為什麼德國人能表達出別人無法表達的感受：英語精讀講義

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

我們非常依賴語言來幫助表達真實的所思所想。

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

但有些語言在精確命名重要情感方面比其他語言更勝一籌。

Germans have been geniuses at inventing long, 片語搭配

德國人簡直是發明長詞的天才，

or what get called compound words 文法

也就是所謂的複合詞，

that elegantly put a finger on sensations 慣用語

這些詞能優雅地精準點出

that we all know,

我們都懂的感受，

but that other languages require whole clumsy sentences

而其他語言往往需要長篇大論、笨拙的句子

or paragraphs to express.

甚至整段話才能表達。

So,

所以，

here is a small selection of the best

這裡精選了幾個最棒的

of Germany's extraordinary range of compound words.

德國人那些奇妙的複合詞。

Erklärungsnot. 文化背景

Erklärungsnot（詞窮窘境）。

Literally, a distress at not having an explanation.

字面意思是，因為無法解釋而感到的痛苦。

The perfect way to define

這完美地定義了

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

當伴侶被抓到看A片時，

or are spotted in a restaurant

或者在餐廳裡被發現

with the hands they shouldn't be holding. 慣用語

牽著不該牽的手時的那種感受。

More grandly, 表達脈絡

往更深一層說，

Erklärungsnot is something we feel when we realize

Erklärungsnot 也是當我們意識到

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

面對人生大問題卻無從解釋時的那種感受。

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

這個詞既定義了羞愧，也定義了存在主義的焦慮。

Futterneid. 文化背景

Futterneid（護食嫉妒）。

The feeling when you're eating with other people

這是一種當你在和別人一起吃飯時

and realize

突然發現

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

別人點的菜比你點的要好，

that you'd be dying to eat yourself. 慣用語

讓你饞得要命的感覺。

Perhaps you were trying to be abstemious.

也許你本來還在試圖節制飲食，

Now, you're just starving.

現在你只想大吃一頓。

The word recognizes

這個詞承認了

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

我們一生中有大半時間都在覺得自己的選擇是錯的，

and not just in restaurants.

且這不僅僅限於點菜。

Luftschloss. 文化背景

Luftschloss（空中樓閣）。

Literally, a castle in the air, 慣用語

字面意思是，空中的城堡，

a dream that's unattainable.

也就是遙不可及的夢想。

A word suggesting that German culture

這個詞暗示著德國文化

is deeply indulgent about big dreams,

對遠大夢想有著深深的包容，

but also gently realistic

但同時也溫柔而現實地

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

明白實現它們會有多艱難。

Backpfeifengesicht. 文化背景

Backpfeifengesicht（欠扁臉）。

A face that's begging to be slapped. 慣用語

一張討打的臉。

Generosity towards others is key,

對人寬容固然重要，

but German is bracing and frank enough to acknowledge 講解

但德語足夠直爽和坦誠，它承認

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

有時候更誠實的反應是——

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

意識到自己可能真的遇到了個混蛋。

Ruinenlust. 文化背景

Ruinenlust（廢墟迷戀）。

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

這個詞特別展現了德語中那種令人愉悅的戀物癖傾向，

meaning the delight one can feel at seeing ruins.

意思是看到廢墟時感到的愉悅。

Collapsed palaces and the rubble of temples

倒塌的宮殿和寺廟的碎石

put anxieties about the present into perspective 慣用語

能讓人客觀地看待眼前的焦慮，

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

並對萬物易逝產生一種令人愉悅的憂鬱。

Kummerspeck. 文化背景

Kummerspeck（悲傷肥）。

Literally, sorrow fat.

字面意思是，悲傷帶來的脂肪。

A word that frankly recognizes how often,

這個詞坦率地承認了，在很多時候，

when one is deeply sad,

當一個人極度悲傷時，

there is simply nothing more consoling to do

根本沒有什麼比

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

走進廚房大吃一頓更令人欣慰的了。

Fremdschämen. 文化背景

Fremdschämen（替人尷尬）。

A word full of empathy

一個充滿同理心的詞，

that captures the agony one can feel

捕捉了當看到

at somebody else's embarrassing misfortune or failure. 文法

別人遭遇尷尬的不幸或失敗時所感受到的痛苦。

A capacity to feel Fremdschämen is a high moral achievement

能夠體會 Fremdschämen 是一種極高的道德成就，

and is at the root of kindness. 慣用語

也是善良的根源。

Weltschmerz. 文化背景

Weltschmerz（厭世悲傷）。

Literally, world sadness.

字面意思是，對世界的悲傷。

A word that acknowledges that we are sometimes sad,

這個詞承認我們有時會感到悲傷，

not about this or that thing, 文法

不是因為這件或那件事，

but about the whole basis of existence.

而是因為存在的整個基礎。

The presence of the word indicates a culture

這個詞的存在表明，這種文化

that isn't falsely cheerful,

不會去營造虛假的歡樂，

but takes tragedy as a given. 慣用語

而是將悲劇視為理所當然。

It is immensely reassuring to be able to tell a friend

能夠告訴朋友

that one is presently lying under the duvet

自己目前正躲在被窩裡

suffering from Weltschmerz.

飽受 Weltschmerz 的折磨，這種感覺讓人無比安心。

Schadenfreude. 文化背景

Schadenfreude（幸災樂禍）。

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

當別人失敗時，我們理應感到悲傷，

but German more wisely accepts

但德語更明智地承認，

that we often feel happiness,

我們往往會感到快樂，

Freude,

也就是 Freude（快樂），

at the misfortunes, the Schaden, of others.

建立在別人的 Schaden（不幸）之上。

That isn't because we're mean.

這並不是因為我們刻薄。

We just feel deeply reassured

我們只是在看到

when we see confirmation that life is as hard 文法

別人的生活和我們一樣艱難時，

for other people as it is for us.

感到深深的安心。

We can thank German 文法

我們要感謝德語

for having so many of the right words

擁有這麼多恰當的詞彙，

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

給我們的煩惱和希望賦予尊嚴。

Learning languages ultimately has little to do 慣用語

學習語言歸根結底

with discovering the world per se. 用詞

和發現世界本身關係不大。

It's about acquiring tools 表達脈絡

它是關於獲取工具，

to help us get a clearer grasp 慣用語

幫助我們更清晰地把握

on the elusive parts of ourselves.

自己內心中那些難以捉摸的部分。