西方博主贴文：公元 97 年左右，一位中国将军命令甘英大使西行，与罗马帝国建立直接联系。引起网友热议
正文翻译
Alessandro13
Around 97 AD, a Chinese general ordered ambassador Gan Ying to travel westward to establish direct contact with the Roman Empire.
公元97年左右，一位中国将军派遣使节甘英向西行进，试图与罗马帝国建立直接联系。
Alessandro13
Around 97 AD, a Chinese general ordered ambassador Gan Ying to travel westward to establish direct contact with the Roman Empire.
公元97年左右，一位中国将军派遣使节甘英向西行进，试图与罗马帝国建立直接联系。
The ambitious mission, however, ran aground on the coasts of a mysterious country called Tiaozhi, which some historians place on the Persian Gulf and others on the Black Sea.
In any case, when Gan Ying asked to embark for the Roman Empire, he was dissuaded by local guides: "The sea is immense. If you encounter favorable winds, you can cross it in three months, but if not, the journey can take up to two years. For this reason, those who embark always carry provisions for three years. Also, there is something in the sea that makes men nostalgic: many think back to their homes and many lose their lives on the journey."
Frightened by this information, Gan Ying decided to return to China, where he recounted a series of rumors he had heard about the Romans. Had he continued his journey, the two most powerful empires in the world could have established diplomatic relations.
然而，这项雄心勃勃的使命却在名为条支的一个神秘国家的海岸搁浅，一些历史学家认为这个国家位于波斯湾，而另一些则认为是黑海。
无论如何，当甘英提出要启程前往罗马帝国时，被当地向导劝阻了：“大海浩瀚无垠。如果顺风的话，三个月就能横渡，但如果风向不利，旅程可能长达两年。因此，出海的人总是携带三年的给养。而且，海上有些东西会让人怀旧：许多人会想念家乡，许多人在旅途中丧生。”
被这些信息吓到后，甘英决定返回中国，并向人们讲述了自己听闻的一系列关于罗马人的谣言。如果他继续前行，世界上两个最强大的帝国本可以建立外交关系。
（译注：条支是西亚的一个古国名，泛指时为古地名，位于今霍尔木兹海峡处。这个国家曾在公元前64年被罗马所灭。此外，在《汉书》等古籍中也有关于条支的记载，描述了其地理位置、城市风貌和物产等。在汉代，条支有时也被用来指称波斯及大食（即阿拉伯）地区。另一种说法认为，条支可能是指塞琉古王朝，这个王朝在中国古代也被称为条支或叙利亚王国。塞琉古王朝是亚历山大帝国分裂后形成的一个国家，其统治区域包括了两河流域、波斯等地。然而，这一说法与条支作为独立国家的传统认知存在差异，因此并非所有学者都接受这一观点。）
In any case, when Gan Ying asked to embark for the Roman Empire, he was dissuaded by local guides: "The sea is immense. If you encounter favorable winds, you can cross it in three months, but if not, the journey can take up to two years. For this reason, those who embark always carry provisions for three years. Also, there is something in the sea that makes men nostalgic: many think back to their homes and many lose their lives on the journey."
Frightened by this information, Gan Ying decided to return to China, where he recounted a series of rumors he had heard about the Romans. Had he continued his journey, the two most powerful empires in the world could have established diplomatic relations.
然而，这项雄心勃勃的使命却在名为条支的一个神秘国家的海岸搁浅，一些历史学家认为这个国家位于波斯湾，而另一些则认为是黑海。
无论如何，当甘英提出要启程前往罗马帝国时，被当地向导劝阻了：“大海浩瀚无垠。如果顺风的话，三个月就能横渡，但如果风向不利，旅程可能长达两年。因此，出海的人总是携带三年的给养。而且，海上有些东西会让人怀旧：许多人会想念家乡，许多人在旅途中丧生。”
被这些信息吓到后，甘英决定返回中国，并向人们讲述了自己听闻的一系列关于罗马人的谣言。如果他继续前行，世界上两个最强大的帝国本可以建立外交关系。
（译注：条支是西亚的一个古国名，泛指时为古地名，位于今霍尔木兹海峡处。这个国家曾在公元前64年被罗马所灭。此外，在《汉书》等古籍中也有关于条支的记载，描述了其地理位置、城市风貌和物产等。在汉代，条支有时也被用来指称波斯及大食（即阿拉伯）地区。另一种说法认为，条支可能是指塞琉古王朝，这个王朝在中国古代也被称为条支或叙利亚王国。塞琉古王朝是亚历山大帝国分裂后形成的一个国家，其统治区域包括了两河流域、波斯等地。然而，这一说法与条支作为独立国家的传统认知存在差异，因此并非所有学者都接受这一观点。）
评论翻译
Arman KO
Seems like the Chinese general simply chickened out or believed some liars. Or the whole ordeal is a hoax. Neither of the seas need 3 months to cross. Also, you didn’t need to cross any sea to reach the Roman Empire from Asia.
看起来那个中国将军要么是胆怯了，要么是相信了骗子的话。或者整个事件就是个骗局，因为穿越那两个海根本不需要三个月。而且，从亚洲到罗马帝国，你根本不需要穿越任何海洋。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Seems like the Chinese general simply chickened out or believed some liars. Or the whole ordeal is a hoax. Neither of the seas need 3 months to cross. Also, you didn’t need to cross any sea to reach the Roman Empire from Asia.
看起来那个中国将军要么是胆怯了，要么是相信了骗子的话。或者整个事件就是个骗局，因为穿越那两个海根本不需要三个月。而且，从亚洲到罗马帝国，你根本不需要穿越任何海洋。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Adam Wu
One theory is that the local government was worried that if the Chinese and the Romans contacted one another directly, they might negotiate direct trade agreements that bypassed their nation and thus jeopardized their lucrative position as a major trade hub between the Roman and Chinese civilization spheres. So when the Chinese delegation asked them for information about Rome, they lied, spinning tall tales about how dangerous and long and difficult the journey was.
有一种理论认为，当地政府担心如果中国人和罗马人直接接触，他们可能会绕过自己的国家，进行直接谈判贸易协议，从而危及自己作为罗马和中国文明圈之间主要贸易枢纽的有利地位。所以，当中国代表团向他们询问有关罗马的信息时，他们撒谎了，编造了一系列关于旅程多么危险、漫长和艰难的谎言。
One theory is that the local government was worried that if the Chinese and the Romans contacted one another directly, they might negotiate direct trade agreements that bypassed their nation and thus jeopardized their lucrative position as a major trade hub between the Roman and Chinese civilization spheres. So when the Chinese delegation asked them for information about Rome, they lied, spinning tall tales about how dangerous and long and difficult the journey was.
有一种理论认为，当地政府担心如果中国人和罗马人直接接触，他们可能会绕过自己的国家，进行直接谈判贸易协议，从而危及自己作为罗马和中国文明圈之间主要贸易枢纽的有利地位。所以，当中国代表团向他们询问有关罗马的信息时，他们撒谎了，编造了一系列关于旅程多么危险、漫长和艰难的谎言。
Out Spoken
Makes sense. If your economic strength is being the middleman then it's unlikely that you will promote direct face to face negotiations.
这说得通。如果你的经济优势是充当中间商，那么你不太可能推动双方直接面对面谈判。
Makes sense. If your economic strength is being the middleman then it's unlikely that you will promote direct face to face negotiations.
这说得通。如果你的经济优势是充当中间商，那么你不太可能推动双方直接面对面谈判。
Arman KO
Still a bit strange. The Silk Road was already well established when the mission allegedly happened. All the ambassador had to do was to join a caravan going from China to the Mediterranean Sea. There were Hellenic cities in Central Asia established by Alexander the Great that traded horses with China if I remember correctly. The only country you needed to cross from there was Persia called Parthia at the time.
还是有点奇怪。据称这次使命发生时，丝绸之路已经发展得很成熟了。大使所要做的就是加入一个从中国前往地中海的商队。如果我没记错的话，中亚还有亚历山大大帝建立的希腊城市，与中国进行马匹贸易。从那里出发，你只需要穿越当时的波斯（称为帕提亚）就可以了。
Still a bit strange. The Silk Road was already well established when the mission allegedly happened. All the ambassador had to do was to join a caravan going from China to the Mediterranean Sea. There were Hellenic cities in Central Asia established by Alexander the Great that traded horses with China if I remember correctly. The only country you needed to cross from there was Persia called Parthia at the time.
还是有点奇怪。据称这次使命发生时，丝绸之路已经发展得很成熟了。大使所要做的就是加入一个从中国前往地中海的商队。如果我没记错的话，中亚还有亚历山大大帝建立的希腊城市，与中国进行马匹贸易。从那里出发，你只需要穿越当时的波斯（称为帕提亚）就可以了。
Peter Trznadel
That’s just it, there was no caravans going the whole route. Not like a 18 wheeler going all the way across the states by the interstate or rail networks, a caravan only did short hauls and traded their product (silk) for foreign products that they took back with them. The silk continued on with a new trader and caravan to somewhere else, and was traded for something the trader knew he could sell back where he started from, this being repeated several times for that bolt of silk, it didn’t always follow a set route but moved by various networks of traders. There was no single route a Silk Road like there is the interstate I40.
问题就在于，没有商队会走完全程。不像18轮大卡车沿着州际公路或铁路网络穿越整个美国，商队只负责短途运输，用他们的产品（丝绸）换取外国产品，然后带回国内。丝绸会继续随着新的商人和商队前往其他地方，并被换取商人知道可以在自己出发地出售的东西，这个过程会重复好几次，直到那匹丝绸被卖出。它并不总是遵循固定的路线，而是通过各种贸易网络移动。丝绸之路并不像州际公路I-40那样有固定的路线。
（译注：40号州际公路（Interstate 40，简称I-40）是美国州际公路系统的一部份。西起加利福尼亚州巴斯托（与15号州际公路交汇），东在北卡罗莱纳州威尔明顿与美国国道117和北卡罗莱纳州公路132交汇。美国东到西的超级公路。）
That’s just it, there was no caravans going the whole route. Not like a 18 wheeler going all the way across the states by the interstate or rail networks, a caravan only did short hauls and traded their product (silk) for foreign products that they took back with them. The silk continued on with a new trader and caravan to somewhere else, and was traded for something the trader knew he could sell back where he started from, this being repeated several times for that bolt of silk, it didn’t always follow a set route but moved by various networks of traders. There was no single route a Silk Road like there is the interstate I40.
问题就在于，没有商队会走完全程。不像18轮大卡车沿着州际公路或铁路网络穿越整个美国，商队只负责短途运输，用他们的产品（丝绸）换取外国产品，然后带回国内。丝绸会继续随着新的商人和商队前往其他地方，并被换取商人知道可以在自己出发地出售的东西，这个过程会重复好几次，直到那匹丝绸被卖出。它并不总是遵循固定的路线，而是通过各种贸易网络移动。丝绸之路并不像州际公路I-40那样有固定的路线。
（译注：40号州际公路（Interstate 40，简称I-40）是美国州际公路系统的一部份。西起加利福尼亚州巴斯托（与15号州际公路交汇），东在北卡罗莱纳州威尔明顿与美国国道117和北卡罗莱纳州公路132交汇。美国东到西的超级公路。）
Arman KO
Still, if you are a governmental envoy you still would be able to move all the way from China to Syria by bribing people along the way. The whole 3 months crossing of the sea is BS.
即便如此，如果你是一位政府使节，你仍然可以通过一路贿赂人员，从中国走到叙利亚。说穿越海洋需要三个月完全是胡说八道。
Still, if you are a governmental envoy you still would be able to move all the way from China to Syria by bribing people along the way. The whole 3 months crossing of the sea is BS.
即便如此，如果你是一位政府使节，你仍然可以通过一路贿赂人员，从中国走到叙利亚。说穿越海洋需要三个月完全是胡说八道。
Peter Trznadel
You’ve no concept of distance and time to travel, that distance would be at walking speed, and mostly the camp site for the night could be within sight of the previous nights camp. Also there being no route to follow nor a fixed line of traders following I-80 equivalents. You went to an intermediate market/trading/taxation hub and had to wait asking around for someone who knew what was beyond their normal trading pattern, all very slow and with an element of luck. Now there’s another empire in the middle that doesn’t really want Rome and China to meet ever. They would be very capable of delaying such an envoy, sending him the scenic route and with a circle or two thrown in, and or telling of imagined difficulties of the routes ahead. Remember it was all heresay and stories, that got expanded and became more exotic in the retelling, there was no radio, news papers, telephones, internet or social media, it would be the camel riders equivalent of a journey to Mars.
你根本不了解旅行所需的距离和时间，那段距离需要步行才能到达，而且大多数情况下，当晚上的营地基本都在前一晚营地的视线范围内，所以一天走不远的。此外，也没有路线可循，也没有像沿着I-80州际公路这样的固定路线。你得去一个中间的市场/贸易/税收中心，然后四处打听，看谁知道超出他们正常贸易范围之外的情况，这整个过程都非常缓慢，还带有一定的运气成分。现在中间又出现了一个帝国，他们根本不想让罗马和中国见面。他们完全有能力拖延这样的使节，让他走更远的路，绕上一两圈，或者告诉他前方路线的他们虚构的困难。记住，这一切都是道听途说，这些故事在讲述过程中被夸大，变得越来越离奇。当时没有收音机、报纸、电话、互联网或社交媒体，这对骆驼骑手来说，就像是前往火星的旅程。
You’ve no concept of distance and time to travel, that distance would be at walking speed, and mostly the camp site for the night could be within sight of the previous nights camp. Also there being no route to follow nor a fixed line of traders following I-80 equivalents. You went to an intermediate market/trading/taxation hub and had to wait asking around for someone who knew what was beyond their normal trading pattern, all very slow and with an element of luck. Now there’s another empire in the middle that doesn’t really want Rome and China to meet ever. They would be very capable of delaying such an envoy, sending him the scenic route and with a circle or two thrown in, and or telling of imagined difficulties of the routes ahead. Remember it was all heresay and stories, that got expanded and became more exotic in the retelling, there was no radio, news papers, telephones, internet or social media, it would be the camel riders equivalent of a journey to Mars.
你根本不了解旅行所需的距离和时间，那段距离需要步行才能到达，而且大多数情况下，当晚上的营地基本都在前一晚营地的视线范围内，所以一天走不远的。此外，也没有路线可循，也没有像沿着I-80州际公路这样的固定路线。你得去一个中间的市场/贸易/税收中心，然后四处打听，看谁知道超出他们正常贸易范围之外的情况，这整个过程都非常缓慢，还带有一定的运气成分。现在中间又出现了一个帝国，他们根本不想让罗马和中国见面。他们完全有能力拖延这样的使节，让他走更远的路，绕上一两圈，或者告诉他前方路线的他们虚构的困难。记住，这一切都是道听途说，这些故事在讲述过程中被夸大，变得越来越离奇。当时没有收音机、报纸、电话、互联网或社交媒体，这对骆驼骑手来说，就像是前往火星的旅程。
Arman KO
Did you even read the post? Please, try to read it again.
你到底有没有看帖子？拜托，你再看一遍吧。
Did you even read the post? Please, try to read it again.
你到底有没有看帖子？拜托，你再看一遍吧。
Adam Wu
The 3 month thing IS BS. That’s the whole point. The local government at his final stop prevented Gan Ying from bribing any more merchants to guide him further. Possibly by bribing all the merchants themselves, or other coercive means.
Gan Ying was either fooled, was the victim of some sort of translation or unit conversion misunderstanding, or he chose for his own reasons not to openly question the stories he was being told, even if he had suspicions about their accuracy.
说需要三个月完全是胡说八道。这才是问题的关键所在，甘英在最后一站被当地政府阻止，无法再贿赂更多商人引导他前行。他们可能是通过贿赂所有商人，或其他强制手段做到的。
甘英要么是被骗了，要么是遭遇了某种翻译或单位换算上的误解，或者出于某种原因，他选择不公开质疑自己所听到的故事，即使他对这些故事的准确性有所怀疑。
The 3 month thing IS BS. That’s the whole point. The local government at his final stop prevented Gan Ying from bribing any more merchants to guide him further. Possibly by bribing all the merchants themselves, or other coercive means.
Gan Ying was either fooled, was the victim of some sort of translation or unit conversion misunderstanding, or he chose for his own reasons not to openly question the stories he was being told, even if he had suspicions about their accuracy.
说需要三个月完全是胡说八道。这才是问题的关键所在，甘英在最后一站被当地政府阻止，无法再贿赂更多商人引导他前行。他们可能是通过贿赂所有商人，或其他强制手段做到的。
甘英要么是被骗了，要么是遭遇了某种翻译或单位换算上的误解，或者出于某种原因，他选择不公开质疑自己所听到的故事，即使他对这些故事的准确性有所怀疑。
Adam Wu
That’s basically what Gan Ying did.
Some historians think the “Western Sea” that he stopped at was indeed the Mediterranean, and the country he stopped at was actually Parthia, or a satellite and ally of Parthia.
Wherever exactly it was that he turned back from, he had followed the established Silk Road trade routes to get there.
And the questions he asked once arriving there were essentially about what the next leg of the Silk Road trade route was.
Gan Ying was basically the victim of a carefully orchestrated intelligence operation by the local government to prevent him from proceeding further. The “local guides” who spun him the tall tales about how immensely difficult it was to continue further were almost certainly operatives of that local government, who took care to make sure no other sources of information reached Gan Ying’s entourage.
It is also well within the realm of possibility that Gan Ying was a “willing dupe” as it were, and didn’t try particularly hard to fact check the stories he was being fed, seeing it as a convenient excuse to go home early.
甘英的行程大致如此。一些历史学家认为，他止步的“西海”实际上就是地中海，而他停留的国家很可能是帕提亚，或是帕提亚的附属国和盟友。
无论他究竟是在何处折返，他都是沿着既定的丝绸之路贸易路线到达那里的。
他抵达后所询问的问题，主要是关于丝绸之路贸易路线的下一段路程。
甘英基本上成为了当地政府精心策划的情报行动的受害者，他们阻止他继续前行。那些向他编造继续前行无比艰难的谎言的“当地向导”，几乎可以肯定是当地政府的特工，他们小心翼翼地确保没有其他信息来源能接触到甘英的随行人员。
同样有可能的是，甘英在某种程度上是一个“心甘情愿的受骗者”，他并没有特别努力去核实他所听到的故事，而是将其视为一个提前回家的便利借口。
That’s basically what Gan Ying did.
Some historians think the “Western Sea” that he stopped at was indeed the Mediterranean, and the country he stopped at was actually Parthia, or a satellite and ally of Parthia.
Wherever exactly it was that he turned back from, he had followed the established Silk Road trade routes to get there.
And the questions he asked once arriving there were essentially about what the next leg of the Silk Road trade route was.
Gan Ying was basically the victim of a carefully orchestrated intelligence operation by the local government to prevent him from proceeding further. The “local guides” who spun him the tall tales about how immensely difficult it was to continue further were almost certainly operatives of that local government, who took care to make sure no other sources of information reached Gan Ying’s entourage.
It is also well within the realm of possibility that Gan Ying was a “willing dupe” as it were, and didn’t try particularly hard to fact check the stories he was being fed, seeing it as a convenient excuse to go home early.
甘英的行程大致如此。一些历史学家认为，他止步的“西海”实际上就是地中海，而他停留的国家很可能是帕提亚，或是帕提亚的附属国和盟友。
无论他究竟是在何处折返，他都是沿着既定的丝绸之路贸易路线到达那里的。
他抵达后所询问的问题，主要是关于丝绸之路贸易路线的下一段路程。
甘英基本上成为了当地政府精心策划的情报行动的受害者，他们阻止他继续前行。那些向他编造继续前行无比艰难的谎言的“当地向导”，几乎可以肯定是当地政府的特工，他们小心翼翼地确保没有其他信息来源能接触到甘英的随行人员。
同样有可能的是，甘英在某种程度上是一个“心甘情愿的受骗者”，他并没有特别努力去核实他所听到的故事，而是将其视为一个提前回家的便利借口。
——————
Apnin
Thanks for the replies, however I do know how the system works in the long term. Someone said Marco Polo learnt the language … does anyone know how many languages there was on the way to China back then … not just dialects … eh? I was in Papua New Guinea for 3yrs in the 80’s. There was over 600 languages there even then … as I said before … not just dialects … LANGUAGES !! Pidgin English (Tok Pisin) helped immensely. So lovely people, LUKIM YU BEHINE TIME WANTOK.
谢谢你的回复，但我确实知道这个系统长期是如何运作的。有人说马可·波罗学会了当地的语言……有谁知道去中国的路上当时有多少种语言呢？不只是方言哦,是吧？80年代的时候，我在巴布亚新几内亚待了三年。那里当时就有600多种语言，我说的是语言，不只是方言！皮金语（Tok Pisin）帮了我大忙。那里的人们真的很友好，期待下次再见。
（译注：皮金语别名巴布亚皮钦语(Tok pisin)，又叫皮钦语、新美拉尼西亚语、托克皮辛语等，是一种基于英语的克里奥尔语，是巴布亚新几内亚的官方语言之一。巴布亚皮钦语属于克里奥尔语而非皮钦语或称混杂语言（Pidgin），即由不同种语言混合而成的混合语。）
Apnin
Thanks for the replies, however I do know how the system works in the long term. Someone said Marco Polo learnt the language … does anyone know how many languages there was on the way to China back then … not just dialects … eh? I was in Papua New Guinea for 3yrs in the 80’s. There was over 600 languages there even then … as I said before … not just dialects … LANGUAGES !! Pidgin English (Tok Pisin) helped immensely. So lovely people, LUKIM YU BEHINE TIME WANTOK.
谢谢你的回复，但我确实知道这个系统长期是如何运作的。有人说马可·波罗学会了当地的语言……有谁知道去中国的路上当时有多少种语言呢？不只是方言哦,是吧？80年代的时候，我在巴布亚新几内亚待了三年。那里当时就有600多种语言，我说的是语言，不只是方言！皮金语（Tok Pisin）帮了我大忙。那里的人们真的很友好，期待下次再见。
（译注：皮金语别名巴布亚皮钦语(Tok pisin)，又叫皮钦语、新美拉尼西亚语、托克皮辛语等，是一种基于英语的克里奥尔语，是巴布亚新几内亚的官方语言之一。巴布亚皮钦语属于克里奥尔语而非皮钦语或称混杂语言（Pidgin），即由不同种语言混合而成的混合语。）
Harold Balszczak
I think the difference is the isolation the island had until relatively recent history. You can pretty much trace the migration of “Indo-European” languages from the Caucus Mountains to Europe and India. I used to study Sanskrit and my all time favorite resource was Monier-Williams “ A Sanskrit-English Dictionary”. It had special references to cognates in Latin and Greek, which I also had experience studying and made it so much more useful compared to other Sanskrit resources. You could see how “ignus” in Latin and “agni” in Sanskrit were the same word with a somewhat expected level of difference.
If the main ancient languages of that time, such as Latin, Attic Greek, old Persian, Sanskrit had linguistic connections, that shortens the gap considerably. Not only that, but we had Alexander the Great marching into India well before the Roman Empire. I don’t know of any Papuan generals that marched into India, let alone Europe or China.
我认为区别在于这个岛屿直到相对较近的历史时期都处于孤立状态。你可以大致追踪到“印欧”语系从高加索山脉向欧洲和印度的迁移路径。我以前学过梵语，我最喜欢的是莫尼尔-威廉姆斯的《梵英词典》。它特别参考了拉丁语和希腊语中的同源词，由于我也学过拉丁语和希腊语，这使它比其他梵语资源更有用。你可以看到拉丁语中的“ignus”和梵语中的“agni”是同一个词，只是存在某种预期程度的差异。
如果当时的主要古代语言，如拉丁语、雅典希腊语、古波斯语、梵语之间存在语言学上的联系，那么这将在很大程度上缩短语言间的鸿沟。不仅如此，亚历山大大帝早在罗马帝国之前就已经进军印度了。除此之外，我不知道是否有任何其他将军进军过印度，更不用说欧洲或中国了。
I think the difference is the isolation the island had until relatively recent history. You can pretty much trace the migration of “Indo-European” languages from the Caucus Mountains to Europe and India. I used to study Sanskrit and my all time favorite resource was Monier-Williams “ A Sanskrit-English Dictionary”. It had special references to cognates in Latin and Greek, which I also had experience studying and made it so much more useful compared to other Sanskrit resources. You could see how “ignus” in Latin and “agni” in Sanskrit were the same word with a somewhat expected level of difference.
If the main ancient languages of that time, such as Latin, Attic Greek, old Persian, Sanskrit had linguistic connections, that shortens the gap considerably. Not only that, but we had Alexander the Great marching into India well before the Roman Empire. I don’t know of any Papuan generals that marched into India, let alone Europe or China.
我认为区别在于这个岛屿直到相对较近的历史时期都处于孤立状态。你可以大致追踪到“印欧”语系从高加索山脉向欧洲和印度的迁移路径。我以前学过梵语，我最喜欢的是莫尼尔-威廉姆斯的《梵英词典》。它特别参考了拉丁语和希腊语中的同源词，由于我也学过拉丁语和希腊语，这使它比其他梵语资源更有用。你可以看到拉丁语中的“ignus”和梵语中的“agni”是同一个词，只是存在某种预期程度的差异。
如果当时的主要古代语言，如拉丁语、雅典希腊语、古波斯语、梵语之间存在语言学上的联系，那么这将在很大程度上缩短语言间的鸿沟。不仅如此，亚历山大大帝早在罗马帝国之前就已经进军印度了。除此之外，我不知道是否有任何其他将军进军过印度，更不用说欧洲或中国了。
Carl Ponder
I'm starting to think that we need to learn pidgin forms of a variety of languages (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic etc.) in school, instead of focusing on any single language.
我开始认为我们需要在学校学习各种语言的类似皮钦语的这种模式（如西班牙语、中文、俄语、阿拉伯语等），而不是只专注于任何一种语言。
I'm starting to think that we need to learn pidgin forms of a variety of languages (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic etc.) in school, instead of focusing on any single language.
我开始认为我们需要在学校学习各种语言的类似皮钦语的这种模式（如西班牙语、中文、俄语、阿拉伯语等），而不是只专注于任何一种语言。
Mark Goodwillie
Didn’t the United Nations try to establish an International Language? Yes, in 1954. It was called Esperanto. Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world, with up to two million speakers. It's become more accessible to learn through platforms like Duolingo, and speakers have networked on platforms like Amikumu.
For some reason it failed to gain acceptance. I don’t know why? Anyone else??
联合国不是尝试过建立一种国际语言吗？是的，在1954年。它被称为世界语。世界语是世界上最广泛使用的人造语言，有多达两百万的使用者。通过像Duolingo这样的平台，学习世界语变得更加容易，使用者还可以在像Amikumu这样的平台上建立联系。
出于某种原因，它未能得到广泛接受。我不知道为什么？有其他人知道吗？
Didn’t the United Nations try to establish an International Language? Yes, in 1954. It was called Esperanto. Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world, with up to two million speakers. It's become more accessible to learn through platforms like Duolingo, and speakers have networked on platforms like Amikumu.
For some reason it failed to gain acceptance. I don’t know why? Anyone else??
联合国不是尝试过建立一种国际语言吗？是的，在1954年。它被称为世界语。世界语是世界上最广泛使用的人造语言，有多达两百万的使用者。通过像Duolingo这样的平台，学习世界语变得更加容易，使用者还可以在像Amikumu这样的平台上建立联系。
出于某种原因，它未能得到广泛接受。我不知道为什么？有其他人知道吗？
Carl Ponder
Once on a call with my girlfriend, she mentioned that they watched a German movie at the end of her German class, to get a taste of the people & culture. So I asked what seemed like the natural question, “Huh. I wonder what kind of movie you’d watch in an Esperanto class?” (heh heh).
So she says “What?” and I gave her a quick lecture on what Esperanto was and that it didn’t really come from anywhere, just the language departments at some universities.
She responded with a somewhat *longer* lecture about how STUPID MY SENSE OF HUMOR WAS. (Needless to say, I married someone else, not that she thinks any different…)
That said, real answer was A HORROR MOVIE. You could watch a HORROR movie in an Esperanto class! Leslie Stevens (creator of “The Outer Limits” show) shot the film “Incubus” (starring William Shatner) in Esperanto with English subtitles.
It didn’t do very well, though. Maybe that’s in indication of the the uptake that Esperanto got…
有一次在和女朋友通话时，她提到在德语课的结尾看了一部德国电影，以了解德国人和文化。于是我问了一个看似自然的问题：“嗯。我想知道在世界语课上你们会看什么电影呢？”（嘿嘿）。
她问：“什么？”然后我给她简要地讲了讲世界语是什么，以及它并不是来自某个地方，而只是某些大学的语言系创造的。
她则用了一段更长的演讲来回应，说我的幽默感有多愚蠢。（然后不用说，我娶了别人，虽然她可能想法不同……）
不过，真正的答案是恐怖片。你可以在世界语课上看恐怖片！莱斯利·史蒂文斯（《The Outer Limits》节目的创作者）用世界语拍摄了电影《梦魔》（由威廉·夏特纳主演），并配有英文字幕。
不过，这部电影并不成功。这也许表明了世界语的普及程度……
Once on a call with my girlfriend, she mentioned that they watched a German movie at the end of her German class, to get a taste of the people & culture. So I asked what seemed like the natural question, “Huh. I wonder what kind of movie you’d watch in an Esperanto class?” (heh heh).
So she says “What?” and I gave her a quick lecture on what Esperanto was and that it didn’t really come from anywhere, just the language departments at some universities.
She responded with a somewhat *longer* lecture about how STUPID MY SENSE OF HUMOR WAS. (Needless to say, I married someone else, not that she thinks any different…)
That said, real answer was A HORROR MOVIE. You could watch a HORROR movie in an Esperanto class! Leslie Stevens (creator of “The Outer Limits” show) shot the film “Incubus” (starring William Shatner) in Esperanto with English subtitles.
It didn’t do very well, though. Maybe that’s in indication of the the uptake that Esperanto got…
有一次在和女朋友通话时，她提到在德语课的结尾看了一部德国电影，以了解德国人和文化。于是我问了一个看似自然的问题：“嗯。我想知道在世界语课上你们会看什么电影呢？”（嘿嘿）。
她问：“什么？”然后我给她简要地讲了讲世界语是什么，以及它并不是来自某个地方，而只是某些大学的语言系创造的。
她则用了一段更长的演讲来回应，说我的幽默感有多愚蠢。（然后不用说，我娶了别人，虽然她可能想法不同……）
不过，真正的答案是恐怖片。你可以在世界语课上看恐怖片！莱斯利·史蒂文斯（《The Outer Limits》节目的创作者）用世界语拍摄了电影《梦魔》（由威廉·夏特纳主演），并配有英文字幕。
不过，这部电影并不成功。这也许表明了世界语的普及程度……
Daniel Schwartz
I have read that, to Esperanto speakers, Shatner’s accent — and his mispronunciations — are hilarious.
Nonetheless, I give him kudos for making the effort. (How many other Hollywood stars have made an entire movie in a language they didn’t speak?)
我了解到，对于讲世界语的人来说，威廉·夏特纳（Shatner，此处可能指某位具有特定口音和爱发错音的公众人物或演员）的口音和他的发音错误都十分滑稽可笑。
尽管如此，我还是要为他的努力点赞。（有多少好莱坞明星会用他们不会说的语言拍一整部电影呢？）
I have read that, to Esperanto speakers, Shatner’s accent — and his mispronunciations — are hilarious.
Nonetheless, I give him kudos for making the effort. (How many other Hollywood stars have made an entire movie in a language they didn’t speak?)
我了解到，对于讲世界语的人来说，威廉·夏特纳（Shatner，此处可能指某位具有特定口音和爱发错音的公众人物或演员）的口音和他的发音错误都十分滑稽可笑。
尽管如此，我还是要为他的努力点赞。（有多少好莱坞明星会用他们不会说的语言拍一整部电影呢？）
Richard Lightbody
More practical for getting bargains from local sellers, with less effort. Not elegant, but roughly effective.
这种方法在与当地卖家讨价还价时更为实用，而且省力。虽然不够优雅，但大致有效。
More practical for getting bargains from local sellers, with less effort. Not elegant, but roughly effective.
这种方法在与当地卖家讨价还价时更为实用，而且省力。虽然不够优雅，但大致有效。
Carl Ponder
Mainly basic stuff like asking for directions, getting a hotel room, ordering food in restaurants. You can get pretty far using a dictionary to provide the vocabulary, but enunciation is critical.
主要是些基础内容，比如问路、订酒店房间、在餐厅点餐。使用词典来提供词汇，你可以走得很远，但发音至关重要。
Mainly basic stuff like asking for directions, getting a hotel room, ordering food in restaurants. You can get pretty far using a dictionary to provide the vocabulary, but enunciation is critical.
主要是些基础内容，比如问路、订酒店房间、在餐厅点餐。使用词典来提供词汇，你可以走得很远，但发音至关重要。
——————
Peter Trznadel
Nah the Persians went out their way to make sure that any direct contact endeavors failed. As the middleman, the empire in the middle, they were very rich from the Silk Road trade that passed through. The last thing they and the middlemen merchants wanted was for Rome and China to get together and develop new direct routes that bypassed them.
不，波斯人想方设法地确保汉语罗马任何直接交往的尝试都必须失败。作为中间商，作为位于中间的帝国，他们从途经的丝绸之路贸易中获利颇丰。他们和中间商最不愿意看到的就是罗马和中国联手开发出绕过他们的新直线路线。
Peter Trznadel
Nah the Persians went out their way to make sure that any direct contact endeavors failed. As the middleman, the empire in the middle, they were very rich from the Silk Road trade that passed through. The last thing they and the middlemen merchants wanted was for Rome and China to get together and develop new direct routes that bypassed them.
不，波斯人想方设法地确保汉语罗马任何直接交往的尝试都必须失败。作为中间商，作为位于中间的帝国，他们从途经的丝绸之路贸易中获利颇丰。他们和中间商最不愿意看到的就是罗马和中国联手开发出绕过他们的新直线路线。
——————
Apnin
I wonder how a Chinese could converse with locals when they have never met before … ?
我想知道，中国人如果之前从未与当地人见过面，他们是如何与当地人交谈的呢？……
Apnin
I wonder how a Chinese could converse with locals when they have never met before … ?
我想知道，中国人如果之前从未与当地人见过面，他们是如何与当地人交谈的呢？……
Adam Wu
The Chinese had contact with many of the nations and cultures that lived in between, such that they had access to translators.
When Country A has contact with country B long enough for there to be translators who know the languages of both A and B, it can then attempt contact with Country C, which it has never encountered, so long as Country C has encountered Country B long enough for there to exist translators who know the language of both B and C. A can then employ a C to B translator and a second B to A translator to converse in A, with C, and to train A to C translators for the future.
And then daisy chain the translations to D, E, F and onwards.
中国人与许多位于他们之间的国家和文化都有过接触，因此他们有机会找到翻译。
当国家A与国家B接触的时间足够长，以至于有翻译同时精通A和B两国的语言时，它就可以尝试与从未接触过的国家C进行接触，只要国家C与国家B接触的时间也足够长，以至于存在同时精通B和C两国语言的翻译。然后，A国可以雇佣一个C到B的翻译和一个B到A的翻译，用A国的语言与C国交谈，并培训未来的A到C的翻译。
然后，就像串起一朵朵雏菊一样，将翻译工作串联到D国、E国、F国以及更远的地方。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
The Chinese had contact with many of the nations and cultures that lived in between, such that they had access to translators.
When Country A has contact with country B long enough for there to be translators who know the languages of both A and B, it can then attempt contact with Country C, which it has never encountered, so long as Country C has encountered Country B long enough for there to exist translators who know the language of both B and C. A can then employ a C to B translator and a second B to A translator to converse in A, with C, and to train A to C translators for the future.
And then daisy chain the translations to D, E, F and onwards.
中国人与许多位于他们之间的国家和文化都有过接触，因此他们有机会找到翻译。
当国家A与国家B接触的时间足够长，以至于有翻译同时精通A和B两国的语言时，它就可以尝试与从未接触过的国家C进行接触，只要国家C与国家B接触的时间也足够长，以至于存在同时精通B和C两国语言的翻译。然后，A国可以雇佣一个C到B的翻译和一个B到A的翻译，用A国的语言与C国交谈，并培训未来的A到C的翻译。
然后，就像串起一朵朵雏菊一样，将翻译工作串联到D国、E国、F国以及更远的地方。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Water Lily
Hahahahaha, I love this explanation.
哈哈哈哈哈，我喜欢这个解释。
Hahahahaha, I love this explanation.
哈哈哈哈哈，我喜欢这个解释。
Kassa Linassau
Haha, at least he really did try to ‘explain’
哈哈，至少他真的尝试去“解释”了。
Haha, at least he really did try to ‘explain’
哈哈，至少他真的尝试去“解释”了。
Kassa Linassau
The difficulty is that when history is made up, there are always flaws that logic or common sense cannot explain. Haven't we seen and read too many bogus 'histories' by the Chinese lately?Where is the common sense in attempting to compare the Chinese Han period to Rome?
困难在于，当历史被编造出来时，总会有逻辑或常识无法解释的漏洞。我们最近是不是已经看到和读到了太多中国人编造的“历史”？试图将中国的汉朝与罗马进行比较，这哪里有常识可言？
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
The difficulty is that when history is made up, there are always flaws that logic or common sense cannot explain. Haven't we seen and read too many bogus 'histories' by the Chinese lately?Where is the common sense in attempting to compare the Chinese Han period to Rome?
困难在于，当历史被编造出来时，总会有逻辑或常识无法解释的漏洞。我们最近是不是已经看到和读到了太多中国人编造的“历史”？试图将中国的汉朝与罗马进行比较，这哪里有常识可言？
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Peter Trznadel
Didn’t need to as there was no direct trade as such. You only needed to know the language at the other end of your particular trade route. At which point you traded goods for barter or gold and went home the next trader did the same with the other end of his route, the bolt of silk cloth just passed through several middle men, finally arriving in Rome or Gaul. The traders at one end of the network didn’t even need to know of the existence of the traders at the other end, never mind what language they spoke.
其实并不需要这样做，因为当时并没有直接的贸易往来。你只需要知道你特定贸易路线另一端的语言。在那个时候，你用货物进行物物交换或用黄金购买，然后回家。下一个商人沿着他的路线，而另一端做同样的事情，丝绸布匹只是经过了几个中间商，最终到达罗马或高卢。这个贸易网一端的商人甚至不需要知道另一端商人的存在，更不用说他们说的是什么语言了。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Didn’t need to as there was no direct trade as such. You only needed to know the language at the other end of your particular trade route. At which point you traded goods for barter or gold and went home the next trader did the same with the other end of his route, the bolt of silk cloth just passed through several middle men, finally arriving in Rome or Gaul. The traders at one end of the network didn’t even need to know of the existence of the traders at the other end, never mind what language they spoke.
其实并不需要这样做，因为当时并没有直接的贸易往来。你只需要知道你特定贸易路线另一端的语言。在那个时候，你用货物进行物物交换或用黄金购买，然后回家。下一个商人沿着他的路线，而另一端做同样的事情，丝绸布匹只是经过了几个中间商，最终到达罗马或高卢。这个贸易网一端的商人甚至不需要知道另一端商人的存在，更不用说他们说的是什么语言了。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Adam Wu
For trade, yes. But if you are attempting to establish a diplomatic mission, you probably contact your merchant trade partners and ask them if they can help you find some translators.
对于贸易来说，确实如此。但如果你想要建立外交使团，你可能会联系你的商人贸易伙伴，并询问他们是否能帮你找到一些翻译。
For trade, yes. But if you are attempting to establish a diplomatic mission, you probably contact your merchant trade partners and ask them if they can help you find some translators.
对于贸易来说，确实如此。但如果你想要建立外交使团，你可能会联系你的商人贸易伙伴，并询问他们是否能帮你找到一些翻译。
Alex Z.
Couldn’t A and C just communicate by speaking B since they both have translators that speak it?
A国和C国不能都通过说B国的语言来交流吗？毕竟他们都有会说B国语言的翻译。
Couldn’t A and C just communicate by speaking B since they both have translators that speak it?
A国和C国不能都通过说B国的语言来交流吗？毕竟他们都有会说B国语言的翻译。
Gilles Ries
Cfr Marco Polo: learn the language.
参考马可·波罗：学习语言。
Cfr Marco Polo: learn the language.
参考马可·波罗：学习语言。
Gareth Wells
Chinese and Perisans were friends and allies dating back 2000 years. Several Chinese words borrow from Persian origins, like grape and lion, and there were diplomatic and cultural exchanges — meaning interpreters were available.
中国人和波斯人是有着2000年友谊和联盟的朋友。许多中文词汇都源自波斯语，比如“葡萄”和“狮子”，双方也有外交和文化交流——这意味着有翻译可用。
Chinese and Perisans were friends and allies dating back 2000 years. Several Chinese words borrow from Persian origins, like grape and lion, and there were diplomatic and cultural exchanges — meaning interpreters were available.
中国人和波斯人是有着2000年友谊和联盟的朋友。许多中文词汇都源自波斯语，比如“葡萄”和“狮子”，双方也有外交和文化交流——这意味着有翻译可用。
——————
William Elliott
Not long ago, the London Museum did tests on bones found in a Roman era cemetary. A pair of skeletons found there were from modern day China, our bones carry with them compounds from the regions where we grow up, those indicators remain with us through life and beyond. So Roman London had at least two residents or visitors from Ancient China.
不久前，伦敦博物馆对罗马时代墓地中发现的骨骼进行了测试。在那里发现的一对骨骼来自现代中国，我们的骨骼携带着我们所在地区的基因混合，这些指标会伴随我们一生，甚至死后仍会留存。所以，罗马伦敦至少有两位来自古代中国的居民或访客。
William Elliott
Not long ago, the London Museum did tests on bones found in a Roman era cemetary. A pair of skeletons found there were from modern day China, our bones carry with them compounds from the regions where we grow up, those indicators remain with us through life and beyond. So Roman London had at least two residents or visitors from Ancient China.
不久前，伦敦博物馆对罗马时代墓地中发现的骨骼进行了测试。在那里发现的一对骨骼来自现代中国，我们的骨骼携带着我们所在地区的基因混合，这些指标会伴随我们一生，甚至死后仍会留存。所以，罗马伦敦至少有两位来自古代中国的居民或访客。
Alexander Angel
Assyria or Bulgarian Slavs; Syria, Thrace and Bulgaria officials, peasants and herders feared an imperialistic Romanus military reaction to Chinese or other rather foreign associates.
亚述或保加利亚斯拉夫人；叙利亚、色雷斯和保加利亚的官员、农民和牧民都害怕罗马军队会对中国人或其他外国盟友采取帝国主义式的军事反应。
Assyria or Bulgarian Slavs; Syria, Thrace and Bulgaria officials, peasants and herders feared an imperialistic Romanus military reaction to Chinese or other rather foreign associates.
亚述或保加利亚斯拉夫人；叙利亚、色雷斯和保加利亚的官员、农民和牧民都害怕罗马军队会对中国人或其他外国盟友采取帝国主义式的军事反应。
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