为什么我们在说话时会，那个，犹豫呢？ - 洛伦佐·加西亚-阿马亚 (Lorenzo García-Amaya)：英语精读讲义

For as long as we've had language, some people have tried to control it. 語法

自从人类有了语言，就有一些人试图去控制它。

And some of the most frequent targets of this communication regulation are the ums, 用詞

而这种沟通规范最常见的针对目标，就是“嗯”、

ers, and likes that pepper our conversations. 習語

“呃”和“那个”等充斥在日常对话中的词。

Ancient Greek and Latin texts

古希腊和拉丁文文献

warned against speaking with hesitation. 短語搭配

曾警告人们不要带犹豫地说话。

Modern schools have tried to ban the offending terms, 用詞

现代学校也曾试图禁止这些令人反感的词语，

and renowned linguist Noam Chomsky dismissed these expressions as errors irrelevant to language. 講解

著名的语言学家诺姆·乔姆斯基将这些表达视为与语言无关的错误。

Historically, these speech components had been lumped into the broader bucket of disfluencies, 講解

在历史上，这些语音成分被归入一个更宽泛的概念——“不流利语”中，

linguistic fillers, which distract from useful speech. 短語搭配

即分散有用语音注意力的语言填充词。

However, none of this controversy has made these so-called disfluencies less common. 講解

然而，这些争议都没有让这些所谓的“不流利语”变得不那么普遍。

They continue to occur roughly two to three times per minute in natural speech. 短語搭配

它们依然以每分钟两到三次的频率自然地出现在对话中。

And different versions of them can be found in almost every language,

在几乎每种语言中都可以找到它们的不同变体，

including sign language. 文化背景

包括手语。

So, are ums and uhs just a habit we can't break? 短語搭配

那么，“嗯”和“呃”只是一种我们无法打破的习惯吗？

Or is there more to them than meets the ear? 習語

还是它们背后有更多超出听觉的意义？

To answer this question, 表達脈絡

为了回答这个问题，

it helps to compare these speech components to other words we use in everyday life. 短語搭配

将这些语音成分与我们在日常生活中使用的其他词汇进行比较会有所帮助。

While a written word might have multiple definitions, 語法

虽然一个书面词汇可能有多种定义，

we can usually determine its intended meaning through context.

我们通常可以通过上下文来确定它的预期含义。

In speech, however,

然而在口语中，

a word can take on additional layers of meaning, 短語動詞

一个词可以承载多层含义，

tone of voice,

语气、

the relationship between speakers,

说话者之间的关系，

and expectations of where a conversation will go

以及对谈话走向的预期

can imbue even words that seem like filler with vital information. 短語搭配

都能为哪怕看起来像填充词的词汇注入重要信息。

This is where um and uh come in, 表達脈絡

这就是“嗯”和“呃”发挥作用的地方，

or eh and ehm,

或者是“eh”和“ehm”，

tutoa and öö, eto and ano.

“tutoa”和“öö”，“eto”和“ano”。

Linguists call these filled pauses, which are a kind of hesitation phenomenon. 用詞

语言学家称之为“填充停顿”，属于一种犹豫现象。

And these seemingly insignificant interruptions are actually quite meaningful in spoken communication. 表達脈絡

这些看似微不足道的停顿在口头交流中其实意义非凡。

For example,

例如，

while a silent pause might be interpreted as a sign for others to start speaking, 語法

无声的停顿可能会被解读为提示其他人开始说话的信号，

a filled pause can signal that you're not finished yet. 短語搭配

而填充停顿则可以表示你还没有说完。

Hesitation phenomena can buy time for your speech to catch up with your thoughts, 講解

犹豫现象可以为你争取时间，让你的表达跟上你的思维，

or to fish out the right word for a situation. 短語動詞

或者在某种场合下搜寻到合适的词。

And they don't just benefit the speaker. 語法

它们不仅仅是对说话者有益。

A filled pause lets your listeners know an important word is on the way. 短語搭配

填充停顿能让听众知道一个重要的词即将出现。

Linguists have even found that people are more likely to remember a word if it comes after a hesitation. 語法

语言学家甚至发现，人们更有可能记住跟在犹豫停顿后面的词。

Hesitation phenomena aren't the only parts of speech that take on new meaning during dialogue.

犹豫现象并不是对话中唯一会被赋予新意的语音成分。

Words and phrases such as like, well, or you know,

像“like”（就像）、“well”（好吧）或“you know”（你知道的）这样的词汇和短语，

function as discourse markers, 用詞

可以充当话语标记，

ignoring their literal meaning to convey something about the sentence in which they appear.

它们忽略了自身的字面意思，而去传达其所在句子的一些相关信息。

Discourse markers direct the flow of conversation, 習語

话语标记可以引导对话的走向，

and some studies suggest that conscientious speakers use more of these phrases to ensure everyone is being heard and understood. 講解

有研究表明，严谨的说话者会更多地使用这些短语，以确保每个人都能被听见和理解。

For example,

例如，

starting a sentence with look can indicate your attitude and help you gauge the listener's agreement. 講解

用“look”（听着）开头可以表明你的态度，并帮助你判断听众是否同意。

I mean can signal that you're about to elaborate on something. 講解

“I mean”（我的意思是）可以表明你准备详细解释某事。

And the dreaded like can perform many functions, 用詞

令人恐惧的“like”（就像）能发挥许多作用，

such as establishing a loose connection between thoughts, 短語搭配

比如在思想之间建立松散的联系，

or introducing someone else's words or actions. 表達脈絡

或者引出别人的话或行为。

These markers give people a real-time view into your thought process 習語

这些标记能让人实时看到你的思考过程，

and help listeners follow, 表達脈絡

并帮助听众跟上、

interpret, and predict what you're trying to say.

理解并预测你想要表达的内容。

Discourse markers and hesitation phenomena aren't just useful for understanding language. 表達脈絡

话语标记和犹豫现象不仅有助于理解语言。

They help us learn it, too.

它们还能帮助我们学习语言。

In 2011,

2011年，

a study showed toddlers common and uncommon objects alongside a recording referring to one of the items. 短語搭配

一项研究向幼儿展示了常见的和不常见的物体，并播放了提到其中一件物品的录音。

When a later recording asked them to identify the uncommon object,

当后来的录音要求他们识别不常见的物体时，

toddlers performed better if that instruction contained a filled pause. 語法

如果指令中包含了填充停顿，幼儿的表现会更好。

This may mean that filled pauses cue toddlers 短語搭配

这可能意味着填充停顿能提示幼儿

to expect novel words and help them connect new words to new objects. 短語搭配

期待新词，并帮助他们将新词与新事物联系起来。

For adolescents and adults learning a second language,

对于学习第二语言的青少年和成年人来说，

filled pauses smooth out awkward early conversations. 短語動詞

填充停顿可以缓解早期交谈的尴尬。

And once they're more confident,

而一旦他们变得更加自信，

the second-language learner can signal their newfound fluency by using the appropriate hesitation phenomenon. 講解

第二语言学习者就可以通过使用适当的犹豫现象，来彰显他们新获得的流利度。

Because contrary to popular belief, 短語搭配

因为与普遍的看法相反，

the use of filled pauses doesn't decrease with mastery of a language. 短語搭配

填充停顿的使用频率并不会随着对语言掌握程度的提高而减少。

Just because hesitation phenomena and discourse markers are a natural part of communication, 語法

虽然犹豫现象和话语标记是交流的自然组成部分，

doesn't mean they're always appropriate.

但并不意味着它们在所有场合都适用。

Outside of writing dialogue, 用詞

除了撰写对白之外，

they serve no purpose in most formal writing. 短語搭配

它们在大多数正式写作中毫无用处。

And in some contexts,

在某些语境下，

the stigma these social cues carry can work against the speaker. 講解

这些社交线索所带有的负面色彩可能会对说话者产生不利影响。

But in most conversations,

但在大多数对话中，

these seemingly senseless sounds can convey a world of meaning. 習語

这些看似毫无意义的声音却能传达出一个丰富的意义世界。

You're never too young to start honing your skills as a speaker. 講解

培养演讲技巧永远不嫌早。

Get started with TED-Ed Student Talks,

从TED-Ed学生演讲开始吧，

a program connecting young people around the world

这是一个将世界各地的年轻人联系起来的计划，

through the power of spoken word.

通过口语的力量。

Visit ed.ted.com/student talks because everyone has an idea worth sharing. 語法

访问 ed.ted.com/student talks，因为每个人都有值得分享的想法。