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What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
【英文學習】
很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“The theologians respectfully discussed points of doctrine that separated them, knowing that, in the end, their beliefs generally emanated from the same divine ballpark.”
「幾位神學家帶著敬意，討論彼此不同的教義論點，明白深究起來，他們的信仰源自同一個神聖的競技場。」
A “ballpark” is a place where outdoor ball games are played. Baseball. American football. Soccer. Lacrosse. Rugby. In each case, the playing field for the athletes is a manicured grassy field with lines that denote in and out of bounds and other linear markers that conform to a game’s rules and regulations. Usually the playing field is surrounded by areas where fans of a game can stand or sit while they watch the athletes play. Fans of opposing teams generally gather on opposite sides of the playing field, yet all are well within the confines of the same ballpark.
“Ballpark” 指進行棒球、橄欖球、足球、長曲棍球、英式橄欖球等戶外球賽的場地，通常球員在修剪整齊的草皮上比賽，場上畫了線區分場內外，並依照比賽規則畫有不同的場地線。場外通常有一塊區域，讓球迷或站或坐，觀看比賽。兩隊的球迷通常分踞場地兩側，不過都位在該場地範圍內。
The author of the sentence about a meeting of academic religious leaders uses “ballpark” to assert the commonality of the theologians’ faiths. The theologians may be, as it were, on opposite sides of the playing field on a particular doctrinal point and fully prepared to defend their respective positions. Yet they understand that all are “fans” of God and, in all likelihood, will line up on the same side of many secular issues. Consequently, many of their different beliefs can be said to have originated in the same “divine ballpark” as the beliefs of their rivals.
本句討論宗教學術領導人會面，用了 “ballpark”（球場、競技場）一字，表明神學家的信仰是共通的。神學家就像過去一樣，對某個教義論點分執不同意見，佔據競技場兩側，且準備引經據典捍衛自己的立場。然而，他們明白自己都是神的「球迷」，無論如何，在許多世俗議題上都站在同一陣線。因此，許多歧異的理念可以說其實都與對方的理念一樣，源自同一個 “divine ballpark”（神聖的競技場）。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“The theologians respectfully discussed points of doctrine that separated them, knowing that, in the end, their beliefs generally emanated from the same divine ballpark.”
「幾位神學家帶著敬意，討論彼此不同的教義論點，明白深究起來，他們的信仰源自同一個神聖的競技場。」
A “ballpark” is a place where outdoor ball games are played. Baseball. American football. Soccer. Lacrosse. Rugby. In each case, the playing field for the athletes is a manicured grassy field with lines that denote in and out of bounds and other linear markers that conform to a game’s rules and regulations. Usually the playing field is surrounded by areas where fans of a game can stand or sit while they watch the athletes play. Fans of opposing teams generally gather on opposite sides of the playing field, yet all are well within the confines of the same ballpark.
“Ballpark” 指進行棒球、橄欖球、足球、長曲棍球、英式橄欖球等戶外球賽的場地，通常球員在修剪整齊的草皮上比賽，場上畫了線區分場內外，並依照比賽規則畫有不同的場地線。場外通常有一塊區域，讓球迷或站或坐，觀看比賽。兩隊的球迷通常分踞場地兩側，不過都位在該場地範圍內。
The author of the sentence about a meeting of academic religious leaders uses “ballpark” to assert the commonality of the theologians’ faiths. The theologians may be, as it were, on opposite sides of the playing field on a particular doctrinal point and fully prepared to defend their respective positions. Yet they understand that all are “fans” of God and, in all likelihood, will line up on the same side of many secular issues. Consequently, many of their different beliefs can be said to have originated in the same “divine ballpark” as the beliefs of their rivals.
本句討論宗教學術領導人會面，用了 “ballpark”（球場、競技場）一字，表明神學家的信仰是共通的。神學家就像過去一樣，對某個教義論點分執不同意見，佔據競技場兩側，且準備引經據典捍衛自己的立場。然而，他們明白自己都是神的「球迷」，無論如何，在許多世俗議題上都站在同一陣線。因此，許多歧異的理念可以說其實都與對方的理念一樣，源自同一個 “divine ballpark”（神聖的競技場）。