One day Mencius asked Dai Busheng, "If a high official of the state of Chu stays here and he wants his son to learn the Qi language. Should he be taught by a person from Qi, or a person from Chu?"

 

Dai Busheng replied, "He should be taught by a person from Qi."

 

Mencius said, "Yes it is good for him to be taught by a person from Qi. But he is surrounded by his fellowmen speaking the Chu language with a whip¹, it will still be difficult for him to master the Qi language. But if you let him live in the neighbourhoods of the state of Qi for several years, then it will be impossible for you to force him, even with a whip, to speak the Chu language again."

 

有一天，孟子问戴不胜说：“如果有一个楚国大夫在这里，想要他的儿子学齐国话，那么，应该让齐国人教他呢，还是让楚国人教他？”

 

戴不胜回答说：“应该让齐国人教他。”

 

孟子说：“一个齐国人教他固然不错，可是他的许多楚国同胞整体和他说楚国话，就算每天用鞭子督促他，想让他学好齐国话也是很困难的；可要是把他带到齐国的街巷之间住上几年，那时你就是天天鞭打他，强迫他再说楚国话，也是不可能的。”

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