Once intimidated by arguments that their children would feel more at home in bilingual classes,and that they might lose their heritage in regular classes,these women have since given voice,loudly and persuasively,to what they know from experience that unless they are fluent in the language of their adopted country,their children will never attend college or land any but the most menial of jobs.
结构分析:句子的框架是these women havegiven voiceto what they know from experience that。that从句做experience的同位语从句;此从句中又套嵌一个unless引导的条件状语从句;Once intimidated by arguments是过去分词做状语修饰these women,其施动者arguments又有两个that引导的同位语从句修饰限定它。intimidated by arguments意为被论点搞得惊慌害怕feel at home不能直译为感到在家,而译为感到自在give voice to意为表达,表露land jobs译为找到工作。
译文:有人说,孩子们在双语课堂里会感到更加自由自在,而在正规班级会丧失其传统文化。这几位母亲曾被这一论点搞得惶恐不安,现在发表了最响亮,最有说服力的意见。从她们自身的经验中,他们深知:如果孩子们不熟练掌握他们所移居国家的语言,除了那些最简单的体力活儿外,根本谈不上上大学,也谈不上找到理想的工作。