Now I didn’t ask you that just for a joke or a sarcastic comment now did I?
现在我不是仅仅为了开个玩笑或讽刺的评论而问你这个问题了，对吧？
Dan(丹)
Well no, but look there’s a clock over there, you are wearing a watch, you have a smartphone and a computer, all of which show the time. So why are you asking me?
Dan! I was trying to introduce today’s topic which is all about virtual assistants or bots. You seemed to have forgotten the script.
担！我试图介绍今天的主题，这是关于虚拟助手或机器人的。你好像忘了剧本。
Dan(丹)
Oh yes, sorry. We’re talking about software that you talk to and that can talk back to you. Like Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana. It might be on your phone or computer or even a speaker in your house.
哦，对不起。我们谈论的是与您交谈并且可以与您对话的软件。就像苹果的 Siri、谷歌的 Assistant、亚马逊的 Alexa 和微软的 Microsoft Cortana。它可能在您的手机或计算机上，甚至是您家中的扬声器上。
Rob(罗伯)
Now before we hear more about this topic, here is today’s quiz question: Do you know when was the first computer which could recognise speech, launched? Was it in a) 1951; b) 1961 c) 1971.
I have found my script, so I’ve seen the answer but I have to say I was surprised.
我已经找到了我的剧本，所以我看到了答案，但我不得不说我很惊讶。
Rob(罗伯)
Don't tell anybody Dan, OK. We’ll give the answer for the listeners at the end of the programme. We’re going to hear now from Tom Hewitson, who is a conversation designer, working in the field of virtual assistants, talking on BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth programme. He talks about the whole idea of virtual assistants and how they are changing the way we interact with technology. How does he describe our existing relationship with computers?
不要告诉任何人 Dan，好吧。我们将在节目结束时为听众提供答案。我们现在要听听 Tom Hewitson 的演讲，他是一名对话设计师，在虚拟助理领域工作，在 BBC Radio 4 的口碑节目中发表演讲。他谈到了虚拟助手的整个概念，以及它们如何改变我们与技术交互的方式。他如何描述我们与计算机的现有关系？
Tom Hewitson, conversation designer(Tom Hewitson，对话设计师)
It changes the way that we think about computers. To date we’ve thought of them largely as tools. They’re just an advanced version of a calculator. They’re something you kind of use to get a specific thing done, whereas this is kind of changing them more into like an agent. They’re an active participant in the interaction and in guiding you to make the right decision.
How did he describe our existing relationship with computers then?
当时他是如何描述我们与计算机的现有关系的呢？
Dan(丹)
He said that to date, which is an expression which means 'up until this point in time', we have thought of them as advanced calculators.
他说，迄今为止，这是一个表达的意思是“直到这一点”，我们一直将它们视为高级计算器。
Rob(罗伯)
Yes, that’s right, we use them as a tool to get things done. But he says that modern technology is turning them into an agent. This doesn’t mean a secret agent, like James Bond! In this sense an agent is something that has agency and that means it has the ability to act individually and make its own decisions.
Maybe. I imagine, for example, telling us if we are spending too much time in fast food restaurants?
或。例如，我想象告诉我们，我们是否在快餐店花了太多时间？
Rob(罗伯)
Maybe in your case Dan. Mine would be telling me I spend too much time in the gym! Hewitson goes on to explain how the way we will talk to our virtual assistants will develop. What does he say we don’t need to do?
Tom Hewitson, conversation designer(Tom Hewitson，对话设计师)
We will develop our own kind of vernacular for speaking with machines that will be subtly different from how we speak to other people because as you rightly point out you don’t need to make the machine like you don’t need to kind of make random chit-chat that’s just filling the time. It can be much more brusque and to the point.
A lot of what we say in human communication is to do with our relationship with the person we’re talking to.
我们在人类交流中所说的很多话都与我们与正在交谈的人的关系有关。
Rob(罗伯)
We say things and talk about things that are maybe not directly relevant to our point. With a digital virtual assistant, we don’t need to do that, so we don’t need to make the machine like us.
Hewitson said that we will develop our own vernacular, this is a general word for a native language. This vernacular will be a little bit different from our everyday vernacular because, as we said, we don’t need to maintain a social relationship with the artificial assistant.
This means that we won’t need chit-chat. Chit-chat is another expression for small talk: conversation topics which aren’t important but are part of everyday social communication, like talking about the weather.
这意味着我们不需要闲聊。闲聊是闲聊的另一种表达方式：不重要但属于日常社交交流的话题，比如谈论天气。
Dan(丹)
And because we don’t need to be friends with our virtual assistants, we can be brusque and to the point. Both of these mean being very direct and not very polite.
Well Dan, I don’t mean to be brusque but it is time for the answer to this week’s quiz question. Earlier I asked when was the first computer which could recognise speech, launched. The options were: a) 1951; b) 1961 c) 1971 Well actually the first computer which could recognise speech was launched in 1961.
Well chit-chat was one of today’s expressions. Meaning 'small talk', but we also had the expression to date. That means ‘up until this moment in time’.
嗯，闲聊是今天的表达方式之一。意思是“闲聊”，但我们迄今为止也有这个表达。这意味着“直到这一刻”。
Rob(罗伯)
Then we had the noun agent. This refers to something that has agency. And that is the ability to think, make decisions and act independently.
然后我们有名词 agent。这指的是具有能动性的东西。这就是独立思考、决策和行动的能力。
Dan(丹)
The next word is vernacular, another word for language, particularly when talking about a native language.
下一个词是 vernacular，是语言的另一个词，尤其是在谈论母语时。
Rob(罗伯)
And finally there was brusque meaning 'direct and not polite' and to the point, which also means 'direct and without unnecessary information'.
最后是 brusque 的意思是 “直接而不礼貌”，而 the point 的意思是 “直接且没有不必要的信息”。
Dan(丹)
Hey Rob.
嗨，罗伯。
Rob(罗伯)
Yes, what can I do for you Dan?
是的，我能为您做些什么 Dan？
Dan(丹)
End the programme.
结束该计划。
Rob(罗伯)
Certainly Dan. Well that’s all from us today, be sure to check us out on all the usual places: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and of course please don't forget our website bbclearningenglish.com. Bye for now!
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