VOA词汇掌故2023--Why Is This Bird a 'Burden'?

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short conversations.

Many English expressions come from the world of animals. And, today we talk about a seabird called an albatross. An albatross is a large web-footed seabird. In fact, this family of seabirds includes some of the largest. They have long thin wings and are excellent gliders². To glide¹ means to move smoothly³, silently, and effortlessly.

Considering that an albatross can fly seemingly without effort, it is a bit surprising how we use the word in conversations.

An albatross describes something – a burden – that weighs heavily on us and prevents us from accomplishing something. It can be a problem that does not go away. This problem makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something.

An albatross can also be something that gets in our way – a roadblock that keeps us from getting what we want. It hinders us. Or if you prefer the noun – it is a hinderance to our success or to our ability to be happy. Some describe an albatross as a mental burden.

For example: Her never-ending search for fame and fortune became an albatross to a normal, happy life.

Here is another example: His albatross was his huge credit card debt. It weighed heavily on every decision he made.

So, how did the name of this large, graceful⁴ bird come to have this meaning? On Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, experts explain that this usage of the word comes from European sea mythology⁵.

Albatrosses are known for following ships at sea. They can glide for long periods of time without flapping their wings. So, some sailors had superstitious⁶ beliefs about the birds. A superstition⁷ is a belief that certain things or events will bring good or bad luck.

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 1798 poem The Rime⁸ of the Ancient Mariner⁹, a sailor kills an albatross that had been following his ship. As punishment and proof that he killed the bird, the crew hung the large seabird from the sailor's neck.

To this day, the albatross remains¹⁰ a symbol for something that causes extreme guilt¹¹ or something that is a great burden.

Words in This Story

glide – v. to move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly

hinder – v. to make slow or difficult the progress of something

fame – n. the fact or condition of being known to the public

fortune – n. a very large sum of money

mythology – n. stories dealing¹² with the gods and heroes of a particular people

flap – v. to move or cause to move with a beating motion

symbol – n. something that stands for something else especially : something real that stands for or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured or shown

1 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

2 gliders   

n.滑翔机( glider的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The albatross is the king of gliders. 信天翁是滑翔鸟类之王。 来自《用法词典》
• For three summers, may bested and improved their gliders. 他们花了三个夏天不断地测试、改进。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

3 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

4 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

5 mythology   

n.神话，神话学，神话集

参考例句：

• In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
• He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。

6 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

7 superstition   

n.迷信，迷信行为

参考例句：

• It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
• Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。

8 rime   

n.白霜；v.使蒙霜

参考例句：

• The field was covered with rime in the early morning.清晨地里覆盖着一层白霜。
• Coleridge contributed the famous Rime of the Ancient Mariner.柯勒律治贡献了著名的《老水手之歌》。

9 mariner   

n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者

参考例句：

• A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.平静的大海决不能造就熟练的水手。
• A mariner must have his eye upon rocks and sands as well as upon the North Star.海员不仅要盯着北极星，还要注意暗礁和险滩。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。