British writer

Chapter 227 German is a language of...that kind of thing

"good!"

"Professor Lu taught it very well!"

"I love you, Lu!"

…

Thunderous applause.

Lu Shi was sweating profusely, and glanced at Emil Adolf von Behring, who was sitting below, feeling very helpless.

I don’t know what’s going on with these Nobel laureates.

Tolstoy, Dunant, Passy,

Forget it about these three people.

They have friendship with Lu Shi.

Roentgen, who won the Physics Prize, Fantoff, who won the Chemistry Prize, and Behring, who won the Physiology or Medicine Prize, also joined in the fun.

Every time you give a speech, you must say a few words at the end of the speech.

It made him feel like he was back in high school, being asked by the teacher to climb up the blackboard.

"Huh~"

He let out a long breath,

Finally sat down again.

Einstein on the side tried hard to suppress his laughter and said: "Professor Lu, if Mr. Nobel is still alive, he will definitely award you an honorary award with his own hands~"

Lu Shi was speechless,

"Come on now~ Mr. Nobel will definitely be angry if this happens on such a serious occasion."

Einstein laughed,

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. The Nobel Prize has become a platform for scientists, writers, and social activists to communicate. He will only be happy."

The deceased is like a husband,

Now, no one can tell what Nobel was thinking.

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"That's all, don't talk about this."

He looked towards the stage.

Oscar II presented the medal and check to Beilein, and then everyone took a group photo.

Beilin said: "Everyone has been waiting for so long, and their stomachs should be growling with hunger. Let's start eating."

Oscar II followed his advice and nodded to Solman.

The latter came on stage and announced the end of the award ceremony.

The dinner began.

Lu Shi hadn't eaten since morning and was hungry all afternoon, so he quickly filled up a French bouillabaisse.

At this time, Roentgen came over,

"Professor Lu, thank you just now. You know that I am not good at speaking in public."

Lu Shi knew a hammer.

He couldn't help but complain: "Professor Roentgen, you are a professor of physics at the University of Munich and the director of the Institute of Physics. How can you not be good at public speaking?"

Roentgen chuckled,

"Hey~"

Lu Shi: "..."

I am really too lazy to talk to the other party.

Röntgen sat down opposite Lu Shi, then looked at the tables of writers,

His eyes were wandering, as if he was looking for someone.

Lu Shi was a little surprised,

"Professor Roentgen, who are you looking for?"

Roentgen said: "I'm looking for Mr. Verne. I heard..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his voice,

"Mr. Verne!"

Verne followed the sound and then approached with a dinner plate and sat down next to Lu Shi.

He asked: "Mr. Roentgen, what?"

Röntgen pondered for a moment,

"Professor Lu and Mr. Verne, have you ever thought about promoting science fiction themes?"

Verne chuckled,

"Of course. Have you seen "Country Teacher"? That was actually the essay I wrote for Professor Lu."

Röntgen said: "I know about the science fiction essay competition."

His eyes swept across the two people,

"What I want to say is, is it possible to start a science fiction magazine, whose main content is science fiction and popular science."

Verne was speechless,

"Magazine? Professor Roentgen, why do you think so?"

Roentgen thought about it and replied: "It goes without saying that the importance of popular science is important. And the novel...Mr. Verne, how did you come up with "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"?"

"Forehead……"

Verne was stunned for a moment,

"Maybe... I just... had a sudden inspiration?"

He used a questioning tone, indicating that he himself couldn't explain clearly.

Röntgen said: "The subject of science fiction is very new. Before "The Village Teacher", I had little contact with it. But now, science fiction novels may have guiding significance for scientific research. For example, "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" predicted diving machinery."

After saying that, Roentgen looked at Lu Shi again,

"Not to mention Professor Lu's works. Many of the thoughts on elementary particles in "Chao Wen Dao" are very advanced even in the academic world. Another example is the grand unified theory, which I think is bound to exist."

Lu Shi almost burst out laughing,

The scientific advisor is Planck, how can we not get ahead of ourselves?

It must be admitted that some science fiction novels can have an impact on scientific research.

Such as Clark's Clark track.

But basically, it takes thousands, tens of thousands or even more science fiction novels to have one that can really contribute to the advancement of science.

In the news, a certain scientist said that science fiction novels inspired his thinking.

Just read this kind of reports, they are all bragging.

Verne apparently also felt that Roentgen was a bit whimsical.

"Professor Roentgen may not understand writing. In fact, no writer's creation can transcend his own reality. Novels, even science fiction novels, can only be fantasies based on reality."

He counted on his fingers,

"War issues, technological issues, religious issues, ethical issues, philosophical issues, historical issues... In short, different issues have different meanings."

Roentgen was silent,

Every other line is like a mountain,

It seems that this matter is as simple as I thought.

Verne looked at Lu Shi,

"Lu, what do you think?"

Lu Shi hesitated.

According to history, the earliest science fiction magazine in the world was "Amazing Stories".

It was founded in 1926 by the famous Hugo Gernsback.

The Hugo Award, science fiction's highest honor, is named after him.

It was also in "Amazing Stories" that Hugo first proposed the term "Science Fiction".

But now, because of the emergence of Lu Shi, this concept was born more than 20 years in advance.

So, can science fiction magazines also be born in advance?

Lu Shi murmured: "The background for the birth of any cultural product is inseparable from the social and cultural environment. Only with technological leaps and industrial development, and people full of longing and imagination for the future, can science fiction have the soil to take root and sprout."

Verne shook his head,

"More than these."

Lu Shi said "hmm" and said, "There is also the development of popular culture, which is also a top priority."

Verne pondered for a moment,

"Perhaps, you can give it a try? With the gems of Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley in front, plus me, Professor Lu, and Mr. Wells, let others learn from... um... imitate, it should be possible Incubate a group of science fiction authors.”

Lu Shi almost burst out laughing,

This guy just said "plagiarism", right?

Verne was not a moral gentleman;

When Alexandre Dumas passed away that year, he imitated the revenge story structure of "The Count of Monte Cristo" and combined it with the background of the Hungarian autonomy movement to get rid of Austrian rule in the 1860s, and quickly created "Count Sandolf".

Fortunately, the French literary world has always been open, and there is no such thing as "copying".

Dumas even said in a letter to Verne that in terms of literary style, Verne was closer to Alexandre Dumas than Dumas.

Being able to copycat a village to this extent is amazing.

Lu Shi thought for a moment,

"It's better to wait until the science fiction essay competition is over."

"Too."

Verne said no more.

But looking at the way he lowered his head and thought, he was obviously considering whether this matter was feasible.

Lu Shi stretched and continued to drink soup.

Swedish seafood is really good.

Fresh shrimp, crab, conch and shellfish, combined with the right amount of spices and light vegetables, make the soup extremely rich in taste.

He was going to fill another bowl,

At this time, the surroundings suddenly became quiet, and everyone at the table next to him looked at him.

Lu Shi raised his head,

In front of me is the German Emperor——

William II.

Beside His Majesty the Emperor, Melnick and Monson also stood.

Lu Shi and William II looked at each other,

Looking at each other speechlessly,

"..."

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere is a little weird.

Roentgen, as a German, was naturally well-informed.

He immediately stood up,

"Excuse me."

Einstein and Verne next to them were not afraid. When they saw Lu Shi, they nodded to themselves, then left a worried look in their eyes and left slowly.

William II extended his right hand,

"Professor Lu, do you have time to talk?"

As he said that, he bowed slightly like a gentleman.

For a time, the crowd was in an uproar,

"That is how the matter?"

"The German emperor bowed to Lu Shi?"

"This... hiss..."

…

Discussions arose.

Lu Shi couldn't help but frown and said, "Your Majesty, why do you have to salute like this?"

Being roasted on the fire made him more and more resistant, and he was already thinking about how to reject the other party.

However, Wilhelm II was surprisingly sincere;

"Professor Lu, you deserve this gift."

He looked around,

"So many scientists, writers, and social activists respect you, let alone a little emperor. Moreover, the matter about my grandmother..."

Lu Shi was stunned for a long time before he remembered who the other party's grandmother was:

The late Queen Victoria.

William II said: "Professor Lu is a close minister of the Queen. For this reason alone, as a junior, I should respect him."

His expression was serious and didn't seem to be fake.

Lu Shi was somewhat surprised.

As far as he knew, Wilhelm II was an arrogant and violent man;

It's hard to avoid being surprised by how low your body is.

Melnick looked around,

"Professor Lu, I'm afraid this is not the place to talk."

Lu Shi hesitated for a moment and nodded slowly,

"Okay, let's change places."

Since William II can communicate, he might as well have a few words with the other party.

William II bowed and said:

"Please."

Together they left the busy restaurant and headed up the stairs to the top floor of Stockholm.

Several people stopped in front of a door.

William II said: "I reserved a room."

He pushed open the door.

This is a suite, very elegantly furnished.

The furniture is all custom-made, including sofas, coffee tables, and carpets, all of which are exquisite.

There are exquisite tea sets and fruit baskets placed on the coffee table. The baskets are filled with fresh fruits, which is very rare in Stockholm in November.

Lu Shi looked around,

Apparently no one lived here,

The purpose of His Majesty the Emperor's reservation was just to meet him.

William II pointed to the armchair,

"Please take a seat."

Lu Shi sat down.

Then, the other three people sat down one after another.

Melnick took out his notebook,

"Professor Lu, do you mind if I take a few notes?"

"Tsk..."

Lu Shi was speechless, and he was even more surprised.

He looked at William II,

The latter smiled and said: "Professor Lu, I am a loyal reader of the Mirror, and the interview section of it is always there. If I can create sparks by communicating with you, that would be great." .”

Lu Shi shrugged.

"Of course, it's at your Majesty's discretion."

Melnick picked up the pen and got ready to record.

For a moment, the room fell into silence.

William II didn't know what he was thinking. He had no intention of speaking out and instead glanced at the wall of the living room.

There are precious oil paintings hanging on the walls, each one telling a story.

After a while,

"Look, Professor Lu."

Wilhelm II pointed to one of them.

Lu Shi glanced away,

That was the scene when King Carl XIII of Sweden was crowned King of Norway.

This coronation meant the establishment of the Norwegian-Swedish alliance.

Below is a sentence written in Swedish:

The well-being of our brotherly people.

William II said: "How sacred..."

Lu Shi spread his hands,

“The ‘Sacred’ of Conquest by Force.”

At the end of the 14th century, Norway lost its sovereignty and was ruled by Denmark.

By 1812, Napoleon was defeated by Russia, and Sweden took the opportunity to defeat Napoleon's ally Denmark, forcing Denmark to cede Norway.

The people of Norway objected and declared that Norway is a free, independent and indivisible constitutional monarchy,

So Sweden brazenly launched a war.

William II looked at Lu Shi,

"Yes, yes. It's not a glorious thing."

He changed the subject,

"Professor Lu, we talked about German before, do you remember? As the most elegant language in the world..."

Lu Shi said: "Elegance aside, I cannot agree with the 'most'."

He read confidently:

"

'Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.'

"

This passage from "Lolita" should be regarded as one of the most famous opening lines in the history of novels.

Monson chewed on these words, and then said:

"The entire article is almost exclusively composed of words starting with the two sounds "l" and "s". This use of alliteration is one of the most elegant writing methods in English. "

Lu Shi nodded,

"Yes, you hit the key point, 'writing'."

He recited another paragraph in Chinese:

"

‘Reading is enough for pleasure, enough for enrichment, and enough for growth. ’

"

This paragraph comes from "Talking about Reading" translated by Mr. Wang Zuoliang.

Even if they don't understand Chinese, the three Germans present can recognize the rhyme of the song, which is really elegant.

Just like the students at Cambridge University listening to Lu Shi reciting the Chinese version of "When You Get Old".

Lu Shi concluded: "So, the elegance of language is reflected in the words after writing, not in the language itself. I say words like 'Fxxk!' and 'Shiit!' It is difficult to be elegant no matter what, right?"

William II looked at Monson in embarrassment.

The latter shook his head secretly,

He couldn't refute Lu Shi.

Therefore, William II immediately changed his rhetoric: "German is a language with a long history..."

Lu Shi interrupted directly: "The German language does not have a long history."

"ah?"

William II was speechless.

Monson, who was on the side, was a historian after all, and said dissatisfiedly: "Professor Lu, the history of German can be traced back to the Merovingian Dynasty. Isn't this considered a long time?"

Lu Shi scratched his head,

"If I remember correctly, the Merovingian Dynasty only 'accidentally' annexed some small Germanic tribes in the process of expansion, including the Germanic tribes east of the Rhine River."

Monson’s statement is like the history textbook of South Korea,

North Korea was annexed by Dayuan, and then Dayuan's territory became North Korea's territory?

No shame!

Monson was slightly embarrassed,

"this……"

Lu Shi said: "Of course, you are right. Old High German was indeed formed during that period. Due to the strong influence of ancient Roman culture and Catholicism, the Germanic language gradually changed under the influence of Latin and French. .”

Munson spread his hands,

"Look, look."

Lu Shi said helplessly: "But to say that German has a long history is a bit... After all, the main languages ​​​​in Europe are French and English. Compared with these two, it is really stretched. Even Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian , also...ahem..."

As he said that, Lu Shi looked at the oil painting again.

"I have to say that even Swedish is older than German."

"hiss……"

Munson held his cheek.

Melnick looked over and asked, "Teacher, what's wrong with you?"

Mengsen rolled his eyes at his disciple,

"It's okay, my tooth hurts."

Seeing that Germany's most respected historian was once again refuted by Lu Shi, Wilhelm II could only change his tune again and said: "German is easy to learn and spread..."

Lu Shi interrupted again: "Your Majesty, German is quite difficult to learn."

"ah?"

William II was dizzy.

Monson on the side said: "Professor Lu, no matter how difficult German is, it is easier than Chinese and Russian, right?"

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"Of course it's easier than Chinese, because Chinese characters are hieroglyphics. Are you embarrassed to compare German with Chinese?"

Monson: "..."

The old face couldn't help but blush.

He added: "What about Russian?"

Lu Shi shook his head,

"In fact, German should be more difficult than Russian. Mark Twain said, 'After learning several languages, I am convinced that a gifted person can learn English in thirty hours (excluding spelling and pronunciation) and thirty days. Learn French, take thirty years to learn German.'"

This sentence comes from "The Terrible German\

,"Mark Twain wrote an article specifically to criticize the German language, which shows this.

Munson frowned and said, "Mark Twain is not a linguist."

Lu Shi nodded,

"Yes. To say the least, even if he is really a linguist, his evaluation may not be objective. If you really want to know the difficulty of a language, the most direct way is statistical methods."

Monson was curious;

"So, are there any statistics?"

Melnick and William II, who were standing aside, shook their heads.

The two of them complained in their hearts,

Why is this old man Monson so innocent?

Being led by Lu Shi to do some statistical methods, wouldn't that be equivalent to admitting that German is difficult to learn?

In this case, what can I do if I win the Russian language?

and,

What if we lose! ?

William II quickly interjected: "German is a language of... that kind of thing."

"puff!"

Lu Shi laughed.

He shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, let's get straight to the point. Is it really the German language itself that you want to talk to me about?"