American People and Culture 美国人种与文化

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The indigenous people in the US are referred to as Native Americans but are also known as American Indians or Indians for short. Native Americans are considered to be the people whose ancestors were indigenous to the lands within the nation's modern borders before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. These people formed distinct tribes, bands, and ethnic groups, many of which are still intact today.

美国的土著被称为美洲原住民，或美洲印第安人，或简称印第安人。在1492年克里斯托弗·哥伦布到达之前，美洲原住民的祖先就是在美国现代疆界内的土地上土生土长的民族。这些人形成了不同的部落和民族，其中许多至今仍然完整。

Historically, immigration to the US - after its discovery by Europeans - was mainly from England and other European countries, and then later from Latin America and Asia. The five countries that have contributed the most immigrants to the US in the last ten years have been Mexico, India, China, the Philippines and Cuba.

从历史上看，在欧洲人发现美洲后，美国移民主要来自英国和其他欧洲国家，以及后来的自拉丁美洲和亚洲。过去十年来，美国移民最多的五个国家是墨西哥、印度、中国、菲律宾和古巴。

American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things," said Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London.

美国文化包含了美国的习俗和传统。“文化包括宗教，食物，穿什么，怎么穿，语言，婚姻，音乐，是非对错，如何坐在桌旁，如何迎接访客，如何与所爱的人相处，以及无数的其他东西。” 伦敦巴内特和南门学院的人类学家克里斯蒂娜·德罗西解释说。

In addition to Native Americans who were already living on the continent, the population of the United States was built on immigration from other countries. Despite recent moves to close the U.S. borders to new immigrants and refugees, a new immigrant moves to the United States every 33 seconds, according to the Census Bureau. Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture, most notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early 1600s. U.S. culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans, Latin Americans, Africans and Asians.

除了已经生活在非洲大陆的美洲原住民外，美国的人口是建立在其他国家移民的基础上的。据美国人口普查局（Census Bureau）称，尽管美国最近采取了对新移民和难民关闭边境的措施，但每33秒就有一名新移民迁往美国。正因为如此，美国是世界上文化最多元的国家之一。世界上几乎每一个地区都对美国文化产生了影响，其中最显著的是从17世纪初开始殖民美国的英国人。是美洲土著、拉丁美洲、非洲和亚洲文化塑造了美国文化。

The United States is sometimes described as a "melting pot" in which different cultures have contributed their own distinct "flavors" to American culture. Just as cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American culture influences the world. The term Western Culture often refers broadly to the cultures of the United States and Europe. The way people "melt" in the United States differs. "Different groups of immigrants integrate in different ways," De Rossi said. "For example, in the United States, Catholic Spanish-speaking communities might keep their language and other cultural family traditions, but are integrated in the urban community and have embraced the American way of life in many other ways." The Northeast, South, Midwest, Southeast and Western regions of the United States all have distinct traditions and customs. Here is a brief overview of the culture of the United States.

美国有时被描述为一个“熔炉”，不同的文化为美国文化贡献了自己独特的“味道”。正如来自世界各地的文化影响了美国文化一样，今天美国文化也影响着世界。西方文化一词通常泛指美国和欧洲的文化。在美国，人们“融化”的方式是不同的。德罗在生命科学《Live Science》杂志报道解释说“不同的移民群体以不同的方式融合在一起，例如，在美国，讲西班牙语的天主教社区可能保留其语言和其他家庭传统，但融入城市社区，并以许多其他方式接受美国的生活方式。”美国东北部、南部、中西部、东南部和西部地区都有着鲜明的传统和习俗。以下是对美国文化的简要概述。

Language and accents 语言和口音

The US does not have an official language, however, around 80 percent of its people are native English speakers. The use of English in the US is a result of the British colonization of the Americas. Since the first English-speaking settlers arrived early in the 17th century, American English has been influenced by the languages of West Africa, the Native American population, German, Dutch, Irish, Spanish and other languages of successive waves of immigrants to the U.S. A wide variety of accents and dialects can be found across the country. As a result, American English might be difficult for a visitor to decipher. American have their own unique form of slang language, and you’ll find you will soon become familiar with words like 'buck' (dollar), 'bail' (leaving quickly) or 'raincheck' (reschedule).

美国没有官方语言，但大约80%的美国人以英语为母语。英语在美国的使用是英国殖民美洲的结果。自17世纪初第一批讲英语的定居者来到美国以来，美国英语一直受到西非语言、美洲土著语言、德语、荷兰语、爱尔兰语、西班牙语和其他语言的影响，还有其它大批、不断涌入美国的移民的语言。全国各地都有各种口音和方言。因此，美国英语可能很难让游客理解。美国人有自己独特的俚语形式，在美国你很快就会熟悉'buck'（美元）、'bail'（迅速离开）或'raincheck'（重新安排）等词语。

Almost every language in the world is spoken in the United States, the most frequently spoken non-English languages are Spanish, Chinese, French and German. Ninety percent of the U.S. population speaks and understands at least some English, and most official business is conducted in English. Some states have official or preferred languages. For example, English and Hawaiian are the official languages in Hawaii.

世界上几乎所有的语言都能在美国找到，最常见的非英语语言是西班牙语、汉语、法语和德语。百分之九十的美国人口至少会说和懂一些英语，而且大多数官方事务都是用英语进行的。有些州有官方语言或首选语言。例如，英语和夏威夷语是夏威夷的官方语言。

The Census Bureau estimates that more than 300 languages are spoken in the United States. The bureau divides those languages into four categories: Spanish; other Indo-European languages, which includes German, Yiddish, Swedish, French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi, Greek and several others; Asian and Pacific Island languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Tamil and more; and "all other languages," which is a category for languages that didn't fit into the first three categories, such as Hungarian, Arabic, Hebrew, languages of Africa and languages of native people of North, Central and South America.

美国人口普查局估计，在美国有300多种语言被使用。该局将这些语言分为四大类：西班牙语；其他印欧系语言，包括德语、意第绪语、瑞典语、法语、意大利语、俄语、波兰语、印地语、旁遮普语、希腊语和其它几种语言；亚洲及太平洋岛屿语言，包括汉语、韩语、日语、泰语、泰米尔语等；“所有其他语言，“就是不属于前三类的语言，如匈牙利语、阿拉伯语、希伯来语、非洲一些国家的语言，北美洲、中美洲和南美洲土著语言。

Religion 宗教

Nearly every known religion is practiced in the United States, which was founded on the basis of religious freedom. About 71% of Americans identify themselves as Christians, according to information gathered by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan research group, in 2017. The research also found that about 23% had no religious affiliation at all and around 6% of the population is made up of non-Christian religions.

建立在宗教自由的基础上，几乎所有的已知宗教都在美国有信众。根据无党派研究组织皮尤研究中心（Pew Research Center）2017年收集的信息，约71%的美国人自称是基督徒。研究还发现，大约23%的人没有宗教信仰，大约6%的人口是非基督教宗教徒。

American style 美式风格

Clothing styles vary by social status, region, occupation and climate. Jeans, sneakers, baseball caps, cowboy hats and boots are some items of clothing that are closely associated with Americans. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Victoria Secret are some well-known American brands.

服装款式因社会地位、地区、职业和气候而异。牛仔裤、运动鞋、棒球帽、牛仔帽和靴子是一些与美国人密切相关的服装。拉尔夫·劳伦、CK、迈克尔·科尔斯和维多利亚秘密是一些美国知名品牌。

American food 美国的食物

American cuisine was influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history. Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meatloaf.

美国饮食在其早期历史上受到欧洲人和美洲原住民的影响。现在有许多被普遍认为是美国人的食物，如汉堡包、热狗、薯条、通心粉和奶酪以及肉饼。

There are also styles of cooking and types of foods that are specific to a region. Southern-style cooking is often called "American comfort food" and includes dishes such as fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread. Tex-Mex, popular in Texas and the Southwest, is a blend of Spanish and Mexican cooking styles and includes items such as chili and burritos, and relies heavily on shredded cheese and beans.

还有一些区域性的特殊菜式和烹饪方式。南式做法常被称为“美国舒适食品”，包括炸鸡、羽衣甘蓝、黑眼豌豆和玉米面包等菜肴。德-墨在德克萨斯和西南部很受欢迎，是西班牙和墨西哥烹饪风格的混合体，包括辣椒和毛里塔斯等，而且大量使用碎奶酪和豆类。

Arts 艺术

The United States is widely known around the world as a leader in mass media production, including television and movies. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the United States comprises one-third of the worldwide media and entertainment industry.

美国是世界大众传媒（包括电视和电影在）产业的领头羊。据美国商务部统计，美国占了全球媒体和娱乐业的三分之一。

The television broadcasting industry took hold in the United States in the early 1950s, and American television programs are now shown around the world. The United States also has a vibrant movie industry, centered in Hollywood, California, and American movies are popular worldwide. The U.S. film industry earned $31 billion in revenues in 2013, and is expected to reach $50 billion by 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

20世纪50年代初，电视广播业在美国大行其道，现在美国的电视节目在全世界播出。美国也有一个充满活力的电影产业，其中心在加利福尼亚州好莱坞，美国电影在全世界都很受欢迎。美国商务部的数据显示，2013年美国电影业收入310亿美元，预计今年（2020）将达到500亿美元。

The United States' arts culture extends beyond movies and television shows, though. New York is home to Broadway, and Americans have a rich theatrical history. American music is very diverse with many, many styles, including rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and hip hop.

不过，美国的艺术文化已经超越了电影和电视节目。纽约是百老汇的发源地，美国人有着丰富的戏剧史。美国音乐非常多样化，有很多风格，包括Rn’B，爵士，福音，乡村和西部，蓝草，摇滚和嘻哈等。

Baseball is called America's favorite pastime 

棒球是美国人最喜爱的消遣

The United States is a sports-minded country, with millions of fans who follow football, baseball, basketball and hockey, among other sports. Baseball, which was developed in colonial America and became an organized sport in the mid-1800s, is known as America's favorite pastime, although its popularity has been eclipsed by football for the past three decades, according to the Harris Poll.

美国是一个注重体育的国家，有数百万的球迷关注橄榄球、棒球、篮球和曲棍球等运动。棒球在殖民地时期的美国发展起来，在19世纪中期成为一项有组织的运动，被称为美国最受欢迎的消遣，尽管根据哈里斯民意调查，在过去30年里，棒球的受欢迎程度已被橄榄球所掩盖。

American holidays 美国节假日

Americans celebrate their independence from Britain on July 4. Memorial Day, celebrated on the last Monday in May, honors those who have died in military service. Labor Day, observed on the first Monday in September, celebrates the country's workforce. Thanksgiving, another distinctive American holiday, falls on the fourth Thursday in November and dates back to colonial times to celebrate the harvest. Presidents' Day, marking the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, is a federal holiday that occurs on the third Monday in February. The contributions of veterans are honored on Veterans' Day, observed on Nov. 11. The contributions of civilrights leader Martin Luther King Jr. are remembered on the third Monday in January.

7月4日是美国独立日。五月的最后一个星期一是阵亡将士纪念日，纪念那些在军队服役中牺牲的人。九月的第一个星期一是劳动节，庆祝国家的劳动人民。感恩节，另一个与众不同的美国节日，在11月的第四个星期四，可以追溯到殖民地时期庆祝丰收。总统日是美国联邦政府在二月的第三个星期一设立的节日，纪念乔治·华盛顿和亚伯拉罕·林肯的生日。11月11日是退伍军人节，以表彰退伍军人的贡献。民权领袖马丁路德金（Martin Luther King Jr.）的贡献在1月的第三个星期一被人们铭记。

Characteristics of Americans/American Culture

美国人和美国文化的特点

Americans are extremely independent, individualistic, and like to be different from each other.

美国人非常独立，喜欢个人主义和与众不同。

Americans believe in freedom of choice.

美国人崇尚自由。

Approximately 1% of Americans are homeless (3.5 million people).

美国大约1%人口是无家可归者（350万人）。

Discriminating against or making any insulting statement about someone else's religion or ethnicity is against the law and could be punishable as a hate crime.

歧视或侮辱他人的宗教或种族是违法的，可以作为仇恨罪处罚。

You must be over the age of 21 and you must have an identification card with a photo to buy or drink alcohol.

年满21岁，且必须有带照片的身份证才能购买或饮用酒。

In most states, it is illegal to buy cigarettes if you are under the age of 18 and often you can only smoke in certain places.

在大多数州，不满18岁买烟是违法的，而且通常吸烟也只能在某些特定区。

When Americans put their hands on their hips, they are usually relaxed; when they fold their arms tightly across their chests, they are angry or very serious (or cold).

当美国人把手放在臀部时，他们通常是放松的；当他们把双臂紧紧地交叉在胸前时，他们是愤怒的或想表示严肃的（或是很冷！）。

In a restaurant, the server is usually very friendly and helpful and often will tell you his or her name. When the service is good, tipping is expected to be 15–20% of the bill. Polite Americans eat with one hand while the other one is under the table on their laps. Usually, when friends meet at a restaurant they each pay their share of the bill or split the bill in half. It’s called going Dutch.

餐馆里的服务员通常非常友好和乐于助人，而且经常会告诉你他或她的名字。当你觉得服务好时，要给小费，预计为账单的15-20%。有礼貌的美国人一般是一只手吃饭，另一只手放在桌子下面。通常，当朋友们在餐馆见面时，他们会各自付自己的账或者把账单分每个人付一样。这叫“Going Dutch”意思是各付各的。

For weddings, people register for gifts at a specific place. Americans open presents and cards in front of people. Be sure you include a card with your gift. The person given the gift will send you a thank you card.

对于婚礼，人们会在一个特定的地方登记礼物。美国人一般会当面打开礼物和卡片。要记住在礼物里附上一张卡片。送礼的人会送你一张感谢卡。

Some Americans hug a lot. It is okay for women and men to hug even if they are not close friends.

一些美国人经常拥抱。男人和女人拥抱是可以的，即使他们不是亲密的朋友。

American parents speak to their children as adults and teach them how to be responsible for their actions. American parents encourage their children to question and always ask "Why?" Americans do not hit their children but discipline them by taking things away.

美国父母会对孩子当成年人讲话，这样可以教会孩子们如何对自己的行为负责。美国父母鼓励他们的孩子提问，教他们对所不懂的事总是要问“为什么？”美国人不会打他们的孩子，而是通过拿走喜欢的东西来管教他们。

Homosexuality is protected by law in the United States.

同性恋在美国受法律保护。

If the police put the lights on to tell you to stop your car, move to the side of the road right away. Stay in your car. Look directly at the officer. Smile and say, "What seems to be the problem, Officer?" When you drive, be sure to always have your license, registration, and proof of insurance with you. Never, for any reason, argue with or give money to a police officer.

如果警察开着灯叫你停车，你就马上到路边停而且呆在车里，直视警官，微笑着说：“警官，怎么了？“开车时，一定要随身携带驾照、登记证和保险凭证。决不以任何理由与警察争吵或给警察钱。

I hope this is useful, you can add others on the comment section, see you on the next one. Thanks.

我希望这些对你有用的，你可以在评论部分添加更多你知道的内容，下次再见。谢谢。

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