TED演讲者：Adora Svitak | 邹奇奇

演讲标题：Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids | 大人能从小孩身上学到什么

内容概要：A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12)
speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy.
神童邹奇奇说，世界需要“童稚”的思维方式，因为它拥有着大胆、狂野以及乐天的特性，而后者尤为重
要。她说小孩的异想天开值得人们期待，但大人得乐意向小孩学习。
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Now, I want to start with a question: When was the last time 首先我要问大家一个问题: 上一回别人说你幼稚是
you were called childish? 什么时候？[00:12]
For kids like me, being called childish can be a frequent 像我这样的小孩, 可能经常会被人说成是幼稚。
occurrence. [00:17]
Every time we make irrational demands, exhibit 每一次我们提出不合理的要求, 做出不负责任的行
irresponsible behavior, or display any other signs of being 为, 或者展现出有别于 普通美国公民的惯常行为之
normal American citizens, we are called childish, which really 时, 我们就被说成是幼稚。 这让我很不服气。
bothers me. [00:22]
After all, take a look at these events: Imperialism and 首先,让我们来回顾下这些事件: 帝国主义和殖民主
colonization, world wars, George W. Bush. 义, 世界大战,小布什。[00:35]
Ask yourself: Who's responsible? Adults. 请你们扪心自问下:这些该归咎于谁？是大人。
[00:43]
Now, what have kids done? 而小孩呢,做了些什么？[00:46]
Well, Anne Frank touched millions with her powerful account 安妮·弗兰克(Anne Frank)对大屠杀强有力的叙述
of the Holocaust, Ruby Bridges helped end segregation in 打动了数百万人的心。 鲁比·布里奇斯为美国种族
the United States, and, most recently, 隔离的终结作出了贡献。 另外,最近还有一个例
子,[00:49]
Charlie Simpson helped to raise 120,000 pounds for Haiti on 查理·辛普森（Charlie Simpson）骑自行车 为海
his little bike. 地募得 12万英镑。[00:59]
to start with: adv.首先;作为开始(等于forastart) childish: adj.幼稚的,孩子气的 irrational: adj.不合理的;无理性的;荒谬
的/n.[数]无理数 irresponsible: adj.不负责任的;不可靠的 take a look at: 看一看;检查 Imperialism: n.帝国主义
colonization: n.殖民;殖民地化 Holocaust: n.大屠杀;毁灭 segregation: n.隔离,分离;种族隔离
So, as you can see evidenced by such examples, age has 所以,这些例子证明了 年龄与行为完全没有关系。
absolutely nothing to do with it. [01:05]
The traits the word childish addresses are seen so often in 幼稚 这个词所对应的特点 是常常可以从大人身上
adults that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word 看到, 由此我们在批评 不负责和非理性的相关行为
when it comes to criticizing behavior associated with 时, 应停止使用这个年龄歧视的词。[01:11]
irresponsibility and irrational thinking.
(Applause) Thank you. （掌声） 谢谢！[01:22]
Then again, who's to say that certain types of irrational 话说回来,谁能说 我们这个世界不正是需要 某些类
thinking aren't exactly what the world needs? 型的非理性思维吗？[01:30]
Maybe you've had grand plans before, but stopped yourself, 也许你以前有过宏大的计划, 但却半途而废,心想:
thinking: That's impossible or that costs too much or that 这个不可能,或代价太高 或这对我不利。[01:37]
won't benefit me.
For better or worse, we kids aren't hampered as much when 不管是好是坏,我们小孩子 在思考不做某事的理由
it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things. 时,不太受这些考量的影响。[01:45]
Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking,小孩可能会有满脑子的奇思妙想 和积极的想法, 例
like my wish that no one went hungry or that everything 如我希望没有人挨饿 或者所有东西都是免费的,有
were free kind of utopia. 点像乌托邦的理念。[01:51]
as you can see: 正如你所看到的;你是知道的 evidenced: 证实(evidence的过去式和过去分词) traits: n.特性,特质,性格
(trait的复数) abolish: vt.废除，废止；取消，革除 criticizing: 批判/批评 irresponsibility: n.无责任,无责任感
hampered: adj.受阻碍的/v.阻碍(hamper的过去分词);限制 aspirations: n.愿望 utopia: n.乌托邦(理想中最美好的社会);理
想国
How many of you still dream like that and believe in the 你们当中有多少人还会有这样的梦想 并相信其可
possibilities? 能性？[02:00]
Sometimes a knowledge of history and the past failures of 有时候对历史 及对乌托邦的了解, 可能是一种负
utopian ideals can be a burden because you know that if 担, 因为你知道假如所有东西都是免费的, 食物储
everything were free, that the food stocks would become 备会被清空, 而缺失将会导致混乱。[02:05]
depleted, and scarce and lead to chaos.
On the other hand, we kids still dream about perfection. 另一方面, 我们小孩还对完美抱有希望。[02:17]
And that's a good thing because in order to make anything a 这是件好事,因为 要将任何事情变为现实, 你首先
reality, you have to dream about it first. 得心怀梦想。[02:21]
In many ways, our audacity to imagine helps push the 在很多方面,我们的大胆想象 拓宽了可能性的疆
boundaries of possibility. 界。[02:27]
For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, 例如,华盛顿州塔可马市的玻璃博物馆, 我的家乡华
my home state -- yoohoo Washington -- 盛顿州——你好！[02:33]
(Applause) has a program called Kids Design Glass, and kids （掌声） 这个博物馆里有一个项目叫“儿童玻璃
draw their own ideas for glass art. 设计”, 小孩们自由创作自己的玻璃作品。[02:38]
Now, the resident artist said they got some of their best 后来,驻馆艺术家说 他们所有的一些极佳灵感就来
ideas through the program because kids don't think about 自这个项目, 因为小孩不去理会 吹出不同形状玻璃
the limitations of how hard it can be to blow glass into 的难度限制[02:45]
certain shapes.
utopian: adj.乌托邦的;空想的;理想化的/n.空想家;乌托邦的居民 stocks: n.[金融]股票;[贸易]存货;库存量(stock的复数)/v.采
购;有…的存货;贮存(stock的第三人称单数) depleted: adj.耗尽的;废弃的;贫化的/v.使减少;弄空;耗尽…的资源(deplete的过去
分词) lead to: 导致;通向 On the other hand: 另一方面 perfection: n.完善；完美 audacity: n.大胆;厚颜无耻 yoohoo:
int.喂！/vi.打招呼 resident: adj.居住的;住院医师;定居的/n.居民 limitations: n.局限性;(限制)因素;边界(limitation的复数形
式)
They just think of good ideas. 他们只是构思好的点子。[02:53]
Now, when you think of glass, you might think of colorful 当说到玻璃的时候,你们可能 想到的是奇胡利
Chihuly designs or maybe Italian vases, but kids challenge (Chihuly)色彩丰富的玻璃设计 或意大利花瓶, 但
glass artists to go beyond that into the realm of broken- 小孩子敢于挑战玻璃艺术家,并超越他们 进入心碎
hearted snakes and bacon boys, who you can see has meat 蛇 和火腿男孩的领地——看到了吗,火腿男孩
vision. 有“肉视力”哦[02:55]
(Laughter) Now, our inherent wisdom doesn't have to be （笑声） 我们先天的智慧 堪比内行人的知识。
insiders' knowledge. [03:10]
Kids already do a lot of learning from adults, and we have a 小孩已经从大人身上学到许多, 而我们也有很多东
lot to share. 西可以和大人共享。[03:17]
I think that adults should start learning from kids. 我认为大人应该开始向小孩学习。[03:22]
Now, I do most of my speaking in front of an education 听我演讲的观众大都是教育圈子里的, 这其中有老
crowd, teachers and students, and I like this analogy. 师和学生。我喜欢这个类比。[03:26]
It shouldn't just be a teacher at the head of the classroom 不应该只是老师站在教室讲台上 告诉学生做这个
telling students do this, do that. 做那个。[03:31]
The students should teach their teachers. 学生亦应教育他们的老师。[03:35]
Learning between grown ups and kids should be reciprocal. 成人和儿童之间 应该互相学习。[03:38]
vases: n.花瓶(vase的复数) go beyond: v.超出;胜过 broken-hearted: adj.悲哀的;极度伤心的;绝望的 inherent: adj.固有
的；内在的；与生俱来的，遗传的 insiders: n.[劳经]内部人员(insider的复数);局内人 analogy: n.类比；类推；类似
reciprocal: adj.互惠的;相互的;倒数的,彼此相反的/n.[数]倒数;互相起作用的事物
The reality, unfortunately, is a little different, and it has a lot 不幸的是,于现实里,情况是截然不同的。 这跟信任
to do with trust, or a lack of it. 的关系很大,或者说是缺乏信任的结果。[03:42]
Now, if you don't trust someone, you place restrictions on 如果你不信任某人,你就给他们设限,对吧。[03:48]
them, right.
If I doubt my older sister's ability to pay back the 10 percent 如果我怀疑我姐姐没有能力 偿还我给她的上一笔
interest I established on her last loan, 贷款的 百分之十的利息时,[03:51]
I'm going to withhold her ability to get more money from 我将要限制她再向我借钱, 直到她还清借款为止。
me until she pays it back. (Laughter) True story, by the way. （笑声） 顺便提一下,这是个真实的例子。[03:57]
Now, adults seem to have a prevalently restrictive attitude 大人呢,似乎普遍地 对小孩持限制性的态度, 从学
towards kids from every "don't do that," 校手册里的[04:04]
'"don't do this" in the school handbook, to restrictions on “不能做这个”、“不能做那个” 到学校互联网
school internet use. 使用的各种限制性规定。[04:12]
As history points out, regimes become oppressive when 历史告诉我们,当政体害怕统治失控时, 它就会变得
they're fearful about keeping control. 暴虐。[04:17]
And, although adults may not be quite at the level of 虽然大人可能不会 像独裁政权一样心狠手辣, 但小
totalitarian regimes, kids have no, or very little, say in making孩在制定规则方面是几乎没有话语权的。 而正确
the rules, when really the attitude should be reciprocal, 的态度应该是两者相互尊重的, 也就是说成人群体
meaning that the adult population should learn and take 应该了解 并认真对待年幼群体的 愿望。[04:22]
into account the wishes of the younger population.
pay back: vt.偿还;报答 withhold: vt.保留,不给;隐瞒;抑制/vi.忍住;克制 handbook: n.手册;指南 regimes: n.政治制度,政
权,政体(regime的名词复数);组织方法;管理体制;[物理]物理条件/环境 oppressive: adj.压迫的;沉重的;压制性的;难以忍受的
totalitarian: adj.极权主义的/n.极权主义者 take into account: 考虑;重视;体谅
Now, what's even worse than restriction is that adults often 然而比限制更糟糕的是, 大人常常低估小孩的能
underestimate kids abilities. 力。[04:37]
We love challenges, but when expectations are low, trust me, 我们喜欢挑战,但假如大人对我们期望很低的话, 说
we will sink to them. 真的,我们就会不思进取。[04:42]
My own parents had anything but low expectations for me 我自己的父母对我和姐姐 抱很高的期望。[04:48]
and my sister.
Okay, so they didn't tell us to become doctors or lawyers or 当然,他们没有让我们立志成为医生 或律师诸如此
类的, 但我爸经常读 关于亚里斯多德 和先锋细菌
Okay, so they didn't tell us to become doctors or lawyers or
anything like that, but my dad did read to us about Aristotle 类的, 但我爸经常读 关于亚里斯多德 和先锋细菌
and pioneer germ fighters when lots of other kids were 斗士的故事给我们听, 而其他小孩大多听的是 《公
hearing "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round." 车的轮子转呀转》。[04:53]
Well, we heard that one too, but "Pioneer Germ Fighters" 其实我们也有听这个,但《先锋细菌斗士》实在是
totally rules. 比那个强多了。[05:08]
(Laughter) I loved to write from the age of four, and when I （笑声） 四岁的时候我就喜欢上写作, 六岁的时
was six my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with 候, 我妈给我买了台装有微软Word软件的个人手
Microsoft Word. 提电脑。[05:11]
Thank you Bill Gates and thank you Ma. 谢谢你比尔·盖茨！也谢谢你,妈咪！[05:20]
I wrote over 300 short stories on that little laptop, and I 我用那个小手提电脑 写了300多篇短篇故事, 而且
wanted to get published. 我想发表我的作品。[05:22]
underestimate: vt.低估;看轻/n.低估 anything but: 根本不,决不 Aristotle: n.亚里士多德 pioneer: n.先锋;拓荒者/vt.开
辟;倡导;提倡/vi.作先驱 germ: n.[植]胚芽,萌芽;细菌/vi.萌芽 Go Round: 到处走动;绕道 equipped: v.装备;预备(equip的过去
分词);整装
Instead of just scoffing at this heresy that a kid wanted to 一个小孩想发表作品 这简直是天方夜谭,但我父母
get published, or saying wait until you're older, my parents 没有嘲笑我, 也没有说等你长大点儿再说, 他们非
were really supportive. 常支持我。[05:29]
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Many publishers were not quite so encouraging. 但是很多出版社的回应让人失望。[05:37]
One large children's publisher ironically saying that they 颇具讽刺意味的是,一个很大的儿童出版社说, 他们
didn't work with children. 不跟儿童打交道。[05:41]
Children's publisher not working with children? 儿童出版社不跟儿童打交道？[05:46]
I don't know, you're kind of alienating a large client there. 怎么说呢,你这是在怠慢一个大客户嘛。[05:49]
(Laughter) Now, one publisher, Action Publishing, was willing （笑声） 有一个出版商,行动出版社 愿意给我一个
to take that leap and trust me, and to listen to what I had to 机会, 并倾听我想说的话。[05:52]
say.
They published my first book, "Flying Fingers," -- you see it 他们出版了我的第一本书《飞舞的手指》——就
here -- and from there on, it's gone to speaking at hundreds 是这个—— 那以后,我到数百个学校去演讲, 给数
of schools, keynoting to thousands of educators, and finally, 千个老师作主题演讲, 最后,在今天,给你们作演
today, speaking to you. 讲。[06:02]
scoffing: n.嘲笑;愚弄;笑柄/vt.嘲笑;嘲弄;贪婪地吃/vi.嘲笑;嘲弄;狼吞虎咽 heresy: n.异端;异端邪说;异教 supportive: adj.支
持的;支援的;赞助的 publishers: n.出版商,出版公司;出版社(publisher的复数) publisher: n.出版者,出版商;发行人
ironically: adv.讽刺地；说反话地 alienating: 使疏远/离间/转让(alienate的现在分词) keynoting: n.基调;主旨;主音/vt.
给…定基调;说明基本政策/vi.作主旨发言
I appreciate your attention today, because to show that you 我感谢你们今天听我演讲, 因为你们会倾听我, 这
truly care, you listen. 证明你们真的在乎。[06:13]
But there's a problem with this rosy picture of kids being so 但小孩比大人强得多的这幅乐观图景 是存在一个
much better than adults. 问题的。[06:19]
Kids grow up and become adults just like you. 小孩会长大并变成像你们一样的大人。[06:25]
(Laughter) Or just like you, really? （笑声） 跟你们一样,真的吗？[06:28]
The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult, but rather 我们的目标不是让小孩变成你们这样的大人, 而是
better adults than you have been, which may be a little 比你们强的大人。 考虑到你们都这么了不起, 这可
challenging considering your guys credentials, but the way 能颇具挑战性。 但进步 是因新的一代人和新的时
progress happens is because new generations and new eras 期而发生, 不断的进步和发展,并超越之前的年代。
grow and develop and become better than the previous [06:32]
ones.
It's the reason we're not in the Dark Ages anymore. 这就是为什么我们不再处于黑暗时代。[06:50]
No matter your position of place in life, it is imperative to 不管在生活中你的位置在哪里, 你必须给孩子创造
create opportunities for children so that we can grow up to 机会。 这样他们才能成长并让你扬眉吐气。
blow you away. [06:53]
(Laughter) Adults and fellow TEDsters, you need to listen and （笑声） 大人和TED观众们, 你们需要倾听并向小
learn from kids and trust us and expect more from us. 孩学习, 信任我们和对我们怀有更高的期望。
[07:02]
rosy: adj.蔷薇色的,玫瑰红色的;美好的;乐观的;涨红脸的 credentials: n.[管理]证书；文凭；信任状(credential的复数)/v.得到
信用；授…以证书(credential的三单形式) eras: n.[天]纪元,时代;年代(era的复数形式) in the Dark: 在黑暗中;不知道;秘密地
You must lend an ear today, because we are the leaders of 今天你们需要聆听, 因为我们是明天的领导, 这意
tomorrow, which means we're going to be taking care of you 味着当你们年老体衰时, 我们会照顾你们。哈,只是
when you're old and senile. No, just kidding. 开玩笑了。[07:13]
No, really, we are going to be the next generation, the ones 确实,我们将成为推动世界前进 的下一代人。
who will bring this world forward. [07:22]
And, in case you don't think that this really has meaning for 而且,假如你认为这对你没有意义的话, 不要忘了克
you, remember that cloning is possible, and that involves 隆是可能的, 而这意味着童年可以重来, 这种情况
going through childhood again, in which case, you'll want to 下,像我们这一代人一样, 你也会希望大人倾听你们
的心声。[07:28]
 going through childhood again, in which case, you'll want to
be heard just like my generation. 的心声。[07:28]
Now, the world needs opportunities for new leaders and new 世界需要产生新的领导人 和新想法的机会。
ideas. [07:39]
Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed. 小孩需要机会去领导和取得成功。[07:45]
Are you ready to make the match? 你准备好去促成这一切了吗？[07:48]
Because the world's problems shouldn't be the human 因为这个世界的问题, 不应该是人类家庭的传家
family's heirloom. 宝。[07:50]
Thank you. 谢谢你们！[07:55]
(Applause) Thank you. Thank you. （掌声） 谢谢！谢谢！[07:57]
senile: adj.高龄的;老衰的;高龄所致的 cloning: n.克隆/v.无性繁殖(clone的ing形式) heirloom: n.传家宝;祖传遗物
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