中文导读 说起为什么觉得自己亲近自然，人们通常会想到山、森林和海，很少想到语言。英国班戈大学（Bangor University）语言学教授 Thora Tenbrink 领导的团队，对威尔士2082人进行了一项具有全国代表性的调查。结果显示，会说威尔士语的人自评与自然的联系强15.7%，对所在地的依恋强17.1%；他们也更认为威尔士语与自然环境有关，而只说英语的居民大多不觉得语言与自己和自然的关系有什么联系。研究者提醒，这项调查只能说明二者有关联，不能证明说威尔士语“导致”人更亲近自然，文化认同、富有含义的地名和居住地点等都可能起作用。文章按“新发现—研究方法—主要结果—语言本身的看法—结论边界—教育意义”展开。阅读时可留意 may、can show a link、cannot prove 等表达如何区分“关联”与“因果”，以及 however 如何引出两类人群的对比。
正文 When people explain why they feel close to nature , they usually talk about mountains , forests or the sea . They rarely talk about words . A new study from Wales suggests that language may also play a part . It found that people who speak Welsh , a minority language used alongside English in Wales , report a stronger connection to nature than people who do not .
本段译文 人们解释自己为什么亲近自然时，通常会谈到山、森林或大海，很少谈到语言。威尔士的一项新研究表明，语言可能也起着作用。研究发现，会说威尔士语（在威尔士与英语并用的一种少数民族语言）的人，自评与自然的联系比不会说的人更强。
The research was led by Thora Tenbrink , a professor of linguistics at Bangor University , with colleagues from Bangor , the University of Reading and Cambridge University . The team carried out a nationally representative survey of 2,082 people across Wales . Participants answered questions about how connected they felt to nature , how attached they were to their local area , and whether they saw a link between language and the environment
本段译文 这项研究由班戈大学语言学教授 Thora Tenbrink 领导，合作者来自班戈大学、雷丁大学和剑桥大学。团队在威尔士各地对2082人进行了一项具有全国代表性的调查。参与者回答了以下问题：自己与自然的联系有多紧密、对所在地区有多依恋，以及是否认为语言与环境之间存在联系。
The main result was clear . Welsh speakers reported a 15.7% stronger connection to nature , even after the researchers took age , gender , social group and region into account . They also showed 17.1% stronger attachment to place . Where people lived mattered too : people in South-East Wales felt less connected to nature than those in Mid and South-West Wales or North Wales .
本段译文 主要结果很明确。即使研究人员考虑了年龄、性别、社会群体和地区等因素，会说威尔士语的人自评与自然的联系仍强15.7%，对地方的依恋也强17.1%。居住地点同样有影响：威尔士东南部的人与自然的联系感，低于威尔士中部和西南部或北部的人。
The biggest difference was in how people thought about language itself . Welsh speakers agreed 38% more strongly that the Welsh language is related to the natural environment . They also said they felt more connected to nature when they used Welsh or saw and heard Welsh place names . People who did not speak Welsh , however , tended not to see language as important to their relationship with nature .
本段译文 最大的差异在于人们如何看待语言本身。会说威尔士语的人对“威尔士语与自然环境相关”这一说法的认同程度高38%。他们还表示，在使用威尔士语、看到或听到威尔士语地名时，会觉得与自然的联系更紧密。然而，不会说威尔士语的人大多不认为语言对自己与自然的关系有什么重要作用。
The researchers are careful about what this means . A survey like this can show a link , but it cannot prove that speaking Welsh makes people feel closer to nature . Several things could explain the result , including a shared cultural identity , ideas carried by the language , place names full of meaning , and differences in where people live and how easily they can reach the countryside . The paper also links strong place attachment in Wales to an awareness that the language was once suppressed .
本段译文 研究人员对结论的含义很谨慎。这样的调查可以显示二者有关联，但不能证明说威尔士语会让人更亲近自然。有几种因素都可能解释这一结果，包括共同的文化认同、语言所承载的观念、富有含义的地名，以及人们居住地点和前往乡村的便利程度的差异。论文还把威尔士人强烈的地方依恋，与人们意识到这种语言曾受到压制的历史联系起来。
Tenbrink believes the findings could be useful for schools , as sustainability becomes a more important part of the curriculum in Wales . Connecting Welsh lessons with nature , local place names and cultural traditions , she said , “could help make language learning more relevant to young people interested in environmental change .” The study grew out of Public Map , a project that helps communities on Anglesey create shared digital maps of what matters to them about their local areas .
本段译文 Tenbrink 认为，随着可持续发展在威尔士课程中变得越来越重要，这些发现可能对学校有用。她说，把威尔士语课程与自然、当地地名和文化传统结合起来，“可能有助于让语言学习与关心环境变化的年轻人更加相关”。这项研究源于 Public Map 项目，该项目帮助安格尔西岛的社区制作共享的数字地图，记录他们对本地区最看重的东西。
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