So the rise of the internet has proven to be a godsend for me, because I’ve come to regard writing as an escape from my lack of verbal nous23). While many people become their dodgily24) goateed evil twin25) when faced with an online forum or comments page, I see such places as the chance to finally be “me”. I can write exactly what I want, express all those opinions, tell the stories that I’d never be able to manage in real life. The written word has become my second life. I’ve written, and am trying to sell, a novel, and have finally emerged victorious in my pitched battle26) with procrastination27). And last year, I got married.
所以,互联网的兴起对我来说真是雪中送炭,因为渐渐地,我已经把网上写作当成救命稻草,是它帮我从不善言辞的困境中逃离。许多人在网上论坛或评论网页上发表意见时,内心邪恶狡猾的一面就会显现出来,而我却把这些地方看做是机遇之地,它们最终让我做回了真正的自己。我能准确地把心中所想付诸文字,表达所有想要表达的观点,把那些在真实生活中我永远都讲不出来的故事说出来。文字给了我第二次生命。我写了一部小说,现在正想把它卖出去。还有,在与懒散进行的“激战”中,我最终获得了胜利。去年,我结婚了。
Marriage is avoided by many stammerers simply because of the potential blind terror of the vows and the speech. My chat with the registrar before the ceremony was unbelievably awful—I could barely get a word out. But when the doors at the back of the room opened, and I saw my bride-to-be standing there, looking so beautiful, it miraculously flipped28) a switch in my head marked “resolve”. There was a tiny flicker29) of a stammer on the first line of my vows, but the rest went like clockwork. Then there was my speech. I’ve watched the DVD since, and I have no idea who that guy was. He was charismatic30). He was funny. But more importantly from my point of view, he was fluent. The Holy Grail31).
许多口吃的人都选择不结婚,就因为对婚礼上的宣誓和致辞存有盲目的恐惧。在举行婚礼前,我与登记员的谈话糟糕得令人难以置信——我几乎一个字也说不出来。可是,当房间的后门一打开,我看到我未来的新娘站在那里,那么美丽,我脑子里写着“解决”的那个开关忽然奇迹般地打开了。刚开始说誓言的时候,我还有一点口吃,但后面却一个字也没有说错。后来的致辞也非常流利。婚礼过后,我再次看当时的DVD时,简直想象不出DVD上的那个家伙是谁。那家伙真是魅力超凡、幽默风趣。但在我看来,更重要的是,他说话很流利。那可是我梦寐以求的啊。
The next day, I was back to my usual self—frustrated and annoyed every time that my voice rebelled against me. But on the most important day of my life, I beat my stammer.
婚礼第二天,我又恢复为平常的自己——每当舌头不听使唤时,就会沮丧不堪、懊恼不已。但无论如何,在我生命中最重要的那一天,我克服了口吃。
I’ll always remember that.
我会永远铭记这一点。
1. stammerer [5stAmErE] n. 口吃的人
2. gulp [^Qlp] vi. 吞咽
3. audition [C:5dIFEn] vi. 进行试演
4. Bruce Willis:布鲁斯·维利斯(1955~),美国影视演员、制片人。其最成功的影片为《虎胆龙威》(Die Hard)系列。
5. Robert Peston:罗伯特·佩斯顿(1960~),英国记者,从2006年起出任BBC财经新闻的编辑。
6. of one’s own accord:出于自愿,主动地
7. nigh-on:接近地
8. bring sb. out in sth.:使某人浑身都有某种东西
9. full-on:(表示最大程度)完全地
10. recipe [5resIpI] n. 处方,诀窍
11. run-up:助跑;事件的前奏曲,预备阶段
12. bowl [bEul] vi. (板球)投球
13. in favour of:以……来替代
14. by necessity:无法避免地,势必,必定
15. if and when:万一,如果
16. cue [kju:] vt. 给……以提示;暗示
17. go about:着手做,从事
18. shuffle [5FQfl] vi. (脚在地上)滑来滑去
19. no-no [5nEJnEJ] n. 不可作之事,禁忌
20. Defcon One:一级防卫准备,是防御准备中的最高级。Defcon:[军事]战备状态,防卫准备态势(defense readiness condition)
21. MP:(英国)下院议员
22. gravy train:〈俚〉薪水优厚的闲差使;美差,肥差;不费力而赚大钱的职位(或机会)
23. nous [naus] n.〈口〉机智;常识
24. dodgily [5dCdVIlI] adv. 狡猾地,善于骗人地
25. goateed evil twin:某人留着山羊胡子的、邪恶的孪生兄弟,暗指人们内心邪恶的一面;“evil twin”主要指小说中主角的敌对方,他们在外形上是主角的复制品,但在道德上与主角相反。在很多小说作品中,邪恶的一方多留有山羊胡子,以和正义的一方作区分。
26. pitched battle:激战,酣战
27. procrastination
[prEu7krAstI5neIFEn] n. 延迟,拖延
28. flip [flIp] vt. 按动(开关)
29. flicker [5flIkE] n. 颤动,突然而短暂的动作
30. charismatic [7kArIz5mAtIk] adj. 神赐能力的,超凡魅力的
31. the Holy Grail:指某人渴望拥有的事物或达到的目标