演讲文本

Each of you possesses the most powerful, dangerous and subversive trait
每一个人都拥有一个最强大，危险并具有颠覆性的特性
that natural selection has ever devised.
这一特性是自然选择前所未有的设计
It's a piece of neural audio technology for rewiring other people's minds.
它是一个神经声频技术，用于与他人交流思想
I'm talking about your language, of course,
我说的当然就是语言
because it allows you to implant a thought from your mind directly into someone else's mind,
因为通过语言你可以将自己的想法直接灌输进别人脑子里
and they can attempt to do the same to you, without either of you having to perform surgery.
而他们亦可这样对你，双方都不用动手术

Instead, when you speak, you're actually using a form of telemetry
实际上，当你讲话的时候，使用的是一种遥测技术
not so different from the remote control device for your television.
这跟遥控器遥控电视的差别并不大
It's just that, whereas that device relies on pulses of infrared light,
差别仅是遥控器借助红外光
your language relies on pulses, discrete pulses, of sound.
而你依靠的是脉冲，声音的不连续脉冲
And just as you use the remote control device to alter the internal settings of your television to suit your mood,
就如同使用遥控器去修改电视机内部设定，迎合自己口味一样
you use your language to alter the settings inside someone else's brain to suit your interests.
你使用语言来转变别人大脑内部的设定，以满足你的需要
Languages are genes talking, getting things that they want.
语言是用来表达的基因，得到它们想要的表述
And just imagine the sense of wonder in a baby when it first discovers that, merely by uttering a sound,
试想从婴儿不可思议的视角来看，当婴儿发现仅仅通过发出声音
it can get objects to move across a room as if by magic, and maybe even into its mouth.
他/她就能使音频穿过房间，如魔法一样，甚至从他/她嘴里蹦出。
Now language's subversive power has been recognized throughout the ages
如今，语言的颠覆性能力已经在那些舆论审查的年代
in censorship, in books you can't read, phrases you can't use and words you can't say.
以及你无法读到的书籍，你不能使用的敏感词和字眼中得到了印证

视频及简介

演讲简介：

生物学家马克·佩格尔与我们分享了一个关于人类如何发展复杂的语言系统的有趣理论。他认为，语言是一种社会技术，它帮助人类早期部落获得了一个强有力的新工具：合作。