中英双语阅读65：我们为什么接吻？

中英双语美文65 | 我们为什么接吻？

Kissing is fun. Most of us think so, at least. The fact that we're deliberately choosing to swap saliva, germs, and whatever may be leftover from our romantic partner's fettuccine alfredo is one of those uniquely human pastimes that's gross in premise, but wonderful in practice — most of the time, anyway.

接吻是非常美妙的，大部分人都会这么认为。实际上，接吻的同时我们是在跟对方交换唾液、细菌甚至口内残余的食物。那么为什么这种在前提上听起来很恶心的行为，大多时候却能在实际中给我们带来美妙的感受呢?

Kissing is a universally recognized part of the gladiator pit single people like to call dating, and an essential part of the courtship ritual. For evidence: Only 10 percent of cultures around the world don't kiss. And some primates, likes chimps and bonobos, are known to lock lips as well, although with a bit less finesse than their hairless human relatives.

接吻被公认为单身人士在约会中的角斗场，追求仪式中最重要的一部分。研究表明：全世界只有10%的文化中没有接吻这种行为。一些灵长类动物，例如黑猩猩和倭黑猩猩，也会接吻，虽然和它们的人类近亲比起来少些接吻技巧。

Behavioral scientists have floated all kinds of theories for why humans regularly indulge in the awkward act of locking mouths. One of the more prevalent theories suggests kissing helps us assess the long-term genetic potential of future mates and allows us to sniff their pheromones. More obviously: Kissing also helps with arousal, which helps ensure the enduring survival of the human race. And it may even help those in deeply committed relationships stay together in the long run.

行为学家已经用各种理论解释过人类为什么会频繁的接吻。其中一个最普遍的理论就是：接吻有助于我们评估未来伴侣的长期遗传潜力，并让我们闻到对方的信息素。更明显的是：接吻能够帮助我们唤醒进行人类生命延续的使命感，同时也会帮助那些已经在一起的伴侣维持长久的关系。

That last bit may be the most important revelation from a new study from the University of Oxford, which has a bit more canonical evidence for why we kiss each other. "Mate choice and courtship in humans is complex," said Robin Dunbar, a neuroscience researcher and co-author of the study. "It involves a series of periods of assessments where people ask themselves 'shall I carry on deeper into this relationship?'"

来自于牛津大学的最新研究可能是对这一问题的最重要的启示，这项研究为我们为什么会接吻这一问题提供了更权威的证据。“人类的配偶选择和求爱行为非常复杂，”神经系统科学家和这项研究的作者之一罗宾·邓巴说到，“它涉及到一系列的周期性评估，人们在这时会问自己‘我要不要让这段关系进一步发展?’”。

For this study, published in two parts in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior and in the journal Human Nature, the team step up an online questionnaire and queried 900 adults about the importance of kissing in both short-term and long-term relationships. The answers, primarily from the U.S. and the U.K., provided some some key insights.

这项研究分两部分发布在《性行为档案》和《人类本质》杂志中。研究团队展开了一个在线调查，研究接吻在短期和长期关系中的重要性，900名来自美国和英国的成年人参与了调查。他们的答案为研究提供了一些关键的看法。

"Men are more likely to initiate kissing before sex, when it might be used for arousal purposes," the authors wrote, "whereas women are more likely to initiate kissing after sex, where it might better serve a relationship maintenance function."

“男性更喜欢在性行为开始之前接吻，这可能用来唤起性欲。”作者写到，“然而女性更喜欢在性行为结束后接吻，这可能用来稳定双方关系。”

In short-term relationships, participants noted that kissing was more important "before sex, less so during sex, [and] was less important again after sex."

在短期的关系中，参与者称接吻的重要性从大到小依次为：进行性行为之前，性行为进行中和性行为结束后。

But perhaps the biggest and most useful takeaway from the survey was this: That lots of kissing was associated with a satisfying and ultimately healthy long-term relationship. Oddly enough, the same couldn't be said about couples that merely had lots of sex. "There seems to be something special about kissing," co-author Rafael Wlodarski told NPR. Indeed. Smooch away.

这项调查最大及最有用的成果可能是：大量的亲吻与满意和最终健康的长期关系有关。奇怪的是，这个理论对只进行大量性行为的伴侣并不适用。“接吻好像有一种特别的作用，”研究着之一拉斐尔在接受NPR采访时说到。

相关词汇：

Deliberately：故意地;谨慎地

Saliva：唾液

Germ：细菌

Pastimes：消遣

Courtship：求爱;求偶

gladiator pit：角斗场

finesse：策略;纤细;灵巧

arousal：觉醒、激励

neuroscience：神经系统科学