为什么德国人能表达出别人无法表达的感受：英语精读讲义

We're hugely dependent on language to help us express what we really think and feel. 講解

我们非常依赖语言来帮助表达真实的所思所想。

But some languages are better than others at crisply naming important feelings. 語法

但有些语言在精确命名重要情感方面比其他语言更胜一筹。

Germans have been geniuses at inventing long, 短語搭配

德国人简直是发明长词的天才，

or what get called compound words 語法

也就是所谓的复合词，

that elegantly put a finger on sensations 習語

这些词能优雅地精准点出

that we all know,

我们都懂的感受，

but that other languages require whole clumsy sentences

而其他语言往往需要长篇大论、笨拙的句子

or paragraphs to express.

甚至整段话才能表达。

So,

所以，

here is a small selection of the best

这里精选了几个最棒的

of Germany's extraordinary range of compound words.

德国人那些奇妙的复合词。

Erklärungsnot. 文化背景

Erklärungsnot（词穷窘迫）。

Literally, a distress at not having an explanation.

字面意思是，因为无法解释而感到的痛苦。

The perfect way to define

这完美地定义了

what a partner might feel when they're caught watching porn 語法

当伴侣被抓到看色情片时，

or are spotted in a restaurant

或者在餐厅里被发现

with the hands they shouldn't be holding. 習語

牵着不该牵的手时的那种感受。

More grandly, 表達脈絡

往更深一层说，

Erklärungsnot is something we feel when we realize

Erklärungsnot 也是当我们意识到

we don't have any explanations for the big questions of life.

面对人生大问题却无从解释时的那种感受。

It's a word that defines existential angst as much as shame. 講解

这个词既定义了羞愧，也定义了存在主义的焦虑。

Futterneid. 文化背景

Futterneid（护食嫉妒）。

The feeling when you're eating with other people

这是一种当你在和别人一起吃饭时

and realize

突然发现

that they've ordered something better off the menu 短語搭配

别人点的菜比你点的要好，

that you'd be dying to eat yourself. 習語

让你馋得要命的感觉。

Perhaps you were trying to be abstemious.

也许你本来还在试图节制饮食，

Now, you're just starving.

现在你只想大吃一顿。

The word recognizes

这个词承认了

that we spend much of our lives feeling we've ordered the wrong thing 講解

我们一生中有大半时间都在觉得自己的选择是错的，

and not just in restaurants.

且这不仅仅限于点菜。

Luftschloss. 文化背景

Luftschloss（空中楼阁）。

Literally, a castle in the air, 習語

字面意思是，空中的城堡，

a dream that's unattainable.

也就是遥不可及的梦想。

A word suggesting that German culture

这个词暗示着德国文化

is deeply indulgent about big dreams,

对远大梦想有着深深的包容，

but also gently realistic

但同时也温柔而现实地

about how hard it can be to bring them off. 講解

明白实现它们会有多艰难。

Backpfeifengesicht. 文化背景

Backpfeifengesicht（欠扁脸）。

A face that's begging to be slapped. 習語

一张讨打的脸。

Generosity towards others is key,

对人宽容固然重要，

but German is bracing and frank enough to acknowledge 講解

但德语足够直爽和坦诚，它承认

that there are also moments when it's simply more honest

有时候更诚实的反应是——

to realize we may have come face to face with a dickhead. 講解

意识到自己可能真的遇到了个混蛋。

Ruinenlust. 文化背景

Ruinenlust（废墟迷恋）。

This word shows German at its most delightfully fetishistic in particular, 語法

这个词特别展现了德语中那种令人愉悦的恋物癖倾向，

meaning the delight one can feel at seeing ruins.

意思是看到废墟时感到的愉悦。

Collapsed palaces and the rubble of temples

倒塌的宫殿和寺庙的碎石

put anxieties about the present into perspective 習語

能让人客观地看待眼前的焦虑，

and induce a pleasing melancholy at the passage of all things. 短語搭配

并对万物易逝产生一种令人愉悦的忧郁。

Kummerspeck. 文化背景

Kummerspeck（悲伤肥）。

Literally, sorrow fat.

字面意思是，悲伤带来的脂肪。

A word that frankly recognizes how often,

这个词坦率地承认了，在很多时候，

when one is deeply sad,

当一个人极度悲伤时，

there is simply nothing more consoling to do

根本没有什么比

than to head for the kitchen and eat. 短語動詞

走进厨房大吃一顿更令人欣慰的了。

Fremdschämen. 文化背景

Fremdschämen（替人尴尬）。

A word full of empathy

一个充满同理心的词，

that captures the agony one can feel

捕捉了当看到

at somebody else's embarrassing misfortune or failure. 語法

别人遭遇尴尬的不幸或失败时所感受到的痛苦。

A capacity to feel Fremdschämen is a high moral achievement

能够体会 Fremdschämen 是一种极高的道德成就，

and is at the root of kindness. 習語

也是善良的根源。

Weltschmerz. 文化背景

Weltschmerz（厌世悲伤）。

Literally, world sadness.

字面意思是，对世界的悲伤。

A word that acknowledges that we are sometimes sad,

这个词承认我们有时会感到悲伤，

not about this or that thing, 語法

不是因为这件或那件事，

but about the whole basis of existence.

而是因为存在的整个基础。

The presence of the word indicates a culture

这个词的存在表明，这种文化

that isn't falsely cheerful,

不会去营造虚假的欢乐，

but takes tragedy as a given. 習語

而是将悲剧视为理所当然。

It is immensely reassuring to be able to tell a friend

能够告诉朋友

that one is presently lying under the duvet

自己目前正躲在被窝里

suffering from Weltschmerz.

饱受 Weltschmerz 的折磨，这种感觉让人无比安心。

Schadenfreude. 文化背景

Schadenfreude（幸灾乐祸）。

We're meant to be sad when others fail, 語法

当别人失败时，我们理应感到悲伤，

but German more wisely accepts

但德语更明智地承认，

that we often feel happiness,

我们往往会感到快乐，

Freude,

也就是 Freude（快乐），

at the misfortunes, the Schaden, of others.

建立在别人的 Schaden（不幸）之上。

That isn't because we're mean.

这并不是因为我们刻薄。

We just feel deeply reassured

我们只是在看到

when we see confirmation that life is as hard 語法

别人的生活和我们一样艰难时，

for other people as it is for us.

感到深深的安心。

We can thank German 語法

我们要感谢德语

for having so many of the right words

拥有这么多恰当的词汇，

to bring dignity to our troubles and hopes. 短語搭配

给我们的烦恼和希望赋予尊严。

Learning languages ultimately has little to do 習語

学习语言归根结底

with discovering the world per se. 用詞

和发现世界本身关系不大。

It's about acquiring tools 表達脈絡

它是关于获取工具，

to help us get a clearer grasp 習語

帮助我们更清晰地把握

on the elusive parts of ourselves.

自己内心中那些难以捉摸的部分。