核心畫面

Someone who has chosen to stand on your side — bound to you by an agreement, not by chance — so that when trouble comes, they are with you and not against you.

兩個原本各自獨立的人(或國家),因為講定了一件事而把自己「綁」到對方那一邊——從此形勢一起看、麻煩一起扛。重點不在感更多收起兩個原本各自獨立的人(或國家),因為講定了一件事而把自己「綁」到對方那一邊——從此形勢一起看、麻煩一起扛。重點不在感情好,而在「站位」:世界分成兩邊的時候,這個人站在你這一側。ally 的字根本來就有「綁在一起」的意思(拉丁 ligare「綁」),所以它天生帶著一種「我們現在是綁定的」味道,不是隨口說說的友善。

From the word’s history

From Old French alier / Latin alligare "to bind to" (ad- "to" + ligare "to bind") — the same ligare behind ligament and oblige. The word literally pictures binding two parties together.

來自古法語 alier、拉丁 alligare「綁到…上」(ad-「向」+ ligare「綁」)——跟 ligament(韌帶)、oblige 同源。所以 ally 的畫面本來就是「用一條繩子把兩方綁起來」,這條繩子是講好的約定;今天所有的用法都還留著那個「綁定」的手感。

Wiktionary etymology for English "ally" (from Middle English allien, from Anglo-Norman allier, from Latin alligāre)

Three branches

綁在一起的國家:條約層面的盟

這一族是核心畫面最原始、最正式的樣子:把「站在你這邊」寫成國與國之間的條約。綁定的繩子在這裡是白紙黑字的協議,而且賭注是戰爭。

ally, allied country · noun · C1

A country that agrees to help or support another country in a war.

盟國

日常裡站在你這邊的人與力量

把條約的場面縮小到辦公室、家庭、一場爭論——繩子還在,只是不再是文件,而是彼此心照不宣的支持。這一族是核心畫面本身,以及它再往外延伸到「不是人」的東西。

ally, a supportive person · noun · C1

Someone who helps and supports you when other people are against you.

盟友

動作:把自己綁上去

名詞是綁好之後的身分,動詞是綁上去的那個動作——同一條繩子,看的是打結的瞬間。

ally, join forces (verb) · verb · C1

To help and support other people or countries, especially in a war or a disagreement. Often used as ally yourself with someone.

結盟

原始詞典資料16 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Allyname/ˈæliː/

  • 1

    A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, Alexandra, or other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages or Ancient Greek.

    • Where’s my Girle? What Ally? Ally? / Enter Alice.
  • 2

    A diminutive of the male given names Alfred, Albert, Alan, Alexander, or other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages, the Celtic languages, or Ancient Greek.

    • Ally Love
    • Golden-hair'd Ally whose name is one with mine, Crazy with laughter and babble and earth's new wine

allyverb詞源 1/ˈæl.aɪ/

  • 1

    To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.

    • Theſe three did loue each other dearely well, / And with ſo firme affection were allyde, / As if but one ſoule in them all did dvvell, / VVhich did her povvre into three parts diuyde; […]
    • [W]hen hee's remou'd, your Highneſſe / VVill take againe your Queene, as yours at firſt, / Euen for your Sonnes ſake, and thereby for ſealing / The Iniurie of Tongues, in Courts and Kingdomes / Knovvne, and ally'd to yours.
  • 2

    Chiefly followed by to or with: to connect or form a relation to (someone or something) by similarity in features or nature.

    • Yes in good ſooth, the vice is of a great kindred; it is vvell allied, but it is impoſſible to extirpe it quite, Frier, till eating and drinking be put dovvne.
    • Great VVits are ſure to Madneſs near ally'd; / And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide: […]
  • 3

    To join or unite (oneself or itself) against, with, etc., someone or something else.

    • To be ſhort, hauing thus ingrafted them into the body of his [God's] Sonne, he ioyneth and allieth him ſelfe to them, he maketh him ſelfe one with them, maketh them his children and heyres, partakers of his immortalitie and glorie, and all this he worketh by the inward vertue of his holy Ghost, […]
    • [W]e have ſo many of our firſt Titled Families vvho have ally'd themſelves to Trade, (vvhoſe Inducements vvere Money only) that it ceaſes to be either a VVonder as to the Fact, or a Diſgrace to the Honour.
  • 4

    Chiefly followed by with: to enter into an alliance or unite for a common aim.

    • [A]ftervvards he [Constantine the Great] allied vvith Licinius, and gave him his Siſter in marriage, and acknovvledged him his Colleague in the Empire.
    • Whatever injuries […] the Athenians have done me I forgive. […] If they will ally with me, rebuild the temples I have burnt.

allynoun詞源 2

  • 1

    A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.

    • [N]o attempt is made to call in God to their reſcue, as if he vvere an idle unconcern'd ſpectator of humane affairs, or ſo inconſiderable an ally, as not to be vvorth the care of engaging him on their ſide.
    • The rights of the ſeven Electors were ſupported by all the deſcendants and allies of their powerful families, who ſhared in the ſplendor and influence, which they enjoyed by this diſtinguiſhing privilege.
  • 2

    A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.

    • I’m glad you want to be a better ally to the disabled.
  • 3

    A person, group, state, etc., which is associated or united by treaty with another for a common (especially military or political) purpose; a confederate.

    • The two countries were allies in World War I.
    • To be ſo ſcornefull to your alye⸝ / Your counſeyle was not worth a flye.
  • 4

    Something regarded as connected with or related to another thing by similarity in features or nature.

    • the pretty Pansy then Ile tye / Like Stones some Chaine inchasing, / And next to them their neere Alye, / The purple Violet placing.
    • The Aleptick art, and, its neereſt ally, Medicine, are deſign'd for the cure of bodies, reducing the faculties to the beſt harmony; […]
  • 5

    biologynatural-sciencestaxonomySomething regarded as connected with or related to another thing by similarity in features or nature.

    • The order of Gruiformes includes cranes and their allies.
    • Procyonids (raccoons and their allies), a group of North American origin, are first recorded in South America in a level immediately below a unit dated at 6.0 million years.
  • 6

    A person, group, concept, etc., which is associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary; a supporter.

    • [S]cience, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.
  • 7

    obsoletehistoricalA kinsman or kinswoman; a relative.

    • This Gentleman the Princes neere Alie. / My very frend hath tane this mortall vvound / In my behalfe, […]
    • Finally there was a quiet wedding at the Towers, […] The Sellerses were to go to England with their new allies for a brief visit, but when it was time to take the train from Washington, the colonel was missing.

allynoun詞源 2

  • 1

    obsoleteOne's relatives; kin, kindred, relations; also, relationship through descent or marriage; kinship.

    • The ſpider: as of vſe in talke new entrid, / (Frendes axe of frends: the ſtate of their frends frendly,) / Axte how his coſins (thants father and mother) did. / His brothers ſiſters with all kyn and aly, / Thant ſaid thei did well.
  • 2

    obsoletePeople, groups, states, etc., which are associated or united with each other for a common purpose; confederates; also, the state of being allied; alliance, confederation.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形:

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。