核心畫面

Picture a crowd gathering and doing something out of the ordinary — a meal, a song, a ceremony — so that everyone can see this day, this person, this thing is not ordinary. That is the shape of celebrate: you do not just feel that something matters, you put it on show in front of other people. A party, a public tribute and a solemn Mass all fit that same shape.

可以想成 celebrate 的畫面是一群人聚在一起,做一件平常不會做的事——擺一桌菜、唱一首歌、行一場禮——好讓大更多收起可以想成 celebrate 的畫面是一群人聚在一起,做一件平常不會做的事——擺一桌菜、唱一首歌、行一場禮——好讓大家都看見:今天這一天、這個人、這件事,跟平常不一樣。重點在「做出來給人看」,不是心裡覺得而已。派對、公開表揚、莊嚴的彌撒,其實都是同一個形狀。

From the word’s history

From Latin celebrare 'to assemble to honour; to publish, sing praises of', from celeber 'frequented, populous, crowded' — literally 'to go somewhere in great numbers'. The crowd is built into the word, which is why English uses one verb for throwing a party, praising someone publicly, and performing a Mass.

來自拉丁文 celebrare「聚集起來表示敬意、公開頌揚」,而 celebrare 又來自 celeber「人來人往的、擁擠的」,字面上就是「一大群人往同一個地方去」。「人群」本來就長在這個字裡面,所以英文才能用同一個動詞講辦派對、公開讚揚,還有主持彌撒——三件事都是「大家聚起來,把某件事鄭重做出來」。

Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com), entry 'celebrate'

Two branches

把重要的事公開做出來

這一組是核心畫面本身,差別只在對象:一個是「日子或事件」,一個是「人或作品」。前者是聚起來一起開心,後者是聚起來一起說他好。

celebrate an event · verb · B1

To do something special or fun to show that a day or event is important and makes people happy.

慶祝

主持宗教儀式

這其實是 celebrate 在英文裡最早的用法:照規矩、在眾人面前把一場儀式做完。跟派對看似天差地遠,但都是「聚起來,把該做的鄭重做出來」。

perform a religious rite · verb · B1

To stand as the one who performs a religious ceremony, especially a Mass.

舉行(宗教儀式)

原始詞典資料4 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。

celebrateverb/ˈsɛl.ɪ.bɹeɪt/

  • 1

    To extol or honour in a solemn manner.

    • to celebrate the name of the Most High
    • To celebrate the centenary next month of the opening of the first section (Forest Gate to Tilbury) of the former London, Tilbury & Southend Railway, the Stephenson Locomotive Society is organising a special rail tour over that route and other lesser-known L.T.S.R. lines.
  • 2

    To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly.

    • to celebrate a birthday
    • Hester Earle and Violet Wayne were moving about the aisle with bundles of wheat-ears and streamers of ivy, for the harvest thanksgiving was shortly to be celebrated, while the vicar stood waiting for their directions on the chancel steps with a great handful of crimson gladioli.
  • 3

    To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.

    • I was promoted today at work—let’s celebrate!
    • As Di Matteo celebrated and captain John Terry raised the trophy for the fourth time, the Italian increased his claims to become the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas by landing a trophy.
  • 4

    To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to perform with appropriate rites.

    • to celebrate a marriage

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