Mysteries of vernacular: Window - Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel

字源探秘：窗 － 傑西卡·奧雷克 (Jessica Oreck) 和瑞秋·蒂爾 (Rachael Teel)

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Jessica Ruby

譯者: Michelle Ho 審譯者: Coco Shen

Mysteries of vernacular:

字源探秘：

Window,

窗，

an opening constructed in a wall to emit light or air.

在牆壁上開的一個洞 用來讓陽光和空氣流動

When the Scandinavian settlers invaded England

當斯堪的納維亞移民在中世紀

in the Middle Ages,

入侵英格蘭的時候，

they brought with them a whole slew of words

一併帶來了豐富的字體和詞彙

whose modern descendants have become part

這些詞彙隨著年代的變遷

of our everyday vernacular.

已成為我們日常生活中的用語。

Their word for window was related to the Old Norse word

他們的 “窗” 與古挪威語的

for the same architectural feature,

“窗口" (vindauga) 有關，

vindauga.

都是當時的建築特色。

Vindauga was a compound,

“窗口" (vindauga) 是一個複合詞，

composed of two separate words:

從兩個不同的字而形成：

vindr, meaning wind

vindr，是代表風

and auga, meaning eye.

auga，代表眼睛。

The word vindauga was probably quite old,

“窗" (vindauga) 這個詞可能是很悠久的，

having come into being long before

從窗還不是玻璃製的時候，

windows were made of glass.

“窗” 這個字已經誕生了。

This type of metaphoric compound,

這種類型的隱喻複合詞，

called a kenning,

叫做隱喻語 (kenning)，

was very popular in both Norse and Old English.

在古挪威語和古英語裡都是非常普及的。

The beautiful literary trope was used

這種優美的文學比喻

in the Norse word for ship,

在古挪威語裡的 “船” 這個字也能找到，

literally "wave stead."

它的字面是 “替浪”。

And, in the epic poem, "Beowulf,"

還有在 “貝奧武夫” 史詩裡，

where the sea is described as a whale road

大海被形容為一條鯨魚道

and blood is described as battle sweat

而血就被形容為戰汗

and slaughter dew.

和殺戮之露。

From its literal yet lyrical beginning,

從它直白卻也抒情的開始，

the word window has expanded

窗這個詞已經超越了

beyond its concrete definition

其具體的定義。

as a construction or design element

它不止是一個建築或設計的元素

to be used figuratively

而是可以用作比喻，

in phrases like the poetic

就像這句詩意的片語：

"window of opportunity."

“機會之窗” (window of opportunity)。