喜樂美語

核心畫面

One way to picture legend: a story handed down so long that nobody checks it any more — it is simply what gets told. From the story comes the person the stories are told about, and from there a warm bit of slang for anyone who has just done something great. The map-key sense belongs to the word's older meaning, 'the words to be read'.

可以想成 legend 是一個流傳太久、久到沒人再去查證的故事——大家就是這樣講。從故事延伸到「被講的那個人」，再延…更多收起可以想成 legend 是一個流傳太久、久到沒人再去查證的故事——大家就是這樣講。從故事延伸到「被講的那個人」，再延伸成口語裡的一句稱讚。至於地圖上的「圖例」，走的是這個字更早的那層意思：「要讀的那些字」。

From the word’s history

From Medieval Latin legenda, literally '(things) to be read', from Latin legere 'to read; to gather, select'. The earliest English use (early 14c.) was a narrative — especially a saint's life read aloud; 'nonhistorical or mythical story' followed in the late 14c. The 'inscription on a coin or medal' sense appears around the 1610s, and the map-key sense only in 1903.

來自中世紀拉丁文 legenda，字面就是「要讀的那些東西」，源自拉丁文 legere「讀、採集、挑選」。英文最早的用法（14 世紀初）指的是一段被朗讀出來的敘事，尤其是聖徒的故事；14 世紀晚期才擴大成「非史實的傳說」。「鑄在錢幣或獎章上的字」約在 1610 年代出現，地圖上的「圖例」則要到 1903 年。所以傳說和圖例並不是巧合，兩邊都回到「被讀的文字」這個源頭。

Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com/word/legend)

From the picture

口語裡的稱讚

把「傳奇人物」的規模縮小到日常：你幫了個小忙，朋友就用最大的字來謝你——誇張正是這份幽默的來源。

legend, great person (slang) · noun · B2

Someone you think is great and want to thank — a friendly word used mostly by young people.

超讚的人

寫上去、供人讀的字

回到這個字最早的那層意思——「要讀的文字」：刻在錢幣上的一行字，或地圖角落那塊說明符號的方框，都是為了被讀而存在的。

inscription · noun · B2

Words that are written on something, such as a sign, coin, or old drawing.

題字

Also in this word

old legend, tale · noun · B2

An old story passed down over many years, which may or may not be true.

傳說

a legend, famous person · noun · B2

Someone so good at what they do that people keep telling stories about them.

傳奇人物

原始詞典資料15 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。

Legendname

  • 1

    A male given name.

legendnoun/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/

  • 1

    The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend).

    • As a child she had nothing to read but the legends of early Christian martyrs.
  • 2

    An unrealistic story depicting past events.

    • The legend of Troy was discovered to have a historical basis.
  • 3

    An unrealistic story depicting past events.

    • the legend of Robin Hood
  • 4

    An unrealistic story depicting past events.

    • The 1984 Rose Bowl prank has spawned many legends. Here's the real story.
  • 5

    An unrealistic story depicting past events.

    • According to his legend, he once worked for the Red Cross, spreading humanitarian aid in Africa.
    • If the documents are needed to establish "a light legend," meaning a superficial cover story, no steps are taken to make sure that if someone calls the college or motor vehicle department, the name on the document will be registered.
  • 6

    Such stories considered collectively; unverified traditional tales.

    • According to ancient legend, a Greek girl, partaking of saffron for an entire week, could not resist a lover.
  • 7

    A person related to a legend or legends.

    • Achilles is a legend in Greek culture.
  • 8

    A person related to a legend or legends.

    • Michael Jordan stands as a legend in basketball.
    • Sachin Tendulkar stands as a legend in cricket.
另外 5 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    slangA person related to a legend or legends.

    • I've lost my pen! —Here mate, borrow mine. —You legend.
  • 10

    cartographygeographynatural-sciencesA key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.

    • According to the legend on the map, that building is a school.
  • 11

    governmentheraldryhobbiesAn inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

    • Further clues are provided by milk-floats bearing the legend 'Lord Rayleigh's Dairies: A Family Business', and a number of signs indicating the whereabouts of various departments of Lord Rayleigh's Farms.
    • […]there were three small brass coins there, the gift of Ymar. Their legends, like their faces, had worn away; and they were dark with verdigris — in appearance precisely the ancient things they were.
  • 12

    A musical composition set to a poetical story.

  • 13

    governmentmilitarynavalThe design and specification of a vessel.

    • The legend displacement on the basis then in use was 48,000 tons, the corresponding standard displacement as defined by the Washington Treaty being 47,540 tons.
    • The legend and sketch designs were submitted to the Board on 27th March 1916 and, after examining a model and the drawings, the Sea Lords generally favoured proposal 'B'; the extra weight involved being acceptable.

legendverb/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/

  • 1

    archaicTo tell or narrate; to recount.

    • Nor ladie's wanton love , nor wand'ring knight, Legend I out in rymes all richly dight

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