詞彙掌故-滾石不生苔
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
現在是美國之音慢速英語詞彙掌故節目時間。
On today's program, we will talk about the expression: A rolling stone gathers no moss.
在今天的節目中，我們將討論這句表達：滾石不生苔。
Most of you probably know that a stone is the same thing as a rock. But what about moss?
你們中的大部分人可能都知道，stone跟rock是一個東西。但是苔蘚是什麼呢？
Well, moss is a very soft, green plant. It has very small leaves and does not flower. It loves shade and water. So, moss grows well on wet ground, trees and rocks. In fact, rocks and stones that line shady creeks and rivers are often mossy.
嗯，苔蘚是一種非常柔軟的綠色植物。它的葉子很小，不開花。它喜歡陰涼和水分。所以，苔蘚在潮溼的地面、樹木和巖石上長得很好。實際上，在小溪及河流的背陰處羅列的石頭上經常長滿了苔蘚。
Moss grows slowly and is a rootless plant. It spreads well over non-moving surfaces. In fact, to prevent moss from growing on stones in your garden, you can just move the rocks around, turning them over now and then.
苔蘚生長緩慢，是一種無根植物。它完美地散布在固定的表面上。實際上，為了防止苔蘚在你花園裡的石頭上生長，你只需要不時將石頭移動一下，翻動一下。
Why? Because "A rolling stone gathers no moss."
為什麼呢？因為滾石不生苔。
Now, years ago this expression was covered in another Words and Their Stories. That story explained the expression's connection to rock-and-roll. Writer Shelley Gollust explained that "a rolling stone gathers no moss" can be understood in a couple of ways.
幾年前在另一篇詞彙掌故的文章中提到了這個短語。那篇文章解釋了這句短語跟搖滾樂的聯繫。作者雪萊·古盧斯特解釋說，a rolling stone gathers no moss 有兩種解釋。
It can mean that a person who never settles down in one place will not gather wealth or long-lasting relationships. The moss that slowly spreads across the rock represents the money and friends we make over time.
它可以指不安定下來的人無法聚集財富，也無法建立長久的關係。在巖石上緩慢蔓延的苔蘚代表我們隨著時間流逝贏得的金錢和朋友。
How does it feel? To be on your own, With no direction home, A complete unknown, Like a rolling stone.
這是什麼感覺？獨自一人無依無靠，找不到回家的方向，完全沒有人知道你，就像一顆滾動的石頭。
But there is another way we use this expression.
但是這句話我們還有一種解釋。
Think about a rolling stone. It leads a carefree existence, on the move with no moss to worry about. People who are "rolling stones" live without the restrictions that come with responsibilities. They go where they choose when they choose. And, they don't stay anywhere long enough to form attachments. Or moss.
想想一塊滾動的石頭。它通向一種無憂無慮的存在，在旅途中也無需擔心長出苔蘚。那些四處漂泊的人們不受責任的拘束。他們去自己想去的地方。而且，他們不會在任何地方停留很長時間，不會形成依附關係。「不會長出苔蘚。」
A free spirit is also a term we use to describe such a person. They are not tied down with lots of traditional responsibilities.
自由靈魂也是我們用來形容這類人的一個術語。他們不會承擔太多的傳統責任。
A rolling stone could also be described as "nomadic," often moving. Experts at the Merriam-Webster online dictionary define a nomad as a "member of a group of people who move from place to place." Often nomads move around to find food.
Rolling stone也可以描述為遊牧式的、經常遷徙的。韋氏在線詞典的專家將遊牧民定義為「四處遷徙的人群中的一員。」遊牧民通常四處尋找食物。
However, these days we can use the word "nomadic" to describe anyone who moves around a lot.
但是我們現在可以使用nomadic這個詞來形容經常四處流浪的人。
Now, the rolling stone lifestyle has been explored in many songs including work by Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan.
在包括馬迪·沃特和鮑勃·迪倫等人的很多歌曲中也解釋了這種流浪的生活方式。
One of the best came from The Temptations in 1972. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" is about a man who leaves his family. In the song the mother tries to explain the father her son never knew.
其中最好的作品來自於1972年的誘惑樂團。《爸爸是浪子》寫了一位離開家人的男子。在這首歌中，母親試圖給兒子解釋他所不了解的父親。
Papa was a rolling stone (my son, yeah) Wherever he laid his hat was his home ...
爸爸是位浪子，（我的兒子呀，是的），他把帽子放在哪，哪裡就是他的家。
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
以上就是本期詞彙掌故節目的全部內容。我們下次節目見。我是安娜·馬特奧。
shady – adj. sheltered from the sun's light
creek – n. a stream of water usually larger than a brook and smaller than a river
gather – v. something brought together
carefree – adj. having no worries or troubles
free spirit – n. a person who thinks and acts in an uninhibited way without worrying about normal social rules
nomadic adj. roaming about from place to place : characteristic of or being a nomad or group of nomads
*內容來源51VOA.COM原創翻譯，侵刪~