Mysteries of vernacular: Jade - Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel

字源探秘：Jade - Jessica Oreck 與 Rachael Teel

譯者: Geoff Chen 審譯者: Hao-Wei Chang

Mysteries of vernacular:

字源探秘：

Jade,

Jade (玉)

a hard, typically green stone.

一枚硬的、通常是綠色的石頭

Until relatively recently,

一直到晚近為止

gemstones were believed

人們都還認為

to have magical, medicinal properties,

寶石有神奇的藥用療效

and nothing was more effective

而且沒有什麼比玉石

at treating a kidney disorder than jade.

在治療腎功能障礙上更有效了

In the 16th century,

十六世紀時

the Spanish returned from the New World

西班牙人從新世界返國

with the mineral in their cargo holds

在他們的貨艙內，藏有一種礦石

and christened it, "piedra de la ijada,"

他們將它命名為「piedra de la ijada」

or loin stone.

或「loin stone」

It quickly became popular throughout Europe,

它迅速席捲整個歐洲，成為受歡迎的寶石

both as a cure for internal ailments

因為它既可作為內科治療之用

and as a decorative ornament

也可作為居家飾品

and was renamed jade by the French,

之後，法國人將它更名為 Jade

a word that was borrowed by the English

一個從英文借來的單字

and remains in use to this day.

至今人們仍在使用

In the 19th century,

到了十九世紀的時候

French mineralogists discovered

法國礦物學家發現

that jade was being used

Jade 被用來

to describe two distinct minerals:

描述兩種不同的礦物：

jadeite, which takes its name from jade,

翡翠 (Jadeite) 以 Jade 的名字命名

and the more common nephrite,

以及更常見的軟玉 (Nephrite)

the root of which is the Greek word nephros,

它的字根是希臘文 Nephros

meaning kidney.

意指腎

In addition to describing these two minerals,

除了描述這兩種礦物

jade also has an English homonym.

Jade 也有英文的諧音

With roots that predate the popularity

它的字根早於人們普遍熟知的

of the lustral gemstone,

lustral gemstone（除邪寶石）

jade was used to refer to

Jade 要不是被用來泛指

either a disreputable woman

名聲不好的女人

or a broken-down horse.

就是被用來形容落魄的馬

Thus, the word jaded, meaning worn out

因此，Jaded 這個詞的意思是破舊

or lacking enthusiasm,

或缺乏熱情

has nothing to do with the gemstone,

它其實與寶石毫無關係

and instead, comes from the archaic,

相反地，它源自一種

equine-related definition.

古老的、與馬有關的定義