为什么说英语的人会在退休后更穷？

中等

初中三年级

说明文

语言学习

由于英语语法问题，说英语的人可能会更穷。真是这样吗？是什么原因呢？

A Yale University behavioral economist Keith Chen says his research proves that the grammar of the language we speak influences both our finances and our health. He says, if you speak English, you are likely to save less for your old age, smoke more and get less exercise than if you speak a language like Mandarin(普通话), German or Malay(马来语).

一位经济学教授表示，由于英语语法问题，说英语的人可能会更穷。一位老师认为，世界各地语言时态的不同或许能够解释为什么有些国家的人比其他国家的人更有钱。他在一次报告中告诉人们，英语中的将来时会让人们相信将来对现在来说并不重要。他表示，说英语的人或许会认为将来和现在是分开的，这可能会让人们不考虑将来。他解释说，这会让人们不为将来退休而储蓄。他还说，将来时可能会让人们抽烟更多，锻炼更少。

Keith Chen suggested that differences in the tenses of the world’s languages may explain why people in some countries save more money than people in other countries. He said that the future tense in English could actually make people believe the future is not important now. English speakers might think the future is separate from the present, which may make people not think about their future. He explained this could stop people saving money for their retirement.

陈教授将各个国家的语言分为两种——着重提及将来的时间以及不怎么提及将来。他解释说：“假如我要向一位说英语的同事解释为何我不能参加今天晚些时候的一个会议，我不会说我去参加一个研讨会。英语语法要求我说，我将要，我不得不去参加一个研讨会。”他把这一点与“提及将来时间比较弱化”的语言做对比，这种语言表达同样的意思时不会使用表示将来时态的词语“将要”。陈表示，说这类语言的人更容易存钱。他相信这一点是因为在他们的语法和现实生活中都不把现在和将来分开。

Prof Chen divides the world’s languages into two groups, depending on how they treat the concept(概念) of time. Strong future-time reference(参考) languages (strong FTR) require their speakers to use a different tense when speaking of the future. Weak future-time reference (weak FTR) languages do not. He explained, “If I wanted to explain to an English-speaking colleague why I can’t come to meet him, I could not say ‘I go to a meeting’. English grammar would require me to say ‘I will go , am going , or have to go to a meeting’. If, on the other hand, I were speaking Mandarin, it would be quite natural for me to say ‘I go to a meeting’ since the context(语境) leaves little room for misunderstanding.”