飯後茶餘

年纪大了，听力下降了，是自然的趋势。随着年纪大的人群的扩大，对解决这个问题期望也大了。

先是在美国，看到周围的人，我自己也在其中，要带助听器的人多了起来。这次回上海，发现助听器的门店也多了起来，这就是市场嘛，人多，需求就多。

听力不好的人，听广播，看电视或与人交谈，就会有把音量提高的要求。这就是为什么市场上许称为声音放大器的产品应运而生的原因。把声音放大些，把设备上的调节音量的旋钮（或按钮）往高的方向调，这是解决听不见的最简单的办法。

喜欢听音乐的人，常常对放大设备和喇叭有更高的要求。有的人喜欢低音丰富些，有的人相反，要求高音丰富些。如此，音响设备常常包括有平衡器（Equalizer)的功能。有了它，不同的频段的声音，放大的量可以调节。这样音乐听起来更美妙。人对通过声音表达的内容，特别是说话的声音也有类似的需求。单纯放大，不顾及在不同的频段有不同的要求，往往会使用声音放大器的人，仍然听不清。

随着便携电子设备技术的迅速发展，人们不仅希望听得见，听得清周围的声音，也希望听这些电子设备带来的语声和音乐声（streaming）。放大声音有强烈的个人化的要求。助听器要小，随身带，最好是带上了旁边的人几乎感觉不到。助听器的电力怎么来？用小电池？最好还是可以充电的。小了，还要便于调整，如此，离不开微电子的发展。现在解决的办法就是用手机上的APP。

还有一个就是现实环境里的各种各样的噪音，会影响人们的听。减小噪音不用说也是非常重要的。

人的耳朵和听力，是上天赋予的。它比任何人工制作的工具智慧得多。譬如，辨别各种声音的能力，辨别各种方向的能力，等等。人工智能，发展很快但替代人本身的智能恐怕还有很长的路要走。所以，对于戴了助听器的人，其他人恐怕还要多一点谅解。

或许说了这些，人们对助听器产品的基本要求，应该清楚了。

后续我会收集一些购买助听器有关的信息。

我，和我的同代人，是很幸运的。这个结论，不是那么容易被认识的。

我出生的时候，反法西斯战争取得了胜利。

我小时侯，世界上出现了计算机，虽然一开始它是用比较笨重的真空管做的。

我上高中，升入大学的时候，有了半导体器件(晶体管)，开始了微电子时代。 在此基础上，数字电子技术才有了我们都亲身经历着的日新月异的高速发展。

我的一生，是伴随着这科学技术的史无前例的高速发展的。但现在回头看看，我一生忙忙碌碌而无所成就，很觉惭愧。但是也为我们这代人没有错过这个新时代而感到幸运。

和这种发展并肩而行了这么多年，才逐步觉悟到以前自己的认识曾经是如此的幼稚、肤浅和甚至无知，这是我觉悟得晚了。

但是，幸好我算是没有陷入那种口号喊得响亮的陷阱。这些年来，有多少人”沾沾自喜“地陷在了那里而不能自拔，有的人至今还不觉得呢！

我希望现今快被用烂了的这么多的”大“，特别是那大智慧的“大”，能大到实处。这么多的”新“，特别是新时代的”新“，会有前所未有的内容。

希望。

译文一：

My contemporaries and I are a fortunate generation. This is a realization that does not come easily.
I was born at the dawn of victory in the Anti-Fascist War. In my childhood, the computer emerged—clunky and heavy as it was, built with vacuum tubes. By the time I entered high school and university, semiconductor devices (transistors) had arrived, ushering in the microelectronics era. It was upon this foundation that digital technology began the rapid, ever-changing evolution that we have all witnessed firsthand.
My life has paralleled this unprecedented acceleration of science and technology. Looking back now, I feel a sense of shame for a life spent in busy toil yet devoid of significant achievement. Nevertheless, I feel lucky that our generation did not miss out on this new era.
After walking alongside this progress for so many years, I have gradually come to realize how naive, superficial, and even ignorant my previous understandings were. This awakening came late for me.
Yet, fortunately, I did not fall into the trap of hollow, resounding slogans. Over the years, so many people have remained “self-satisfied,” mired in such traps and unable to extricate themselves—some do not even realize it to this day.
It is my hope that the many “Greats” currently being overused—especially the “Great” in “Great Wisdom”—can truly carry Great weight. I hope the many “News,” especially the “New” in the “New Era,” will be filled with unprecedented substance.

译文二：

I, along with my generation, am very lucky. This conclusion, however, is not easily reached.
I was born when the Anti-Fascist War was won. During my childhood, the world saw the birth of the computer, though it started with bulky vacuum tubes. When I was in high school and college, transistors appeared, starting the age of microelectronics. Only then did digital technology begin the rapid, daily breakthroughs we experience today.
My entire life has been accompanied by this unprecedented growth in science and technology. Looking back, I feel humbled and somewhat ashamed that I have been so busy yet accomplished so little. But I still feel fortunate that our generation did not miss this new era.
Having walked alongside this development for so many years, I have slowly realized how naive and ignorant my past views were. My awakening was late.
However, I am glad I did not fall into the trap of loud, empty slogans. Over the years, many have stayed “complacently” stuck there, and some still haven’t realized it.
I hope the word “Great,” which is so overused today—especially “Great Wisdom”—can actually stand for something substantial. I hope all this “Newness,” especially the “New Era,” will hold truly unprecedented content.

这两个版本，您喜欢哪一个呢？ 欢迎指导。

附：

翻译笔记 (Translation Notes):
1. “大” 和 “新”: 在文中，作者对这两个字加了引号，带有一定的审视和反思意味。因此在翻译中，我使用了大写（”Great” / “New”）并保留引号，以体现作者对时下流行语的疏离感。
2. “沾沾自喜”: 译为 “self-satisfied” 或 “complacently”，捕捉了作者所批评的那种盲目乐观的态度。
3. “大到实处”: 译为 “carry weight” 或 “stand for something substantial”，意指希望这些宏大的概念能够落地，有实际意义。

AI 还是蛮谦虚的呢！

新年马上就要到了。作为一个出生在中国，并在那里生活了差不多一生的三分之一的人，写还只能勉强用中文。尽管现在的工具很多，有的还非常灵光，我还是觉得中文用起来比较爽。这样说，是因为虽然英文我学了这么长时间了，还是没有学好，离用英文写点实用的文字的要求还差得远呢。惭愧呀！

我的中文水平，自己知道：丫丫糊。但是，我看到目前中文的发展的一个明显的问题是格式化。官场上的和与官场有关的说话和文章就像旧戏里的戏文一样，用的是几乎千遍一律的词汇和“逻辑”。另外，现在时髦用“新”词，这些用来代替多少年来大家已熟悉和理解的词的“新”词语，其实毫无新意。在提倡创新的时代，用这种新词是一种讽刺。

要像上面评论中文那样评论英文，我还真不行。

所以，我虽然喜欢语言（中文和英文）但却是外行。新年开始在即，总得说点什么吧。别人我管不了，我还是会遵循，叙事要重真实，而不用什么新的词句来装饰。形容词和成语能不用，就不用，能三言两语说清楚的，就不长篇大论这样的原则。

期望在新的一年里能多学点、理解点这两种语言。

The New Year is approaching. As someone born in China and having lived there for about one-third of my life, my written Chinese is still barely passable. Despite the many tools available today—some quite intelligent—I still find it more satisfying to use Chinese. I say this because, although I’ve been studying English so many years, I still haven’t mastered it well enough to write practical, functional texts. I’m truly ashamed of this.

I know my own level: it’s mediocre at best. But I’ve noticed a clear problem in the current development of the Chinese language—excessive standardization. Official and official-related speech and writing resemble lines from traditional operas, using nearly identical vocabulary and rigid “logic.” Moreover, there’s a trend of using so-called “new” words to replace terms that people have long understood. These trendy expressions are often not new at all. In an era that promotes innovation, this kind of linguistic practice is ironic.

I wouldn’t be able to critique English in the same way.

So while I love languages—both Chinese and English—I’m still an amateur. With the New Year upon us, I feel I should say something. I can’t control others, but I will stick to my own principle: prioritize truth in storytelling, and avoid decorating it with fashionable phrases. Avoid adjectives and idioms when possible; if something can be said clearly in a few words, there’s no need for long-winded explanations.

I hope in the coming year, I will be able to learn and understand a little more of both languages.

以上是AI 翻译的，觉得有点生硬，不是很好，但是却也说得过去。看来，今后从事职业翻译的人会很难。

自2026年元旦开始，本站将如期恢复，各位又可以像以前那样随时来看看了。

不用说，过去几年积累下来的乱糟糟的旧内容需要仔细整理，新内容则要随时间而增加。因为这是个人网站，只有我一个人在“干”，进展缓慢在所难免，只求大家多多谅解了。

今天是平安夜，祝大家节日愉快！