藝術家Safwat從小就有口吃，但身為獨立動畫製作者，他決定用自己的聲音，賦予視頻中的角色生命。當網絡評論者開始嘲笑他的巴勒斯坦口音，他受到到打擊，他不再用自己的聲音配音。且聽這令人深思的演説中，如何找回他的聲音及自信。下面是小編為大家收集關於TED英語演講：別人嘲笑你的英語口音時該怎麼辦，歡迎借鑑參考。
TED演講：當別人都在嘲笑你的英語口音時，你該怎麼辦?
I used to have this recurring dream where I'd walk into a roomful of people, and I'd try not to make eye contact with anyone. Until someone notices me, and I just panic. And the person walks up to me, and says, "Hi, my name is So-and-so. And what is your name?" And I'm just quiet, unable to respond. After some awkward silence, he goes, "Have you forgotten your name?" And I'm still quiet. And then, slowly, all the other people in the room begin to turn toward me and ask, almost in unison,
(Voice-over, several voices) "Have you forgotten your name?" As the chant gets louder, I want to respond, but I don't.
I'm a visual artist. Some of my work is humorous, and some is a bit funny but in a sad way. And one thing that I really enjoy doing is making these little animations where I get to do the voice-over for all kinds of characters. I've been a bear.
(Video) Bear (Safwat Saleem's voice): Hi.
Safwat Saleem: I've been a whale.
(Video) Whale (SS's voice): Hi.
SS: I've been a greeting card.
(Video) Greeting card (SS's voice): Hi.
SS: And my personal favorite is Frankenstein's monster.
(Video) Frankenstein's monster (SS's voice): (Grunts)
SS: I just had to grunt a lot for that one.
A few years ago, I made this educational video about the history of video games. And for that one, I got to do the voice of Space Invader.
(Video) Space Invader (SS's voice): Hi.
SS: A dream come true, really,
(Laughter) And when that video was posted online, I just sat there on the computer, hitting "refresh," excited to see the response. The first comment comes in.
(Video) Comment: Great job. SS: Yes! I hit "refresh."
(Video) Comment: Excellent video. I look forward to the next one.
SS: This was just the first of a two-part video. I was going to work on the second one next. I hit "refresh."
(Video) Comment: Where is part TWO? WHEREEEEE? I need it NOWWWWW!: P
SS: People other than my mom were saying nice things about me, on the Internet! It felt like I had finally arrived. I hit "refresh."
(Video) Comment: His voice is annoying. No offense.
SS: OK, no offense taken. Refresh.
(Video) Comment: Could you remake this without peanut butter in your mouth?
SS: OK, at least the feedback is somewhat constructive. Hit "refresh."
(Video) Comment: Please don't use this narrator again u can barely understand him.
SS: Refresh.
(Video) Comment: Couldn't follow because of the Indian accent.
SS: OK, OK, OK, two things. Number one, I don't have an Indian accent, I have a Pakistani accent, OK? And number two, I clearly have a Pakistani accent.
But comments like that kept coming in, so I figured I should just ignore them and start working on the second part of the video. I recorded my audio, but every time I sat down to edit, I just could not do it. Every single time, it would take me back to my childhood, when I had a much harder time speaking.
I've stuttered for as long as I can remember. I was the kid in class who would never raise his hand when he had a question -- or knew the answer. Every time the phone rang, I would run to the bathroom so I would not have to answer it. If it was for me, my parents would say I'm not around. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. And I hated introducing myself, especially in groups. I'd always stutter on my name, and there was usually someone who'd go, "Have you forgotten your name?" And then everybody would laugh. That joke never got old.
I spent my childhood feeling that if I spoke, it would become obvious that there was something wrong with me, that I was not normal. So I mostly stayed quiet. And so you see, eventually for me to even be able to use my voice in my work was a huge step for me. Every time I record audio, I fumble my way through saying each sentence many, many times, and then I go back in and pick the ones where I think I suck the least.
(Voice-over) SS: Audio editing is like Photoshop for your voice. I can slow it down, speed it up, make it deeper, add an echo. And if I stutter along the way, and if I stutter along the way, I just go back in and fix it. It's magic.
SS: Using my highly edited voice in my work was a way for me to finally sound normal to myself. But after the comments on the video, it no longer made me feel normal. And so I stopped using my voice in my work. Since then, I've thought a lot about what it means to be normal. And I've come to understand that "normal" has a lot to do with expectations.
Let me give you an example. I came across this story about the Ancient Greek writer, Homer. Now, Homer mentions very few colors in his writing. And even when he does, he seems to get them quite a bit wrong. For example, the sea is described as wine red, people's faces are sometimes green and sheep are purple. But it's not just Homer. If you look at all of the ancient literature -- Ancient Chinese, Icelandic, Greek, Indian and even the original Hebrew Bible -- they all mention very few colors. And the most popular theory for why that might be the case is that cultures begin to recognize a color only once they have the ability to make that color. So basically, if you can make a color, only then can you see it. A color like red, which was fairly easy for many cultures to make -- they began to see that color fairly early on. But a color like blue, which was much harder to make -- many cultures didn't begin to learn how to make that color until much later. They didn't begin to see it until much later as well. So until then, even though a color might be all around them, they simply did not have the ability to see it. It was invisIble. It was not a part of their normal.
And that story has helped put my own experience into context. So when I first read the comments on the video, my initial reaction was to take it all very personally. But the people commenting did not know how self-conscious I am about my voice. They were mostly reacting to my accent, that it is not normal for a narrator to have an accent.
But what is normal, anyway? We know that reviewers will find more spelling errors in your writing if they think you're black. We know that professors are less likely to help female or minority students. And we know that resumes with white-sounding names get more callbacks than resumes with black-sounding names. Why is that? Because of our expectations of what is normal. We think it is normal when a black student has spelling errors. We think it is normal when a female or minority student does not succeed. And we think it is normal that a white employee is a better hire than a black employee. But studies also show that discrimination of this kind, in most cases, is simply favoritism, and it results more from wanting to help people that you can relate to than the desire to harm people that you can't relate to.
And not relating to people starts at a very early age. Let me give you an example. One library that keeps track of characters in the children's book collection every year, found that in 20xx, only about 11 percent of the books had a character of color. And just the year before, that number was about eight percent, even though half of American children today come from a minority background. Half.
So there are two big issues here. Number one, children are told that they can be anything, they can do anything, and yet, most stories that children of color consume are about people who are not like them. Number two is that majority groups don't get to realize the great extent to which they are similar to minorities -- our everyday experiences, our hopes, our dreams, our fears and our mutual love for hummus. It's delicious!
Just like the color blue for Ancient Greeks, minorities are not a part of what we consider normal, because normal is simply a construction of what we've been exposed to, and how visible it is around us.
And this is where things get a bit difficult. I can accept the preexisting notion of normal -- that normal is good, and anything outside of that very narrow definition of normal is bad. Or I can challenge that preexisting notion of normal with my work and with my voice and with my accent and by standing here onstage, even though I'm scared shitless and would rather be in the bathroom.
(Video) Sheep (SS's voice): I'm now slowly starting to use my voice in my work again. And it feels good. It does not mean I won't have a breakdown the next time a couple dozen people say that I talk (Mumbling) like I have peanut butter in my mouth.
SS: It just means I now have a much better understanding of what's at stake, and how giving up is not an option.
The Ancient Greeks didn't just wake up one day and realize that the sky was blue. It took centuries, even, for humans to realize what we had been ignoring for so long. And so we must continuously challenge our notion of normal, because doing so is going to allow us as a society to finally see the sky for what it is.
(Video) Characters: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Frankenstein's monster: (Grunts)
SS: Thank you.
我以前常常做一個夢， 夢到我走進一個滿是人的房間， 我小心翼翼地避開每個人的眼神。 直到有個人注意到我， 我就慌了。 然後，這個人向我走來， 説：“你好，我的名字叫某某某， 你叫什麼?” 我就一句話都説不出了。 尷尬的沉默後，他繼續問道， “你忘了自己的名字嗎?” 我還是一句話都説不出。 然後，慢慢地， 屋子裏的所有人都轉過身，看着我。 幾乎是齊聲問我：
(畫外音，各種聲音) “你是忘了自己的名字嗎?” 聲音越來越大， 我很想回答，但是答不出口。
我是個視覺藝術家。 我的工作有時候很幽默， 有時候卻是黑色幽默。 我很喜歡一件事， 就是做這些小動畫， 我很喜歡給各種角色配音。 我為熊配過音
(視頻)熊(薩配音)：你好。
薩：我為鯨魚配過音。
(視頻)鯨魚(薩配音)：你好。
薩：我還為賀卡配過音。
(視頻)賀卡(薩配音)你好。
薩：而我個人最喜歡的是科學怪人。
(視頻)科學怪人(薩配音)：咕嚕
薩：這一個，我只需要發出 咕嚕咕嚕的聲音。
幾年前，我做過一個教育片， 是關於電子遊戲史的。 在那部片子裏，我為太空侵略者配音。
(視頻)太空侵略者(薩配音)：你好。
薩：我的夢想實現了，真的。
(笑聲) 當視頻在網絡上發佈以後， 我就坐在電腦面前 不停地敲“刷新”鍵， 很期待觀眾的反應。 第一個評論是這樣説的：
(視頻)評論：幹得不錯。 薩：太好了! 我接着敲“刷新”鍵，
(視頻)評論：很棒的視頻， 期待你的下一部作品。
薩：目前發佈的只是上半部， 我正在準備着製作下半部。 我再敲“刷新”鍵
(視頻)評論：下半部在哪哪哪哪? 我現在就想看啊啊啊!
薩：除了我媽以外，所有人都在誇我。 這可是在網絡上啊! 我感覺像獲得了最終的勝利一樣。 我繼續敲“刷新”鍵，
(視頻)評論：他的聲音真不好聽，別介意啊。
薩： 好好好，不介意，刷新。
(視頻)評論：能再做一個 沒有含着花生醬錄的版本嗎?
薩：這個反饋勉強算是有點用。 接着刷新。
(視頻)評論：別再用這個人配音了， 根本聽不懂他在説什麼。
薩：刷新。
(視頻)評論：這印度口音讓人根本聽不清。
薩：好吧好吧，我就説兩件事， 第一，我沒有印度口音， 我是巴基斯坦口音好嗎? 第二，我明顯是巴基斯坦口音嘛。
像這樣的評論越來越多， 我決定無視他們， 開始製作視頻的下半部。 我錄下了音頻， 但每次我想剪輯的時候， 我就是做不下去。 每一次， 這都讓我想起我小時候， 那時我説話更糟糕。
我説話一直都結結巴巴的。 我就是班裏那種 從不舉手提問 也從不回答問題的學生。 每一次電話鈴聲響起， 我就會跑到廁所， 這樣就可以不用接電話了。 如果電話是找我的， 我爸媽就會説我不在家。 我總是躲在廁所裏。 我最討厭自我介紹， 尤其是面對很多的人的時候。 我連自己的名字都説不順， 這時總會有人問， “你連自己的名字都不記得了嗎?” 然後所有人都笑了。 這個笑話一直伴隨着我。
小時候我總覺得， 只要我一説話， 別人就會覺得我有問題， 覺得我不正常。 於是我總是很安靜。 所以你看， 把我自己的聲音用到我的作品裏， 於我而言，已經是非常大的進步了。 每當我錄音的時候， 我總是笨手笨腳的， 一句話要説好多好多遍。 然後當我剪輯的時候， 我就會挑一個我覺得最不糟糕的。
(畫外音)薩：音頻剪輯就像 給你的聲音Photoshop一樣。 我給它減速、加速， 讓它變得深沉、加上回音。 如果我説得不順暢， 如果我説得不順暢， 我就重新再修改一遍。 這就像魔法一樣。
薩：將經過大幅度修飾的聲音 用到我的視頻裏， 才能讓我覺得自己的聲音正常了一些。 不過自從看了那些評論， 這也不能讓我覺得正常了。 於是我不再把自己的聲音用到視頻裏。 在那之後，我想了很多 人們所謂的“正常”到底是什麼? 後來我開始理解了， 所謂的“正常” 與人們的期待值有關。
舉個例子吧， 我想到一個故事， 是關於古希臘作家荷馬的。 在荷馬的作品裏 只提到了非常少的幾種顏色。 即使在描寫顏色的時候， 荷馬筆下的顏色 也和現代人的常識不盡相同。 比如説，荷馬説海是酒紅色的， 人的臉有時是綠色的， 而綿羊則是紫色的。 這種現象不單單出現在荷馬的作品裏。 在世界古典文學中—— 古代中國、冰島、希臘、印度的文學 甚至是在希伯來聖經中 提到的顏色都很少。 對這種現象最出名的解釋是： 一個文明首先要能生產出一種顏色， 然後才能識別出這種顏色。 簡單的説，你只有先製造出一種顏色， 才能“看見”這種顏色。 像紅色這種比較方便製造的顏色 就能比較早的出現在各大文明的認知中。 然而像藍色這種 不那麼方便製作的顏色， 很多文明都花了相當長的時間 才最終制造出了藍色。 於是他們也花了相當長的時間 來最終“看見”藍色。 在一個顏色被製造出來之前 就算它隨處可見， 人們也對它視而不見。 就好像這種顏色是隱形的一樣。 這種顏色不在人們 “正常”的認知範疇裏。
這個説法和我的自身經歷很契合。 當我第一次看到那些評論時， 我的第一反應是 那些評論都是針對我的。 不過事實上 那些評論者並不知道， 我對自己的聲音那麼在意。 他們的評論都是關於我的口音。 他們認為一個帶口音的配音者 是不常見的、不正常的。
不過話説回來，什麼才算正常? 評論家會在你的作品裏 挑出很多拼寫錯誤， 僅僅因為他以為你是個黑人。 教授會不那麼情願去輔導 女學生、或者少數族裔學生。 一份有着看起來 像是白人名字的簡歷， 比起寫着黑人名字的簡歷 要有更高的通過率。 為什麼會這樣? 這都是因為我們對常識的刻板印象。 常識告訴我們， 黑人學生往往會有拼寫錯誤。 常識告訴我們， 女學生和少數族裔學生 往往在學術領域少有建樹。 常識告訴我們， 一個白人員工往往要比黑人員工好。 但是研究表明， 像這一類的區別判斷， 通常只是偏見而無事實依據。 而這種偏見讓我們傾向於去幫助同類， 而傷害異類。
人類在很小的時候 就開始區分同類與異類。 舉個例子， 有一個圖書館把每年出版的 兒童故事書 裏面的角色都記錄了下來。 他們發現， 在20xx年 只有11%的角色 是有色人種。 而這個數值在20xx年 只有8%。 可事實上，有一半的美國兒童 都是少數族裔。 50%啊。
這就導致了兩個問題， 第一，我們一方面告訴孩子們 他們可以成為任何人， 他們有能做任何事的潛力， 然而另一方面 少數族裔的孩子們， 看到的故事 卻都是關於其他人的。 第二，多數族裔的人沒有意識到 他們其實與少數族裔的人 有很多相似之處—— 我們的日常生活，我們的期待， 我們的夢想，我們的恐懼， 都是相似的。 甚至我們對鷹嘴豆泥的喜好 也是一樣的， 真的很好吃嘛!
就像藍色之於古希臘人， 少數族裔之於我們的社會而言 也不在“正常”的範疇之內。 因為我們對“正常”的界定 形成於日常生活之中， 取決於我們的見識，
這就是癥結所在。 我可以選擇認可所謂的“正常” 所有在正常範疇內的都是好的， 而在“正常”這個狹隘的定義之外 一切都是不好的。 我也可以選擇挑戰 所謂的“正常”， 就憑着我的作品， 我的聲音， 還有我的口音， 以及我現在的演講。 儘管我現在緊張得要死， 恨不得馬上躲進洗手間裏。
(視頻)綿羊(薩配音)： 現在我又逐漸開始用自己的聲音 給作品配音了。 這感覺真好。 這不是説我的聲音完美無缺了， 下一次還會有一堆人 説我的聲音 (含糊不清地)好像含了花生醬 在嘴裏一樣，
薩：而是説我現在 更加清楚 什麼是至關重要的， 以及放棄 並不是一種選擇。
古希臘人不是一覺醒來就發現 天空是藍色的。 人們花了很長的時間才漸漸注意到 那些曾經被忽略了很久的事物。 所以我們必須要經常挑戰 我們對“正常”的界定。 因為這樣做可以使整個社會 最終看清天空的顏色。
(視頻)角色：謝謝!謝謝! 謝謝!謝謝!謝謝! 科學怪人：(咕嚕)
薩：謝謝。