From News Event Comes Common Expressions
詞匯掌故:“別喝迷魂湯”和“斯德哥爾摩綜合征”
Hello and welcome to another Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
歡迎收聽美國之音慢速英語詞匯掌故節(jié)目。
Each week we tell the story of words and expressions used in American English.
每周我們都會講述美式英語中的一些詞語和短語。
Today, we talk about two phrases that were ripped from the headlines, meaning they both came into the language from news events that were covered extensively in the press.
今天我們講述兩條摘自頭條新聞的短語,也就是說,這兩條短語都是從廣泛報(bào)道的新聞事件中進(jìn)入英語語言當(dāng)中的。
The first is Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm is, of course, a big city in Sweden. Syndrome is a condition.
第一條短語就是斯德哥爾摩綜合征。斯德哥爾摩是瑞士的一個(gè)大城市,綜合征是一種病癥。
Stockholm syndrome is a type of brainwashing, a psychological condition. It describes a situation where a person held captive develops positive feelings toward their captors.
斯德哥爾摩綜合征是一種強(qiáng)行洗腦,它是一種心理疾病。它描述了被囚禁者對囚禁他們的人產(chǎn)生正面情感的這樣一種狀況。
This expression comes from a failed bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. In August of 1973 bank robbers held four employees captive in the bank for six days.
這條短語出自瑞典斯德哥爾摩市一次失敗的銀行搶劫案。1973年8月,銀行搶劫犯把這四名雇員在銀行里挾持了6天。
In time, the captives developed a strong connection with their captors. One captive allegedly said she was afraid the police would try to rescue them and endanger the captors.
經(jīng)過一段時(shí)間,這些被挾持者同挾持者產(chǎn)生了緊密聯(lián)系。據(jù)說一名被挾持者表示,她擔(dān)心警察會試圖救出他們并危及挾持者。
You may hear the phrase Stockholm syndrome in news reports where kidnapped people refuse to leave their captors after living in captivity for a long time. Fearing for their lives, these people have learned how to survive the best way they can. Connecting with their captors is their coping mechanism.
你可能會在被綁架者長時(shí)間被綁架后拒絕離開綁架者的新聞報(bào)道中聽到斯德哥爾摩綜合征這個(gè)詞。由于擔(dān)心自己的性命,這些受害者已經(jīng)學(xué)會盡自己最大可能活下去。他們與綁架者的關(guān)系就是他們的應(yīng)對機(jī)制。
We also use Stockholm syndrome to describe people who stay in unhealthy and sometimes even abusive relationships.
我們還使用斯德哥爾摩綜合征來描述一些保持病態(tài)、有時(shí)候甚至是虐待關(guān)系的人們。
A famous example of Stockholm syndrome here in the U.S. relates to a wealthy heiress named Patty Hearst. In 1974 a group called the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Hearst, the 19-year-old grand-daughter of a wealthy newspaper owner.
斯德哥爾摩綜合征在美國一個(gè)著名的例子涉及到一位名為帕蒂·赫斯特(Patty Hearst)的女性富二代。1974年,一家名為共生軍的組織綁架了赫斯特,19歲的她是一位報(bào)業(yè)富豪的孫女。
Several weeks after her kidnapping, Hearst helped her captors rob a bank in California. Then she ran from authorities. Finally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Hearst, and lawyers charged her with armed bank robbery.
在她被綁架的幾個(gè)星期之后,赫斯特幫助她的綁架者在加州搶劫了一家銀行。然后她從政府手里跑了。最終,聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局逮捕了赫斯特,律師指控她持槍搶劫銀行。
Hearst said she was a victim of brainwashing. She claimed she was abused by her captors and afraid for her life. Many professionals said she suffered from Stockholm syndrome. The court, however, did not agree. She was sentenced to 35 years in jail, but she only served two.
赫斯特說,她是強(qiáng)行洗腦的受害者。她聲稱自己受到綁架者虐待,擔(dān)心自己性命不保。很多專業(yè)人士都稱她患上了斯德哥爾摩綜合征。然而法院不這么認(rèn)為,她被判處35年監(jiān)禁,但是只坐了兩年牢。
With help, people who are brainwashed can unlearn this coping mechanism. However, recovery is much more difficult for those who have drunk the Kool-Aid.
經(jīng)過幫助,被洗腦者可以遺忘這種應(yīng)對機(jī)制。然而,喝過迷魂湯的人要康復(fù)可就難多了。
Let's say someone believes in something with all their heart and soul. That something can be a social cause, a political movement or the person in charge. If they are so wrapped up in the cause, movement or person – to the point where they are unable to think for themselves – we say they have drunk the Kool-Aid.
假設(shè)有人全身心的信任某事物,這樣事物可能是某項(xiàng)社會事業(yè)、政治運(yùn)動(dòng)或是某位領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人。如果沉迷在這項(xiàng)事業(yè)、運(yùn)動(dòng)或是人之中達(dá)到了忘記自我的境界,我們就說他們喝了迷魂湯。
But what is Kool-Aid and how does drinking it relate to brainwashing?
但是Kool-Aid是什么呢?喝這個(gè)怎么會和洗腦產(chǎn)生關(guān)聯(lián)?
Kool-Aid is a flavored, sweet drink that was once very popular with American children. However, to drink the Kool-Aid is to accept the beliefs of another person or organization completely.
Kool-Aid是一種加了風(fēng)味甜飲,一度在美國很受兒童歡迎。然而,喝迷魂湯(to drink the Kool-Aid )是指完全接受其他個(gè)人或組織的理念。
This expression comes from a very dark, disturbing event that happened in 1978.
這條短語出自發(fā)生在1978年的一次非常黑暗的、令人不安的事件。
An American named Jim Jones was operating a utopian community in Guyana, South America called Jonestown. But according to former members and eyewitnesses, Jonestown was not a utopia. It was a cult and a prison. Members were not allowed to leave nor were they fed properly. And Jones claimed the role of father figure over everyone.
美國人吉姆·瓊斯(Jim Jones)在南美圭亞那經(jīng)營著一個(gè)名為瓊斯鎮(zhèn)的烏托邦社區(qū)。但是根據(jù)前成員和目擊者所言,瓊斯鎮(zhèn)并不是烏托邦,而是一種邪教和監(jiān)獄。成員們不允許離開,過得也不好。而瓊斯宣稱自己是所有人的父親角色。
Former members of the cult who managed to escape asked the U.S. government to get involved. So, U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and several journalists went to Guyana to investigate. At the airport as the group was preparing to leave, a cult member shot at the group. On the runway, he killed Ryan, several journalists and a fleeing cult member.
成功逃離的前邪教成員請求美國政府介入。因此,美國國會議員利奧·瑞恩(Leo Ryan)和幾名記者前往圭亞那調(diào)查。該團(tuán)隊(duì)在機(jī)場準(zhǔn)備離開時(shí),一位邪教成員槍擊了這個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)。在跑道上,他殺了瑞恩、幾位記者以及一位要離開的邪教成員。
Before the U.S. government could act, Jim Jones asked his followers to kill themselves by drinking a sweet, flavored beverage. The drink contained poison. More than 900 of his followers drank it -- some willingly, some forced.
在美國政府得以行動(dòng)前,瓊斯要求追隨者喝一種甜味飲料自殺。這種飲料中摻有毒藥。900多名追隨者喝了下去,有些是自愿,有些是被迫。
The massacre led to the expression "don't drink the Kool-Aid."
這場大屠殺產(chǎn)生了“don't drink the Kool-Aid”這條短語。
As an historical note, the beverage that contained the poison was not actually Kool-Aid but another similar brand called Flavor-Aid. This detail, however, does not change the expression. Nor does its terrible origin stop people from using it.
作為歷史的注解,含有毒藥的飲料實(shí)際上并不是Kool-Aid,而是類似品牌Flavor-Aid。然而這個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)不會改變這條短語,其可怕起源也不能阻止人們繼續(xù)使用這條短語。
In fact, in 2012 editors at Forbes included "drink the Kool-Aid" in that magazine's List of Most Annoying Business Jargon.
實(shí)際上,福布斯雜志編輯在2012年將“drink the Kool-Aid”列入了該雜志最討厭的商業(yè)行話的名單之中。
Despite the dark origins of both "drink the Kool-aid" and "Stockholm syndrome," they are both used today in serious and non-serious situations.
盡管“別喝迷魂湯”和“斯德哥爾摩綜合征”這兩條短語起源非常黑暗,它們?nèi)缃穸荚诟鞣N嚴(yán)肅和非嚴(yán)肅場合中被用到。
I'm Anna Matteo.
安娜·馬特奧報(bào)道。
Hello and welcome to another Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
Each week we tell the story of words and expressions used in American English.
Today, we talk about two phrases that were ripped from the headlines, meaning they both came into the language from news events that were covered extensively in the press.
The first is Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm is, of course, a big city in Sweden. Syndrome is a condition.
Stockholm syndrome is a type of brainwashing, a psychological condition. It describes a situation where a person held captive develops positive feelings toward their captors.
This expression comes from a failed bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. In August of 1973 bank robbers held four employees captive in the bank for six days.
In time, the captives developed a strong connection with their captors. One captive allegedly said she was afraid the police would try to rescue them and endanger the captors.
You may hear the phrase Stockholm syndrome in news reports where kidnapped people refuse to leave their captors after living in captivityfor a long time. Fearing for their lives, these people have learned how to survive the best way they can. Connecting with their captors is theircoping mechanism.
We also use Stockholm syndrome to describe people who stay in unhealthy and sometimes even abusive relationships.
A famous example of Stockholm syndrome here in the U.S. relates to a wealthy heiress named Patty Hearst. In 1974 a group called the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Hearst, the 19-year-old grand-daughter of a wealthy newspaper owner.
Several weeks after her kidnapping, Hearst helped her captors rob a bank in California. Then she ran from authorities. Finally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Hearst, and lawyers charged her with armed bank robbery.
Hearst said she was a victim of brainwashing. She claimed she was abused by her captors and afraid for her life. Many professionals said she suffered from Stockholm syndrome. The court, however, did not agree. She was sentenced to 35 years in jail, but she only served two.
With help, people who are brainwashed can unlearn this coping mechanism. However, recovery is much more difficult for those who have drunk the Kool-Aid.
Let's say someone believes in something with all their heart and soul. That something can be a social cause, a political movement or the person in charge. If they are so wrapped up in the cause, movement or person – to the point where they are unable to think for themselves – we say they have drunk the Kool-Aid.
But what is Kool-Aid and how does drinking it relate to brainwashing?
Kool-Aid is a flavored, sweet drink that was once very popular with American children. However, to drink the Kool-Aid is to accept the beliefs of another person or organization completely.
This expression comes from a very dark, disturbing event that happened in 1978.
An American named Jim Jones was operating a utopian community in Guyana, South America called Jonestown. But according to former members and eyewitnesses, Jonestown was not autopia. It was a cult and a prison. Members were not allowed to leave nor were they fed properly. And Jones claimed the role of father figure over everyone.
Former members of the cult who managed to escape asked the U.S. government to get involved. So, U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and several journalists went to Guyana to investigate. At the airport as the group was preparing to leave, a cult member shot at the group. On the runway, he killed Ryan, several journalists and a fleeing cult member.
Before the U.S. government could act, Jim Jones asked his followers to kill themselves by drinking a sweet, flavored beverage. The drink contained poison. More than 900 of his followers drank it -- some willingly, some forced.
The massacre led to the expression "don't drink the Kool-Aid."
As an historical note, the beverage that contained the poison was not actually Kool-Aid but another similar brand called Flavor-Aid. This detail, however, does not change the expression. Nor does its terrible origin stop people from using it.
In fact, in 2012 editors at Forbes included "drink the Kool-Aid" in that magazine's List of Most Annoying Business Jargon.
Despite the dark origins of both "drink the Kool-aid" and "Stockholm syndrome," they are both used today in serious and non-serious situations.
I'm Anna Matteo.
____________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
captive – adj. captured and kept in a prison, cage, etc.
captor – n. someone who has captured a person and is keeping that person as a prisoner
captivity – n. the state of being kept in a place (such as a prison or a cage) and not being able to leave or be free : the state or condition of being captive
coping mechanism – n. Psychology : an adaptation to environmental stress that is based on conscious or unconscious choice and that enhances control over behavior or gives psychological comfort.
heiress – n. a girl or woman who inherits a large amount of money
wrapped up – adj. If someone is wrapped up in a particular person or thing, they spend nearly all their time thinking about them, so that they forget about other things that may be important.
utopian – adj. impossibly ideal : utopia – n. an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect
cult – n. a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous
father figure – n. an older man who is respected and admired like a father
massacre – n. the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty
jargon – n. the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people
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