Z: Come here, son! Show me how to do this, please. K: What is it again, dad? Z: I want to attach this file and forward it to 3 people. How do I do it? K: I just explained yesterday. It’s the same, now! [naggingly] Z: I know…just see if I’m doing it right! K: [reluctantly] Phew! Select your file first, then go to… Z: Wait, wait how do I select it? K: Gush, dad! You just hold your finger on the icon!!! Z: Uh-huh! Like this….then? K: No! it didn’t get selected…pay attention to the color change. Like this! Z: Ok…there… K: Now click on the share button and choose recipient! Z: My phone has no share button! K: [sarcastic laughter] how’s that even possible? What is this, then??? Z: Oh, Ok. After that…? K: Give it to me, I’ll do it for you...who do you want to send it to? [angrily] Z: Nope, I wanna learn to do it myself! Did I teach you stuff this way? [angrily] K: Oh, Give me a break, dad! “The children now have luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love gossip in place of activity. What a world we are living in!” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Did he take the words right out of your mouth? Well, frankly speaking, these are the words of a wise man, but not a recent one. It was Socrates who said these things in 400 B.C, but strangely enough, he does sound like someone of our time. this shows that there has always been this thing called generation gap! Right, a situation in which older and younger people do not understand each other because of their different experiences, opinions, habits, and behavior. A lack of understanding between older and younger people caused by different life experiences. I bet you just remembered the last time you had an argument with your parents or perhaps your kids and felt you are poles apart. Or at least you thought to yourself “Why don’t they understand?” or “What’s so hard about this?” Well, we are talking about an issue which could be no one’s fault, and yet could drive everyone up the wall, simply because one doesn’t understand the other. But what causes this and what effects does it have? We’re gonna find out soon. Join me and my friends in this discussion about generation gap! شکاف نسلها! اصطلاح نامانوسی که شاید در زبان فارسی خیلی استفاده نمیشه، یا شایدم تا الان زیاد استفاده نشده. شکاف نسلها! به شرایطی گفته میشه که اشخاص از نسلهای مختلف قادر به درک و تعامل موثر با همیدگه نیستند. مطمئنا برای شما هم پیش اومده که طرز فکر یا دلیل انجام یه سری از کارهای پدر مادرتون رو درک نکنین و خب، اونها هم شما رو درک نکنن. این ناتوانی در درک افراد از نسلهای متفاوت موضوع امروز ماست. من ادیت هستم و امروز با چند نفر از دوستان گپ و گفت جالبی خواهیم داشت در این مورد. پس با ما همراه بشید.

A: [in a funny tone] Now, he’s holding his new smart phone in his hand so tight that you can see he’s hands are already sweating. I’m trying to show him just how to find a contact’s number. He’s so tense that I know whatever I’m saying is going nowhere. E: I know right? It’s like they are scared stiff of it. Like if you pushed that button, the universe would explode! [laughingly] Sh: Oh, Tell me about it! I have explained the same thing over and over again and she, I mean my mom, comes to me every single time she wants to send a picture to someone. E: Oh, that’s exactly it! A: Tell me about it. [laughingly] Sh: Oh God! [laughingly] these baby boomers! E: So annoying! [laughingly] E: You said baby boomers? What’s that? Sh: People born between 1946 and 1964 are called baby boomers. A: I guess my grandparents are baby boomers. Now, how many years is your age difference with your parents? Sh: For me it’s 24 years. A: and for me, 27. I’m the 2nd child. E: Hmm… it’s 30 for me. I’m the last of the three! A: Quite long! Sh: Yeah, sort of! E: Yeah, I’m a generation X member! I was born in 1980. What about you guys? A: I was born in 1984. Sh: So, you are a Millennial or generation Y like me, I was born in 1985. The ones born after us, like from 1995 are called post-millennials or generation Z. A: Yeah. But you know what amazes me? You see some baby boomers who are really comfortable around all this technology and stuff. I really admire them. E: Yeah, but they are not many. Hardly ever can you find someone like that. Sh: Yeah, the effects of generation gap are so widespread that you rarely see people like that.

خب، اول از همه چندتا از نسلها رو اسم بردیم اینجا. کسانی که بین سالهای1946 تا 1964 میلادی به دنیا اومدن در انگلیسی اصطلاحاbaby boomers گفته میشن. افراد این نسل سنتی هستن و از تکنولوژی فراری. نسل بعدی مربوط به سالهای 1965 تا 1981 هست که بهش X generation میگن. آدمای این نسل هم پرکار و با پشتکار هستن و تقریبا با تکنولوژی آشنان. بعد از X نسل Y هست که بین سالهای 1982 تا 1994 بدنیا اومدن و بهشون نسل هزاره یا Millennial هم گفته میشه. این نسل native digital هستن، یعنی زندگی روزمره شون تحت تاثیر تکنولوژیه و معمولا برچسب خودشیفته و لوس رو با خودشون یدک میکشن. و در نهایت متولدین سالهای 1997 تا 2012 نسل millennial-post هستن که زندگیشون با اینترنت گره خورده و انگار که در DNA شون ثبت شده. مصرف کننده های پرتوقعی با دامنه توجه بسیار کوتاه! شما جزو کدوم generation هستین؟ حالا ببینیم دلایل و اثرات شکاف نسلها چیه و چکار باید کرد.

E: Hmm...right. But what are the possible causes of this gap? Is it only the age difference we have with people or are there other factors involved? A: I don’t think it’s the age itself but what different ages, or let’s say the people of certain ages have or don’t have in common. I mean, it’s the common experiences of people that helps them get along or understand each other well. E: Absolutely! Like, if you just compare something as simple as the fads or trends of each generation, you will see a great difference. Like, generation Y or Millennials, are considered digital natives. Their lives are tied to technology. But baby boomers, actually are technophobes! [laughingly] B: Hmm…you have a point here. But, I think experiences that you mentioned can be categorized into different groups. Like those that come with level of education, social class, family background and so on. A: Right on point. There are many factors. E: Hmm... I never thought of it this way. The technology related gap is so big that it kind of overshadows other factors.

گفتیم وقتی آدما وجه اشتراکی با هم ندارن، شکاف نسلها بیشتر حس میشه. وجه اشتراک داشتن در انگلیسی میشه in things have to .common مثال: .common in little have Z and X Gen یعنی نسل زی و اکس وجه اشتراک کمی با هم دارند. یکی از تفاوتهای عمده نسلهای قبلی با جدیدتر ها اینه که نسلهای قدیم انگار از تکنولوژی می ترسن یا technophobe هستن. حتما کلمه phobia رو بلدین که به معنی ترس هست. تکنوفوب یعنی از ترسان از تکنولوژی! یکی دیگه از اختلافهایی که بین نسلها هست میتونه به دلیل اختلاف طبقاتی باشه که در انگلیسی بهش میگیم differences class social . اما به هر حال به نظر میرسه تکنولوژی دلیلی هست که بقیه دلایل رو تحت شعاع قرار میده یا به اصطلاحovershadow میکنه.

Sh: Right. I read somewhere that increased life expectancy and social mobility are also two main factors causing generation gap. A: Hmm…I can understand how life expectancy can play a role as we discussed, but what is social mobility? E: Wait, I think I know it. Social mobility is the movement of people of the society within social classes. Like from a low class, moving up to middle class or higher class and so on. A: Is this class only related to people’s finances? Sh: No, it could be education, income and social status. A: Oh, interesting. E: Wow…good information. I always thought it’s only the age that matters. A: There are also factors like cultural differences and technological gap, as we said. E: You bet! The technological gap is a killer! I mean, it’s such a pain in the neck. [everyone agrees and laughs]

برای چیزی که خیلی آزار دهنده ست و باعث انزجار میشه، دو تا اصطلاح خوب در این قسمت داشتیم. میتونین پیداشون کنین؟ دقیقا! killer A و a زندگی به امید یا متوسط عمر همینطور technology gap is a killer / is a pain in the neck.: میگیم مثال pain in the neck در انگلیسی میشه expectancy life که هرچقدر بیشتر باشه ظاهرا شکاف نسل بیشتری ایجاد میکنه.

E: Now, it seems generation gap has been studied quite a bit. I mean it’s a serious matter. But, what are the effects or aftermaths of it? Is it just the frustration and lack of understanding? I think there should be more to it. A: I think that in itself is annoying enough! [laughingly] Sh: Can’t agree more [laughingly]. Actually, there are a lot of negative and some positive side effects. You know, lack of understanding can lead people to be impatient and intolerant of each other’s mistakes. This can in turn make them less respectful toward others. A: Exactly. And this can also lead to lack of interaction between generations. Just because they want to avoid conflicts and disputes, they avoid interacting all together.

یه نکته مهم اینجا بهتون بگم! وقتی توی متنی دو عبارت یا کلمه با حرف ربط and یا or به هم وصل میشن انتظارمیره که یا هم معنی باشن یا اگر دقیقا هم معنی نباشن، در یه زمینه معنایی قرار داشته باشن. حالا این به چه درد ما میخوره؟ وقتی معنی یکی از دو کلمه رو بلد باشین، به راحتی میتونین معنی دومی رو حدس بزنین. قسمت قبلی رو گوش کنین دو سه مورد این مدلی داریم. ببینین پیداشون می کنین. جواب درست میشه: aftermath or effect side به معنی عوارض جانبی یا عواقب هست. مورد بعدی intolerant and impatient به معنی کم طاقت یا بی صبر و مورد آخر dispute and conflict به معنی تضاد یا کشمکش.

E: Hmm…interesting. But is there a way one can minimize these side effects? A: Well, there’s always a way. I truly believe that improving communication skills is of utmost importance. When you know how to interact or communicate with people of different backgrounds, most problems can be avoided. E: Can’t agree more. Most of our problems arise from miscommunication. Sh: Right. And one more thing is to keep up with the trends. Especially parents, need to keep updating themselves on current trends and so on. A: Oh, absolutely. Something they mostly fall behind! E: That’s exactly it. And not only parents should keep themselves up to date but younger gene