毛姆 (譯練)

Maugham, A writer's notebook
毛姆, 寫作人隨筆

(1917) I have my own views about learning a language. I think it waste of time to acquire a greater knowledge than suffices me to read fluently and talk enough for the ordinary affairs of life. The labour required to acquire a real familiarity with a foreign tongue is profitless.

學外語, 我有一套看法. 能閱讀流暢, 能談人生尋常事, 就足夠了. 深造其餘, 不過是浪擲時光. 學外語要學到通曉在行, 這種工夫實在徒勞無益.

錢歌川: 關於學習語言，我有我自己的想法。我認為只要學到足夠我們 自由閱讀，自由談論日常生活的情形就行了，研求再多的語言知識， 簡直是時間的浪費。(翻譯的技巧, 習題一)

學外語, 我有一套看法. 能流暢閱讀, 能自如地談生活尋常事, 就足夠了. 研求其餘, 不過是浪費時光. 勞心勞力去學到通曉在行, 維肖維妙, 實在無謂.