پادکست VOA: اصطلاحات انگلیسی – برو بترکون!

سلام با هفتادوششمین قسمت از مجموعه “Words and Their Stories” (کلمات و داستان آن ها) از سری پادکست‌های VOA در خدمت شما هستیم. این مجموعه پادکست به توضیح اصطلاحات رایج زبان انگلیسی، داستان ایجاد شدنشون و نحوه استفاده از آن ها در مکالمه می پردازه. در این قسمت از پادکست VOA: اصطلاحات انگلیسی – برو بترکون! قراره با کاربرد، تاریخچه و معنی اصطلاح “to break a leg” (شکوندن پا!) آشنا بشی. در کنارش چندین اصطلاح و کلمه ی جالب و کاربردی دیگه هم یاد میگیری که لیست این کلمه ها به همراه معنی اون ها در پایان مطلب قرار گرفته.

اصطلاح “to break a leg” (شکوندن پا!) اصلا ربطی به شکستگی و زدوخورد نداره! این اصطلاح خیلی رایج رو برای آرزوی موفقیت کردن استفاده می کنیم و در مواقعی به کار می بریم که کسی می خواد بره تو مسابقه شرکت کنه یا امتحان بده یا یه کاری این مدلی انجام بده. تو فارسی اینجور وقتها میگیم: “برو بترکون!”

VOA – Words and Their Stories – 76: ‘Break a Leg Means Good Luck’

متن انگلیسی پادکست VOA: اصطلاحات انگلیسی – برو بترکون!:

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

On this program we explore words and expressions in American English.

Today, we take another trip to the exciting world of live theater. For many performers — dancers, singers and actors — appearing on Broadway is a dream come true!

Broadway is one of New York City’s first roads and longest. It is also one of the most famous!

Broadway’s Theater District is between 42^nd and 53^rd Streets in downtown Manhattan. This part of Broadway is the heart of American theater.

Broadway was also one of the first streets in New York City to get electric lights. That is why some people call it the “Great White Way.”

They say the neon lights on Broadway.

They say there’s always magic in the air.

At night, the lights of Broadway seemed to shine brighter than the stars in the sky. And then there are the stars of Broadway’s stages.

To make it on Broadway you have to be very good. But you also have to be tough. Performing, in general, comes with a lot of rejection. Actors usually have many doors closed in their faces before other doors, hopefully, open.

But even if you are hard-working and gifted, you may also need something else to succeed on Broadway – luck!

​Maybe that is why theater people are so superstitious. They have customs or behaviors that many non-theater people may find strange.

Take for example, the expression “to break a leg.” This may sound violent. But it is not. We often say this to wish people good luck.

In the theater, you should never wish an actor “good luck.” That is considered to be unlucky. (I told you. They have strange customs.)

Instead, you should say to them, “Break a leg!”

But why? It hardly seems like a nice thing to wish on anyone.

Well, there are several explanations.

One comes from the wings, or the side areas of a stage in a theater. In the wings, you will find what is called a “leg line.” If an actor passes this line, people in the audience are able to see them. So, this line helps an actor waiting in the wings stay hidden from the audience before going on stage.

However, it was a good thing, and even lucky, to cross or break the leg line. This meant they were supposed to be on stage and performing. So, an actor who broke the leg line would get paid — a very good thing, indeed!

Another explanation comes from the superstitious nature of theater people.

To keep bad luck out of a performance, they may try to trick the gods or universe or whatever. They do this by saying something bad — in this case, “break a leg.”

We may not know exactly how this wish of good luck got started. But we do know that it is much better to tell an actor to “break a leg” — instead of “good luck.”

It may come from the theater, but you can say it to anyone who needs a little luck. You can tell a friend “break a leg” before they give a speech at a wedding or a big presentation at work.

Well, you can say this to almost anyone. I would not say “break a leg” to a dancer or an athlete. They may take it the wrong way.

لیست واژگان این پادکست

tough (سخت و محکم) – adj. physically and emotionally strong : able to do hard work, to deal with harsh conditions, etc.

superstition (خرافات) – n. a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck : a belief that certain events or things will bring good or bad luck : superstitious (آدم خرافه ای) – adj. of, relating to, or influenced by superstition

audience (حضار) – n. a group of people who gather together to listen to something (such as a concert) or watch something (such as a movie or play) : the people who attend a performance

امیدوارم از پادکست VOA: اصطلاحات انگلیسی – برو بترکون! لذت برده باشید. برای دسترسی به قسمت های دیگر این پادکست می توانید از صفحه ی پادکست VOA – اصطلاحات انگلیسی آکادمی مجازی آموزش زبان ۲۴talk دیدن کنید.

همچنین برای گوش دادن به پادکست های سطح بندی شده British Council می توانید به صفحه ی پادکست British Council آکادمی مجازی آموزش زبان ۲۴talk یا برای گوش دادن به پادکست های BBC به صفحه ی پادکست ۶ دقیقه انگلیسی (BBC) آکادمی مجازی آموزش زبان ۲۴talk مراجعه کنید.

گوش دادن به پادکست روش خوبی برای تقویت مهارت شنیداری و هم چنین یادگرفتن کلمات در بستر یک موضوع خاصه که این به تقویت مهارت مکالمه انگلیسی نیز کمک زیادی می کنه.

اگه دنبال این هستی که مهارت های مکالمه زبان انگلیسیت رو بیشتر از این تقویت کنی بهت پیشنهاد میکنم در دوره‌ی مکالمه زبان انگلیسی آکادمی مجازی آموزش زبان انگلیسی ۲۴talk شرکت کنی که با یه برنامه منسجم و خلاقانه کمک میکنه در زمان کوتاه بتونی به راحتی و روانی انگلیسی صحبت کنی.