Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different from their own. Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century. We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.
Question 1
Franz Boas and Edward Sapir’s contribution was ______.
?[A] their description of many disappeared native languages
[B] their efforts against the assimilation of native languages
Question 2
Please translate the sentences into Chinese.
Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different from their own.
最近，語言學家對非常不同于其母語的語言進行了認真的研究。↓
直到最近，語言學家才開始正式研究與自己母語截然不同的語言。
Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
兩個人類學家兼語言學家，弗蘭茲·博阿斯和愛德華·薩皮爾，是描述二十世紀前半期南北美洲許多本土語言的先行者?！?/p>
兩位人類學語言學家，弗蘭茲·博厄斯和愛德華·薩皮爾是兩位先驅，他們在20世紀前半葉描述了北美洲和南美洲的許多土著語言。
We are obliged to（are obliged to 感激） them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples（復數表示民族） who spoke them died out or became assimilated（同化） and lost their native languages.
我們有義務（感激他們）這樣做是因為隨著說這門語言的人去世（民族消亡）或被同化而失去他們的本土語言，這門語言從此就會消失。↓
我們之所以感激他們（兩位先驅），是因為在此之后，這些土著語言中有一些已經不復存在了，這是由于說這些語言的部族或是消亡了，或是被同化從而喪失了本民族的語言。
逐句詳解↓
第一句
[1] Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages [2] that were very different from their own.
句子結構：
[1] 主句（S+V+O）
狀：Only recently 直到最近
主：linguists 語言學家
謂：did … begin（倒裝句，did被提前）才開始
賓：the serious study of languages? 正式研究語言
譯文：直到最近，語言學家才開始正式研究……語言
[2] 修飾languages的定語從句（S+V+O）
主：that 這些語言
謂：were very different from 與…非常不同
賓：their own 自己的（母語）
譯文：與自己母語截然不同的（語言）
本句譯文
直到最近，語言學家才開始正式研究與自己母語截然不同的語言。
第二句
Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
句子結構
主：Two anthropologist-linguists, 兩位人類學語言學家
同：Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, 弗蘭茲·博厄斯和愛德華·撒皮爾
系：were 是
表：pioneers 先驅
定：（修飾pioneers）in describing many native languages （他們）描述了許多土著語言
定：（修飾languages）of North and South America 北美洲和南美洲（的）
狀：during the first half of the twentieth century 在20世紀前半葉
本句譯文
兩位人類學語言學家，弗蘭茲·博厄斯和愛德華·薩皮爾是兩位先驅，他們在20世紀前半葉描述了北美洲和南美洲的許多土著語言。
第三句
[1] We are obliged to them [2] because some of these languages have since vanished, [3] as the peoples [4] who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.
句子結構
[1] 主句（S+V+O）
主：We
謂：are obliged to 感激
賓：them
譯文：我們感激他們
[2] 原因狀語從句（S+V）
引：because 因為
主：some of these languages 這些（土著）語言中有一些
謂：have since vanished 從此已經消失了
譯文：因為在此之后，這些這些土著語言中有一些已經不復存在了
[3] 原因狀語從句（S+V & V & V+O）
引：as
主：the peoples 民族（部族）
謂：died out 消亡了
or
謂：became assimilated 被同化
and
謂：lost 喪失了
賓：their native languages 本民族的語言
譯文：這是由于這些部族或是消亡了，或是被同化從而喪失了本民族的語言
[4] 修飾the peoples的定語從句（S+V+O）
主：who
謂：spoke
賓：them
譯文：說這些語言的（部族）
本句譯文
我們之所以感激他們（兩位先驅），是因為在此之后，這些土著語言中有一些已經不復存在了，這是由于說這些語言的部族或是消亡了，或是被同化從而喪失了本民族的語言。
宋詞打卡↓
