Oublier est aussi une compétence

很多人都有这样的烦恼：昨天刚背过的词语，今天就想不起来了；出门以后，又忘了自己有没有锁门。

Hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) rén (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) fánnǎo: (second tone, rising) zuótiān (second tone, rising) gāng (first tone, high and level) bèiguo (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) cíyǔ, (second tone, rising) jīntiān (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) qǐlái (third tone, dipping) le; (neutral tone) chūmén (first tone, high and level) yǐhòu, (third tone, dipping) yòu (fourth tone, falling) wàng (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) suǒ (third tone, dipping) mén. (second tone, rising)

Beaucoup connaissent ce désagrément : le mot appris hier ne revient plus aujourd’hui ; une fois dehors, on ne sait plus si l’on a fermé la porte à clé.

我们常常把忘记看成记忆力不好的表现，希望自己能把所有的东西都记住。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) chángcháng (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) kànchéng (fourth tone, falling) jìyìlì (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) biǎoxiàn, (third tone, dipping) xīwàng (first tone, high and level) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) suǒyǒu (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) dōngxi (first tone, high and level) dōu (first tone, high and level) jìzhù. (fourth tone, falling)

On voit souvent l’oubli comme le signe d’une mauvaise mémoire, et on aimerait pouvoir tout retenir.

但是近年来的研究表明，忘记并不完全是一件坏事，它其实是大脑的一种重要能力。

Dànshì (fourth tone, falling) jìnnián (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yánjiū (second tone, rising) biǎomíng, (third tone, dipping) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) bìng (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) wánquán (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) huài (fourth tone, falling) shì, (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) qíshí (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) dànǎo (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhǒng (third tone, dipping) zhòngyào (fourth tone, falling) nénglì. (second tone, rising)

Mais les recherches de ces dernières années montrent que l’oubli n’est pas entièrement une mauvaise chose : c’est en réalité une capacité importante du cerveau.

早在十九世纪，一位德国心理学家就对忘记进行了系统的研究。

Zǎo (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) shíjiǔ (second tone, rising) shìjì, (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) Déguó (second tone, rising) xīnlǐxuéjiā (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) duì (fourth tone, falling) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) jìnxíng (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) xìtǒng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yánjiū. (second tone, rising)

Dès le XIXe siècle, un psychologue allemand a étudié l’oubli de façon systématique.

他让自己记住很多没有意义的字母组合，然后在不同的时间检查自己还记得多少。

Tā (first tone, high and level) ràng (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) jìzhù (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) yìyì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) zìmǔ (fourth tone, falling) zǔhé, (third tone, dipping) ránhòu (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) bùtóng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shíjiān (second tone, rising) jiǎnchá (third tone, dipping) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) hái (second tone, rising) jìde (fourth tone, falling) duōshao. (first tone, high and level)

Il s’est fait apprendre de nombreuses combinaisons de lettres dépourvues de sens, puis a vérifié à différents moments combien il en retenait encore.

他发现，人们在学习新内容以后，忘记的速度一开始非常快，后来逐渐变慢。

Tā (first tone, high and level) fāxiàn, (first tone, high and level) rénmen (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) xuéxí (second tone, rising) xīn (first tone, high and level) nèiróng (fourth tone, falling) yǐhòu, (third tone, dipping) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) sùdù (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) kāishǐ (first tone, high and level) fēicháng (first tone, high and level) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) hòulái (fourth tone, falling) zhújiàn (second tone, rising) biàn (fourth tone, falling) màn. (fourth tone, falling)

Il a découvert qu’après avoir appris quelque chose de nouveau, on oublie d’abord très vite, puis de plus en plus lentement.

也就是说，如果不及时复习，刚学过的东西很大一部分会在短短几天内被忘掉。

Yě (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) shuō, (first tone, high and level) rúguǒ (second tone, rising) bù (fourth tone, falling) jíshí (second tone, rising) fùxí, (fourth tone, falling) gāng (first tone, high and level) xué (second tone, rising) guo (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) dōngxi (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) dà (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) bùfen (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) duǎnduǎn (third tone, dipping) jǐ (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) nèi (fourth tone, falling) bèi (fourth tone, falling) wàngdiào. (fourth tone, falling)

Autrement dit, sans révision à temps, une grande partie de ce qu’on vient d’apprendre s’efface en quelques jours à peine.

这一规律后来被画成了一张图，至今仍被广泛地用来指导学习。

Zhè (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) guīlǜ (first tone, high and level) hòulái (fourth tone, falling) bèi (fourth tone, falling) huà (fourth tone, falling) chéng (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhāng (first tone, high and level) tú, (second tone, rising) zhìjīn (fourth tone, falling) réng (second tone, rising) bèi (fourth tone, falling) guǎngfàn (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) yòng (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) zhǐdǎo (third tone, dipping) xuéxí. (second tone, rising)

Cette loi a ensuite été représentée par une courbe, encore largement utilisée aujourd’hui pour guider l’apprentissage.

今天，很多学习软件安排复习时间的方法，就是根据这一规律设计的。

Jīntiān, (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) xuéxí (second tone, rising) ruǎnjiàn (third tone, dipping) ānpái (first tone, high and level) fùxí (fourth tone, falling) shíjiān (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fāngfǎ, (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) gēnjù (first tone, high and level) zhè (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) guīlǜ (first tone, high and level) shèjì (fourth tone, falling) de. (neutral tone)

Aujourd’hui, de nombreuses applications d’apprentissage fixent les révisions précisément selon cette loi.

那么，大脑为什么要忘记呢？

Nàme, (fourth tone, falling) dànǎo (fourth tone, falling) wèishénme (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) ne? (neutral tone)

Mais alors, pourquoi le cerveau oublie-t-il ?

科学家们提出了一个有意思的解释：忘记是为了让记忆更有效率。

Kēxuéjiāmen (first tone, high and level) tíchū (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) yǒuyìsi (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) jiěshì: (third tone, dipping) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) wèile (fourth tone, falling) ràng (fourth tone, falling) jìyì (fourth tone, falling) gèng (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) xiàolǜ. (fourth tone, falling)

Les scientifiques avancent une explication intéressante : l’oubli rend la mémoire plus efficace.

我们每天接收的信息多得数不过来：路上看到的广告、别人随便说的一句话、早饭吃了什么……

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) jiēshōu (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) xìnxī (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shǔ (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) guòlái: (fourth tone, falling) lù (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) kàn (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) guǎnggào, (third tone, dipping) biéren (second tone, rising) suíbiàn (second tone, rising) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) jù (fourth tone, falling) huà, (fourth tone, falling) zǎofàn (third tone, dipping) chī (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) shénme… (second tone, rising)

Nous recevons chaque jour plus d’informations que nous ne saurions en compter : les publicités vues en chemin, une phrase lancée par quelqu’un, ce qu’on a mangé au petit-déjeuner…

如果大脑把这一切都完整地保存下来，那么真正重要的内容反而会被淹没在无数无用的信息之中，需要的时候很难找到。

Rúguǒ (second tone, rising) dànǎo (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) yíqiè (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) wánzhěng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) bǎocún (third tone, dipping) xiàlái, (fourth tone, falling) nàme (fourth tone, falling) zhēnzhèng (first tone, high and level) zhòngyào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) nèiróng (fourth tone, falling) fǎn (third tone, dipping) ér (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) bèi (fourth tone, falling) yānmò (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) wúshù (second tone, rising) wúyòng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) xìnxī (fourth tone, falling) zhī (first tone, high and level) zhōng, (first tone, high and level) xūyào (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shíhou (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) nán (second tone, rising) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) dào. (fourth tone, falling)

Si le cerveau conservait tout intégralement, l’essentiel se retrouverait noyé sous une infinité d’informations inutiles, et il serait difficile à retrouver au moment voulu.

这就像一个从来不扔东西的房间，东西越堆越多，最后连最需要的那把钥匙也找不到了。

Zhè (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) xiàng (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) cónglái (second tone, rising) bù (fourth tone, falling) rēng (first tone, high and level) dōngxi (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) fángjiān, (second tone, rising) dōngxi (first tone, high and level) yuè (fourth tone, falling) duī (first tone, high and level) yuè (fourth tone, falling) duō, (first tone, high and level) zuìhòu (fourth tone, falling) lián (second tone, rising) zuì (fourth tone, falling) xūyào (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) nà (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) yàoshi (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) dào (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

C’est comme une pièce où l’on ne jette jamais rien : les objets s’entassent, et l’on finit par ne plus trouver même la clé dont on a le plus besoin.

因此，大脑会不断地判断哪些信息值得保留，哪些可以放弃。

Yīncǐ, (first tone, high and level) dànǎo (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) búduàn (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) pànduàn (fourth tone, falling) nǎxiē (third tone, dipping) xìnxī (fourth tone, falling) zhíde (second tone, rising) bǎoliú, (third tone, dipping) nǎxiē (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) fàngqì. (fourth tone, falling)

Le cerveau évalue donc sans cesse quelles informations valent la peine d’être gardées et lesquelles peuvent être abandonnées.

一般来说，被反复使用的、与情感有关的或者对生活有意义的内容更容易被留下来，而那些只出现过一次、又与我们没有什么关系的信息，则会慢慢消失。

Yìbān (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) shuō, (first tone, high and level) bèi (fourth tone, falling) fǎnfù (third tone, dipping) shǐyòng (third tone, dipping) de, (neutral tone) yǔ (third tone, dipping) qínggǎn (second tone, rising) yǒuguān (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) huòzhě (fourth tone, falling) duì (fourth tone, falling) shēnghuó (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìyì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) nèiróng (fourth tone, falling) gèng (fourth tone, falling) róngyì (second tone, rising) bèi (fourth tone, falling) liú (second tone, rising) xiàlái, (fourth tone, falling) ér (second tone, rising) nàxiē (fourth tone, falling) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) chūxiàn (first tone, high and level) guo (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) cì, (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) yǔ (third tone, dipping) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) shénme (second tone, rising) guānxì (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) xìnxī, (fourth tone, falling) zé (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) mànmàn (fourth tone, falling) xiāoshī. (first tone, high and level)

En général, ce qui est utilisé souvent, lié aux émotions ou important pour notre vie a plus de chances de rester, tandis que ce qui n’est apparu qu’une fois et ne nous concerne guère disparaît peu à peu.

有趣的是，现实中确实存在一些几乎什么都忘不掉的人。

Yǒuqù (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shì, (fourth tone, falling) xiànshí (fourth tone, falling) zhōng (first tone, high and level) quèshí (fourth tone, falling) cúnzài (second tone, rising) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) jīhū (first tone, high and level) shénme (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) wàng (fourth tone, falling) bu (neutral tone) diào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) rén. (second tone, rising)

Fait curieux, il existe bel et bien des personnes qui n’oublient presque rien.

他们能清楚地说出多年前某一天发生的每一件小事，听起来让人羡慕，可是他们中的不少人却表示，这种能力给自己带来了很大的烦恼：

Tāmen (first tone, high and level) néng (second tone, rising) qīngchu (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shuōchū (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) qián (second tone, rising) mǒu (third tone, dipping) yì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) fāshēng (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) měi (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) shì, (fourth tone, falling) tīngqilai (first tone, high and level) ràng (fourth tone, falling) rén (second tone, rising) xiànmù, (fourth tone, falling) kěshì (third tone, dipping) tāmen (first tone, high and level) zhōng (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) bù (fourth tone, falling) shǎo (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) què (fourth tone, falling) biǎoshì, (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) zhǒng (third tone, dipping) nénglì (second tone, rising) gěi (third tone, dipping) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) dàilái (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) dà (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) fánnǎo: (second tone, rising)

Ils peuvent raconter dans le détail chaque petit fait d’une journée vieille de plusieurs années, ce qui peut faire envie, mais beaucoup d’entre eux disent que cette capacité leur pèse énormément :

痛苦的经历无法忘记，过去的细节一次又一次地回到眼前，让他们很难把注意力集中在现在的事情上。

Tòngkǔ (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) jīnglì (first tone, high and level) wúfǎ (second tone, rising) wàngjì, (fourth tone, falling) guòqu (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xìjié (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) huí (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) yǎnqián, (third tone, dipping) ràng (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) nán (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) zhùyìlì (fourth tone, falling) jízhōng (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shìqing (fourth tone, falling) shang. (neutral tone)

les expériences douloureuses ne s’effacent pas, les détails du passé leur reviennent sans cesse sous les yeux, et ils ont du mal à se concentrer sur le présent.

明白了忘记的规律，我们就可以更聪明地学习。

Míngbai (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) guīlǜ, (first tone, high and level) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) gèng (fourth tone, falling) cōngming (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) xuéxí. (second tone, rising)

Une fois qu’on a compris les lois de l’oubli, on peut apprendre plus intelligemment.

与其一次花很长时间拼命地背，不如把复习分散到不同的时间：学完以后当天复习一次，过一天再复习一次，一周以后再复习一次。

Yǔqí (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) cì (fourth tone, falling) huā (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) cháng (second tone, rising) shíjiān (second tone, rising) pīnmìng (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) bèi, (fourth tone, falling) bùrú (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) fùxí (fourth tone, falling) fēnsàn (first tone, high and level) dào (fourth tone, falling) bùtóng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shíjiān: (second tone, rising) xué (second tone, rising) wán (second tone, rising) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) dàngtiān (fourth tone, falling) fùxí (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì, (fourth tone, falling) guò (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) fùxí (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì, (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhōu (first tone, high and level) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) fùxí (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì. (fourth tone, falling)

Plutôt que de passer d’un coup de longues heures à apprendre par cœur, mieux vaut répartir les révisions : une fois le jour même, une autre le lendemain, puis une autre une semaine plus tard.

每一次复习，都是在提醒大脑：“这条信息很重要，请不要扔掉它。”

Měi (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) cì (fourth tone, falling) fùxí, (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) tíxǐng (second tone, rising) dànǎo: (fourth tone, falling) “Zhè (fourth tone, falling) tiáo (second tone, rising) xìnxī (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) zhòngyào, (fourth tone, falling) qǐng (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) rēngdiào (first tone, high and level) tā.” (first tone, high and level)

Chaque révision rappelle au cerveau : « Cette information est importante, ne la jette pas. »

这样一来，需要记住的东西就会被大脑看成有用的信息，长时间地保存下来。

Zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) yìlái, (fourth tone, falling) xūyào (first tone, high and level) jìzhù (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) dōngxi (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) bèi (fourth tone, falling) dànǎo (fourth tone, falling) kànchéng (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yòng (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xìnxī, (fourth tone, falling) cháng (second tone, rising) shíjiān (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) bǎocún (third tone, dipping) xiàlái. (fourth tone, falling)

Ainsi, ce que nous devons retenir est considéré par le cerveau comme une information utile et conservé longtemps.

可见，忘记并不是记忆的敌人，而是它的合作者。

Kějiàn, (third tone, dipping) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) bìng (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) jìyì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) dírén, (second tone, rising) ér (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hézuòzhě. (second tone, rising)

On le voit : l’oubli n’est pas l’ennemi de la mémoire, mais son partenaire.

正是因为能够忘记，我们才能记住那些真正重要的事情。

Zhèng (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) yīnwèi (first tone, high and level) nénggòu (second tone, rising) wàngjì, (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) cái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) jìzhù (fourth tone, falling) nàxiē (fourth tone, falling) zhēnzhèng (first tone, high and level) zhòngyào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shìqing. (fourth tone, falling)

C’est justement parce que nous pouvons oublier que nous sommes capables de retenir ce qui compte vraiment.