Almost everyone who has visited a foreign country on vacation has purchased items to remember their trip. We sometimes buy gifts for others, but just as often, people buy things for themselves. The history of buying items to remember a place or experience stretches back thousands of years.
The word “souvenir” comes from French and means “memory.” It entered the English language in the late 1700s as a word for items that remind people of specific places or periods in the past. Of course, the tradition of collecting items from one’s travels goes back much farther than that. Many wealthy travelers in the ancient world, whether from Egypt, Greece, or China, would collect unique and exotic items to share stories and impress people back home.
However, some of the first items that became popular with the masses were actually religious in nature. In the ancient world, pilgrims visiting holy sites would collect rocks or pieces of wood in hopes that the item would bring them blessings or good luck. Eventually, merchants at these sites realized lots of money could be made by offering small objects or trinkets to the passing pilgrims. In Medieval Europe, visitors to famous cities or cathedrals would collect metal pendants or wood carvings of saints. This was somewhat similar to how tourists today collect keychains or fridge magnets from their vacations.
Photo: AdobeStock: I照片：AdobeStock
As industrialization changed society in the late 1800s and early 1900s, travel became increasingly accessible to greater numbers of people. Likewise, the mass production of items marketed specifically to tourists increased exponentially. While it’s wonderful to have a special item that reminds you of a pleasant trip, unfortunately, the rise in consumer tourism has created a few problems.
幾乎每個到過國外旅遊的人都會買一些物品以讓自己記得這趟旅行。我們有時會為他人買禮物，但同樣地，人們也經常為自己買禮物。買個物品以記住一個地方或體驗的歷史可以追溯到數千年前。
「souvenir」一詞源自法語，意思是「回憶」。這個詞彙於1700年代晚期進入英語，用來描述能讓人回憶起特定地方或過去某個時期的物品。當然，於旅行期間蒐集物品的傳統遠遠比那年代還悠久。古代世界中許多富裕的旅行者 ── 無論來自埃及、希臘還是中國 ── 都會蒐集獨特且具有異國風情的物品，以在回到家鄉時分享故事並讓人留下深刻印象。
然而，一些最早受到大眾歡迎的物品實際上具有宗教性質。在古代世界，造訪聖地的朝聖者會蒐集岩石或木片，希望這些物品能帶給他們祝福或好運。最終，這些地方的商人意識到可以為經過的朝聖者提供小型物品或小裝飾品來賺取大筆財富。在中世紀的歐洲，造訪著名城市或大教堂的旅客會蒐集金屬垂飾或木雕聖人像。這有點類似於今日的遊客度假時會蒐集鑰匙圈或冰箱磁鐵。
隨著1800年代晚期到1900年代初期工業化改變了社會，旅行對更多數人來說變得更加可及。同樣地，專門銷售給遊客之物品的大規模生產成倍增長。雖然擁有一件可以讓你回憶起愉快旅行的特別物品是件美好的事，但不幸的是，消費旅遊的增加也帶來了一些問題。
Word in Use
1. purchase vt. 購買
Jason recently purchased a large tract of land in the mountains.
傑森最近在山區買了一大片土地。
2. stretch vi. 延伸
The investigation stretched for more than three years.
這項調查歷時逾三年。
3. exotic a. 異國情調的
Elaina loves to look for antiques and exotic goods at bazaars.
伊蓮娜很喜歡在市集尋找古董以及有異國風味的商品。
4. religious a. 宗教的
The religious ceremony took place at midnight on Christmas Eve.
那場宗教儀式在聖誕夜的午夜時分舉行。
5. holy a. 神聖的
The Bible is a holy book to all Christians.
對所有基督徒而言，聖經是本神聖的書。
Practical Phrases
1. remind sb of sb/sth
令某人想起某人∕某事物
The smell of pipe tobacco reminds me of my grandfather.
菸斗用的菸草味道使我想起我爺爺。
2. in nature 在本質上
Despite having different settings, all of the author’s novels are romantic in nature.
儘管設定不同，但該作者的所有小說本質上都是浪漫的。
3. in hopes + that 子句 希望……
Sean told his wife the truth in hopes that she would forgive him.
尚恩向他太太據實以告，希望她會原諒他。
4. be / become accessible to sb 對某人而言容易取得∕使用
accessible a. 可取得的；易使用的
All government information should be accessible to the public.
政府的所有資訊應該讓民眾容易取得。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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