哈佛的校训是什么语言?
“真理(The Truth)”这个翻译实在是太直译了,而且也不够准确。 哈佛大学并没有明确的校训,不过有很多名言被用作哈佛大学的劝学诗、校歌等等。其中最有名的两句话是:
1.“The purpose of Harvard College is to prepare students for effective citizenship in America and throughout the world.”(哈佛学院的目的是帮助学生做好成为美国公民和全世界公民的效劳准备。)
2.“Let me question you further, my son; what good has it done to learn how to spell words backwards? What use have you found for learning the long division? Or how about geography or arithmetic? The truth be told, I never knew any man who learnt these things that I didn't find to be a better fellow for their study. And so, my son, go on with your book-learning, and let there be no stumbling block along your way.” 我还要进一步地问你,我的孩子,学习倒着写字有什么好处?学会长的除法又有什么用处?地理和算术又教给你什么能让我受益一生的新知识呢?说实话,我没有发现任何一个因为学习了这些知识而变得不那么好的人。所以,我的孩子,请你继续你的书本学习,在通往知识的路上没有绊脚石!——本句引自哈佛学院毕业生、美国第4任总统詹姆斯·麦迪逊写给父亲约翰·马迪逊的信