Mysteries of vernacular: Inaugurate - Jessica Oreck

词源揭秘：Inaugurate — 杰茜卡·奥列克

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Jessica Ruby

翻译人员: Yixiong Zhu 校对人员: Geoff Chen

Mysteries of vernacular

词源揭秘：

Inaugurate:

“Inaugurate”，

to begin or introduce a system, policy, or period

开始或引进一个系统、政策，或时期，

or to admit someone formally into public office.

或正式授予某人政府职务。

The word inaugurate probably begins

“Inaugurate”一个可能起源自

with the Latin word avis,

拉丁语词“avis”，

meaning bird.

意思是鸟。

In ancient Rome, avis was combined

在古罗马，“avis”与

with the Latin verb garrire, to talk.

拉丁语动词“garrire（说话）”相合并。

The two words together made augur,

这两个词一起组成为“augur”，

literally one who talks to birds.

字面意义是指与鸟说话的人。

Figuratively, however, augur was the name given

“Augur”的比喻义是指

to a specific religious official,

某种宗教官员，

a type of soothsayer or prophet,

某种占卜者和预言家，

他们能够通过研究 鸟类的活动来预示未来。

who foretold events by studying the behavior of birds.

No major decision was made

没有对“augur”的咨询，

without the augur's consultation.

罗马是不会作出重大决定的。

He would analyze flight patterns and direction,

“Augur”会研究飞行规律和方向，

bird calls,

鸟鸣声，

and general bird activities,

以及鸟类的普遍活动，

and then use these signs to interpret the will of the gods.

然后使用这些信号来译出上天的指示。

From augur comes the verb inaugurare,

“Augur”发展出动词“inaugurare”，

to see omens from the flight of birds,

指通过鸟类活动得出预兆，

and, then later, to consecrate or act

以及后来变为在预兆吉利的情况下

when such omens are favorable.

献祭或行动。

Roman officials could only be installed in office

罗马官员只有在鸟类预兆

when the avian omens were auspicious.

吉利时才能被授予政府职位。

Centuries later,

几个世纪后，

the word was eventually transmuted into English

这个词演变为英语单词

as inaugurate.

“inaugurate”。

Along the way, it lost its veneer of superstition

与此同时，它也抛弃了其迷信的外衣，

and was admitted formally

正式进入了

into the jargon of politics.

政治术语的范围之中。