Names & Titles

"What’s in a name?” According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, not too much. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names and titles matter a great deal.
一個名字到底意味著甚麼呢？根據莎士比亞的名著，羅密歐與茱莉葉，名字裡沒有太
多的意義——「就算給玫瑰取任何其他的名字，它聞起來還是一樣的芬芳。」不過莎
士比亞也許錯了。因為在大部份的文化中，姓名和稱謂可是很重要的呢。
Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a “Jennifer” more attractive than a “Bertha,”for example. The last name, or surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but odd.
美國人會很小心地為孩子取名字，父母們通常會考量的是名字給人的印象，而不是名字
本身的意義。比如說：大部份的美國人會覺得J e n n i f e r這個名字比B e r t h a要來得吸
引人。取第一和第二個名字的時候（註：美國人除了姓和名之外，有些人還有中間的名
字）也要將姓考慮進去。像「雷司特．徹司特．海司特」這樣的名字或許聽起來很詩意
又押韻，其實是很奇怪的名字。
Parents may avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like. On the other hand, people might name their children after a respected older relative or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names—like John and David, Mary and Sarah— have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
有些名字會使父母們想起自己不喜歡的人，他們就會避免使用；另一方面，人們會以一位
敬佩的年長親戚或是名人的名字來替孩子命名。某些名字受歡迎的程度在每一代都不盡相
同。曾經相當普遍的名字像是F a n n y或E l m e r，現今聽起來都過時了，不過有些名字像
是John，David，Mary和Sarah都歷久不衰，仍是大家的最愛。
People in America don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, Beth or Betsy.
美國人通常不是直呼親戚或朋友的名字，而是喊他們的小名，有時候小名就是較長的
名字的簡稱。例如說，名為伊麗莎白 (Elizabeth）的女孩，可能被叫做麗莎 (Lisa）
，貝絲（Beth），或是貝茲 Betsy（Betsy）。

As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. If they consider their nickname childish, they may start using a more adult form. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B.J. or R.C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a “sweet” flavor, like Honey or Sugar.
當孩子們長大了之後，他們可以決定要別人叫他們哪個小名；如果他們覺得小名太幼稚
了，就會開始用一些比較像大人的稱呼方式。有些人乾脆用第一和第二個名字的首字母
作為稱謂，像是B . J .或R . C .。當然，人們還會有一些特殊的暱稱來稱呼他們的孩子或
是甜心。這些暱稱通常有「甜甜」的味道，像是Honey或是Sugar。
In informal settings, people are normally on a first-name basis. Sometimes older
folks even allow young people to call them by their first name. But in most formal situations, people use an appropriate title—such as Mr. (Mister), Ms. (“Miz”), Dr. (doctor) or Prof. (professor)—with a person’s last name. After an introduction, the person may say, for example, "Please call me Tom.” If not, use his or her surname.
在非正式的情況下，人們一般會以名字相稱，有時候長輩甚至允許年輕人喊他們的名字。
不過大部份的正式場合裡，人們會採用適當的稱謂。例如：先生、女士、博士、教授再加
上姓來稱呼人。經過介紹之後，對方可能會說：「請叫我T o m就好了。」否則，還是以他
的姓稱呼之。
Americans still use a few very formal titles which reflect their Old World heritage. The British address their king and queen as Your Majesty; Americans address the judge in a court as Your Honor. Americans speaking to their nation’s leader respectfully call him Mr. President. And many churches refer to their leader as Reverend.
美國人仍會使用一些很正式的稱謂來反映出他們歐洲背景的傳統。英國人稱呼他們的國王
和皇后為殿下，美國人則稱呼法官為閣下；美國人很尊敬地對國家元首說話時，會稱他為
總統先生；而很多教會提到教會的領導者，則以牧師尊稱。
In everyday situations, the polite forms sir and madam (or ma’am)
show a measure of respect. But Americans don’t generally use the names of occupations or positions as formal titles. Students might address their teacher as Mr. (or Ms.) Hudson, but not Teacher Hudson.
在日常生活中，先生或是夫人這樣禮貌的稱謂，表現出相當的尊重。但是美國人一般
不會用職業或是職位的名稱來稱呼人。學生們可能會稱呼他們的老師為哈德森先生
（或女士），而不是哈德森老師。
What’s in a name? A world of significance. So if you’re choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression. As an American politician once remarked, “In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears.”
「名字到底意味甚麼呢？」意義可是很重大的呢！所以如果你正試著為自己
取個英文名字，仔細地選一個好一點的吧。自創的名字對以英語為母語的人而
言，可能聽起來有點奇怪。而直接翻譯你的中文名字可能也不太適合。一個好
名字會留給人持久的好印象，就像一個美國政治家曾經說過的：「有別於莎士
比亞的戲劇的是，在真實的生活中，玫瑰花有多香，就全看它的名字有多好聽了。」



@Word Bank
surname (n) 姓
poetic (adj) 詩意的
given name (n phr) 姓名中的名字的部份
nickname (n) 小名；暱稱
childish (adj) 孩子氣的；幼稚的

first-name basis (n phr) 只以名字相稱的方式

heritage (n) 遺產；傳承
refer to (v phr) 提到

occupation (n) 職業

significance (n) 意義；重要

@The Day's Phrase

People around the world make music in a wide variety of ways
世界各地的人用各種不同方式創造音樂

I guess you're right. We don't need to buy a new photocopier.
我想你是對的，我們不需要買台新影印機。

Tongue exercises can be fun
動動舌頭樂趣多

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
愚妄人怒氣全發，智慧人忍氣含怒。

Happy Moon Festival! Do you have anything special planned for tonight?
中秋節快樂! 你今晚有沒有什麼特別的計劃?

Plain living among the rolling hills of Pennsylvania
賓州綿延起伏山丘間的樸實生活

I like that watch over there. How much is it?
我喜歡那邊那支錶。多少錢呢？

You can buy all kinds of bread at that bakery. You name it, they have it.
你可以在那家麵包店買到各式各樣的麵包。只要你說得出來的，他們都有。

Six steps to help you spring-clean your mind, body and emotions
讓你的身心及情緒春季大掃除的六個步驟

What time is it? I need to take the six o'clock train to Taichung.
現在幾點了？我要搭六點那班火車去台中。

Randall has no idea what's happening. He's clueless.
藍德爾根本不知道發生什麼事。他毫無頭緒。

We definitely don't have any more overdue bills. I checked that.
我們肯定沒有逾期未付的帳單，我查過了。

Size matters in Japan's national sport
在日本國技相撲裡，體型是關鍵

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
一句話說得合宜，就如金蘋果在銀網子裏。

One family describes their adoption experience
家庭領養經驗談

A-Rod does something nice for a family member, still gets trashed in the tabs.