节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-09-13
难易度:Low
关键字:settlement, characteristic, reference, accuse, harmony, prejudice
OK. Welcome back, friends.
I hope you had a great break.
Since we're on the topic of Roma music, I have to mention perhaps the most
famous Romany musician of all time - Django Reinhardt.
Reinhardt, born in Belgium in 1910, is a true guitar legend.
If you are a fan of jazz music, I urge you to check him out.
OK.
Let's read about the Roma reputation now for storytelling at the top of page 30.
The Roma People.
Stories.
Like people of many cultures, the Roma love to tell stories.
Their conversations often include brief references to tales that the entire
settlement knows.
But they also tell long stories during the evenings or while working.
Some stories are funny; others pass down Roma traditions.
Over the years, the Roma have faced many challenges.
Their neighbors often did not accept them and even accused them of being
thieves.
Today, many face poverty, prejudice and other problems.
Nevertheless, the Roma people are proud of their history and their rich culture.
All right, friends.
We've seen a lot of the influence that the Roma people have in the world today,
particularly through music.
We saw that their music style has affected European folk music, classical music
and even had an influence in American styles of music.
So all over the world, their music has spread.
But even more than that, their stories are spreading.
So let's take a look at what those stories are.
OK. I'm excited to see this.
Their music is a really cool combination of different cultures.
And I'm curious to see what their stories are like.
Now like people of many cultures, the Roma love to tell stories.
Now if you do look at cultures, Ryan, from all over the world, that is how
history is told.
We tell it in stories.
In Europe, we have fairy tales.
So we all do use different stories; and the Roma people have very special
stories.
Yes. Well, even in the word "history," you see the word "story." So it is a
story.
And I'm sure with a people group like this that traveled out of India into
Europe, they have to have an interesting story.
Well, the Roma love to tell stories.
Their conversations often include brief references to tales that the entire
settlement would know.
OK. So their whole... their group of people would love to enjoy listening to
these stories that include brief, which means "short," references.
OK. So they have these very short references.
Now a "reference" is a... is to mention something very quickly.
So if you refer to something, you said, "Well, in our last conversation, you
said..." that is to refer.
Often on Studio Classroom, we refer to past articles or words we have learned
before.
We talk about it very quickly.
Yeah, very quickly, in just a short reference.
And so here Kaylah, it might seem weird to have the word "brief" and the word
"reference" together.
What does it mean if you have those two words right next to each other?
Now reference sometimes can be a bit longer.
Now a brief reference might mean they mention a name or a character or a short
line out of that story.
So they're very short.
So you need to know the tale.
But most of the settlement does know the tale.
That's right.
Of course, a tale is the story, a story that tells how something happened.
And you need to check out the way that it's spelled.
It is T-A-L-E, not T-A-I-L.
Exactly, not like an animal tail, but like a tale of a story.
Just like fairy tales.
Exactly. OK.
Well, the whole settlement would know these references in their stories.
But the Roma people also like to tell long stories during the evenings or while
they are working.
I think I'd like to work with them then.
They tell stories while they are working, or they sit around as a group of
people and enjoy telling each other stories.
Now friends, I love telling stories.
I tell stories all the time.
So I think I would love to be with the Roma people to learn their stories and to
hear about their history.
Yeah. I know you love telling stories.
I love listening to them, so that works well.
But here the Roma people don't just tell stories because someone asks them to.
They often have good relationships with each other.
And they use stories to build their relationship no matter what they are doing.
Now what kinds of stories would they tell?
Well, some stories are funny; and others pass down Roma traditions.
Now friends, if you want to imagine what this environment would be like,
the storytelling environments instead of watching TV or instead of all sitting
at their computers,
the Roma people sit together and tell their stories to one another.
And that's why they're funny and they'll tell history because they are learning
through them and building relationship.
Exactly.
And also, they can, like you said, they learn their past traditions or they pass
down those traditions.
If you pass something down, that means you give it to the next generation or
someone younger.
That's right.
Your grandparents would pass down maybe something special, a ring or a special
plate or something.
That would be passed down to you.
These people pass down stories.
Exactly.
Well, over many years, or we say the phrase "over the years," the Roma have
faced many challenges.
That's right.
It has not been easy for them.
It's always been a challenge.
Their neighbors, the people they live near, often did not accept them and even
accused them of being thieves.
OK. So this is definitely a challenge to be accused of anything.
If you are "accused," that means someone said that you did something wrong or
illegal.
Unfortunately, very often the Roma people are thought to be thieves.
And to be a thief means you take something that is not yours; you steal.
OK. Well, today, many Roma people face poverty, prejudice and other problems.
So poverty means they don't have enough money.
To face a prejudice... "Prejudice" is an unfair or unreasonable opinion,
especially without knowing more about them before that.
So people don't like them just because they don't want to like them, not because
of any real reason.
Yeah. They don't like and for no reason.
They have no reason not to like them but they just don't like them.
Being prejudice is wrong.
And these poor Roma people face that often.
But nonetheless, the Roma people are proud of their history and their very rich
culture.
And they should be proud.
They have a rich, or amazing culture.
Friends, it's been fun learning about the Roma people.
Now let's visit the Chat Room.
Hey, Bryan, I'd like to check this book out.
OK.
Oh. A Collection of European Folk Tales.
That sounds interesting.
Yeah, I thought it looked interesting.
By the way, I have a question about that.
What's the difference between a folk tale and just a tale?
Well, a folk tale is one type of tale.
A tale can be any story.
But a folk tale is a traditional story from a certain people group.
Folk tales were usually shared by storytellers for a long time before they were
written down.
I see.
So is a folk tale the same as a fairy tale then?
No, not exactly.
A fairy tale involves magic and adventure, and is usually shared with children.
Most fairy tales are folk tales.
But some more recent ones are not; and not all folk tales are fairy tales
either.
OK. That makes sense.
Hey, by the way, is calling something a fairy tale a good thing or a bad thing?
I think it's neutral, at least when you're talking about stories.
Why do you ask, Ken?
Because I've heard it in other context.
Last night on the news, there was a politician who accused one of his opponents
of telling fairy tales, which, sounded like a bad thing.
Ah, yes.
Sometimes people use the word "fairy tale" to describe an explanation that isn't
true.
So as someone tells a fairy tale in that sense, they are lying.
OK. So that's a negative use.
But I've also seen the word used in ways that seem positive.
For example, my wife was reading a magazine that had an article called Planning
a fairy-tale wedding.
Ah, yes.
Fairy-tale can be used as an adjective to describe something that is special and
beautiful, like you might see at the end of a fairy tale.
I see.
Well, thanks for the explanation.
You're welcome, Ken.
Hope you enjoy the book.
Thanks, Bryan.
(Chinese).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that's it for today's Language Tips.
Keep up the good work, and I'll see you next time.
OK. What do we know about the Roma people?
We know that about 1,000 years ago, they moved out of India and headed west.
From that time, they settled in communities scattered all over Europe.
The Roma people have preserved much of their colorful customs.
However, there are some variations from region to region.
Two things that remain an important part of any Romany community are music and
storytelling.
Well, friends, I hope this lesson has helped you understand the Romany people
just a little more.
Please visit with us tomorrow for a new lesson.
And until then, have a great day.