去捍衞
05:33
They kept保持 it close關閉 to them.
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佢哋始終冇離棄過自己嘅語言
05:34
Because if you get any product產品
from Turkey土耳其 or elsewhere第二度
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所以如果你喺土耳其買嘢
05:39
and it's not labeled標記 in Turkish土耳其文,
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見到標籤冇土耳其文
05:41
then it isn't a local當地 product產品.
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嗰樣嘢一定唔係當地物產
05:44
You wouldn't唔會 believe it's a local當地 product產品.
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你亦唔會相信係當地物產
05:47
They'd佢地會 go back to being consumers消費者,
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以至商人會從消費者出發
05:49
clueless無能 consumers消費者, like we are
most of the time.
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代入返我哋呢班消費者嘅思維
05:55
So, in order for them to innovate創新 and produce生產,
they had to protect保護 their佢哋 language語言.
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所以為咗創新同生產
佢哋需要捍衞自己嘅語言
06:03
If I say, "Freedom自由, sovereignty主權,
independence獨立 (Arabic阿拉伯文),"
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如果我講
「(英語)自由、尊嚴、獨立」
你會諗到乜嘢?
06:08
what does this remind you of?
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冇共鳴,係咪?
06:12
It doesn't ring a bell, does it?
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06:14
Regardless無論 of the who, how and why.
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無論從邊個、點樣同點解嘅方向諗
始終都係冇共鳴
06:19
Language語言 isn't just for conversing交談,
just words的話 coming out of our mouths嘴巴.
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語言唔係剩係用嚟傾偈
唔係齋係由我哋口裡面講出嚟嘅字
06:25
Language語言 represents代表 specific特定 stages階段
in our lives生活,
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語言標誌住我哋人生嘅不同階段
06:30
and terminology術語
that is linked聯繫 to our emotions情緒.
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盛載住一啲牽動我哋情感嘅詞語
06:35
So when we say,
"Freedom自由, sovereignty主權, independence獨立,"
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所以當我哋講「自由、尊嚴、獨立」
你哋個個腦海中都會畫咗一幅畫
06:38
each每個 one of you draws繪製 a specific特定 image圖像
in their佢哋 own自己 mind介意,
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06:41
there are specific特定 feelings感情
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你會聯想起某個歷史時刻
勾起某種情感
06:44
of a specific特定 day
in a specific特定 historical歷史 period時期.
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06:47
Language語言 isn't one, two
or three words的話 or letters字母 put together一起.
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語言並唔係幾個單字拼湊埋一齊
06:50
It's an idea想法 inside
that relates涉及 to how we think,
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語言係關乎我哋點樣思考
06:53
and how we see each每個 other
and how others see us.
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我哋點睇其他人
其他人又點睇我哋
06:59
What is our intellect智力?
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咁樣,智力係指乜嘢?
07:00
How do you say
whether係唔係 this guy understands理解 or not?
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你會點樣判斷人
明唔明白一樣嘢、聰唔聰明?
07:03
So, if I say, "Freedom自由, sovereignty主權,
independence獨立 (English英文),"
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如果我講「(英語)自由、尊嚴、獨立」
07:12
or if your son came up to you and said,
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然後你個仔同你講
07:14
"Dad老竇, have you lived through透過 the period時期 of
the freedom自由 (English英文) slogan口號?"
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「爸爸,你經歷過
(英語)自由標語嘅時代嗎?」
07:18
How would you feel?
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你會有咩感覺?
07:21
If you don't see a problem個問題,
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如果你唔覺得有問題
07:25
then I'd better leave離開,
and stop talking講嘢 in vain.
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咁我都唔應該再講落去,費事嘥氣
07:29
The idea想法 is that these expressions表達式
remind us of a specific特定 thing.
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啱啱嘅對話令我諗起一件事
07:35
I have a francophone法文 friend朋友
who's邊個係 married結婚 to a French法文 man.
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我有個識得講法文嘅朋友
嫁畀咗一個法國人
07:40
I asked問吓 her once一旦 how things were going.
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有一次我問佢近況如何
07:44
She said,
"Everything is fine,
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佢話︰「一切都好好,但就有一次,
07:45
but once一旦, I spent a whole整個 night
asking問吓 and trying試圖 to translate翻譯
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我花咗成晚去向我老公解釋
阿拉伯文裡面『toqborni』嘅意思。」
07:50
the meaning意義 of the word
'toqborni'' toqborni ' for him."
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(笑聲)
07:52
(Laughter笑聲)
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(掌聲)
07:54
(Applause掌聲)
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08:02
The poor可憐 woman女人 had mistakenly told him
"toqbornitoqborni,"
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呢個可憐嘅女人唔小心
同佢講咗「toqborni」
08:05
and then spent the whole整個 night
trying試圖 to explain解釋 it to him.
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之後花咗成晚解釋個字
佢丈夫好困惑:
08:08
He was puzzled困惑 by the thought:
"How could anyone任何人 be this cruel殘酷?
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「(英語)點解會有人咁長氣
講個字嘅解釋呢?
08:12
Does she want to commit提交 suicide自殺?
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佢想殺死我嗎?」
呢個只係其中一例咋
08:14
'Bury埋葬 me?' (English英文)"
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08:17
This is one of the few幾個 examples例子.
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我個朋友冇可能會解釋得到
08:19
It made作出 us feel that she's unable冇辦法 to tell
that word to her husband老公,
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因為佢老公實唔會明
08:22
since因為 he won't唔會 understand理解,
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唔明亦好合理
08:25
and he's right not to;
his way of thinking思維 is different不同.
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因為兩個思維唔一樣
08:28
She said to me,
"He listens to FairuzFairuz with me,
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我朋友同我講:
08:32
and one night,
I tried試過 to translate翻譯 for him
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「佢會陪我一齊聽
黎巴嫩歌手 Fairuz 啲歌。
有一晚,我嘗試譯畀佢聽,
08:36
so he can feel what I feel when
I listen to FairuzFairuz."
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等佢體會下
我聽 Fairuz 嗰陣嘅感覺。」
08:40
The poor可憐 woman女人 tried試過 to translate翻譯
this for him:
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呢個可憐嘅女人嘗試咁樣譯:
08:42
"From them I extended擴展 my hands
and stole you --"
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「由佢哋,我伸隻手出嚟,
偷你嘅 ——」
(笑聲)
08:46
(Laughter笑聲)
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08:48
And here's呢度有 the pickle泡菜:
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呢句仲棘手:
08:49
"And because you belong屬於 to them,
I returned返回 my hands and left you."
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「因為你屬於佢哋,
我收返隻手,離開你」
08:53
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
唔該你哋譯咗佢嘞!
08:54
Translate翻譯 that for me.
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08:56
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
09:03
So, what have we done to protect保護
the Arabic阿拉伯文 language語言?
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為咗阿拉伯話,我哋做過啲咩?
09:08
We turned打開 this into a concern關注
of the civil民事 society社會,
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我哋令社會關注語言保護
09:11
and we launched推出 a campaign運動 to preserve保存
the Arabic阿拉伯文 language語言.
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我哋發起咗一場運動保護阿拉伯話
09:14
Even though雖然 many好多 people told me,
"Why do you bother騷擾?
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雖然好多人同我講
「你點解要攞苦嚟辛呢?
09:17
Forget唔記得 about this headache頭痛
and go have fun有趣."
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咪掂呢啲麻煩嘢啦,
輕鬆過下咪算囉。」
09:20
No problem個問題!
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冇所謂!
09:22
The campaign運動 to preserve保存 Arabic阿拉伯文
launched推出 a slogan口號 that says,
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呢個運動有個口號:
09:25
"I talk to you from the East,
but you reply答覆 from the West西."
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「我從東方向你說話,
你從西方回答我。」
09:28
We didn't say,
"No! We do not accept接受 this or that."
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我哋冇話:
「唔得!我哋唔認同呢樣嗰樣。」
09:36
We didn't adopt採用 this style風格 because
that way, we wouldn't唔會 be understood理解.
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我哋冇咁樣講
咁樣盞更加冇人明白我哋
09:41
And when someone有人 talks會談 to me that way,
I hate討厭 the Arabic阿拉伯文 language語言.
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如果有人咁同我講嘢
我會憎咗呢個語言
09:44
We say-話--
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我哋…
09:46
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
09:49
We want to change our reality現實,
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我哋想改變現狀
09:51
and be convinced相信 in a way that reflects反映
our dreams夢想, aspirations願望 and day-to-day日常 life.
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想堅守我哋嘅夢想、抱負同生活方式
09:56
In a way that dresses like us
and thinks認為 like we do.
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就只係咁樣
10:01
So, "I talk to you from the East,
but you reply答覆 from the West西"
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所以我哋話「我從東方向你說話,
你從西方回答我」
10:04
has hit the spotD.
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10:06
Something very easy容易,
yet尚未 creative創造性 and persuasive說服力.
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呢句話講中曬
10:10
After that,
we launched推出 another另一個 campaign運動
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呢句口號好簡單
但就好有創意同說服力
嗰次之後,我哋又發起另一個運動
我哋喺地下堆砌一啲字母出嚟
10:14
with scenes場景 of letters字母 on the ground地面.
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10:17
You've seen看到 an example例子 of it outside外面,
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你喺出面都睇到其中一個作品
10:20
a scene現場 of a letter surrounded包圍
by black and yellow黃色 tape磁帶
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一個字母被黑色同黃色膠紙圍封住
10:24
with "Don't kill your language語言!"
written on it.
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上面寫著「唔好殺死你嘅語言!」
10:27
Why?
Seriously嚴重, don't kill your language語言.
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點解?
真係唔好毀滅你嘅語言
10:31
We really shouldn't唔该 kill our language語言.
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我哋真係唔應該殺死我哋嘅母語
10:34
If we were to kill the language語言,
we'd我哋會 have to find an identity身份.
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如果我哋失去咗我哋嘅母語
我哋就要搵返我哋嘅身份
10:39
We'd我哋會 have to find an existence存在.
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我哋就要搵返我哋存在嘅意義
10:41
We'd我哋會 go back to the beginning初時.
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以至到我哋要從頭開始
10:43
This is beyond超越 just missing失蹤 our chance機會
of being modern現代 and civilized文明.
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我哋仲會失去造就現代文明社會嘅機會
10:51
After that we released釋放 photos
of guys and girls女孩 wearing穿 the Arabic阿拉伯文 letter.
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之後,我哋發佈咗小朋友
身穿阿拉伯字母嘅相
10:57
Photos of "cool" guys and girls女孩.
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相裏面我哋用到 cool(酷)呢個英文字
11:00
We are very cool!
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但如果有人話
「哈!你用咗英文嘅字!」
11:02
And to whoever边个 might可能 say,
"Ha醫管局! You used an English英文 word!"
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11:07
I say,
"No! I adopt採用 the word 'cool' 型.'"
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我會答返
「唔係!我只係將 cool 呢個字
融會落去阿拉伯文。」
11:11
Let them object對象 however然而 they want,
but give me a word that's nicer仲好
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但如果佢哋堅持要反對就又得佢哋啦
我剩係知道我需要
更好、更切合現實嘅詞語
11:14
and matches比賽 the reality現實 better.
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所以我會繼續話「互聯網」
11:17
I will keep on saying "Internet互聯網"
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而唔會話「我要去上世界萬維網」
11:19
I wouldn't唔會 say:
"I'm going to the world世界 wide webWeb"
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11:22
(Laughs)
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(笑聲)
11:24
Because it doesn't fit!
We shouldn't唔该 kid孩子 ourselves自己.
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因為嗰個字同現實脫節!
我哋唔應該喺度自欺欺人
11:27
But to reach達到 this pointD,
we all have to be convinced相信
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但係講到呢度,我哋都應該認同
11:31
that we shouldn't唔该 allow允許 anyone任何人
who is bigger
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唔能夠畀任何有勢力過我哋
或者喺語言方面比我哋話得事嘅人
11:34
or thinks認為 they have any authority權威 over us
when it comes to language語言,
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控制我哋,逼我哋行佢哋嗰套
11:37
to control控制 us or make us think and feel
what they want.
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11:43
Creativity創造力 is the idea想法.
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創意係關鍵
11:47
So, if we can't reach達到 space空間
or build建立 a rocket火箭 and so on,
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即便我哋上唔到太空
唔能夠造到支火箭等等
11:50
we can be creative創造性.
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我哋仍然可以有創意
11:52
At this moment時刻, every one of you
is a creative創造性 project項目.
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到呢一刻,你哋每個人
都係一個創意嘅項目
你母語裏面蘊含嘅創造力
就係我哋要遵循嘅道路
11:55
Creativity創造力 in your mother母親 tongue
is the path路徑.
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11:58
Let's start初時 from this moment時刻.
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等我哋由宜家開始
12:02
Let's write a novel小說
or produce生產 a short film電影.
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寫一部小說,拍一齣微電影
12:04
A single novel小說 could make us global全球 again.
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一本小說就可能令我哋重新喺世界出名
12:07
It could bring the Arabic阿拉伯文 language語言
back to being number數量 one.
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佢可能令阿拉伯語重返世界第一語言
邊個話冇出路!我哋有辦法!
12:12
So, it's not true真係 that there's no solution解決方案;
there is a solution解決方案!
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12:16
But we have to know that, and be convinced相信
that a solution解決方案 exists存在,
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但係我哋必須知道而且相信我哋有辦法
12:20
that we have a duty責任
to be part部分 of that solution解決方案.
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同埋我哋有責任去執行呢啲辦法
12:23
In conclusion結論, what can you do today今日?
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總結嚟講,你今日可以做啲咩?
12:26
Now, tweets鳴叫, who's邊個係 tweeting啁啾?
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宜家,推特
邊個宜家喺度發緊推特貼文?
12:32
Please, I beg of you,
even though雖然 my time has finished完成,
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拜託,我求你
雖然我演講嘅時間好快完
12:37
either一係 Arabic阿拉伯文, English英文, French法文
or Chinese中文.
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唔理你用阿拉伯文、英文
法文,定係中文
12:42
But don't write Arabic阿拉伯文
with Latin拉丁 characters字符 mixed混合 with numbers數字!
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請唔好喺發阿拉伯文時
夾雜拉丁字母同數字!
12:48
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
如果你咁做嘅話,係非常大鑊嘅!
12:52
It's a disaster災難!
That's not a language語言.
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因為你唔係用緊語言
12:55
You'd你會 be entering進入 a virtual虛擬 world世界
with a virtual虛擬 language語言.
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你只係喺虛擬世界用緊虛擬語言
12:59
It's not easy容易 to come back
from such a place地方 and rise上升.
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而且要由虛擬語言返返嚟係難嘅
13:02
That's the first thing we can do.
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呢個係我哋可以做嘅第一件事
13:04
Second第二, there are many好多 other things
that we can do.
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第二,仲有好多事可以做
13:07
We're not here today今日 to convince說服
each每個 other.
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我哋今天嚟到呢度唔係爲咗說服彼此
13:09
We're here to bring attention注意
to the necessity必要性 of preserving保存 this language語言.
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而係爲咗令大家注意到
保護阿拉伯語有幾重要
13:13
Now I will tell you a secret秘密.
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宜家我要話畀你哋知一個秘密
13:17
A baby寶貝 first identifies標識 its father老竇
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嬰兒係通過語言第一次認出父親
13:22
through透過 language語言.
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當我個囡出生時,我會同佢講:
「(阿拉伯語)呢個係你爸爸,囡囡。」
13:24
When my daughter女兒 is born出生, I'll tell her,
"This is your father老竇, honey親愛的 (Arabic阿拉伯文)."
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13:29
I wouldn't唔會 say,
"This is your dad老竇, honey親愛的 (English英文)."
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我唔會話:
「(英語)呢個係你爸爸,囡囡。」
13:34
And in the supermarket超市,
I promise承諾 my daughter女兒 Noor努爾,
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喺超級市場,我同我個女 Noor 保證
如果佢用阿拉伯文同我講「多謝」
13:37
that if she says to me,
"Thanks多謝 (Arabic阿拉伯文),"
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我唔會用法文同佢講
「你應該講『多謝你,媽咪』」
13:40
I won't唔會 say, "DisDis, 'Merci' 謝謝, Maman马曼,'"
and hope希望 no one has heard聽到 her.
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然後希望冇人剛才聽到佢講阿拉伯語
13:44
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
我哋一齊嚟擺脫文化上嘅卑躬屈膝!
唔好再為我哋嘅文化而自卑!
13:55
Let's get rid擺脫 of this cultural文化 cringe畏縮.
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14:01
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Chak Lam Wan

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Suzanne Talhouk - Poet and language advocate
Suzanne Talhouk is an advocate for the Arabic language as a tool of power, pride and unity.

Why you should listen

Raised in war-torn Lebanon, Suzanne Talhouk has a masters in physics and a passion for poetry; she has released two collections of poems. Dismayed by what she saw as a lack of power during the recent war in the Middle East, Talhouk saw the Arabic language as medium to unite and empower the Arab world. She launched Feil Amer, an organization that aims to preserve the Arabic language, and to reinstate the pride in young Arabs towards their language.

More profile about the speaker
Suzanne Talhouk | Speaker | TED.com