核心畫面

Stand in front of a tank of hot oil with a wire basket hanging over it. Two things in that scene can be called the fryer: the tank that does the frying, and the young chicken waiting to go in. The ending -er points at both — the thing that fries, and the thing fit to be fried.

可以想成一個畫面:一槽滾燙的油,上面掛著一個鐵網籃。這個畫面裡有兩樣東西都可以叫 fryer。一個是那台負責炸的機器更多收起可以想成一個畫面:一槽滾燙的油,上面掛著一個鐵網籃。這個畫面裡有兩樣東西都可以叫 fryer。一個是那台負責炸的機器。另一個是等著要下鍋的那隻嫩雞。關鍵在字尾 -er:它既能指「做這件事的東西」,也能指「適合被這樣處理的東西」。所以同一個字會落在鍋子上,也會落在雞身上。

From the word’s history

From fry + -er. The suffix is recorded with two readings here: the agent (the thing that fries) and the patient (the thing suitable to be fried).

字源記為 fry 加上 -er,而且來源明說 -er 在這個字上有兩種讀法:一種是施事者(負責炸的那個),一種是受事者(適合被炸的那個)。這兩條路各自長出一個今天還在用的意思。

Wiktionary entry supplied in packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:1239146710:10526)

Two branches

負責炸的那個東西

-er 的第一條路:做這件事的東西。

noun · B1

A machine or container used for frying food. Most hold hot oil, like the ones in a restaurant kitchen; an air fryer does the job with hot air instead.

油炸鍋;炸鍋

適合被炸的那一隻

-er 的第二條路:不是做這件事的,而是適合被這樣處理的。這一支不是從「機器」比喻出來的,兩者是同一個字尾的兩種讀法。

noun · B2

In American English, a fryer is a young chicken raised to be small and tender, so that it is good for frying. Shops sell it under that name, usually as a small whole bird.

肉雞(適合油炸的小雞)