英语翻译

TheEnglishCharacter

TootherEuropeans,thebestknownqualityoftheBritish,

andinparticularoftheEnglish,is“reserved”.

Areservedpersonisonewhodoesnottalkverymuchtostrangers,

doesnotshowmuchemotion,andseldomgetsexcited.

Itisdifficulttogettoknowareservedperson:

henevertellsyouanythingabouthimself,

andyoumayworkwithhimforyearswithouteverknowingwherehelives,

howmanychildrenhehas,andwhathisinterestsare.

Englishpeopletendtobelikethat.

CloselyrelatedtoEnglishreserveisEnglishmodesty.

Withintheirhearts,theEnglishareperhapsnolessconceitedthananybodyelse,

butintheirrelationswithotherstheyvalueatleastashowofmodesty.

Self－praiseisfelttobeimpolite.

Ifapersonis,letussay,

verygoodattennisandsomeoneaskshimifheisagoodplayer,

hewillseldomreply“Yes,”

becausepeoplewillthinkhimconceited.

Hewillprobablygiveananswerlike,

“I’mnotbad,”or“IthinkI’mverygood,”or“Well,I’mverykeenontennis.”

Evenifhehadmanagedtoreachthefinalsinlastyear’slocalchampionships,

hewouldsayitinsuchawayastosuggestthatitwasonlyduetoapieceofgoodluck.

Sincereserveandmodestyarepartofhisownnature,

thetypicalEnglishtendstoexpecttheminothers.

Hesecretlylooksdownonmoreexcitablenations,

andlikestothinkofhimselfasmorereliablethantheyare.

Hedoesn’ttrustbigpromisesandopenshowsoffeelings,

especiallyiftheyareexpressedinflowerylanguage.

Hedoesn’ttrustself－praiseofanykind.

Thisappliesnotonlytowhatotherpeoplemaytellhimaboutthemselvesorally,

buttotheletterstheymaywritetohim.

Tothosewhoarefondoffloweryexpressions,

theEnglishmanmayappearuncomfortablycold.