雲風：……每每他问起，为什么我们要学习英语，我是这样回答的：学习英语有两个主要的用途；英语是事实上的世界语，这个世界上大多数受过教育的人，或多或少都会说一点英语，我们和世界打交道，就用得上；这个世界上绝大多数知识是用英语记载的，翻译成中文的过程很容易曲解和丢失原本的意思，用英语学习知识很多时候都是必要的，而且效率更高。一位智者向我轉述過某「小衆」編程語言的作者的話。他說，挪威語在全球使用人數排名中位置不高，但對於挪威人，它就是第一語言。我的編程語言在其自己的範疇內也是。中文的使用人數很多，近年來學習中文的外國人也比以前多了。但無疑，從生產第一手知識的角度而言，中文還是一種小衆語言。我知道很多中國人都持和雲風君一樣的看法，對中文翻譯整體而言不抱樂觀態度。她們對於中文是自己的母語這件事不會有任何疑問和抗拒，但與此同時，也無法心安理得地相信自己可以完全用中文來認知世界。或許正因爲此，她們會認爲世界上絕大多數知識是用英語記載。有時候她們會在知識前面加上「有價值的」四個字。我們都知道她們指的是什麼。可是她們也會讀金庸，大概也不至於認爲關於金庸的知識大部分是用英語記載的。「爲什麼要學英語」和「學英語有什麼用」是兩個不同的問題。我們是雙語家庭，目前爲止小女未曾有過此問。倒是我曾經主動多餘地和她解釋——畢竟她的朋友都只能說日語：一個語言就是一個世界，擁有兩個世界好過擁有一個世界。我也給過實用主義的解釋：目前妳生活中有相當多的東西都生發自英語文化。但在我腦中的小劇場裏，她是會反問「那又如何？」的。而如果真的問了，我確實不能心安理得地跟她說「原版最好」，儘管我身上正在死去的一部分堅決相信如此。「爲什麼要學英語」雖然是一個誠實的問題，但並不是一個好問題。Why do we learn anything? Because learning feels good。當我看到 Ryan Holmberg 把安部慎一的漫畫「無頼の面影」中的面影譯爲「look」（The Look of Vagrancy）時，我的不滿足來自於英語和和日語都不是我的母語這一事實。正如我不會天然地像某日本人一樣覺得「編劇」和「導演」兩詞有漢詩之風，也不會感受到簡體中文「沈阳」二字中的壯美。爲什麼學英語？可能因爲我想寫出這樣的信：17, — Road,—, Devon,June 7, 1944Dear Sergeant X,I hope you will forgive me for having taken 38 days to begin our correspondence but, I have been extremely busy as my aunt has undergone streptococcus of the throat and nearly perished and I have been justifiably saddled with one responsibility after another. However I have thought of you frequently and of the extremely pleasant afternoon we spent in each other’s company on April 30, 1944 between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m. in case it slipped your mind.We are all tremendously excited and overawed about D Day and only hope that it will bring about the swift termination of the war and a method of existence that is ridiculous to say the least. Charles and I are both quite concerned about you; we hope you were not among those who made the first initial assault upon the Cotentin Peninsula. Were you? Please reply as speedily as possible. My warmest regards to your wife.Sincerely yours,ESMÉP.S. I am taking the liberty of enclosing my wristwatch which you may keep in your possession for the duration of the conflict. I did not observe whether you were wearing one during our brief association, but this one is extremely waterproof and shock-proof as well as having many other virtues among which one can tell at what velocity one is walking if one wishes. I am quite certain that you will use it to greater advantage in these difficult days than I ever can and that you will accept it as a lucky talisman.Charles, whom I am teaching to read and write and whom I am finding an extremely intelligent novice, wishes to add a few words. Please write as soon as you have the time and inclination.HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO LOVE AND KISSES CHALES