酷我-北美枫

[anna]

"A journey of a thousand miles / begins with a single step"

Utterances become quotations because they mean something to people. They come to 'own' them when they find something in their personal lives to which the quotation relates. It's perhaps not surprising, then, to see Lao Tzu's remark emerging as a winner, for there can be few quotations which match it for its universal applicability.

Type the quotation into a large search engine and you will find thousands of contexts of use which range from scientific research to commercial advertising, from national politics to personal therapy.

Its appealing content is reinforced in English by its linguistic structure: the quotation falls naturally into two rhythm-units, each with three strong stresses. It's easy to remember, therefore.

"A journey of a thousand miles / begins with a single step"

And there is a lovely contrast between the leisurely pace of the first half of the quotation - the disyllabic 'journey' and 'thousand' and the long vowels or diphthongs in each main word - and the punchy character of the second half, with its striking 's' alliteration, and each main word either monosyllabic or with a short vowel. Note how different the quotation would feel if we were to replace 'step' by, say, 'stride' or 'pace'. The impact of this quotation very much depends on its strong phonetic conclusion.

It's a worthy winner.

Professor David Crystal is a prolific writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster.

He published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and is famous for his research work in English language studies.

from BBC
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"A journey of a thousand miles / begins with a single step"

Utterances become quotations because they mean something to people. They come to 'own' them when they find something in their personal lives to which the quotation relates. It's perhaps not surprising, then, to see Lao Tzu's remark emerging as a winner, for there can be few quotations which match it for its universal applicability.

Type the quotation into a large search engine and you will find thousands of contexts of use which range from scientific research to commercial advertising, from national politics to personal therapy.

Its appealing content is reinforced in English by its linguistic structure: the quotation falls naturally into two rhythm-units, each with three strong stresses. It's easy to remember, therefore.

"A journey of a thousand miles / begins with a single step"

And there is a lovely contrast between the leisurely pace of the first half of the quotation - the disyllabic 'journey' and 'thousand' and the long vowels or diphthongs in each main word - and the punchy character of the second half, with its striking 's' alliteration, and each main word either monosyllabic or with a short vowel. Note how different the quotation would feel if we were to replace 'step' by, say, 'stride' or 'pace'. The impact of this quotation very much depends on its strong phonetic conclusion.

It's a worthy winner.

Professor David Crystal is a prolific writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster.

He published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and is famous for his research work in English language studies.

from BBC
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was the leader of the Indian nationalist movement against British rule, and a great voice for freedom and independence. The name Mahatma means 'Great Soul'.


This famous quote refers to an Old Testament reference regarding the legal penalties for violence. Gandhi rejected violence as a means to change, and only engaged in peaceful ways of protest.
A version of this quote was in fact also used by Dr Martin Luther King Jr during the struggle for civil rights and equality in the USA. Both men were proponants of the power of the people and their peaceful methods carried great weight and helped bring about social change.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 in India, but his work as a lawyer led him to South Africa. He worked here to secure the rights of Indians living under British rule. Returning to India, he became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement where he actively led the campaign for India's independence, gained in 1947.

With the partition of India and Pakistan, rioting between Hindus and Muslims broke out. Being a staunch advocate for a united India, Gandhi began a fast to shame rioting mobs into order. Five days later the opposing leaders pledged to stop the fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. However not long after, Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist who was opposed to his willingness to engage in dialogue with people of all religions.


Expert Says...

This is a fine example of one quotation standing on the shoulders of another - a proverb, in this case. 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' is a traditional expression of revenge thinking that dates back to biblical times. And just as some quotations take a literal statement and turn it into a metaphor, here we have a metaphotrical statement which is turned into something literal. It is clever rhetoric, and the identity of the author gives it added point.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was the leader of the Indian nationalist movement against British rule, and a great voice for freedom and independence. The name Mahatma means 'Great Soul'.


This famous quote refers to an Old Testament reference regarding the legal penalties for violence. Gandhi rejected violence as a means to change, and only engaged in peaceful ways of protest.
A version of this quote was in fact also used by Dr Martin Luther King Jr during the struggle for civil rights and equality in the USA. Both men were proponants of the power of the people and their peaceful methods carried great weight and helped bring about social change.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 in India, but his work as a lawyer led him to South Africa. He worked here to secure the rights of Indians living under British rule. Returning to India, he became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement where he actively led the campaign for India's independence, gained in 1947.

With the partition of India and Pakistan, rioting between Hindus and Muslims broke out. Being a staunch advocate for a united India, Gandhi began a fast to shame rioting mobs into order. Five days later the opposing leaders pledged to stop the fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. However not long after, Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist who was opposed to his willingness to engage in dialogue with people of all religions.


Expert Says...

This is a fine example of one quotation standing on the shoulders of another - a proverb, in this case. 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' is a traditional expression of revenge thinking that dates back to biblical times. And just as some quotations take a literal statement and turn it into a metaphor, here we have a metaphotrical statement which is turned into something literal. It is clever rhetoric, and the identity of the author gives it added point.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart"

Nelson Mandela led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime of South Africa with a multi-racial democracy, and was the country's first black president.


This quote is particularly significant from a man whose words have had a huge impact across world politics. Mandela is famous for his personal struggle against oppression, imprisoned for the sake of social change. He said "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities... It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 into the Madiba tribal clan - part of the Thembu people - in a small village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. He qualified as a lawyer and made it his vocation to campaign against apartheid, the system devised by the all-white National Party which oppressed the black majority.

As resistance to apartheid became violent, and in a climate of police brutality and clashes with protestors, Mandela, now Vice President of the African National Congress, launched a campaign of sabotage against the country's economy. He was eventually arrested and charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government.
Despite many years in jail, he emerged to become He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. Resistance to apartheid grew, mainly against the new Pass laws, which dictated where blacks were allowed to live and work.


Expert Says...

I've selected this item because it illustrates an interesting point about quotations - that they often have an individual, personal relevance. My trade is linguistics, and I am desperately concerned about the plight of the world's endangered languages. Half the languages of the world are so seriously endangered that they are likely to die out in the course of the present century. Mandela's remark captures dramatically one of the core functions of language, to express identity. This is not a quotation which relies for its power on who said it: the observation would be apposite regardless of its author - though admittedly, the fact that it comes from Nelson Mandela makes us listen in a way we would not if it had come from John Doe. It is the power of the insight that counts.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart"

Nelson Mandela led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime of South Africa with a multi-racial democracy, and was the country's first black president.


This quote is particularly significant from a man whose words have had a huge impact across world politics. Mandela is famous for his personal struggle against oppression, imprisoned for the sake of social change. He said "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities... It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 into the Madiba tribal clan - part of the Thembu people - in a small village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. He qualified as a lawyer and made it his vocation to campaign against apartheid, the system devised by the all-white National Party which oppressed the black majority.

As resistance to apartheid became violent, and in a climate of police brutality and clashes with protestors, Mandela, now Vice President of the African National Congress, launched a campaign of sabotage against the country's economy. He was eventually arrested and charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government.
Despite many years in jail, he emerged to become He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. Resistance to apartheid grew, mainly against the new Pass laws, which dictated where blacks were allowed to live and work.


Expert Says...

I've selected this item because it illustrates an interesting point about quotations - that they often have an individual, personal relevance. My trade is linguistics, and I am desperately concerned about the plight of the world's endangered languages. Half the languages of the world are so seriously endangered that they are likely to die out in the course of the present century. Mandela's remark captures dramatically one of the core functions of language, to express identity. This is not a quotation which relies for its power on who said it: the observation would be apposite regardless of its author - though admittedly, the fact that it comes from Nelson Mandela makes us listen in a way we would not if it had come from John Doe. It is the power of the insight that counts.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all"

Saint Augustine was one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. His work The Confessions is often called the first Western autobiography.


For Augustine love is the supreme law. All virtues are defined in terms of love. For him, the first love must be love of God, and all other loves must be subordinated to this. His words taught that love signified order and that all action is activity according to love. He believed that any sin is an act of hatred, for sin is separation from the order or love. Consequently, every good action is an action according to love. However, this quote is more popularly known as the title of a song Better to Have Lost in Love by the British band, The Eurythmics.

Augustine remains a central figure, both within Christianity and in the history of Western thought. In both his philosophical and theological reasoning, he was greatly influenced by Stoicism, Platonism and Neoplatonism. His early and influential writing on the human will, would become a focus for later philosophers such as Schopenhauer and Nietzche. Augustine was canonised by popular recognition and recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1303. His feast day is 28 August, the day on which he is thought to have died. He is considered the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, sore eyes, and a number of cities and dioceses.

Expert Says...

This is one of those quotations which turns up in all kinds of contexts, ascribed to all kinds of characters and authors. I have heard it used, for example, as a rallying cry in one dramatized version of Alexandre Dumas's Three Musketeers. The subject-matter of the quotation predisposes us to think of it as coming from a great romantic - a Shakespeareian lover, say. When we read that it is from Saint Augustine, the quotation takes on a fresh allure, as we reflect on the implications on how such words could emanate from one of the world's greatest saints
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all"

Saint Augustine was one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. His work The Confessions is often called the first Western autobiography.


For Augustine love is the supreme law. All virtues are defined in terms of love. For him, the first love must be love of God, and all other loves must be subordinated to this. His words taught that love signified order and that all action is activity according to love. He believed that any sin is an act of hatred, for sin is separation from the order or love. Consequently, every good action is an action according to love. However, this quote is more popularly known as the title of a song Better to Have Lost in Love by the British band, The Eurythmics.

Augustine remains a central figure, both within Christianity and in the history of Western thought. In both his philosophical and theological reasoning, he was greatly influenced by Stoicism, Platonism and Neoplatonism. His early and influential writing on the human will, would become a focus for later philosophers such as Schopenhauer and Nietzche. Augustine was canonised by popular recognition and recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1303. His feast day is 28 August, the day on which he is thought to have died. He is considered the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, sore eyes, and a number of cities and dioceses.

Expert Says...

This is one of those quotations which turns up in all kinds of contexts, ascribed to all kinds of characters and authors. I have heard it used, for example, as a rallying cry in one dramatized version of Alexandre Dumas's Three Musketeers. The subject-matter of the quotation predisposes us to think of it as coming from a great romantic - a Shakespeareian lover, say. When we read that it is from Saint Augustine, the quotation takes on a fresh allure, as we reflect on the implications on how such words could emanate from one of the world's greatest saints
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist."

Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th Dalai Lama and the spiritual leader of Tibet. He is the best known face of Tibetan Buddhism, has lived in exile in India since he fled the Chinese occupation of his country in 1959.


The Dalai Lama is recognised as a scholar and a man of peace. His words reflect his Buddhist principles and advocate peaceful solutions to conflict, based on knowledge, tolerance and mutual respect. His words mirror his belief that all suffering is caused by ignorance and that people inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their own happiness or satisfaction. For him, true happiness comes only from a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. His powerful words indicate we need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.

Born as Lhamo Dhondrub on 6 July 1935, he was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the 13th Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama literally translates as "Ocean of Wisdom". He follows the life of a Buddhist monk - living in a small cottage in Dharamsala and rising at 4am to meditate. He then pursues an ongoing schedule of administrative meetings, private audiences and religious teachings - concluding each day with further prayer before retiring. The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Expert Says...

Many quotations focus on the hunger for peace in our world, and on the difficulties which stand in the way. This offering from the Dalai Lama summarises a whole class of problems, and makes a statement which is applicable to a multiplicity of situations all over the planet. It is its simplicity and succinctness which makes it so memorable. Both concepts - the shaking of the hand and the closing of the fist - are completely transparent. Nobody could fail to understand what is meant. The quotation actually states the obvious. Then, upon reflection, we realise that what is being asserted is not obvious at all. Some of the best quotations make us think twice in quick succession. This is one.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist."

Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th Dalai Lama and the spiritual leader of Tibet. He is the best known face of Tibetan Buddhism, has lived in exile in India since he fled the Chinese occupation of his country in 1959.


The Dalai Lama is recognised as a scholar and a man of peace. His words reflect his Buddhist principles and advocate peaceful solutions to conflict, based on knowledge, tolerance and mutual respect. His words mirror his belief that all suffering is caused by ignorance and that people inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their own happiness or satisfaction. For him, true happiness comes only from a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. His powerful words indicate we need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.

Born as Lhamo Dhondrub on 6 July 1935, he was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the 13th Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama literally translates as "Ocean of Wisdom". He follows the life of a Buddhist monk - living in a small cottage in Dharamsala and rising at 4am to meditate. He then pursues an ongoing schedule of administrative meetings, private audiences and religious teachings - concluding each day with further prayer before retiring. The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Expert Says...

Many quotations focus on the hunger for peace in our world, and on the difficulties which stand in the way. This offering from the Dalai Lama summarises a whole class of problems, and makes a statement which is applicable to a multiplicity of situations all over the planet. It is its simplicity and succinctness which makes it so memorable. Both concepts - the shaking of the hand and the closing of the fist - are completely transparent. Nobody could fail to understand what is meant. The quotation actually states the obvious. Then, upon reflection, we realise that what is being asserted is not obvious at all. Some of the best quotations make us think twice in quick succession. This is one.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise"

Western civilisation has been shaped by the moral teachings, laws, culture, theology and even the language of The Bible.


This famous quotation can be seen as a maxim for peace and understanding amongst the human race. It has taken on a life beyond its religious origin in the teachings of Jesus, and is often used as a general moral template, appearing in many forms throughout literature and history.
The quotation appears in the Gospel of St Luke, one of the four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Luke was the third amongst the other three evangelists Matthew, Mark and John, to write his version. Luke is believed to have been a follower of Paul, and to have used St Mark's Gospel as a source for his own account.


The Bible is an entire library of religious writing central to Christian and Jewish faiths. The Bible encompasses writings of all genres, from narrative to songs, poetry, letters and history. It is one of the most influential texts ever written.
The Christian Bible has two main sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament books were written by Christians in the first Century CE. The Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewish faith, written over a much longer perod between about 1200 and 165 BCE.
The Hebrew Bible has 39 books, and charts the movements of the ancient nation of Israel. It was traditionally arranged in three sections, The Law, The Prophets and The Writings.

Expert Says...

This is the famous 'golden rule', which turns up in many formulations in literature, and also in different languages. This particular formulation is not especially well phrased: the second part, in particular, is rhythmically awkward to modern ears, though such word orders were more usual in the sixteenth century. The emphasis on maleness also belongs to an earlier era. But the universality and eminent good sense of the assertion makes it a queen of quotations, to my mind, more commonly and memorably expressed as 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise"

Western civilisation has been shaped by the moral teachings, laws, culture, theology and even the language of The Bible.


This famous quotation can be seen as a maxim for peace and understanding amongst the human race. It has taken on a life beyond its religious origin in the teachings of Jesus, and is often used as a general moral template, appearing in many forms throughout literature and history.
The quotation appears in the Gospel of St Luke, one of the four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Luke was the third amongst the other three evangelists Matthew, Mark and John, to write his version. Luke is believed to have been a follower of Paul, and to have used St Mark's Gospel as a source for his own account.


The Bible is an entire library of religious writing central to Christian and Jewish faiths. The Bible encompasses writings of all genres, from narrative to songs, poetry, letters and history. It is one of the most influential texts ever written.
The Christian Bible has two main sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament books were written by Christians in the first Century CE. The Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewish faith, written over a much longer perod between about 1200 and 165 BCE.
The Hebrew Bible has 39 books, and charts the movements of the ancient nation of Israel. It was traditionally arranged in three sections, The Law, The Prophets and The Writings.

Expert Says...

This is the famous 'golden rule', which turns up in many formulations in literature, and also in different languages. This particular formulation is not especially well phrased: the second part, in particular, is rhythmically awkward to modern ears, though such word orders were more usual in the sixteenth century. The emphasis on maleness also belongs to an earlier era. But the universality and eminent good sense of the assertion makes it a queen of quotations, to my mind, more commonly and memorably expressed as 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com