核心畫面

Picture a driver with both hands on the wheel, eyes forward, mirrors covering most of the road but not all of it. There is one patch beside and behind the car that nothing shows. That patch is the blindside, and the word is built out of exactly those two pieces: blind and side. Everything else the word does starts from that patch. Something comes out of it and hits the car. Something comes out of it and hits a person. And in the meaning people use most, nothing physical arrives at all: the news or the question comes from the direction you were not watching, and you had no chance to get ready.

想像一個開車的人,雙手握著方向盤,眼睛看前面。後照鏡照到大部分的路,但就是有一塊照不到。那一塊在車子的側後方。那就是更多收起想像一個開車的人,雙手握著方向盤,眼睛看前面。後照鏡照到大部分的路,但就是有一塊照不到。那一塊在車子的側後方。那就是 blindside,這個字也正好由 blind(看不見)和 side(一側)兩塊拼成。它其他的用法都從那一塊出發。有東西從那裡衝出來撞到車。有東西從那裡衝出來撞到人。而在最常用的那個意思裡,其實什麼都沒有撞過來:只是消息或問題來自你沒在看的方向,你完全來不及準備。

From the word’s history

Wiktionary gives the formation plainly: blind plus side. The word is transparent, and the pieces still carry the whole picture.

依 Wiktionary,這個字就是 blind 加 side 組成的。結構很透明,兩個零件到今天還完整撐著整個畫面。

Wiktionary entry for blindside, etymology_text supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:886641685:10851)

Two branches

從那一側撞上來

位置變成動作:有東西真的從那一塊衝出來,撞上你。

verb · C1

To hit the side of another vehicle with your vehicle in an accident.

從側面(視線死角)撞上

從那一側來的消息

同樣的撞擊,換成沒有實體的:打中你的是消息或問題,但方向一樣是你沒在看的那邊。

verb · C1

To surprise someone with bad news or a sudden move that they had no way of seeing coming.

(突然)打得措手不及;殺個措手不及