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导读
威廉.詹宁斯.布莱恩的演讲引经据典、而萨姆. 布朗贝克的演讲用词简洁，两个时代的语言风格，差异竟如此之大。作者为什么说现代英语正走向衰落呢？
#Evolution of English#
In 1896, William Jennings Br yan, a three-time candidate for the American presidency, gave a speech on a relatively dry financial topic, criticizing the gold standard. But his rhetoric was for the ages: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!"
Just over a hundred years later Sam Brownback, arguing for war against Iraq in a speech to the American Senate, said, "We go at Iraq and it says to countries that support terrorists, there remain six in the world that are as our definition state sponsors of terrorists, you say to those countries: 'We are serious about terrorism, we're serious about you not supporting terrorism on your own soil'."
What happened over the 20th century? Americans (and, to a lesser extent, Britons) no longer expect public figures, whether in oratory or in writing, to command the English language with skill and flair. Nor do they aspire to such command themselves. John McWhorter, a linguist and controversialist of mixed liberal and conservative views, sees the triumph of 1960s counterculture as responsible for the decline of formal English.
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词汇短语
1.William Jennings Bryan:美国政治家、民主*党**领袖，以擅长演讲著称，曾经三次竞选总统，但是均未获成功。
2.a three-time candidate for the American presidency：三次美国总统候选人
3.a dry financial topic：枯燥乏味的题目
4.the gold standard：金本位制度1. 用黄金来规定货币所代表的价值，每一货币都有法定的含金量，各国货币按其所含黄金重量而有一定的比价。2. 金币可以自由铸造，任何人都可按本位币的含金量将金块交给国家造币厂铸成金币。
5.press down upon the brow of labor：把…压在劳动人民的额头上
6.this crown of thorns：带刺的王冠
7.crucify：钉在十字架上
8.cross：十字架（a cross of gold：金本位的十字架）
9.Sam Brownback：堪萨斯州美国资深参议员
10.go at Iraq：扑向（伊拉克），进攻
11.there remain six in the world：此处暗指被美国定为邪恶轴心的六个国家(rogue countries：流氓国家)
12.state sponsors of terrorists：恐怖分子的资助国
13.public figures：公众人物
14.in oratory or in writing：以演讲或写作的形式
15.to command the English language：此处的command是熟练运用的意思
16.skill and flair：技巧和天赋
17.John McWhorter：约翰.麦克沃特
18.a linguist：语言学家
19.controversialist：争论者
20.liberal and conservative views：自由派和保守派观点
21.the triumph of 1960s counterculture：六十年代反文化运动的胜利
22.responsible for:这里的responsible for不是负责，而是“导致”的意思
the decline of formal English：正式英语的衰落
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句型
1.But his rhetoric was for the ages: 其华丽的辞藻却适用那个年代
2."You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!" “你们不该把荆棘做成的王冠压在劳动人民的额头上；也不该将人类钉在金本位的十字架上！”
3.Americans (and, to a lesser extent, Britons) no longer expect public figures, whether in oratory or in writing, to command the English language with skill and flair. 美国人（或者一小部分的英国人）已不再指望公众人物能在演讲或者写作时运用技巧和天赋来驾驭英语
4.John McWhorter … sees the triumph of 1960s counterculture as responsible for the decline of formal English. 约翰.麦克沃特认为20世纪60年反文化运动的胜利导致了正式英语的退化
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