纵观历史，创新的儿童文学作品往往源于富有创造力的成年人向年轻一代传达深刻教益的追求。
在这一传统中，最近的一个例子是Avant的维克多-D.O.-桑托斯博士的《是什么让我们成为人类》，这是一本与意大利插图画家安娜-福拉蒂合作的 42 页图书，将于 2024 年 3 月 5 日由 Eerdmans Books for Young Readers 和联合国教科文组织在美国、加拿大和英国发行。
联合国教科文组织是语言和文化多样性的倡导者，作为联合国2022-2032 年国际土著语言十年的一部分，它正与世界各地的出版商合作，与年轻读者分享这部富有启迪意义的作品。
桑托斯的语言分析和研究工作（Avant ）与他对儿童文学的热情在很多层面上都有交集。让我们一起揭开文学、语言学和学习的神秘面纱。
The Birth of “What Makes Us Human”
In a world witnessing the alarming potential extinction of 40% of its 7,000 spoken languages by the century’s end, Santos, a passionate linguist, sought a way to impart to children the intrinsic value of every language. As he eloquently states, every language, irrespective of its number of speakers, epitomizes a wealth of traditions, beliefs, and worldviews, and when any language is lost, it is a loss for all of humanity. The book’s underlying message resonates with UNESCO’s core belief: the greater the linguistic diversity in our world, the richer our human experience.
UNESCO and the Preservation of Linguistic Heritage
Recognizing the impending threat to linguistic diversity, especially to the 4,000 indigenous languages, the United Nations marked 2022–2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. UNESCO, the United Nations’ organization chosen to spearhead the Decade, has embarked on a decade-long journey to avert the loss of these languages and foster their revival and celebration. Santos’ “What Makes Us Human” is aligned with these important objectives, aiming to kindle awareness among the youth about the linguistic treasures they inherit and the urgency to safeguard them.
At the Intersection of Personal and Professional
As the Director of Assessment and Research at Avant, Santos’ work intersects with the very heart of “What Makes Us Human”. Avant Assessment, a pioneer in language proficiency testing, offers Santos the ability to engage in the interplay between human cognition, language learning, and cultural preservation. His dual roles amplify the significance of both his professional endeavors and literary contributions. By analyzing language proficiency in a wide range of languages, Santos not only gauges linguistic capabilities but also indirectly underscores the importance of preserving our global linguistic heritage.
Global Releases and the Book’s Impact
With over fifteen international releases planned at the time of this writing, ranging from bilingual editions in Mapuzugun (an Indigenous language of Chile) and Spanish to versions in Arabic, English, French, Chinese, Korean, Italian, and several other languages, “What Makes Us Human” is set to make waves across continents. As the book finds its way to global audiences, it serves as a vital reminder of the linguistic and cultural legacies we need to cherish and pass on to future generations.
在快速全球化和潜在语言同质化的时代，维克多-桑托斯（Victor D.O. Santos）通过"是什么让我们成为人类 "一书，敦促我们静下心来，反思我们人性的本质，它蕴含在我们不同的语言和文化之中。他与联合国教科文组织和Avant 的关系强调了语言在塑造我们的身份、保存我们的过去和规划我们的未来方面所起的关键作用。
在 2024 年 3 月 5 日发行之前，该书英文版已经可以在这里预订。
