A stormtrooper was a German soldier in a special assault unit — the men sent in first, fast and hard, to break through the enemy line. The idea started in the First World War and the word carried on into the Second World War.

A stormtrooper突擊兵 was是 in a special assault unit隸屬特種突擊部隊的 a German soldier德國士兵 the men也就是那些 sent in first最先被派上戰場 fast and hard又快又猛地 to break through the enemy line去突破敵軍防線的人。 The idea這個概念 started始於 in the First World War第一次世界大戰 and the word而這個字 carried on則沿用 into the Second World War到了第二次世界大戰。

Because of that history, it is a cold word: if you call a real person a stormtrooper, you are saying they are a brutal soldier who follows orders without thinking. It is not a compliment and never a neutral job title.

Because of that history因為有這段歷史， it is a cold word這是個冷酷的字： if you call如果你把 a real person一個真實的人 a stormtrooper叫做突擊兵， you are saying你就是在說 who follows orders without thinking他是個不經思考、只服從命令、 they are a brutal soldier殘暴的軍人。 It is not a compliment這不是稱讚， and never也絕不是 a neutral job title中性的職稱。

There is a second, closely linked use that history books use a lot. In 1920s and 30s Germany, the Nazi party had its own violent street gang, the SA, and its members were called stormtroopers in English too (in German, Sturmabteilung). These were not army soldiers but party thugs who beat up opponents at meetings. So when you meet the word in a book about how Hitler came to power, it usually means these men, not wartime soldiers.

There is還有 a second, closely linked use第二個關係密切的用法， that history books use a lot歷史書裡常常用到。 In 1920s and 30s Germany在1920、30年代的德國， the Nazi party had納粹黨有 its own violent street gang自己的暴力街頭幫派， the SA叫做衝鋒隊（SA）， and its members were called而它的成員 stormtroopers in English too在英文裡也被稱為stormtrooper (in German, Sturmabteilung)（德文是Sturmabteilung）。 These were not army soldiers這些人不是軍隊裡的士兵， but而是 who beat up opponents at meetings在集會上痛毆對手的 party thugs黨羽打手。 So when you meet the word所以當你遇到這個字， in a book about how Hitler came to power是在講希特勒如何掌權的書裡， it usually means these men通常指的是這些人， not wartime soldiers而不是戰時的士兵。

Now the honest complication, and it is a big one for your generation: most people today meet this word through Star Wars, where stormtroopers are the white-armoured soldiers of the Empire. That was a deliberate borrowing — the films took the name because of what it meant. In everyday conversation, especially among young people, the Star Wars meaning is the one that comes to mind first, and you will see the word joked about in that way constantly. But in a history class or a news article, the older meaning is the live one, and using it loosely there would sound careless.

Now the honest complication現在是老實說會讓人混淆的地方， and it is a big one for your generation對你們這一代來說還不小： most people today meet this word現在大多數人是認識這個字， through Star Wars透過《星際大戰》， where stormtroopers are裡面的stormtrooper是 the white-armoured soldiers of the Empire帝國的白色裝甲士兵。 That was a deliberate borrowing那是刻意借用的名字—— the films took the name電影會用這個名字， because of what it meant是因為它原本的意思。 In everyday conversation在日常對話裡， especially among young people尤其是年輕人之間， the Star Wars meaning is the one that comes to mind first星際大戰的意思是最先想到的， and you will see the word joked about in that way constantly你會常常看到大家這樣拿這個字開玩笑。 But in a history class or a news article但在歷史課或新聞報導裡， the older meaning is the live one比較舊的意思才是活著在用的， and using it loosely there在那種場合隨便亂用， would sound careless聽起來會顯得不夠嚴謹。