专八人文知识精讲(4)：英国人口

专八人文知识精讲（4）英国人口

V. The People
人口

1.population distribution
人口分布：

Britain has a population of about 57 millions and it is very unevenly distributed. 90% of the population is urban and only 10% is rural. The population of Britain is made up mainly of the English (81.5%), the Scottish (9.6%), the Welsh (1.9%), the Irish (2.4%), the Northern Irish (1.8%) and other peoples (2.8%).
英国人口约5700万，分布极不均匀，90%是城市人口，只有10%是农村人口。英国人口组成为：英格兰人（81.5%），苏格兰人（9.6%），威尔士人（1.9%），爱尔兰人（2.4%）、北爱尔兰人（1.8%）和其他民族居民（2.8%）。

2.The difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish:
英伦三岛民族的祖先：

The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.
英格兰人祖先属于盎格鲁-萨克逊人，而苏格兰、威尔士和爱尔兰人的祖先属于凯尔特人。

3.The difference in character
个性差别：

The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people. They are music lovers and are proud of their past.
威尔士人感情丰富，情绪高涨，热爱音乐，为过去感到自豪。

The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious and thrifty people, and they are also hospitable, generous and friendly.
苏格兰人通常被认为严肃、谨慎而且节俭，但是他们同样也热情、大方且友好。

The Irish are charm and vivacity.
爱尔兰人充满魅力，生性活泼。

4.The difference in speech between southern England and northern England:
英格兰南方人和北方人语言上的差别：

Southerners speak the type of English close to BBC English; In northern England, regional speech is usually "broader" than that of southern England.
南方人讲的英语接近BBC，北英格兰人的发音通常要比南英格兰人宽。

5.The Welsh keep their language and culture in this way:
威尔士人以这样的方式使他们的语言及文化保持活力：

Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau. The great event of the year is the National Eisteddfod. On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry, music, singing and art.
一年中他们有称之为"艺术年会"的歌唱、舞蹈、诗歌节。一年中最重要的节日是全国诗歌音乐比赛。在这些场合会举行威尔士诗歌、音乐、歌唱和艺术比赛。

6.The main problem in Northern Ireland:
北爱尔兰存在的主要问题：

The fight between the Protestants who are the dominant group, and the Roman Catholics, who are seeking more social, political and economic opportunities.
作为社会主体的新教徒和要求更多社会、政治及经济权利的罗马天主教徒之间的斗争。

7.Immigrants:
移民：

About three million have come to Britain to live and find work since World War II.
自从二战以来约有三百万人来到英国生活和工作。