She's dead, Wangero said.
她已经死了,万杰罗说。
I couldn't bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.
我无法忍受照那些压迫我的人的名字个我取名。
You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicle, I said. Dicie is my sister.
你同我一样清楚你的名字是照你迪茜姨妈的名字取得,我说。迪茜是我的妹妹,
She named Dee. We called her Big Dee after Dee was born.
她名叫迪伊。迪伊出生后我们就叫她大迪伊。
But who was she named after? asked Wangero.
但她的名字又是依照谁的名字取得呢?万杰罗追问道。
I guess after Grandma Dee, I said.
我猜想是照迪伊外婆的名字取得,我说。
And who was she named after? asked Wangero.
她的名字又是照谁的名字取得呢?万杰罗逼问道。
Her mother, I said, and saw Wangero was getting tired.
她的妈妈,我说。这是我注意到万杰罗已经开始感到有点厌烦了。
That's about as far back as I can trace it, I said.
再远的我就记不得了,我说。
Though, in fact, I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the branches.
其实,我大概可以把我们的家史追溯到南北战争以前。
Well, said Asalamalakim, there you are.
噢,阿萨拉马拉吉姆说,您已经说到哪儿了?
Uhnnnh, I heard Maggie say.
我听到麦姬又呃了一声。
There I was not, I said, before Dicie cro, pped up in our family, so why should I try to trace it that far back?
我还没有呢,我说,那是在‘迪茜’来到我们家之前的事,我为什么要追溯到那么远呢?
He just stood there grinning, looking down on me like somebody inspecting a Model A car.
他站在那儿咧着嘴笑,目光朝下,用人们检查A型轿车的眼神打量着我。
Every once in a while he and Wangero sent eye signals over my head.
他还和万杰罗在我的头顶上空频递眼色。
How do you pronounce this name? I asked.
你这名字是怎么念的来着?我问。
You don't have to call me by it if you don't want to, said Wangero.
您若不愿意,就不必用这个名字来叫我,万杰罗说。
Why shouldn't I? I asked. If that's what you want us to call you, we'll call you.
我干吗不叫?我问。如果你自己喜欢用那个名字,我们就叫那个名字。
I know it might sound awkward at first, said Wangero.
我知道这名字起初听起来有点别扭,万杰罗说。
I'll get used to it, I said. Ream it out again.
我会慢慢习惯的,我说,你给我再念一遍吧。
Well, soon we got the name out of the way.
就这样,我们很快就不再提名字发音问题了。