注意力的分配

ethan.wu

注意力的分配

The Distribution of Attention



学习知识、获得技能，都需要注意力。然而，注意力是有质量的，这就需要合理分配。同样的信息，对于不同的人，所吸引的注意力是不同的。我们似乎都有这种经历，即有时会过目不忘，有时则又视若罔闻；有的细节会记忆深刻，有的部分却又全无印象。原来，人们所接收的事物，都是经过注意力筛选的。

Attention is required in obtaining knowledge and skills. However, the function of attention is based on its quality of rational distribution. The same information may attract different forms and levels of attention from different people. We may all have experienced times when information has been photographically retained, or completely ignored. As a matter of fact, all the information we received have been screened and filtered by our attention.

一个人的注意力，在一定时段内，其总量是有限的，是个“常数”；但在具体的环节上，又是可以相对集中的，是个“变数”，可“以局部优势”解决问题。所以，我们常可以见到，智力看似平平的人，可以在某些方面有着超群的表现。

A person’s attention capacity as a “constant” is limited within a certain time-span. In dealing with certain issues, however, it can be organized as a “variable”, concentrating on a targeted area by its comparative edge. Therefore, it is not surprising to observe that people with average intelligence can have outstanding performance in certain fields by rationally distributing their attention.

有人认为，做翻译主要是学好外语；这固然不错，但还只是注意力分配中的一部分。其实，还有另外两部分，即母语的质量和在两种语言间转换的质量。特别是在口译中，注意力合理分配的作用就更加突出。

Learning translation has long been regarded as learning a foreign language, which is not wrong, but is not in itself adequate. The package should also include the mother tongue and the convertibility between the two apart from the foreign language. When it comes to oral interpretation, rational attention distribution plays an even more crucial role.

令人欣慰的是，从生理学上讲，人的注意力是可以塑造、训练和加强的。所以，不断提高我们注意力的分配质量，对我们的学习和工作都大有裨益。

The good news is that biologically speaking, a person’s attention can be shaped, trained and strengthened by effective exercises. With that in mind, finding ways of constantly improving the quality of our distributed attention can benefit our study and work in a substantial way.