Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different from their own. Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century. We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.
Question 1
Franz Boas and Edward Sapir’s contribution was ______.
✔[A] their description of many disappeared native languages
[B] their efforts against the assimilation of native languages
Question 2
Please translate the sentences into Chinese.
Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different from their own.
最近，语言学家对非常不同于其母语的语言进行了认真的研究。↓
直到最近，语言学家才开始正式研究与自己母语截然不同的语言。
Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
两个人类学家兼语言学家，弗兰兹·博阿斯和爱德华·萨皮尔，是描述二十世纪前半期南北美洲许多本土语言的先行者。↓
两位人类学语言学家，弗兰兹·博厄斯和爱德华·萨皮尔是两位先驱，他们在20世纪前半叶描述了北美洲和南美洲的许多土著语言。
We are obliged to（are obliged to 感激） them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples（复数表示民族） who spoke them died out or became assimilated（同化） and lost their native languages.
我们有义务（感激他们）这样做是因为随着说这门语言的人去世（民族消亡）或被同化而失去他们的本土语言，这门语言从此就会消失。↓
我们之所以感激他们（两位先驱），是因为在此之后，这些土著语言中有一些已经不复存在了，这是由于说这些语言的部族或是消亡了，或是被同化从而丧失了本民族的语言。
逐句详解↓
第一句
[1] Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages [2] that were very different from their own.
句子结构：
[1] 主句（S+V+O）
状：Only recently 直到最近
主：linguists 语言学家
谓：did … begin（倒装句，did被提前）才开始
宾：the serious study of languages 正式研究语言
译文：直到最近，语言学家才开始正式研究……语言
[2] 修饰languages的定语从句（S+V+O）
主：that 这些语言
谓：were very different from 与…非常不同
宾：their own 自己的（母语）
译文：与自己母语截然不同的（语言）
本句译文
直到最近，语言学家才开始正式研究与自己母语截然不同的语言。
第二句
Two anthropologist-linguists, Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
句子结构
主：Two anthropologist-linguists, 两位人类学语言学家
同：Franz Boas and Edward Sapir, 弗兰兹·博厄斯和爱德华·撒皮尔
系：were 是
表：pioneers 先驱
定：（修饰pioneers）in describing many native languages （他们）描述了许多土著语言
定：（修饰languages）of North and South America 北美洲和南美洲（的）
状：during the first half of the twentieth century 在20世纪前半叶
本句译文
两位人类学语言学家，弗兰兹·博厄斯和爱德华·萨皮尔是两位先驱，他们在20世纪前半叶描述了北美洲和南美洲的许多土著语言。
第三句
[1] We are obliged to them [2] because some of these languages have since vanished, [3] as the peoples [4] who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.
句子结构
[1] 主句（S+V+O）
主：We
谓：are obliged to 感激
宾：them
译文：我们感激他们
[2] 原因状语从句（S+V）
引：because 因为
主：some of these languages 这些（土著）语言中有一些
谓：have since vanished 从此已经消失了
译文：因为在此之后，这些这些土著语言中有一些已经不复存在了
[3] 原因状语从句（S+V & V & V+O）
引：as
主：the peoples 民族（部族）
谓：died out 消亡了
or
谓：became assimilated 被同化
and
谓：lost 丧失了
宾：their native languages 本民族的语言
译文：这是由于这些部族或是消亡了，或是被同化从而丧失了本民族的语言
[4] 修饰the peoples的定语从句（S+V+O）
主：who
谓：spoke
宾：them
译文：说这些语言的（部族）
本句译文
我们之所以感激他们（两位先驱），是因为在此之后，这些土著语言中有一些已经不复存在了，这是由于说这些语言的部族或是消亡了，或是被同化从而丧失了本民族的语言。
宋词打卡↓