#EZTalk #你不知道的美國大小事 #新專欄上線
全美瘋⚾棒球：Baseball Idioms 棒球用語第一彈！
🇺🇸 棒球可說是美國全民運動，因此美式英文中有許多跟棒球相關的諺語，今天就先來認識一些：
1. hit a home run
2. step up to the plate
3. strike out
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Developed in New England in the mid-1800s, baseball had become America’s national sport by the end of the century. Even today, the sport is known as “America’s pastime,” so it’s no wonder that there are many baseball-related idioms in American English.
What’s the biggest achievement for a baseball player? Hitting a home run, of course. So📍 “hit a home run” has also become an idiom meaning “to succeed at sth.” Ex: I think I really hit a home run on my English test.
When batters step up to the plate, it’s their responsibility to try and score, so 📍 “step up to the plate” can also mean “to take responsibility for doing sth.” Ex: After Bob quit, Allan stepped up to the plate and led the project.
The worst thing a batter can do when he steps up to the plate is strike out by missing the ball three times, ending his turn at bat. And so 📍 “strike out” has also come to mean “to fail at sth." Ex: The original movie was popular, but the sequel struck out with audiences.
【📕中譯】
棒球發展於18世紀中葉的新英格蘭，在18世紀末成為風靡全美的國民運動。即使到了現在，一談到美國人的消遣活動，就會想到棒球。也難怪美式英文中出現這麼多與棒球相關的諺語。
對棒球選手來說，最大的成就是什麼？自然是打出全壘打。因此📍hit a home run（打出全壘打）一詞也可以指『成功達成某事』，如I think I really hit a home run on my English test.（我想我真的高分通過英文考試了。）
打擊手一站上本壘，就要盡力衝回本壘得分，所以📍step up to the plate（踏上本壘）也可指『承擔起做某事的責任』，如After Bob quit, Allan stepped up to the plate and led the project.（鮑伯辭職之後，就由艾倫負責領導該專案。）
對打擊手來說，最糟糕的就是站上壘包卻被三振出局。所以📍strike out（三振出局）也指『失敗、砸鍋』，如 The original movie was popular, but the sequel struck out with audiences.（該電影第一集相當賣座，可續集卻被觀眾罵慘了。）
【✍關鍵單字】
1. New England：「新英格蘭地區」，位於美國東北角，包括美國東北角六州在內，Boston是其中最大城市。
2. pastime：「消遣、娛樂」
3. batter：「打擊手」， bat 指「球棒」。
4. the plate：step up to the plate 的 plate指「本壘板」，即 home plate。
圖片取自 Shutterstock.com
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