英语教学随笔(3)

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英语教学随笔

二、林语堂的英语文化随笔与“小评论”

1930-1936年，林语堂在“小评论”专栏发表了大量英语文化随笔，按内容可以大致分为两类：一类是社会批评，一类是文化漫谈。社会批评类随笔包括《中国究竟有臭虫否》(Do Bed-bugs Exist in China?)* Lin Yutang, Do Bed-bugs Exist in China? The China Critic, February 19, 1931, Vol。4, No。8, pp。179-180。《论政治病》(On Political Sickness)* Lin Yutang, On Political Sickness, The China Critic, June 16, 1932, Vol。5, No。24, pp。600-601。《悼张宗昌》(In Memorial of the Dog-Meat General)* Lin Yutang, In Memorial of the Dog-Meat General, The China Critic, September 8, 1932, Vol。5, pp。935-936。《梦影》(A Day-dream)* Lin Yutang, A Day-dream, The China Critic, June 15, 1934, Vol。7, No。24, pp。567-569。《假定我是土匪》(If I Were a Bandit)* Lin Yutang, If I Were a Bandit, The China Critic, August 21, 1930, Vol。3, pp。804-805。等，大多以洒脱之笔触批评中国社会现状，讥刺政坛的黑暗昏聩。这种嬉笑怒骂式的文字一定程度上仍然保留了林语堂“语丝”时期“任意而谈无所顾忌”的批评特色，但趣味性更强，语调也更加温和；而“文化漫谈”一些文章涉及到中国文化的介绍或者中西文化的比较，如《中国文化之精神》(The Spirit of Chinese Culture)* Lin Yutang, The Spirit of Chinese Culture, The China Critic, June 30, 1932, Vol。5, pp。651-654。《论西装》(On Chinese and Foreign Dress)* Lin Yutang, On Chinese and Foreign Dress, The China Critic, April 6, 1933, Vol。6, pp。359-360。《论米老鼠》(On Mickey Mouse)* Lin Yutang, On Mickey Mouse, The China Critic, September 19, 1935, Vol。16, pp。278-280。《半部〈韩非〉治天下》(Han Fei as a Cure for Modern China)* Lin Yutang, Han Fei as a Cure for Modern China, The China Critic, October 9, 1930, Vol。3, pp。964-967。等；另一些文章如《阿芳》(Ah Fong, My House-boy)* Lin Yutang, Ah Fong, My House-boy, The China Critic, September 4, 1930, Vol。3, p。853。《我的戒烟》(My Last Rebellion Against Nicotine)* Lin Yutang, My Last Rebellion against Nicotine, The China Critic, November 20, 1930, Vol。4, pp。1119-1121。《我怎样买牙刷》(How I Bought a Tooth-brush)* Lin Yutang, How I Bought a Tooth-brush, The China Critic, August 18, 1932, Vol。5, pp。850-851。《纪春园琐事》(Spring in My Garden)* Lin Yutang, Spring in My Garden, The China Critic, May 10, 1934, Vol。7, p。449。《春日游杭记》(The Monks of Hangzhou)* Lin Yutang, The Monks of Hangzhou, The China Critic, May 4, 1933, Vol。4, pp。453-454。则充满了日常生活的趣味，将文化批评包孕于生活琐事的叙写之中，于幽默之中见物理，于琐碎之中见人情。“小评论”时期的随笔是林语堂创作生涯的一个转捩点，这些作品文风幽默流丽，文字平白简洁，口语化和小说化倾向十分明显，林语堂赴美后的写作风格已在此初见端倪。英语教学随笔

1。口语化、小说化与“小评论”热

林语堂的英语文化随笔文字幽默流丽、清畅自然，在轻松的笔调中透着机智的锋芒，闲谈般的文化比较中透露着开阔的视野，琐屑的生活细节的描写中不乏锐利勇敢的见解，热情的笔触下流露出豁达与乐观。试举《脸与法治》(What is Face?)为例：英语教学随笔

It is perhaps easier to illustrate what face is, than to give a definition for it。 The official in the metropolis, for instance, who can drive at 60 miles per hour, while the plebeians may only drive at 35, is gaining a lot of face。 If his car hits a man, and when the policeman comes around, he silently and quietly draws a card from his pocket-book, smiles graciously and sails away, he is gaining greater face still。 If however, the policemen pretends not to know him, the official will begin to ‘talk mandarin’ by asking the policemen ‘if he knows his father’(认得你的老子吗？)and his face waxes still greater。 And if the incorrigible policeman insists on taking the chauffeur to the station, but the official telephones to the Chief of Police, who immediately releases his chauffeur and orders the dismissal of the little fellow who did not ‘know his father’ then the state of the official is truly beatific。* Lin Yutang, What is Face, The China Critic, April 16, 1931, Vol。4, No。24, pp。372-373。