Have you ever encountered abbreviations like “vs.” or “a.m.” and thought about their origins or pronunciation? These terms are leftovers of ancient Latin. For centuries, no one has claimed Latin as their mother tongue, yet many of us unknowingly use this language daily. Let’s explore three common Latin terms used in everything from casual chats to formal documents.
Etc.
Short for et cetera, etc. translates to “and the remaining things” and is among the most frequently employed Latin abbreviations. It’s a handy way to shorten a long list in writing or speech. Given that cetera conveys the notion of non-living objects, etc. is typically used for items. You can utilize it when mentioning several examples without completely listing every possibility. For instance, when discussing cooking preferences, one might declare, “I adore pasta, seafood, risotto, etc.”
Photo: Freepik / 照片：Freepik提供
P.S.
Postscript, or P.S., adds an afterthought or extra information after a message’s conclusion. It derives from the Latin post scriptum, meaning “written afterward.” This addition is vital for incorporating elements possibly omitted from the principal message. For example, after concluding an e-mail invitation for a road trip, one might add, “P.S. Don’t forget to bring snacks for the journey!”
CV
CV stands for curriculum vitae, which literally means “course of life.” It’s a detailed document of one’s educational and professional experiences and is primarily used when applying for jobs or academic positions and is also called a resume. A student applying for a university scholarship might remark, “I must update my CV to include my recent accomplishments.”
By adopting these classic abbreviations in your language, you can communicate your meaning with a little extra class and give a little more life to a dead language!
你曾經遇過像是「vs.」或「a.m.」這樣的縮寫，並思考它們的起源或發音嗎？這些詞語是古拉丁語的遺留物。幾個世紀以來，已經沒有人把拉丁語當作他們的母語，但我們許多人每天無意中都在使用這種語言。讓我們探討從休閒聊天到正式文件等各種場合中被使用的三個常見拉丁語詞彙。
Etc.
Etc. 是 et cetera 的縮寫，翻譯為「以及其餘的事物」，是最常用的拉丁語縮寫之一。它是在書面或口語中縮短長串清單的便捷方法。鑑於 cetera 傳達了非生命物體的概念，etc. 通常用於列舉物品。你可以在提及幾個範例時使用它，無需完整列出所有可能性。例如，在討論烹飪偏好時，有人可能會說：「我愛義大利麵、海鮮、燉飯之類的。」
P.S.
附筆，或寫作 P.S.，是在訊息結束後添加後續想法或額外資訊。它源自拉丁語 post scriptum，意思是「後來寫的」。這一附加部份對於加入主要訊息中可能省略的元素至關重要。例如，在完成一封關於公路旅行的電子郵件邀請後，人們可能會添加：「附註 別忘了帶旅途中的零食！」
CV
CV 是 curriculum vitae 的縮寫，字面意思是「人生歷程」。它是一份詳細記載個人教育和專業經歷的文件，主要在申請工作或學術職位時使用，也稱為履歷表。一位申請大學獎學金的學生可能會說：「我必須更新我的履歷表，以包含我最近的成就。」
透過在你的語言中採用這些經典縮寫，你可以用更有品味的方式來表達你的意思，同時為一門已逝的語言注入更多生命力！
MORE INFORMATION
abbreviation n. 縮寫；簡稱
leftover n. 殘留物
risotto n. 義式燉飯
postscript n. 附筆；補充說明
afterthought n. 事後想法；後來添加的事物
literally adv. 字面上
KEY VOCABULARY
1. pronunciation n. 發音
How do you say this word? I know what it means, but I don’t know its pronunciation.
這個字要怎麼唸？我知道它的意思，但不知道它的發音。
2. translate v. 翻譯；轉化為
Calvin speaks Spanish really well, so he helped his friend translate some notes from Spanish to English.
卡文非常會講西班牙語，所以他幫他的朋友將一些西班牙文筆記翻成英文。
3. preference n. 喜好；偏愛
Do you have a preference for coffee or tea? We have both.
咖啡和茶你偏好哪一個？我們兩者都有。
4. adore vt. 喜愛；愛慕；崇拜
Jenna adores cats and has several of them; she also wears cat-themed clothing.
珍娜非常愛貓，她有好幾隻貓；她還穿著以貓為主題的衣服。
5. incorporate v. 包含；納入
The artist’s work incorporates elements of European as well as Asian styles.
那位藝術家的作品包含歐洲和亞洲風格的元素。
6. professional adj. 專業的；職業的
The hotel staff is very professional and never gets angry, not even with the bossiest guests.
這家飯店的員工非常專業且從不被激怒，即便遇到最跋扈的賓客也不生氣。
7. resume n. 履歷；摘要
Steve is going to buy a new tie and update his resume because he is pursuing a new job.
史提夫打算買一條新領帶並更新他的履歷，因為他正在尋找一份新工作。
8. remark v. 談論；說
The coach remarked that he was quite satisfied with his team’s performance in the day’s game.
教練說他對球隊今天比賽的表現相當滿意。
9. accomplishment n. 成就；實現；造詣
Finishing your doctoral degree is a big accomplishment; you should be proud!
完成博士學位是一項重大的成就；你應該感到驕傲！
學習音檔: https://magazine.english4u.net/Magdata/menu/vtnnc
《空中美語》雜誌APP免費下載: https://www.english4u.net/apps/index.aspx
免費收聽當月《空中美語》雜誌課文朗讀及解析 !
文章由AMC空中美語授權使用: https://www.english4u.net
Rehearsal time is over. The world’s best and most ambitious young pianists have descended on Warsaw for the Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition — for some, a gateway to classical music glory. Fans from around the globe snapped up tickets as much as a year ago. The lucky ones attended the opening night concert on Oct. 3 and will follow along as the contest builds to a thrilling climax on Oct. 20. Winning the Chopin International — held every five years in the 19th-century composer’s homeland — can raise the curtain to playing at venues across the globe and signing contracts
A: K-pop supergroup Blackpink is finally touring Taiwan again. B: I can’t believe we’re going to Blackpink’s concert at the Kaohsiung National Stadium over this weekend. A: The group has caused a global sensation since it went international in 2020. B: And the four members — Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa — have achieved success as solo artists. A: Seeing them live will be like a dream come true. A: 韓流天團Blackpink終於又來台巡演啦。 B: 真不敢相信我們這週末要去她們在高雄國家體育場的演唱會。 A: 該團自2020年進軍國際，便持續造成全球轟動。 B: 而4位團員––Jisoo、Jennie、Rose、Lisa––單飛也很成功。 A: 這次能去她們的演唱會真是美夢成真！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
Many popular English expressions originate from the world of sports. While their roots lie in athletics, their meanings extend far beyond the playing field. Here are three examples. Hat Trick This expression comes from cricket. When a bowler dismisses a batter, it’s called “taking a wicket.” Taking three wickets in a row is a great achievement, so in the past, a bowler who achieved this was rewarded with a hat. Later, sports like hockey and soccer adopted it to mean scoring three goals in a game. Nowadays, this phrase means to achieve any three successes consecutively, not just in sports. For example,
A: Is K-pop still popular now? B: Sure! The 110,000 tickets for supergroup Blackpink’s two shows to be held this weekend were all snatched up within three minutes. A: Apart from Blackpink, what other K-pop stars are visiting? B: I-dle’s Taiwanese member Yeh Shu-hua, King of K-pop G-Dragon, and Super Junior are all coming soon next month. A: Super Junior’s 2009 hit “Sorry, Sorry” boosted this Korean “Hallyu” to a peak. Let’s go experience SJ’s magic again. A: 韓國流行音樂還是很受歡迎嗎？ B: 當然啦，光是天團Blackpink本週末兩場演唱會，11萬張門票3分鐘內就被秒殺！ A: 除了Blackpink，還有哪些韓國歌手最近會來台？ B: I-dle的台灣成員葉舒華、韓流天王G-Dragon權志龍、Super Junior下月也都將來台。 A: Super Junior 2009年金曲《Sorry, Sorry》曾將「韓流」推上高峰，我們再去重溫一下SJ的魔力吧。
RSS