Stormont is a big grey building on a hill just outside Belfast, in Northern Ireland. But when people say "Stormont", they almost never mean the building — they mean the government that sits inside it.

Stormont is Stormont是 a big grey building on a hill just outside Belfast在貝爾法斯特郊外一座小山丘上的灰色大建築, in Northern Ireland位在北愛爾蘭. But when people say "Stormont"但當人們說"Stormont"的時候, they almost never mean the building他們幾乎從來不是指那棟建築 — they mean the government that sits inside it而是指裡面運作的那個政府.

So "Stormont says no" means the Northern Ireland government says no, and "Stormont has collapsed again" means the government has stopped working. English does this a lot: we use a place to mean the people who work there, the way people say the White House, or 中南海 in Chinese.

So "Stormont says no"所以"Stormont says no"（Stormont說不） means the Northern Ireland government says no意思是北愛爾蘭政府說不, and "Stormont has collapsed again""Stormont has collapsed again"（Stormont又垮台了） means the government has stopped working意思是這個政府又停擺了. English does this a lot英文常常這樣用: we use a place to mean the people who work there用一個地方來指在那裡工作的人, the way people say the White House就像大家說the White House（白宮）, or 中南海 in Chinese或中文裡說中南海一樣.

The history matters, because it is why the word feels heavy to people there. Northern Ireland got its own parliament in 1921, and it met at Stormont.

The history matters這段歷史很重要, because it is why the word feels heavy to people there因為這就是為什麼這個詞對當地人來說感覺很沉重. Northern Ireland got its own parliament in 1921北愛爾蘭在1921年有了自己的議會, and it met at Stormont議會就設在Stormont.

In 1969 there was very serious violence, and in 1972 London closed that parliament down and ruled Northern Ireland directly from England instead. Then in 1998 a peace agreement created a new body, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and it also meets at Stormont.

In 1969 there was very serious violence1969年發生了非常嚴重的暴力衝突, and in 1972 London closed that parliament down而1972年倫敦關閉了那個議會, and ruled Northern Ireland directly from England instead改由英格蘭直接統治北愛爾蘭. Then in 1998 a peace agreement created a new body後來1998年一項和平協議創立了一個新機構, the Northern Ireland Assembly也就是北愛爾蘭議會（Northern Ireland Assembly）, and it also meets at Stormont它同樣設在Stormont.

So the same word covers the old parliament, the new assembly, and the building that held both — which is part of why some people say it warmly and some say it bitterly.

So the same word covers所以同一個詞涵蓋了 the old parliament, the new assembly, and the building that held both舊議會、新議會，還有容納這兩者的那棟建築 — which is part of why some people say it warmly and some say it bitterly這也是為什麼有些人說起它語氣溫暖，有些人說起它語氣苦澀的部分原因.

One more thing you will notice if you read the news: Stormont has stopped working several times since 1998, sometimes for years, because the parties there would not sit together. So in British and Irish news you very often see it with words like suspended, restored, collapsed, or back up and running.

One more thing you will notice if you read the news還有一件事，如果你讀新聞就會注意到: Stormont has stopped working several times since 1998Stormont自1998年以來已經好幾次停擺, sometimes for years有時候一停就是好幾年, because the parties there would not sit together因為那裡的政黨們不肯坐下來合作. So in British and Irish news所以在英國和愛爾蘭的新聞裡 you very often see it with words like suspended, restored, collapsed, or back up and running你常常會看到它搭配suspended（暫停）、restored（恢復）、collapsed（垮台）、或back up and running（重新運作）這類詞.

It is a normal word in news writing, not formal or old-fashioned, but it assumes you already know what it is — nobody explains it. It is always capital S, and never has "the" in front of it.

It is a normal word in news writing它在新聞寫作裡是個普通的詞, not formal or old-fashioned不是正式或過時的用語, but it assumes you already know what it is但它預設你已經知道那是什麼 — nobody explains it沒有人會特別解釋. It is always capital S它的S永遠大寫, and never has "the" in front of it前面也絕對不加"the".